Korean Naengmyeon Cold Noodle (Printable)

Chewy buckwheat noodles in refreshing tangy broth with beef, pear, and eggs. Perfect cold summer meal.

# What You 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 oz naengmyeon noodles (Korean buckwheat noodles or soba substitute)

→ 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine beef broth, cold water, rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt. Whisk thoroughly until sugar and salt completely dissolve. Refrigerate the broth mixture until ready to serve—the colder the broth, the better the final dish.
02 - Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook eggs for exactly 10 minutes for hard-boiled consistency, then transfer to ice water, peel, and halve. Thinly slice the cooked beef brisket against the grain. Slice cucumber and Asian pear into thin, uniform pieces. Prepare optional pickled radish slices if using.
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 chewy but tender. Drain thoroughly in a colander, then rinse under cold running water for 1-2 minutes to remove excess starch and chill the noodles completely.
04 - Divide the chilled noodles evenly among four serving bowls. Ladle the refrigerated broth over the noodles. Arrange cucumber slices, pear wedges, beef slices, and egg halves on top. Add 1-2 ice cubes to each bowl to maintain optimal serving temperature.
05 - Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds generously over each bowl. Add a dollop of gochujang on the side or on top if desired. Serve immediately with additional vinegar and mustard on the table for individual seasoning adjustment.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The broth gets better overnight so make extra for tomorrow lunch
  • Everything can be prepped ahead and assembled in minutes
02 -
  • Rinse the noodles under cold water for at least 30 seconds or they will continue cooking
  • The broth should be almost uncomfortably cold for the authentic experience
03 -
  • Use kitchen shears to cut the noodles a few times after cooking or you will be slurping forever
  • Mix gochujang with a little vinegar before adding it to the bowl

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