I’m re-introducing jjajangmyeon recipe (noodles in black bean sauce) to you today with a new, updated video. I first put up a video in 2007 that showed you how to make jjajangmyeon. That was not long after I started posting videos to YouTube. Yes, it was 5 years ago! Time flies too fast!.
I made a new video that is easier to follow and shows you how to make jjajangbap with rice instead of noodles because the first one was so popular.
Jjajangmyeon is everybody’s favorite food. It’s a very popular Korean Chinese dish that was made by Chinese people who came to Korea early on to suit Korean tastes. Tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) is another example. When you put the salty black bean sauce on top of the thick, chewy wheat flour noodles, it tastes and feels very different. When I was young, a plate of jjajangmyeon from a Chinese restaurant always made me excited. When you order it to be delivered, the noodles come in a special tin box in less than 30 minutes. I always got jjajang sauce all over me, and my mom had to give me a Kleenex.
Koreans even have an unofficial holiday for jjm on April 14th: single people eat a bowl of jjajangmyeon to honor the fact that they are all lonely on Black Day.
Black bean noodles, also known as jajangmyeon in Korean, are a beloved noodle dish flavored with a thick, savory black bean sauce. With its complex combination of sweet, salty, and umami flavors, jajangmyeon is an addictive Korean-Chinese fusion dish that has become a staple comfort food for many.
But with that ultra-dark black bean sauce coating the noodles you may wonder – are black bean noodles spicy? Let’s unravel the layers of flavors in jajangmyeon to find out!
An Overview of Jajangmyeon
Jajangmyeon consists of three main components
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Chewy wheat noodles, traditionally freshly-made jajangmyeon noodles but sometimes substituted with ramen or udon.
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A thick sauce made primarily from chunjang, or Korean fermented black bean paste, along with pork, onions, zucchini, and potato.
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Toppings like sliced cucumber, kimchi, or boiled egg.
To make the sauce, the black bean paste is fried with lard or oil, then combined with the pork and vegetables. This mixture simmers in chicken broth and starch slurry until thickened. The resulting black bean sauce has a glistening dark color and complex savory taste.
The Signature Flavors in Jajangmyeon Sauce
When you mix together all the ingredients in the black bean sauce, you get an intricate combination of flavors:
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Savory and Salty: The fermented black bean paste provides a rich, fermented umami flavor similar to miso or soy sauce. It has a very savory, salty taste.
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Sweet: Sugar is added to balance out the saltiness and fermented flavors. It provides a touch of sweetness.
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Earthy and Nutty: As fermented black beans, chunjang has those classic black bean notes of earthiness and nuttiness.
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Meaty and Smoky: Diced pork contributes tasty fats, savoriness, and subtle smokiness.
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Aromatic: Onions, zucchini, and potato give the sauce more texture and a mellow aromatic element.
The Role of Spice in Jajangmyeon
Unlike some other Korean noodle dishes like jjajang ramen or bibim noodles, jajangmyeon is not considered a spicy dish.
The black bean sauce itself does not contain any chili pepper or gochujang, the Korean chili paste responsible for heat and spice. So the predominant flavors are more savory, earthy, nutty, and sweet rather than hot and spicy.
That said, many enthusiasts enjoy adding a little kick to their jajangmyeon in one of these ways:
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Mixing in a few dashes of gochujang or chili oil to the sauce
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Adding kimchi on top to provide some spicy, fermented contrast
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Dipping the noodles in gochujang or another spicy condiment
So the black bean sauce itself is not intrinsically spicy. But there’s definitely room to customize your preferred level of heat when eating this dish! The nutty sweetness can handle and balance some spiciness quite nicely.
Regional Variations in Spice Level
Jajangmyeon originated in Korea as a Koreanized version of zhajiangmian, the Chinese noodle dish with black bean sauce. Over the years, the Korean palette transformed the original dish in a few ways.
One key adaptation was lowering the spice level and boosting the sweetness to be less aggressively salty and bitter compared to its Chinese predecessor. This allowed the more complex layers of umami, nuttiness, and earthiness to shine.
Within Korea, the exact seasonings and spice level can also vary depending on the province or restaurant. Some regions like North Jeolla Province are known for spicier jajangmyeon with more chili, while others stay mild.
Restaurants also customize their black bean sauce recipes, so the spice level can range from not spicy to pleasantly zingy depending on where you eat it.
Serving Suggestions for Spice Lovers
For those who like a bit of heat, here are some easy ways to give your jajangmyeon a boost:
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Add 1-2 teaspoons of gochujang or gochugaru (Korean chili powder) directly to the sauce.
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Top with chopped or slivered Korean red chili peppers.
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Mix in some chopped kimchi. The spicy fermented cabbage provides a delicious contrast.
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Serve with sliced fresh chili peppers on the side for dipping the noodles.
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Add a few shakes of chili oil or chili crisp sauce.
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Top with crispy fried onions for fun texture and subtle bite.
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Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, which add nuttiness.
So feel free to customize your jajangmyeon to your desired level of spice! The complex flavors of the black bean sauce can handle some embellishment. Just steer clear of overly hot peppers or sauces that will overpower the other nuanced aromas.
Satisfying Your Cravings for Jajangmyeon
In the end, jajangmyeon features a multifaceted combination of savory, sweet, nutty, and earthy flavors from its black bean sauce rather than overt heat and spice. But that doesn’t mean you can’t amplify the flavors with a touch of chili or kimchi to satisfy your cravings!
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Ingredients for 2-3 servings
- jjajangmyeon noodles
- ½ pound of pork belly, cut into cubes that are ½ inch thick (about 1½ cups).
- 1 cup of Korean radish (or daikon) cut into cubes that are ½ inch thick, which is enough for 1 cup.
- 1 cup of zucchini, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 1 cup of potato, cut into ½-inch cubes and peeled
- 1½ cups of onion chunks
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- ¼ cup and 1 tablespoon of chunjang (Korean black bean paste)
- Add 2 tablespoons of potato starch powder to a small bowl with ¼ cup of water and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Set this bowl aside.
- 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
- ½ cup cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks for garnish
- water
Directions for making jjajang sauce
- Take a big, deep wok (or pan) and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Stir-fry the pork belly for about 4 to 5 minutes, until it turns golden brown and crispy.
- Pour out the excess pork fat.
- Add radish and stir fry for 1 minute.
- After you add the potato, onion, and zucchini, stir them around for three minutes or until the potato starts to turn a light yellow color.
- Move the ingredients to the edges of the wok to make room in the middle.
- In the middle of the wok, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Then, add ¼ cup of black bean paste and stir it around with a wooden spoon for one minute to fry it. Then mix everything in the wok and keep stirring.
- Add two cups of water to the wok. Cover and let it cook on low heat for ten minutes.
- Take off the lid and taste some of the radish and potato. If they’re done, slowly add the starch water while stirring. Keep stirring until it’s well mixed and thick.
- Add the sesame oil and remove from the heat.
- Serve with noodles (jjajangmyeon) or steamed rice (jjajangbap).
Noodles for jjajangmyeon can be found at Korean grocery stores. The noodles are thick and chewy.
- Boil the noodles in a large pot and drain. Rinse and strain in cold water.
- Put some noodles on a plate and pour some jjajang sauce on top of them. Add cucumber strips as a garnish and serve right away with kimchi or yellow pickled radish.
I have a detailed recipe for jjajangbap but this is the basics:
- Make a bowl of rice and pour the jjajang sauce over it.
- On top of the jjajang sauce, put strips of cucumber. Serve with kimchi or yellow pickled radish.
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SPICY Black Bean Noodles Vs. Regular Black Bean Noodles Mukbang | N.E Let’s Eat
FAQ
What do black bean noodles taste like to eat?
Is jajangmyeon instant noodles spicy?
Is black bean sauce spicy?
Do You Know Korean black bean sauce noodles?
Have you ever tried Korean black bean sauce noodles (Jajangmyeon, 자장면 or Jjajangmyeon, 짜장면) before? It is a popular noodle dish served with black bean sauce, which consists of chunjang (춘장, a salty black soybean paste), diced pork (or other kinds of meat) and vegetables. You can find it easily at a Korean Chinese restaurant.
How to make black bean noodle soup?
Rinse the noodles in cold water and drain. Put them into a serving bowl/plate. Add the black bean sauce (from the step 8) on top of the noodles. You can serve it as it is or decorate it with some cucumber slices, green peas or sweet corn or hardboiled egg. Mix the sauce and the noodles well with chopsticks.
What noodles go with black bean sauce?
Wheat Noodles (Fresh or Dried): These noodles are the base of the dish, providing a hearty, satisfying chewy texture that pairs perfectly with the rich black bean sauce. You can find both fresh and dried wheat noodles at any Asian or Korean supermarket. Pork Belly: Finely chopped pork belly gives the jajang sauce a bit more substance.
What is black bean sauce noodle?
Originating from Korea, this delicious black bean sauce noodle dish is a beloved comfort food that’s both easy to make and incredibly tasty.