Gochujang Noodles

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Gochujang Noodles | This easy noodle dish starts with a base of fresh noodles and sautéed cabbage, and ends with a spicy, sweet, savory sauce starring gochujang paste – a Korean cuisine staple ingredient. Gochujang is a spicy fermented paste that gives these noodles a unique and delicious flavor. This is an easy 15-minute meal!

Noodles in a bowl topped with green onions.

This boldly flavored noodle dish comes together easily, with quick cooked vegetables, fresh noodles and a mix of condiments to make up the sweet and spicy sauce.

The sauteed onion, carrot, and cabbage give the dish a slight crunch texture while the noodles are soft and thick. The sauce coats everything to make every single slurp delicious.

What is gochujang?

Gochujang is a fermented chili paste commonly used in Korean cuisine. The paste is made from chilies, rice, fermented soybeans and salt.

Where can I buy gochujang?

I buy my gochujang at Lucky Supermarket, a grocery store specializing in Asian foods, in the nearest city to me. You can also buy Gochujang on Amazon.

What does gochujang taste like?

Gochujang has a slight sweet, spicy, and umami flavor. Gochujang has a thick paste consistency and works well in sauces or soups where you thin it out with liquid.

Ingredients

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

Noodles and gochujang paste on a white marble counter.

vegetables: onions, carrots, and sliced cabbage make the base for these noodles. These vegetables are lightly cooked and give a good bite to the dish!
noodles: I use a package of Miki noodles from my Asian supermarket which are thick noodles made from wheat flour.
gochujang: This paste is the base of the sauce’s flavor. I buy mine locally at an Asian supermarket but you can also buy Gochujang on Amazon.
sauce condiments: Sambal Oelek gives a bit more spice to the sauce, hoisin sauce adds a sweet flavor, soy sauce adds salty umami flavors, vinegar and lime juice add some balance with acidity, and sesame oil gives a comforting nutty flavor.
other sauce ingredients: fresh garlic gives a nice bite to the sauce, sugar helps balance it out, and the combination of cornstarch and water thickens the sauce when heated.

Substitutions

vegetables: You can use whichever vegetables you like. Small florets of broccoli and cauliflower would be great in this dish.
noodles: You can use your favorite noodles like udon noodles, soba noodles, or spaghetti noodles. I like using fresh noodles because it eliminates the step of having to cook them separately. If you use something like spaghetti noodles you’ll have to boil them first before using them in this recipe.

Instructions

Prep Tips

This dish is cooked all in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
Slice the onion, carrot, and cabbage. Mince the garlic.

A whisk is used to scrape garlic off of a garlic press.

Make the sauce by mixing all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.

Sauté onions over medium heat for a few minutes.

Add the carrots and onion and cook for another few minutes. We’re just getting the rawness out of the vegetables but keeping the crispness.

Noodles are added to a skillet of vegetables.

Next add the fresh noodles.

Red gochujang sauce is added to a skillet of noodles.

And then add the sauce. Mix everything well.

A lid is added to a large skillet of noodles.

Add a lid and cook for about 2 minutes, to let everything heat through and the sauce thicken. Serve hot.

I like to serve these noodles topped with sliced green onions for a fresh bite and a scatter of sesame seeds for a slight nuttiness.

Tips for making gochujang noodles

adjust spiciness: Gochujang paste has some spice, but to make this sauce less spicy, you can omit the Sambal Oelek. To make it spicier add more Sambal Oelek.
add variety: Use other vegetables you like for stir-frying. Crunchy thin cut vegetables are good in this dish. Try bamboo shoots!
add protein: Add protein to this dish by adding sauteed shrimp, chickpeas, asparagus, or spinach, or by topping the dish with nuts or seeds.
cook the vegetables lightly: Since the noodles are soft in this dish, cooking the vegetables only lightly retains a lot of their crunch, which adds more texture.
use fresh noodles: using fresh noodles for this recipe means you don’t have to pre cook them or boil them. Just add them in with the sauce, add a lid, and let everything warm through for a few minutes. Easy!

What to serve with these sweet and spicy noodles

I like to serve these noodles with a protein on the side or extra vegetables.

This recipe goes well with Crispy Chicken Wraps or Crispy Chicken Burgers. For something vegetarian try my Fried Oyster Mushrooms or Easy Baked Lentil Balls.

For vegetables on the side, add my Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts or Roasted Broccoli and Carrots.

Want to try more noodles using Gochujang? Try my Spicy Garlic Noodles. Use gochujang paste in my Gochujang Aioli, Spicy Mac and Cheese, or a Spicy Cucumber Salad.

Storage

Store leftovers in the fridge and microwave for a few minutes to reheat. I like to use the dinner plate setting on my microwave for a less harsh heat when reheating noodles.

FAQs

Is gochujang spicy?

Gochujang paste has a mild spice to it that is mellowed out with other condiments in this sauce. The Sambal Oelek also adds spice to this dish. Omit it for a less spicy dish.

Can I use different noodles?

Yes, you can use whatever long noodle shape you like in this recipe. I think these thick noodles hold the sauce well and have a nice texture combined with the crisp vegetables.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

Noodles in a bowl topped with green onions with a text title for Pinterest.

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