Explore Korean flavors at home and skip takeout with these better than restaurant Gochujang noodles. You can have sweet and spicy vegan noodles on the table in 20 minutes.
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Gochujang Noodles
Sticky rice noodles are tossed in a sweet and spicy Gochujang sauce and topped with crispy caramelized mushrooms. This vegan and gluten free dish is finished with sesame seeds and sliced green onion. It's packed with flavor! Customize how spicy it is based on your taste.
Ingredient Notes
- Reduced sodium tamari or soy sauce: I like to use tamari as a gluten free option, but soy sauce is the traditional ingredient.
- Raw honey: this balances out the heat in the recipe and helps thicken the sauce a bit.
- Gochujang paste: this is a spicy Korean chili paste. Use more or less of it in the sauce depending on how spicy you want it. I don't like a lot of heat and 2 tbsps was almost too much for me.
- Sesame oil: we're using this in the sauce and to cook the mushrooms. It adds an asian flare to the dish rather than traditional olive oil.
- Rice vinegar: acid is important to balance recipes, especially sauce. If you don't have rice vinegar on hand you can use lime juice.
- Rice noodles: I love using rice noodles because of their slightly sticky texture that holds onto the thick sauce. Plus it happens to be gluten-free! I prefer the linguine style noodles, however, you can purchase angel hair or spaghetti style noodles.
- Mushroom: I love that this recipe is vegan, but I wanted to add some veggies, especially one that's a little hearty.
- Fresh ginger: this ingredient is a staple in Korean flavors and adds just the right amount of zing.
- Garlic: opt for fresh garlic rather than powder or pre-minced. It makes a big difference!
- Tapioca starch: this is mixed in the sauce to thicken it. You can also use arrowroot starch or corn starch.
How to make Gochujang Noodles- Step by Step
Make the Gochujang sauce
- Add the tamari (or soy sauce), honey, gochujang, rice vinegar, and sesame oil to a medium bowl and whisk well until the honey is combined and no longer thick and sticky.
Cook the noodles
- Follow the directions on the noodle's package to cook them. They usually require soaking in very hot water for 15-20 minutes. While they're soaking, finish the rest of the dish.
Caramelize the onions
- Heat the sesame oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the mushrooms and cook the for 3-4 minutes, without stirring, to get them golden and crispy.
- Turn the heat down to medium then add the ginger and garlic and cook for 4-5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 2 tablespoons of the prepared sauce and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes until the mushrooms begin to cook down and caramelize. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate or bowl.
Toss the noodles and serve
- Pour the remaining sauce into the skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Mix the tapioca starch with 1 tablespoon of water and add it to the sauce. Bring it to a simmer to thicken. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Turn the down heat to medium-low and drain the noodles from the water if you haven't already. Add the cooked noodles to the sauce then toss to combine until the noodles are just coated, 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and top with the mushrooms. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onion before serving.
FAQs
What is Gochujang?
Gochujang is a spicy Korean chili paste made from red chili peppers, fermented soybeans, rice and salt. It is a result of the fermentation process and as a result, has a slight sweetness to it.
Where to find Gochujang?
This ingredient can be found in the Asian or International food aisle of your local grocery store. You can also purchase it on Amazon. Be sure you're buying the actual paste rather than the sauce. I made this mistake the first time we tested this!
How spicy is it?
There is a strong spice level to Gochujang because it's made from red chilis. Use a tablespoon or so less if you want the Gochujang noodles less spicy.
Variations and Substitutions
- Add more veggies: add sliced red pepper, matchstick carrots, shredded cabbage or broccoli florets to the mushrooms when youo're cooking.
- Add protein: double the sauce in the first step and add half to baggie with 1 1/2 lbs of flank steak, sliced against the grain. You could also do this raw shrimp. Allow it to marinade while the noodles cook. After the mushrooms are cooked, use the same oil to sear the steak strips on both sides for 4-5 minutes until crispy and cooked through.
- Add vegetarian protein: fry an egg in a separate pan and top the noodles with the runny egg before serving.
- Add hoisin sauce: this is a traditional ingredient in Gochujang, but one I decided to omit to keep this recipe refined sugar free. You can add 2 tablepoons to the sauce if you want.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Allow the Gochujang noodles to cool completely then store them in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stove over medium-high heat until warmed all the way through. You can also reheat them in the microwave in 30 second increments.
How To Serve Gochujang Noodles
- On its own: we love this on its own with sesame seeds and sliced green onion.
- Top with grilled or seared shrimp
- Serve it alongside beef satay
- Top it with a fried egg
- Add seared flank steak on top
If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
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Recipe
The Best Sweet and Spicy Gochujang Noodles
Explore Korean flavors at home and skip takeout with these better than restaurant Gochujang noodles. You can have sweet and spicy vegan noodles on the table in 20 minutes.
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Servings: 8 (-3 ounces each)
Calories: 324kcal
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce (tamari is a gluten free option)
- 1/4 cup raw honey
- 1-3 tablespoons Gochujang (korean chili paste) more or less based on your desired spice level
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
For the noodles
- 16 ounces rice noodles or buckwheat noodles
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 16 ounces baby bella mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon tapioca, arrowroot or corn starch
- Garnish: green onion, sesame seeds, or sriracha
Instructions
- Add the tamari (or soy sauce), honey, gochujang, rice vinegar, and sesame oil to a medium bowl and whisk well until the honey is combined and no longer thick and sticky.
- Follow the directions on the noodle's package to cook them. They usually require soaking in very hot water for 15-20 minutes. While they're soaking, finish the rest of the dish.
- Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms when the oil is hot and begins to shimmer. Cook the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes, without stirring, to get them golden and crispy.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the ginger and garlic and cook for 4-5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 2 tablespoons of the prepared sauce and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes until the mushrooms begin to cook down and caramelize. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate or bowl.
- Pour the remaining sauce into the skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Mix the tapioca starch with 1 tablespoon of water and add it to the sauce. Bring it to a simmer to thicken. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Turn the down heat to medium-low then add the drained and cooked noodles to the sauce. Use tongs to toss them together until the noodles are completely coated, 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and top with the caramelized mushrooms. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onion before serving
Notes
Add more veggies: add sliced red pepper, matchstick carrots, shredded cabbage or broccoli florets to the mushrooms when you're cooking.
Add protein: double the sauce in the first step and add half to baggie with 1 1/2 lbs of flank steak, sliced against the grain. You could also do this raw shrimp. Allow it to marinade while the noodles cook. After the mushrooms are cooked, use the same oil to sear the steak strips on both sides for 4-5 minutes until crispy and cooked through. Cook shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Add vegetarian protein: fry an egg in a separate pan and top the noodles with the runny egg before serving.
Storage: Store leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stove over medium-high heat until warmed all the way through. You can also reheat them in the microwave in 30 second increments.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 59.1g | Protein: 3.1g | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 505mg | Fiber: 1.7g | Sugar: 12.4g
Did you make this recipe?Mention @What_MollyMade or tag #whatmollymade!
Paola says
Made these two days in a row, with frozen vegetables from a bag! Cheap, quick and extremely delicious!
L says
I had a bad feeling about the measurements of these ingredients but went with it anyway.. safe to say my feelings were valid, this was basically inedible.