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If you guys are currently preparing delicious food for Thanksgiving, take a break! I have something you don’t want to miss! Introducing Sweet & Spicy Korean Noodles!
These garlicky noodles are served with rainbow veggies and coated with a sweet and spicy umami-packed Korean sauce. Needless to say, it’s certainly not lacking in flavor!
I have many noodles recipes, but I can safely say this is one of the best. Try it, and will understand why!
We start with the veggies. I went with green and red peppers, carrots, and red cabbage for a mix of colors and textures. This recipe is super versatile. You can use any vegetable you have on hand. Zucchini, broccoli, or even eggplant would make great substitutes.
Sweet, spicy, and tangy, the sauce makes all the difference.
The base is Korean soybean paste, also called doenjang. It is a fermented paste made out of ground soybeans, water, and salt. Some brands also contain wheat flour so make sure to check the label if you eat gluten-free. Flavorwise, it is stronger than miso, less salty, and a bit chunkier. While made with the same ingredients, miso, and soybean paste have different flavors. I find doenjang to be slightly nuttier, with more umami.
To make the sauce, we mix the soybean paste with toasted sesame oil, maple syrup for sweetness, white rice vinegar for tanginess, and sriracha to make things spicy. The amount of sriracha is up to you. I went with 1 teaspoon for a subtle heat, but if you prefer it spicier, use two teaspoons.
I hope you will love these Korean-inspired noodles! They are flavorful and have the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. These will definitely be a crowd-pleaser!
Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!
Sweet & Spicy Korean Noodles
Ingredients
- 10 ounces gluten-free noodles spaghetti, soba, or pad thai noodles
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 clove of garlic minced
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 1/2 red bell pepper diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1/2 cup minced red cabbage
Sweet and Spicy Sauce
- 1/4 cup Korean soybean paste
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp white rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp sriracha
- 2 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Start by preparing the sauce. Add the soybean paste to a small bowl, slowly stir in the water and mix well. Add the sesame oil, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sriracha, and cornstarch. Mix until the cornstarch is dissolved and all the ingredients well combined. Taste and adjust sriracha and maple syrup to your liking. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the noodles and cook according to the package instructions. In the meantime, prepare the vegetables.
- Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and ginger and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly to make sure the garlic doesn't burn.
- Add the diced bell peppers, carrot, and red cabbage, and cook uncovered for 5-8 minutes, stirring regularly. I like to keep the vegetables slightly crunchy, but you can cook them 3-5 minutes more if you prefer them softer.
- Once cooked, drain the noodles and add them to the skillet. Pour in the sweet and spicy sauce, and stir to coat. Cook for another 1 minute, or until the sauce has slightly thickened.
- Serve with a drizzle of lime juice and chopped chives or basil. Noodles will keep for up to 3 days, covered in the refrigerator. It can also be eaten cold, making a delicious noodle salad.
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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I have a question….. is doenjang the same as Gpchujaang?
Thanks. Trudy
Sorry about the typing error. I meant Gochujang
No, it’s not. Doenjang has fewer ingredients while Gochujang is a paste usually spicier with more aromatics like garlic, onions, etc.
I made this, and it is delicious! I sauteed some crumbled tofu, then sprinkled it with mushroom soy sauce, to serve over the noodles, since I’m a big fan of turning noodles into a main dish.
That sounds delicious Pat!
I used a good red tofu instead of the korean soy paste and it was really good !
I never heard of red tofu! I’m definitely going to check it out next time I’m at the Asian market!
Glad to hear you liked the recipe 🙂
Could I substitute gochujang for the Korean soybean paste or is that an altogether different animal?
Different animal! Korean soybean paste is not spicy, it tastes more like a strong dark miso while gochujang is rather spicy.
This recipe was absolutely delicious! I had to modify a bit because I couldn’t find gluten-free Doenjang in the local Oriental market. Used Miso paste instead mixed with some Tamari. I’m ordering Doenjang from Amazon for next time. Nonetheless, the dish came out really well. This is a keeper. BTW, I like so many of your recipes, I had to post your website on my FB page. So many interesting and unique dishes. Can’t wait to make more of them. Vietnamese Curry for SuperBowl Sunday is already on the menu!
Awesome! Thanks for your feedback Carrie 🙂 and thanks for sharing!
I am big fan of Korean foods and always love to eat and cook korean recipe. Thanks for this great recipe tutorial. Can’t wait to try out this today.
We make this sauce at least once a week and serve it with whatever veggies in the fridge we need to use up. It’s absolutely delicious.
Thanks Suzanne, glad to hear you like the sauce! (It’s also one of my favorite).