This dish is everything I want in a noodle dish. Nice, thick sauce, with a myriad of topping mixed in to make a satisfying texture. Savory and earthy at the same time. You should try this dish at least once!
I have watched many korean dramas and something that always stick in my mind is the food. This jajangmyeon stood out with its dark sauce and thick noodles perfect for stuffing your mouth with.
It took a little research to find a perfect recipe and one by Mangchi caught my eye. She calls this version the Deluxe version and it looks absolutely delicious. I kept this recipe true to the spirit of jajangmyeon, but I replaced the pork belly that is usually in this dish with mushrooms to up the umami and my secret weapon konnyaku (also known as Japanese yam cake), which has a meaty texture. And lastly some no pork bouillon to add a little sweetness and smokiness to the dish.
All in all, it was a great experience to try to make this dish and the taste was different from what I am used to, but still very delicious. Give it a try!
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Ingredients
- Green onions. This is to flavor the oil with a freshness and to garnish the dish afterward.
- Black bean paste also called chujang. This is essential in this recipe and it gives the sauce its iconic dark color. It has a savory and earthy texture that is hard to describe.
- Potato starch. This is to thicken the sauce at the end. You can use cornstarch or arrowroot starch.
- Noodles. You want thick noodles and the fresher the better.
- Mushrooms. Adds umami. I used shitake, but you can also use white button or baby bella. I also added Mushroom extract (A more natural msg) to add more savoriness.
- Konnyaku or Japanese yam cake. If you have never tasted this before, it has a firm, but fleshy texture. And the taste is slightly sea food-y. I though it would be a good substitute to give the texture of seafood without adding seafood.
How to store it
If you are not going to eat it all in one sitting, store the noodles and sauce separately to stop them from cooking. It is a lot more enjoyable if the noodles stay al dente.
Make sure you rinse the noodles in cold water. This keeps the chewiness of the noodles. The QQ if you will.
Want More?
Try Out Similar recipes below:
Vegetarian Jajangmyeon (Noodles in Black Bean Sauce)
Materials
- 1/3 cup Neutral oil I used canola
- 3 green onion cut into 1" pieces
- 1/3 cup black bean paste
- 1 tbsp cane sugar
- 2 tbsp potato starch
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 bunches thick noodles
- 3 cups water
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tbsp vegetarian friendly pork bouillon optional
- 1/2 tbsp mushroom extract optional, but highly recommended
- pinch of salt
Added Vegetables (Can be exchanged or omitted per preference)
- 1 potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 zucchini, cut into 1/2" pieces
- 1 pkg mushrooms I used shitake, but you can use white button or Baby Bella
- 1 konnyaku (Japanese yam cake) cut into small cubes optional
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pan. Add the cut green onion and fry until it turns crispy. Strain and let cool as you prepare the other ingredients.
- In the same pan, add 3 tbsp of the oil and the Black bean paste. Fry until it becomes looser and fragrant. This is to remove any bitterness. Remove from hear and let cool.
- Add the rest of the oil and add the Konnyaku and mushrooms. Add the 1/3 cup of water, the mushroom extract and pork bouillon. Stir and let cook until the broth evaporates and the mushrooms and Konnyaku get crispy.
- Add the onions and zucchini. Fry until soften. Add the potatoes, Black bean paste, and the 3 cups of water. Let cook until potatoes are soft.
- Mix the potato starch with 1/4 cup of water and mix well. Slowly add to sauce while mixing. It should start to thicken. Turn off the heat.
- Finish with the sugar and sesame oil. And salt to taste.
The Noodles
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add noodles in while stirring the water to make sure they don't stick together.
- Cook until a little underdone. It will continue to cook in the sauce.
- Drain the water and rinse in cold water.
- Add to the sauce and twirl it in to coat.
- Serve hot with sesame seeds and green onions.
If you tried this recipe, let me know in the comments below. I would love to hear from you!
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