Korean Jajangmyeon in Black Bean Sauce
Jajangmyeon is thick Korean noodles in a sauce of fermented black bean paste (chunjang). The most important step is frying the chunjang in plenty of oil for 3–4 minutes first — it removes the bitterness, and without it the whole dish turns out bitter.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Calories
- 560
Photo: Emanuele Oddo — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Jajangmyeon is Korea’s best-loved comfort food, and it is ordered from delivery restaurants more than anything else. The secret that separates a successful home version from a failed one is a single step: frying the bean paste.
Method
-
1
Frying the bean paste
Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a small pan over medium heat, add the chunjang and stir for 3–4 minutes. You’ll notice its smell change from sharp to sweet and its texture loosen. This step is the difference between a sweet sauce and a bitter one — don’t skip it.
-
2
The meat
In a wide pan, heat a spoon of oil and brown the meat cubes over high heat for 4 minutes until golden on all sides. Sprinkle over half a teaspoon of sugar in the last minute so it caramelises slightly.
-
3
The vegetables
Add the onion and stir for 3 minutes, then the potato and cabbage for 5 minutes, and finally the courgette for 2 minutes. The order follows how firm each vegetable is — potato first, courgette last.
-
4
Combining the sauce
Add the fried chunjang with its oil to the vegetables and stir for 2 minutes until everything is coated. Add the water or stock and the rest of the sugar, bring to the boil, then simmer over low heat for 7–8 minutes.
-
5
Thickening with cornflour
Dissolve the cornflour in 3 tablespoons of cold water and pour it into the boiling sauce, stirring constantly. It will thicken in one minute and turn glossy, coating the back of a spoon. Add the sesame oil and turn off the heat.
-
6
Noodles and serving
Boil the noodles according to the packet, then rinse them in cold water and drain — rinsing removes the starch that makes them stick. Put the noodles on the plate, pour the sauce over and garnish with cucumber slices. Mix before eating.
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Tips that actually matter
- Fry the chunjang in oil for 3–4 minutes — without it the sauce turns out bitter.
- Cut all the vegetables into small, even dice so they cook together.
- Rinse the noodles in cold water after boiling so they don’t stick.
- The raw cucumber isn’t decoration — its coolness and crunch cut through the rich sauce.
People also ask
The sauce turned out bitter — what went wrong?
You didn’t fry the chunjang in oil before adding it. The raw paste is bitter, and frying it in plenty of oil for 3–4 minutes turns the bitterness sweet. It is the most important step in the recipe.
Can I make it without meat?
Yes — use mushrooms and cubed tofu instead of meat, and add more vegetables. The dish is then fully plant-based and still delicious, because the main flavour comes from the bean paste, not the meat.
Which noodles should I use?
Thick jajangmyeon noodles are ideal. If you can’t find them, use thick udon or even thick spaghetti. They need to be thick to carry the heavy sauce — thin noodles get lost under it.
Cook mode
Korean Jajangmyeon in Black Bean Sauce
-
1
Frying the bean paste
Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a small pan over medium heat, add the chunjang and stir for 3–4 minutes. You’ll notice its smell change from sharp to sweet and its texture loosen. This step is the difference between a sweet sauce and a bitter one — don’t skip it.
-
2
The meat
In a wide pan, heat a spoon of oil and brown the meat cubes over high heat for 4 minutes until golden on all sides. Sprinkle over half a teaspoon of sugar in the last minute so it caramelises slightly.
-
3
The vegetables
Add the onion and stir for 3 minutes, then the potato and cabbage for 5 minutes, and finally the courgette for 2 minutes. The order follows how firm each vegetable is — potato first, courgette last.
-
4
Combining the sauce
Add the fried chunjang with its oil to the vegetables and stir for 2 minutes until everything is coated. Add the water or stock and the rest of the sugar, bring to the boil, then simmer over low heat for 7–8 minutes.
-
5
Thickening with cornflour
Dissolve the cornflour in 3 tablespoons of cold water and pour it into the boiling sauce, stirring constantly. It will thicken in one minute and turn glossy, coating the back of a spoon. Add the sesame oil and turn off the heat.
-
6
Noodles and serving
Boil the noodles according to the packet, then rinse them in cold water and drain — rinsing removes the starch that makes them stick. Put the noodles on the plate, pour the sauce over and garnish with cucumber slices. Mix before eating.
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