Korean Naengmyeon Cold Noodle Soup (Printable)

Chewy buckwheat noodles in refreshing tangy broth, topped with pear, beef, and egg. Perfect cooling meal for warm weather.

# 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

# Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, combine beef broth, cold water, rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt. Stir thoroughly until sugar and salt dissolve completely. Refrigerate until ready to serve—the colder the broth, the better the final dish.
02 - Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook eggs for 10 minutes until hard-boiled, then cool under running water and peel. Slice cooked beef brisket into thin strips. Thinly slice cucumber and Asian pear. Optionally slice Korean yellow pickled radish.
03 - Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add naengmyeon noodles and cook according to package instructions, typically 3-4 minutes until tender but still chewy. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water for 1-2 minutes to remove excess starch and chill the noodles completely.
04 - Divide the cold noodles evenly among four serving bowls. Pour the chilled broth over the noodles. Arrange cucumber slices, pear slices, beef brisket, and egg halves on top. Add ice cubes directly to each bowl to maintain the cold temperature.
05 - Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over each bowl. Add a dollop of gochujang if desired for extra heat and depth. Serve immediately while icy cold. Provide extra vinegar and mustard at the table for guests to adjust seasoning to taste.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The broth gets better overnight, so make extra and keep it ready for those days when cooking feels impossible
  • Once you master the broth balance, you can customize toppings endlessly based on what is in your fridge
02 -
  • The broth must be served ice cold or the whole dish loses its soul, so chill your bowls too if possible
  • Rinse the noodles much more thoroughly than you think you need to, or they will turn gummy
03 -
  • Buy extra Asian pears because they disappear quickly when people start snacking on them
  • If your broth tastes flat after chilling, add more vinegar one teaspoon at a time

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