Indulge in bouncy chewy noodles smothered in a rich savory black bean sauce for dinner tonight! This easy Jajangmyeon recipe is packed with tender zucchini and juicy browned pork belly morsels. It’s a flavorful bowl of happiness in every bite!
What is Jajangmyeon?
Jajangmyeon is a Korean noodle dish with a savory black bean sauce. It’s packed with juicy pork belly and tender zucchini that gives a nice texture contrast when combined with the chewy noodles!
Ingredients for this Easy Jajangmyeon Recipe
Noodles
For this dish, you have a couple of noodle options to choose from; all of which you can find at your local Asian market.
When shopping, you’ll want to look for Jajangmyeon or udon noodles. For the quickest cooking, fresh noodles will always be the best choice. However, if you’d like to keep your noodles longer, you can also find frozen noodles as well.
Korean Black Bean Paste
Chunjang is a Korean-style black bean paste. Depending on the brand you buy, the sauce can be saltier, sourer, or sweeter than others. This is the Chunjang black bean paste I used and it was SO good!
The black bean paste is primarily made of fermented wheat flour, soybeans, and caramel sauce. It’s a perfectly balanced seasoning to smother addictively chewy noodles!
I also add yellow soy bean paste that adds sweetness that’s just SO amazing!
Meat & Vegetables
Traditionally, pork is the protein of choice for Jajangmyeon, packing it in with tons of flavor! However, you can also swap it out with your favorite protein of choice or pack it with tons of veggies to make it vegetarian!
Mix in your favorite veggies to make this easy Jajangmyeon recipe even more nutritious! Typically, this dish is overflowing with onions, zucchini, shredded cabbage, and carrots.
It’s an explosion of texture!
Let’s get cooking!
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Easy Jajangmyeon Recipe
Ingredients
Sauce
- 3 ½ tablespoons black bean paste
- 1 1/2 tablespoon yellow bean paste
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/8 cup water to mix with cornstarch
Ingredients
- 8 oz Jjajang noodles or dried udon noodles
- ½ cucumber julienned
Meat & Vegetables
- 1/2 pound pork belly diced
- 7 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger sliced
- 1/2 medium onion diced
- 2 zucchinis diced
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine Korean black bean paste, yellow bean paste, oyster sauce, and ¾ cup water until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat a large pan on medium-high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of oil then add in pork belly. Cook until golden then add in garlic, ginger, and onions. Cook for a few seconds until soft and fragrant.
- Add in zucchini and stir fry for another minute or two, until it’s tender. Pour in the sauce, saute for a few seconds.
- In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water, then pour into the pan to thicken. Bring sauce to a simmer for about 2 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Turn off the heat.
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add in noodles and cook according to the package’s instructions. Drain then run under cold water.
- Place noodles in a serving bowl, ladle on some of the sauce, and top with cucumber if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Black Bean Paste: Korean-style black bean paste varies in flavor depending on the brand. Some are saltier, sourer, or sweeter. This is the Chunjang black bean paste I used and it was SO good!
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
