Korean Naengmyeon Cold Noodle Soup (Printable)

Chewy buckwheat noodles in tangy cold broth with fresh toppings

# Ingredient List:

→ Broth

01 - 4 cups beef broth (preferably homemade or low-sodium)
02 - 2 cups cold water
03 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
04 - 1 tablespoon sugar
05 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
06 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
09 - 4-6 ice cubes (for serving)

→ Noodles

10 - 14 oz naengmyeon noodles (Korean buckwheat noodles or substitute with soba if unavailable)

→ Garnishes & Toppings

11 - 1 Asian pear, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
12 - 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
13 - 4 oz cooked beef brisket, thinly sliced
14 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
15 - 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chili paste), optional
16 - Korean yellow pickled radish (danmuji), sliced, optional

# Steps:

01 - Combine beef broth, cold water, rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt in a large bowl. Stir thoroughly until sugar and salt dissolve completely. Refrigerate until ready to serve—the colder the broth, the better the final dish.
02 - Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook eggs for 10 minutes, then cool in ice water and peel. Thinly slice cooked beef brisket, cucumber, Asian pear, and optional pickled radish. Set aside until assembly.
03 - Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add naengmyeon noodles and cook according to package instructions, approximately 3-4 minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to chill and remove excess starch until noodles are cold and chewy.
04 - Divide the cold noodles evenly among four serving bowls. Pour the chilled broth over the noodles. Arrange cucumber, pear slices, beef, and egg halves on top. Add ice cubes to each bowl to maintain the cold temperature.
05 - Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over each bowl and add a dollop of gochujang if desired. Serve immediately with extra vinegar and mustard on the side for individual seasoning adjustments.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The broth hits you with this incredible sweet and sour punch that wakes up your entire palate
  • Its the perfect antidote to humid days when hot food feels like too much effort
02 -
  • The broth really does need to be ice cold warm naengmyeon is honestly kind of sad
  • Overcooked noodles turn into mush so watch them like a hawk
03 -
  • Double the broth and keep it in your fridge for instant cold soup all week
  • Add a splash of the cooking water back into the rinsed noodles so they do not stick together

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