If there’s one dish you need in your recipe arsenal, this is it. Jajangmyeon has been a longtime favorite of mine, thanks to my Korean grandma’s cooking. She didn’t make it often, but when she did—oh man—it was always a good day.
(And yes, I totally Googled how to spell it. No shame.)
So, what exactly is jajangmyeon? It’s a savory black bean noodle dish that’s surprisingly simple to whip up! The deep, rich flavor comes from the black bean paste, which you can easily find at a local Asian market. (Pro tip: Asian market dates are one of my husband and I’s favorite weekend outings—click here for more date night ideas!)
One of the best things about jajangmyeon? It’s meal-prep friendly. Make a big batch, and you’ve got delicious leftovers ready to go. For the full Korean experience, serve it up with:
🥢 Kimchi (a must!)
🥢 Fried tofu (my grandma’s specialty—crispy golden squares with green onion, soy sauce, and garlic = chef’s kiss)
🥢 Potstickers (we love tossing the frozen ones in the air fryer—so easy!)
Alright, enough talk. Let’s get cooking! (Cue upbeat Asian cooking show theme song. 🎶)
THE GOODS – Ingredients:
- Buckwheat noodles (or substitute with regular spaghetti)
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 small potato, diced (optional)
- 1 lb ground pork
- Pork belly (optional)
- ¼ cup + 1 tbsp Korean black bean paste (chunjang)
- 2 tbsp potato starch
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 cup water
- Cooking oil
THE ACTION – Instructions:
1️⃣ Cook the meat and veggies:
In a wok or large pan, heat a little oil and cook the ground pork. If using pork belly, cook until golden brown and crispy. Add the diced carrot, onion, zucchini, and optional potato. Stir-fry for about 3 minutes, until the onions and potato are translucent (they’ll finish cooking later).
2️⃣ Cook the noodles:
Prepare the noodles according to package instructions. Set aside.
3️⃣ Fry the black bean paste:
Push the veggies and meat to the sides of the wok to make space in the center. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and stir in ¼ cup of black bean paste. Fry it for about 1 minute, then mix it into the rest of the ingredients in the wok.
4️⃣ Simmer:
Add 1 cup of water. Cover and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
5️⃣ Thicken the sauce:
In a small bowl, mix potato starch, ¼ cup water, and brown sugar. Slowly pour the mixture into the wok while stirring. Keep mixing until the sauce thickens. Drizzle in the sesame oil and remove from heat.
6️⃣ Serve:
Top the noodles or rice with the black bean sauce mixture. Enjoy! 😊
And just like that, you’ve mastered a classic Korean dish! 🎉 Your friends and family will be seriously impressed (trust me—my grandma was when my husband gave it a shot!).
If you try this recipe, drop a comment below and let me know how it went! Did you add any fun twists? I’d love to hear all about it. 😍🍜
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