Korean Naengmyeon Cold Noodle Soup (Printable)
Chewy buckwheat noodles in a tangy, ice-cold beef broth topped with sliced beef, Asian pear, cucumber, and hard-boiled eggs.
# What You'll Need:
→ 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 ounces naengmyeon noodles, Korean buckwheat noodles or soba substitute
→ Garnishes and Toppings
11 - 1 Asian pear, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
12 - 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
13 - 4 ounces 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
# How to Cook:
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 completely dissolve. Refrigerate until serving time—the colder the broth, the better the final dish.
02 - Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook eggs for exactly 10 minutes, then cool under running water and peel. Thinly slice cooked beef brisket, cucumber, Asian pear, and optional pickled radish. Set all toppings aside in the refrigerator.
03 - Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add naengmyeon noodles and cook according to package directions, typically 3-4 minutes until al dente. Drain thoroughly, then rinse under cold running water for 1-2 minutes to remove excess starch and chill the noodles completely.
04 - Divide chilled noodles evenly among four serving bowls. Pour the refrigerated broth over noodles. Arrange cucumber slices, pear slices, beef brisket, and egg halves on top. Add ice cubes directly to each bowl to maintain optimal cold temperature.
05 - Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over each bowl. Add a dollop of gochujang to the side if desired. Serve immediately while ice-cold. Provide extra vinegar and mustard at the table for individual seasoning adjustment.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The broth wakes up your palate like nothing else, striking that perfect balance between tangy vinegar and subtle sweetness
- Its endlessly customizable—add more gochujang for heat, extra vinegar for zing, or mustard for that authentic Korean kick
02 -
- Rinse the noodles under cold water until theyre literally ice-cold—warm noodles in cold broth is a sad experience
- Chill your serving bowls in the freezer for 20 minutes before plating, it makes a shocking difference
03 -
- If you can find dongchimi (radish water kimchi), swap out half the beef broth for its liquid—it's transformative
- Cook your noodles a minute less than the package suggests, as they'll continue to soften in the cold broth