Korean Naengmyeon Cold Noodle Soup (Printable)
Refreshing Korean cold noodles with chewy buckwheat texture in tangy beef broth topped with beef brisket, Asian pear, and vegetables.
# 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), soba noodles can substitute
→ Garnishes & 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 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 serving time—the colder the broth, the better the final dish.
02 - Bring a pot of water to boil and cook eggs for 10 minutes for hard-boiled consistency. Immediately 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. Optionally slice danmuji pickled radish.
03 - Bring a large pot of water to rolling boil. Add naengmyeon noodles and cook for 3-4 minutes until al dente, following package directions. Drain thoroughly in a colander, then rinse under cold running water for 1-2 minutes until noodles are completely chilled and excess starch is removed. Drain well.
04 - Divide chilled noodles evenly among four serving bowls. Pour refrigerated broth over noodles to cover. Arrange cucumber slices, pear slices, beef brisket, and egg halves on top. Add 1-2 ice cubes per 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. Offer additional vinegar and mustard at the table for individual seasoning adjustment.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Cold broth that wakes up your palate without overwhelming spice
- Chewy buckwheat noodles that somehow make you slow down and savor each bite
- Endlessly customizable with whatever toppings you have in the fridge
02 -
- Rinse the noodles until they are literally cold to the touch or the broth will warm up too fast
- Chill your serving bowls in the freezer for 20 minutes before assembling
- The noodles expand slightly in the broth, so do not overload your bowls
03 -
- Taste the broth after chilling and adjust salt and vinegar—cold temperature mutes flavors
- If your noodles seem too slippery after rinsing, toss them with a tiny drop of sesame oil before adding to bowls