Quick Sesame Gochujang Noodles

Jump to Recipe

These Gochujang Noodles have become a weeknight staple for us! Creamy noodles loaded with gochujang, garlic, soy sauce, smooth tahini paste, and a few other ingredients. Toss everything together in a bowl and serve with your favorite greens and a soft-boiled egg. Dinner in under 30 minutes!

gochujang noodles with soft boiled eggs and bok choy

Gochujang noodles are coming in HOT 🔥🔥🔥

And I don’t mean the spice level. These are creamy, cozy, chewy, and so comforting. And nothing beats a 30-minute meal that’s super flavorful.

Korean-inspired gochujang noodles aka spicy noodles have been on repeat over here for weeks. I can’t get them out of my mind because, simply put, they’re a flavor explosion. We’re talking garlic, tahini paste, lots of green onions, some heat from the gochujang, and soy sauce. We’ll heat up some oil on the stove and then pour this all over to create a creamy sauce that clings to the noodles. Ugh, they’re a dream in a bowl! Top them off with some sesame seeds and serve them with greens and an egg or chicken, fish or beef, whatever you like!

Gochujang noodles are seriously the perfect savory and comforting noodle dish!

Ingredients for homemade gochujang noodles:

Noodles: I like to use Korean-style wheat noodles or udon noodles for this recipe. The udon noodles make them chewy and bouncy, and it’s delicious that way when you can find them! Feel free to use rice noodles if you’re gluten-free or ramen noodles or even egg noodles if that’s what you have on hand. Just be sure to follow the instructions on the cooking package so you achieve the best results! Spaghetti or spaghettini cooked just past al dente will also work.
Gochugaru: Is a chili flake often used in Korean cooking. You can find large bags of it at the Asian store or in plastic bottles. I usually buy one of these, and it lasts me forever! I do suggest using this ingredient if possible because the flavor is more authentic that way. However, in a pinch, you could sub with a little chili powder and red pepper flakes.
Garlic: Fresh pressed garlic helps flavor the noodles. I use 6 small cloves, and it packs a nice garlicky punch!
Scallions or green onions: Go into the chili oil that we’ll toss the pasta in.
Gochujang Paste: Gochujang is a chili paste that you can easily find in the international aisle of most grocery stores these days. I use 2 tablespoons of the mild paste, and it’s perfect for our palate that way. Keep in mind these noodles do have a bit of a kick and might not be suitable for small children.
Cooking oil + sesame oil: You’ll need 2 tbsps of high-heat cooking oil like avocado, vegetable, canola, or corn. You’ll also need a splash of toasted sesame oil.
Tahini Paste: The sesame paste gives these noodles the most amazing flavor! I love how good these noodles are with the creamy tahini. There’s no need for dairy or cream when you use this ingredient! If you like the thought of adding tahini to your noodles, you may also want to try these creamy noodles made with peanut butter.
Soy sauce: You’ll need a couple of tablespoons of soy sauce to flavor the silky sauce for the noodles. I usually have low-sodium soy sauce on hand and if that’s you too, feel free to use that! Add in 1/2 teaspoon of salt to make up the difference. You can also use gluten-free tamari if you prefer.
Rice Vinegar: Adds tartness to the chili oil so that it’s even more addicting!
Sugar: helps balance the salty ingredients with some sweetness.
Sides for serving: Feel free to top these with spring onions, chopped cilantro, or any other herbs that you like! I usually opt for a big pinch of toasted sesame seeds. You can also serve this with steamed broccoli or other greens. I usually use baby bok choy because it’s one of my favorite veggies. A soft-boiled egg cooked for 51/2-6 minutes also tastes great on this!

pouring hot oil over Korean pepper paste, scallions, and garlic

How to make gochujang noodles

Prepare the noodles. Start by heating a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. While the water is boiling, prepare the sauce. When the water is boiling, add the noodles and cook them according to the directions on the package. This can vary greatly from noodle to noodle, so be sure to follow package instructions. Keep a 1/2 cup of cooking liquid before you drain the noodles.
Make the sauce. While the water is boiling, get started on the sauce. In a large bowl, combine the gochugaru, minced garlic, scallions, toasted sesame oil, and gochujang paste. Heat the avocado oil in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat. Make sure to keep a close eye on the so that it doesn’t start smoking. When the oil is hot, add the oil to the other ingredients in the bowl. Then stir in the tahini paste, sugar, rice vinegar, and soy sauce.
Toss the noodles. Immediately add the noodles to the prepared sauce and toss them to coat evenly. If you need more liquid, add a splash of the cooking liquid and toss.
Serve them up. Place the noodles in bowls, top with a soft-boiled egg and steamed or sauteed bok choy, and serve with toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, or anything else you like!

FAQs about this recipe

What is Korean gochujang sauce made of?

It’s made from Korean pepper flakes, fermented soybean paste, salt, tapioca syrup or other sweeteners, and glutinous rice, amongst other ingredients.

Is gochujang spicier than sriracha?

It’s not. Gochujang is milder than sriracha and other hot sauces.

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

Yield: Serves 4