search...

Korean Bapsang
Data and Cookie Consent

Start Here
To provide Recipes
a more personal Pantry
user experience, About
we and our 214 partners use technology such as cookies to store and/or

access device information. By clicking “Accept,” you consent to the use of these technologies which will allow us and

our partners to process personal data such as IP address, unique ID, and browsing data on this site.

To manage your consent preferences, please click on the “Manage Settings” button. You can withdraw or update

your consent preferences at any time by clicking the “Update Privacy Settings” link at the bottom of the website.

We use your data to: Store and/or access information on a device; Use limited data to select advertising; Create

profiles for personalized advertising; Use profiles to select personalized advertising; Create profiles to personalize
Home
content; Use profiles to select personalized content; Measure » Noodles
advertising and Rice
performance; Measure content

performance; Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources; Develop and
Jajangmyeon (Noodles in Black Bean Sauce)
improve services; Use limited data to select content; Ensure security, prevent and detect fraud, and fix errors; Deliver

and present advertising and content; Save and communicate privacy choices.
Published 06/28/2020. Updated 04/11/2022

JUMP TO RECIPE
Manage Settings Accept
Jajangmyeon is a popular Korean-Chinese dish. Learn how to make these delicious
black bean noodles at home with this easy to follow recipe!
Whether you grew up on these Korean black bean noodles or learned to love them as an
adult, I’m sure you get strong cravings for this beloved dish every so often. Good news
is that you can easily make this restaurant favorite at home as long as you have the
black bean paste called chunjang ( )!

What is jajangmyeon?

Jajangmyeon ( ), also called jjajangmyeon ( ), is a noodle dish in a black bean

sauce. Along with jjamppong ( , spicy seafood noodle soup) and tangsuyuk ( ,
sweet and sour pork or beef), it’s a popular Korean-Chinese dish. Called collectively as
Junghwa Yori ( ), Korean-Chinese cuisine was developed by early Chinese
immigrants in Korea. It’s a huge part of Korean food culture.

Growing up, jajangmyeon was the dish that our parents treated us with on special
occasions, such as graduation, exam days, birthdays, etc. It was every child’s favorite
food! Still probably is.

As you might have seen on Korean dramas, it’s also the most popular dish for home
delivery in Korea, just like pizza delivery in America. It’s the dish Koreans call to order
on a hectic moving day.

As a more recent phenomena, jajangmyeon has become a symbolic dish that single
people eat with their friends on Black Day (April 14) to commiserate with each other
over black noodles for lacking a romantic relationship.
Types of Korean black bean noodles

Jjajangmeyon ( ): When there’s no other word in front of it, it simply refers to

regular jajangmyeon, also known as yetnal jajangmyeon — yetnal meaning from the
past or old-fashioned. For this type, water or stock is added to the sauce as well as
some starch slurry to thicken it. The resulting sauce is liquidy.

Ganjjajangmyeon ( ): The dish is made without the addition of any water or

stock or thickening for the sauce. As a result, the sauce is dry with more solid
ingredients per serving.
Samseon jjajangmyeon ( ): Samseon means fresh delicacies from 3
sources — land, sea and sky, but in Korean-Chinese cuisine, it commonly refers to a
dish with various seafoods. There’s usually samseon ganjjajangmyeon ( ) on
the menu as well.

Euni jjajangmyeon ( ): Jajangmyeon made with ground meat.

Jaengban jjajang ( ): The noodles are stir-fried with the sauce and served
in a large platter to be shared.

This recipe is for regular jajangmyeon, but I didn’t add a lot of liquid. If you want your
sauce to be more saucy/liquidy, you can add more stock or water.
Jajangmyeon sauce

The sauce is made with chunjang ( ), which is a Korean-style black bean paste made
with fermented wheat flour, soybeans and caramel sauce. Its use is pretty much limited
to Korean-Chinese dishes. I know some have asked if a Chinese black bean paste can be
a substitute for this dish. The answer is NO, if you want to make jajangmyeon as
Koreans enjoy.

You can find chunjang at Korean markets, usually next to doenjang ( , fermented
soybean paste). Depending on the brands, some are saltier, sourer, and/or sweeter than
others.

When chunjang is fried in oil along with meat and vegetables, it becomes a jajang
sauce. You first need to fry the black bean paste in oil. This process helps remove the
bitter and sour taste of the bean paste. Some are sold pre-fried, so check the directions
on the package. But, it would never hurt to fry it again.

In the past, and probably still the case at many restaurants, chunjang was fried in pork
fat as a flavoring, so there’s your option if you want to try!

A little bit of sugar also helps balance out the bitterness, sourness, and saltiness of the
black bean paste.

Meat and vegetables

Pork is the classic option for the meat, but you can substitute it with any chicken, beef,
and/or seafood. You can, of course, use lean meat, but some pork fat will add lots of
flavor to the sauce.
For vegan jajangmyeon recipe, omit the meat, and use some mushrooms and/or fried
tofu.

Typically, jajangmyeon includes lots of vegetables such as onion, green cabbage,

zucchini, and potato. Onion and cabbage, especially, give the jajang sauce a delicious
sweetness. I didn’t use potatoes in this recipe, but you can if you want. Carrots and
green peas are also good options.

In this jajangmyeon recipe, I used good quality chicken stock to give the sauce extra
flavor. I think it makes a big difference, but water is okay too.

Jajangmyeon noodles

Nothing is better than restaurants’ hand-pulled noodles, which are nicely thick and
chewy. For home cooking, you can find ready-made fresh noodles in the refrigerator
section of Korean markets, which are preferred. There are also frozen and dried
noodles. These noodles are generally labeled for udon and jajangmyeon ( ) or
jungwhamyeon ( ).
Variations
Add some seafood such as shrimp and squid. You can throw them into the pan
when the vegetables are almost cooked.
If you like a spicy kick, add a little bit of gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste)
or gochugaru (red chili pepper flakes).
Serve the jajang sauce over cooked rice, a welcome change from the usual dish
with noodles. In this case, the dish is called jajangbap ( ).

Watch how to make it:

More warm noodle recipes

Jjapaguri with steak

Jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup)
Dak kalguksu (chicken noodle soup)
Janchiguksu (warm noodle soup)
For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow along on YouTube,
Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
 Jajangmyeon (noodles in a black bean sauce)

4.68 from 343 votes

Main Course Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 PRINT RECIPE

Ingredients
3 to 4 servings fresh jajangmyeon/udon noodles (about 6 ounces per serving)

For the sauce

5 tablespoons Chunjang ( ), Korean black bean paste some may be labeled as jjajang
( )
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon oyster sauce - optional
1 cup chicken stock or water You can add 1/2 cup more for thinner, more liquidy/watery
sauce. See note.
1 tablespoon potato or corn starch dissolved in 1/4 cup of chicken stock or water

Meat

8 to 10 ounces pork (preferably with some visible fat, pork shoulder cut, Boston butt,
etc.) or lean cut if preferred
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon rice wine (or mirin)
⅛ teaspoon each salt and pepper
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Vegetables

1 extra large onion (or 2 medium, 12 to 14 ounces) See note if adding potatoes
 8 ounces green cabbage
8 ounces zucchini
1 small cucumber for garnish - optional

Instructions
1. Have a pot of water ready to cook the noodles. Turn the heat on when you start cooking
the meat. This way you will have the boiling water ready, for cooking the noodles, by the
time the sauce is done.
2. Prepare the pork and vegetables by cutting them into 1/2 - 3/4 inch cubes. Marinate the
pork with a tablespoon of rice wine (or mirin), ginger, salt and pepper while preparing
the vegetables.

3. Add the black bean paste to a small saucepan with the oil, sugar, and the optional oyster
sauce. Fry it over medium heat for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

4. Heat a large pan with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil over medium high heat. Add the pork
and stir fry until no longer pink, adding a tablespoon of soy sauce half way through.
5. Add the onion and cook until soft, stirring occasionally.

6. Add the cabbage and zucchini and continue to stir fry until vegetables are softened.

7. Stir in the black bean paste and mix everything together until all the meat and vegetables
are coated well with the paste.
 8. Mix everything together until all the meat and vegetables are coated well with the paste.
If you like ganjjajang, you can stop here and skip the next two steps. See note.

9. Pour in the stock (or water) and bring it to a boil. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

10. Stir in the starch slurry and cook briefly until the sauce is thickened. Add more sugar to
 taste.

11. Add the noodles in the boiling water. Cook according to the package instructions and
drain. Do not overcook. The noodles should have a firm bite to them (al dente). Place a
serving size of noodles in each bowl. Spoon the sauce over the noodles and garnish with
the optional cucumber matchsticks. Alternatively, you can serve over cooked rice.

Notes
[Link] you're adding some potatoes, dice them smaller than the other vegetables, and add to
the pan when the onions are added. Or you can briefly cook diced potatoes in the microwave
because it takes longer to cook potatoes than the other vegetables.

2. Ganjajang is a drier sauce made without the addition of any water or stock. Some people
prefer it this way, but this will yield fewer servings. (See the body of this post for types of
jajangmyeon.)

3. To achieve a thinner/more liquid consistency, add an extra 1/2 cup of stock or water with a
little more starch when you make starch slurry (about 1 teaspoon more).
 Tried this recipe?
Mention @koreanbapsang or tag #koreanbapsang!

You may also like:

Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Jjamppong (Spicy Gamjaguk (Potato Soup) Kongnamul Japchae
Sour Beef or Pork) Seafood Noodle Soup) (Soybean Sprout
Japchae)

« Instant Pot Galbitang (Beef Short Rib Soup)

Ssamjang (Sauce for Korean Lettuce Wraps) »

Comments

Anonymous says
02/20/2025 at 10:47 am
Reply

Elizabeth says
01/05/2025 at 3:07 pm

Hello, Hyosun!

I hope all in your life is as wonderful as you are. I reached out back in November,
inquiring about dried noodle, and you were so lovely and thoughtful with your reply;
thank you again for sharing your cooking wisdome.

I wanted to reach out again, because I made your Jajangmyeon recipe for my husband
and I this afternoon, and it was absolutely divine! From the start, our home smelt
amazing and we were smiling ear to hear through the last bite. My husband just asked
if I could make another batch for next week.

With a full belly and a full heart, I am so grateful that you have shared your stories and
recipes with the world. They and you are celebrated in our home and I cannot wait to to
try so many more.

I hope you have an awesome day, followed by an even better tomorrow.

Elizabeth

Reply

CC says
11/20/2024 at 10:44 pm

Recipe tastes great but there must be a typo: 2 onions can’t possibly weigh 12-14
ounces!
Reply

Elizabeth says
11/19/2024 at 7:54 pm

Greetings Hyosun,

I hope this finds you better than well. Thank you for sharing your recipes with the
world. I love reading about the history and culture of your dishes, the lovely details and
importance of the ingredients, and, of course, trying them out in my little kitchen. You
are a true treat and a dream.

I never try to stray from the ingredients involved, but I have unfortunately run into a
situation where I cannot access fresh noodles. I do, however, have access to dried. Do
you have any recommendations on noodle amount of dried to fresh? You recipe calls
for between 18 – ounces of fresh; do you have an estimate for how many ounces dried
would equal that amount? I have searched high and low on the internet, with varying
results, and thought you would know best.

Any insight or wisdom would be greatly appreciated, and no worries if not. Your recipe
looks so good, I am willing to give it a go with what I have got to work with.

Thank you for everything, Hyosun. Take care and stay wonderful!

Elizabeth

Reply

Hyosun says
11/19/2024 at 8:31 pm

Thank you for such nice words! Fresh noodles are 6 ounces per serving. I’d say 4
ounces for dry noodles, depending obviously on how much individual diners eat.
 Reply

Elizabeth says
11/20/2024 at 8:23 pm

You are the boss, applesauce!

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and share even more of your
wonderful culinary wisdom, Hyosun. You are beyond appreciated.

I cannot wait to give it a go and look forward to trying your whole catalog of
recipes.

Please, take care, be well, and stay marvelous!

Reply

Katie says
10/26/2024 at 12:19 am

This is better than any of the jajangmyeon I’ve had at Korean restaurants!

Reply

Audrey says
07/16/2023 at 1:55 pm

This is so yummy!!
I’m making it today for the fourth time. Every time I introduce this dish to a new
person they look at it with a little side eye and reluctantly take a little bit. Moments
later they are gushing over how delicious it is and taking more!!

I added mushrooms to it because I like mushrooms… But I was thinking if someone

didn’t want to have pork, mushrooms are really nice in it.

Reply

Aimée says
01/18/2023 at 3:41 am

Wonderful recipe. I have this page bookmarked now. Unfortunately I have celiac and
only eat gluten-free noodles. Any recommendations? I found this…
[Link]
Thank you so very much.

Reply

Hyosun says
02/06/2024 at 1:41 pm

I haven’t tried it with gluten-free noodles, but how about rice noodles, thick ones?

Reply

Tai says
12/17/2022 at 8:46 pm

I bought a package of bean sauce (here in Canada) and looking for recipes. Found yours
and it is the exact same Mr. Jin brand you showed! Looking forward to try it!

Reply

Hyosun says
12/17/2022 at 9:28 pm

Nice! Enjoy!

Reply
 Martin_likes_things says
08/26/2024 at 6:50 pm

I’ve made this numerous times and my wife and kids love it. thank you for this
delicious and easy recipe

Reply

Hyosun says
08/26/2024 at 7:00 pm

so happy to hear that! Thank you!

Reply

Christina Tran says

11/20/2022 at 2:27 pm

Hi Hyosun,

Thank you for taking the time to create such beautiful content. Your recipes are easy to
follow and delicious! I don’t have a lot of good Korean restaurants where I live. You
made cooking Korean food easy.

Thank you,
Christina Tran

Reply

Dori says
03/26/2022 at 3:36 pm

My friend and I loved watching Korean food delivery guys on TV when they come with
hot jjajangmyon plates and throw them on the tables in offices and shops. So today I
prepared the food according to the instructions and it was very delicious! Hot, sticky,
tasty and very satisfying. Accompanied by pickled radish and makgeolli !

Reply

Taran says
02/22/2022 at 6:00 pm

I’ve been craving jjajangmyeon for WEEKS, and this recipe made one of the best I’ve
ever had!

I substituted potato in for the zucchini because I had it, but I missed the instruction to
cut it smaller. It worked out fine, but I had to cook it longer than the instructions said.

I’ll be making this MANY more times.

Reply

Hyosun says
02/25/2022 at 9:20 pm

Oh awesome!! So happy to hear that. I’ve been craving for weeks as well so now I
want to make it.

Reply

Laura says
11/16/2022 at 6:44 pm

I really love this dish, but I have become unable to tolerate any preservatives. All
the chunjang I can find online, I can’t have. Is there a way to make chunjang from
the whole fermented black beans? I really love your recipes because you make most
 things from scratch, which means I can eat them.

Reply

Hyosun says
11/17/2022 at 11:20 am

I’ve never made chunjang myself, so hard for me to give you advice. However, I
did a quick search and found this product that doesn’t include preservatives.
Hope you check it out. [Link]
chunjang-300g

Reply

Elena says
02/09/2022 at 8:27 am

Loved making it, we all loved eating it

Reply

Hyosun says
02/09/2022 at 2:28 pm

Great!! Thanks for letting me know! Means a great deal to me.

Reply

JP says
01/29/2022 at 11:36 am

My go to recipe. Always comes out delicious!

Reply

Katie says
01/24/2022 at 8:56 pm

Excellent! This recipe made a better jajangmyeon than my favorite restaurant’s! I was a
little worried about the mirin and ginger meat marinade (since I hadn’t seen that in
some other recipes), but man, I wouldn’t make it without it now! It was so flavorful! I’ll
definitely make this recipe again! !

Reply

Christina says
12/13/2021 at 5:22 pm

Having a sisters gathering with my daughters for Christmas this weekend and using
your recipes for dumplings, bibimbap, jajangmyeon, and gimbap. So looking forward to
trying all of these with them. We have cooked Korean beef and rice, yummy. Thank you
for making these so easy.

Reply

Hyosun says
12/18/2021 at 10:28 pm

Oh that sounds like fun! Enjoy, and merry Christmas!!

Reply

Zita says
09/22/2021 at 9:27 am

This was the first recipe (of many) that I‘ve tried from your website, and it‘s still so easy
and delicious!
Could you make a K-drama post about Hospital Playlist as well in the future? It
introduced me to so many amazing dishes.

Thank you!

Reply

Lydia says
08/01/2021 at 7:57 pm

This recipe was SO GOOD!!!! I’m 12, and I made it with ground pork instead of
chopped pork, left out the rice wine, and used spaghetti noodles instead of
jajangmyeon noodles, but it was still delicious! It’s probably the best jajangmyeon I’ve
ever had, and I eat jajangmyeon a lot.

Reply

Hyosun says
08/01/2021 at 8:41 pm

Aww Lydia, you’re totally awesome!! I’m glad you tried it with what you have and it
still turned out well. You must be very a talented cook! Thank you for coming by
and leaving me a note!! XOXO

Reply

Sammie says
05/13/2021 at 9:14 am

Can I make this dish without meat? Will it taste just as good without it? I have a friend
that is vegetarian, and I would like to make this.

Reply
 Hyosun says
05/14/2021 at 11:17 am

Yes you can. I’m sure it’s still delicious, but obviously not the same as with pork.

Reply

Richard says
04/20/2021 at 11:45 pm

Wow. This recipe was delicious and authentic! Adding extra sugar is unnecessary.
Eating this brings back so many good memories. I am going to try your tangsooyuk
recipe next so I can have the full experience!

Reply

Cath says
04/19/2021 at 9:43 pm

Thanks for this recipe! I’m about to make it! I have a question though. Is it possible to
fry the black bean paste in advance? If yes, how long can I keep it in the fridge? Hope to
hear from you!

Reply

Hyosun says
04/21/2021 at 12:39 am

Definitely! It should be fine for a few days or longer. I don’t see any reason it will go
bad since it’s salty and oiled.

Reply
Laura says
04/15/2021 at 1:47 pm

Hi! I’ve been trying out several recipes from your site and they have all been delicious!
I enjoy reading the history of each dish, the details on how to make the dish, and the
clarification on some of the ingredients. The clarification really helps with items that
I’m not familiar with or have never heard of. Since yesterday was Black Day, I thought
it was appropriate to finally try jajangmyeon. Seriously delicious! Thank you for
sharing!!

Reply

Marcos says
04/12/2021 at 10:10 am

Loved this post!

Reply

Mikko says
04/11/2021 at 11:10 am

Hello! This recipe looks delicious. I’m about to try it. The only pork I have right now is
ground pork. Should I still marinate it – even though it is ground pork? Or should I
skip the marination step and just fry it in the pan with the marinade ingredients?
Thank you

Reply

Hyosun says
01/10/2024 at 5:34 pm
 So sorry I missed the question until now. Answering it just in case you or anyone
else still wonders about that. Frying it in the pan with the marinade ingredients is
fine.

Reply

Ashley says
03/17/2021 at 1:15 am

THIS WAS DELICIOUS!!! I’ve been craving this for a year, but there are no restaurants
near my house that make this. Thank you for this recipe! My European husband who
has never had anything like it said it was amazing. I doubled the recipe so we could
plenty of leftovers for lunch this week.

Reply

Michelle says
03/11/2021 at 10:47 pm

I have always wanted to make this at home. I didn’t know about the difference between
Korean vs. Chinese black bean sauces until I read your recipe. Finally tried this recipe
tonight and it turned out very good. Reminded me of a small Korean-Chinese
restaurant in Guam that my Dad used to take us after school for As we got on report
cards. (Lol good old days !!- early 80s) I used chicken breast grounds and tiny bit of
ground pork meat which turned out very tasty.
Thank you for sharing your recipes. I love your recipes; they are informative, detailed
and easy to follow.

Reply

Candice says
02/05/2021 at 11:22 pm
I messed up and put the vegetables in with the sauce instead of a different pan, but it
still came out very very tasty and my daughter was very excited to try it (she is a Korean
drama fanatic). I made it vegan but I think next time I might try it with chicken since
we don’t eat pork or red meat. I’ll be looking through your website for more recipes to
try.

Reply

Hyosun says
02/07/2021 at 8:58 pm

Glad it worked out, Candice! I’m a K dram fanatic too, so I can relate to your
daughter. Those dramas often show people eating jajangmyeon, making us crave it.
Chicken will be great!

Reply

[Link]: says
04/25/2021 at 6:56 am

UH–I asked my sister about your comment “we eat chicken, but not red meat.” She
has degrees in science, is also a very good cook. She said, “Chicken IS a red meat.
Beef is not the only red meat.” So according to science terms, if you eat chicken, you
are eating a type of red meat. You are really saying “We don’t eat beef or pork.”
That’s fine. It’s up to you.—Excellent recipe. I love Chinese food, but noticing
“sesame candy” recipe, I saw the photos of Korean foods, Oh, how delicious! And I
didn’t know there were Chinese-Korean restaurants, now I have to find some. ^_^

Reply

Rufus Elswyer says

 07/01/2021 at 6:05 pm

Chicken most certainly is not a red meat. Despite the fact you heard that from
someone, perhaps do some research before confusing and misinforming people.

Reply

Alizeh fatima says

01/24/2021 at 6:10 pm

I love jjajangmyeon! Excited to make it at home. How long can we keep the prepared
sauce in the fridge before it goes bad?

Reply

Hyosun says
01/25/2021 at 2:23 am

Should be fine up to 5 days.

Reply

chas says
12/31/2020 at 10:21 am

Hi!
Is it possible to make jajangmyeon with doenjang instead?

Reply

div1013 says
01/04/2021 at 4:54 pm

No, theyre two totally different flavor profiles. You’ll definitely want to find the
 chunjang for this dish. It’s also available on amazon!

Reply

asghalhg says
12/30/2020 at 8:35 pm

The best part about the recipe is that you time when to start cooking each part – it’s
perfect.

Reply

Jennifer says
12/12/2020 at 5:40 pm

O.M.G- This was absolutely delicious! I made this for my boyfriend (he is Korean) and
my mom and they absolutely devoured it! Followed the recipe except I used straight up
bacon because that was all I had for pork, but it totally works!! So flavorful!! I added
gochugaru on top of mine also. Will definitely be making this again. Thank you so very
much! Your recipes are always so easy to follow and they never fail!

Reply

Hyosun says
12/12/2020 at 11:55 pm

Awesome! Wow good to know bacon works as well.

Reply

Amanda says
12/11/2020 at 8:23 am
Brings back memories of living in Korea! Tastes just like I remember! Delicious!

Reply

SM says
12/02/2020 at 2:23 pm

Thank you for your consistently delicious recipes. I made this last night and it was
amazing. It was a bit intimidating to even try it at home because I love jajangmyun and
didn’t want to ruin it. But your instructions are always easy to follow and the results
are always yummy.

Reply

yasemin says
10/27/2020 at 12:21 pm

Very good explanation. I will try.

Reply

Elena says
09/15/2020 at 4:07 pm

I’ve been reading your blog for a while now. I am grateful you share recipes with us.
Today Hurricane Sally is in our backyard, bringing lots of rain. I bought yesterday
black bean paste and cucumbers. Today is a jajangmyeon day! Thank you again!

Reply

Martychan says
08/24/2020 at 12:11 am
Excellent recipe – took me back to my childhood!! I was raised in NE Japan and
jjajangmyeon (jajamen in Japanese, haha) restaurants were soooo popular! This dish
as always a fun and delicious treat! Your recipe is definitely On my regular rotation
from now on!! Gamsahamnida Hyosun!!

Reply

Nicole Hansen says

08/25/2020 at 12:46 am

Love this! I modified it a bit and added carots and potatoes to the veggie lineup and
garaetteok instead of noodles at the end. *chefs kiss* It was delicious and exactly
what we wanted it to be. We will definitely be eating this again!

Reply

Iris Dilion says

08/23/2020 at 3:14 am

Hi…
I didnt find in Israel the black bean paste…used some black bean with garlic souce I
found in a special store….i grind it up….and added it to the vegetables….it came out
ok….next time I will do my best to vet the real thing….I send some pics…once you
replay…..thanks a lot

Reply

Denice Childers says

08/22/2020 at 6:16 pm

Hyosun,
If you don’t add sugar will it still taste good? I dislike sugar.

Thank you,

Denice

Reply

Hyosun says
08/22/2020 at 8:40 pm

Sugar mellows the bitterness and saltiness of the black bean paste. If you’ve had
this dish at a restaurant, it definitely has sugar in it. Having said that, try it w/o
sugar and see how you like it.

Reply

Bg says
09/27/2020 at 11:44 am

Try honey instead of sugar

Reply

Jen says
07/11/2020 at 8:23 pm

Thank you for taking the time to type out this recipe. I’m 33, my mother is Korean and
I grew up eating Korean food, but live in a part of NC with only 1 mediocre Korean
restaurant. I want to cook Korean food for my children now and I stumbled across your
site. I love how easy you make the recipes to follow and appreciate you also using
Hangul because it’s easier for me to find products in the store using Hangul.
Gamsahamnida!

Reply
 Hyosun says
07/12/2020 at 9:00 pm

I’m happy you found my site. That’s how I started to cook Korean food. When I was
a young mom, there were not a lot of good Korean restaurants and grocery stores
even in big cities. I know it’s probably still hard to find some ingredients in NC.

Reply

Steph says
07/07/2020 at 4:11 am

I have a rather odd question,,

I have never been a fan of the texture of beans and I was curious if the paste/sauce had
a texture to it or if it was smooth

Reply

Hyosun says
07/07/2020 at 10:07 pm

The resulting sauce texture is pretty smooth.

Reply

Carlos says
07/06/2020 at 12:51 pm

Since when did Chinese food become Korean?

Reply

I can read says

 07/27/2020 at 1:42 am

If you read the beginning of the page, she prefaces with the origins of this dish: “…
Korean-Chinese cuisine was developed by early Chinese immigrants in Korea. It’s a
huge part of Korean food culture.”
This dish is specifically a Korean-Chinese dish. You won’t find it on the menu at a
Korean restaurant, you have to go to a Korean-Chinese restaurant.

Reply

Hyosun says
07/27/2020 at 10:54 am

Thank you!

Reply

[Link] says
01/06/2021 at 3:34 pm

I’m pretty sure the dish has ancient roots, but has been classified as part of the
“Northern Chinese” cuisine. Which means Manchuria. Which means Korean origin.
We’re talking 2,500 to 1,000 years ago, those lands were in the Korean sphere of
influence (Gorguyeo/Balhae). China didn’t even have complete control over those
lands until after the Yuan dynasty collapsed (which was Mongolian – Kublai Khan).
Ironically, it was a Chinese immigrant (purportedly) who brought it to Korea in the
early 1900s serving it at his Incheon Chinese restaurant. Korea at that time was
occupied by Japan.

Reply

Patricia Evans says

07/05/2020 at 3:05 pm
I followed the recipe for Jajanmeong exactly, using ground beef, but found the flavour
lacking. I expected some exciting taste from the black bean paste, but in a
word…..boring!

Reply

Andrew says
06/29/2020 at 1:36 pm

Good morning,

While living in Korea and teaching English, I fell in love with the Ganjajang variety of
Jajangmyeon. You mentioned that you would want to exclude any water or stock in the
preparation, I assume I would also skip adding any of the starch as well..?

Thank you!

Reply

Hyosun says
06/30/2020 at 12:29 am

I like ganjajang too! Yes if you’re not adding any stock or water, you don’t need to
add the starch, skipping those steps entirely. Hope you try it!

Reply

Rebeca says
06/23/2020 at 9:57 pm

I love jajangmyeon and am really excited to make this! I have made a number of your
recipes and they have all been fantastic. Tastes just like my mom’s cooking growing up!
Even though I am Korean I have not made much Korean food myself until recently.
QUESTION – Aside from the one in the picture, do you have recommendations for
good brands of jajangmyeon sauce?

Reply

Hyosun says
07/05/2020 at 4:36 pm

Hi Rebeca – I hope you saw this updated post. I’m showing a different brand now
available in my area. I believe it’s a popular brand in Korea. I like this one.

Reply

Lolita W. says
06/13/2020 at 1:10 pm

Thank you for all your recipe everything good.

Reply

Hyosun says
07/05/2020 at 4:37 pm

Thank you!

Reply

Mitch Maxon says

06/11/2020 at 4:00 am

Hi Hyosun,

I’ll be adjusting for “vegetarian & gluten free” – using my own black bean sauce,
substituting red miso for the oyster sauce, sauteed tofu for the pork, and using a veggie
broth.
It’s “date night” while social distancing at home – dinner and a movie…

We’ll cook together, then pull up Google Earth on the big screen and explore Seoul
Korea and in particular locate “63 Building” and “Bamseom Island”… locations in the
movie we’ll be watching… “Castaway on the Moon”. Jajangmyeon is a part of this
wonderful movie.

Thank you for this recipe!

Reply

Hyosun says
06/12/2020 at 10:47 pm

Sounds great!

Reply

vi says
06/08/2020 at 8:41 pm

Can I use black bean garlic sauce instead? What to replace rice wine with if it’s not
available?

Reply

Hyosun says
06/08/2020 at 11:22 pm

Not sure what it is, but it sounds delicious. Try it, although it might not be exactly
the same. You can simply omit rice wine.

Reply
Sandra says
05/22/2020 at 1:50 am

Tried your Soondubu soup! Taste superb… going to try cooking this Jajangmyeon
which I have always wanted to try after watching the Korean drama…

Reply

Hyosun says
05/23/2020 at 4:08 pm

Hi Sandra! Wonderful to hear you liked soondubu. You’ll love jajangmyeon. Korean
dramas do that to all of us.

Reply

Patricia Kloss McKay says

05/20/2020 at 1:42 pm

Thank you for the delicious recipe! I used soft tofu rather than pork but otherwise
made the recipe as posted. Many thanks!

Reply

Marian Lee says

05/19/2020 at 4:58 pm

Thank you for finally giving me a good jajangmyeon recipe like the restaurants! I never
tried it with chicken stock and I think it makes a big difference. I also used hoisin sauce
instead of oyster sauce which gives it a nice sweetness (I know Chinese cooks often use
hoisin sauce in chinese jajangmyeon).

Reply
 Hyosun says
05/19/2020 at 9:11 pm

So delighted to hear that! I should try hoisin sauce.

Reply

Franzi says
05/14/2020 at 8:35 am

It’s one of my favorite recipes on your website. Thanks for all the wonderful recipes.

Reply

Ronaldinho says
05/10/2020 at 2:09 am

I use the same noodles as your recipe. Can you please let me know if you ever rinse
them in cold water after cooking to stop the cooking process and remove starch? Or is
it better to simply drain them and serve? Some recipes advise to do the latter.

Thanks!

Reply

Coco in the Kitchen says

05/07/2020 at 6:09 pm

Oh my goodness! This looks AMAZING!

I’ve gotta get my hands on some Korean black bean paste asap!

Reply
Elle says
04/21/2020 at 2:04 pm

Thank you for explaining the difference between chung jang and cha jang on the labels,
and also for spelling it out. I am learning to read korean, and also how to cook, through
your website! I have made many of your recipes, but do not always leave a thank you.
Your website has given me so much guidance. My mom died several years back and I
would be lost without all of your wonderful recipes here. Thank you so much.

Reply

Abby says
03/05/2020 at 3:12 pm

Can you freeze the leftover sauce

Reply

Rae Stang says

01/25/2020 at 8:06 pm

Just saw this on a Korean Drama (Chocolate on Netflix) and wanted to make it.
Great recipe! Easy to follow photos. If you’re lucky you have a Korean market nearby.
My friend came over & enjoyed it very much!

Reply

Karen Hwang says

01/20/2020 at 7:30 am

Love this recipe!!! I’ve tried making jajangmyeon before following other recipes, but to
my disappointment, they always seemed to be missing something. I think the oyster
sauce and chicken broth was exactly what it needed! It tastes just like what we ate
growing up.

Thank you for sharing!!!

Reply

Deborah Rose says

11/29/2019 at 7:09 pm

Hi! Just discovered your website – enjoying it greatly! Is it possible for this recipe to
substitute rice based noodles as I have a wheat intolerance? Thanks much. Deb

Reply

Aimée says
01/18/2023 at 3:38 am

This may be helpful as well.

[Link]

Reply

Lady says
10/08/2019 at 9:16 pm

Do you have a recipe to make the chunjang or jjajang from scratch please?

Reply

Hyosun says
10/14/2019 at 9:28 am

Sorry I don’t.
 Reply

TheFibroFighter says
07/06/2019 at 6:55 pm

This is amazing!! Made it tonight exactly as recipe states and I am in love!! Never had it
before or really any korean food but I wanted to try something that is a popular dish.
Thanks for the recipe.

Reply

Andrea says
04/23/2019 at 4:23 pm

I had never eaten this before but people on TV seem to love it, so thought I’d make it –
this was SO delicious!! Perfect comfort food,and so easy to make. Thank you so much
for sharing this recipe

Reply

Ayeesha says
02/22/2019 at 5:31 am

Pls is there any way I could replace the pork

I’m a Muslim so I’m not really supposed to eat pork

Reply

Hyosun says
03/02/2019 at 1:28 am

Use beef, chicken, or seafood instead.

 Reply

Sam says
11/18/2018 at 3:31 pm

You can find good jia jiang mien in a few places. Mandarin inn in Macon, GA. Koreans
own this Chinese restaurant and it’s not on the menu but it’s really good. You gotta ask
for it. Several places on Oahu, Los Angeles, Atlanta, GA; in the Duluth area and pretty
much any Korea towns in big cities have a couple places that does the dish right. I’m
half Korean, born there and lived there until 8 and then grew up in Hawaii. Now I live
in Charelston, SC and there is no good Korean food here. I have to go to North Carolina
or Atlanta to find good Korean food. Luckily I can cook most of it pretty well.

Reply

Sam says
11/18/2018 at 3:23 pm

Do you have a recipe for crispy,spicy and sweet bone in chicken chunks. I think it’s
called Najugogi. My mom used to make it when I was little and lived in Daegu in the
70’s.

Reply

Jasmine says
10/27/2018 at 6:43 am

Can you use black bean sauce instead of paste?

Reply

Hyosun says
 10/29/2018 at 1:07 pm

What type of black bean sauce are you talking about? The noodles will be delicious
with any sauce, but for authentic jajangmyeon taste, you’ll need to use the type of
black bean paste/sauce described in the recipe. Hope this helps.

Reply

Youngmi says
09/09/2018 at 10:31 pm

Replacing the water with chicken broth makes such a big difference! Homemade
jajjangmyun was always just meh until I tried your recipe. Thank you for sharing!

Reply

Hyosun says
09/09/2018 at 11:57 pm

Hi Youngmi! Yes it does! Happy to hear your nice feedback. Thanks for stopping by
to let me know.

Reply

Samantha says
03/09/2018 at 6:49 am

I know it’s late, but I’ve just stumbled on to this recipe and I love it! The only thing is
that when I put the chicken stock in, it makes it really runny, and then it doesn’t
thicken up even when I put in the cornstarch mixture. Is there something I could be
doing wrong that would explain it. It still tastes great though!

Reply
Cesamiii says
12/01/2017 at 2:48 pm

Is the black bean garlic sauce can use for this dish? I cant find any black bean paste
huhu help

Reply

Hyosun says
12/03/2017 at 9:32 pm

Not the same, but try it. I’m sure it will still be delicious.

Reply

joongkoogjip says
07/17/2017 at 6:29 am

Looks [Link] For sharing this post.

Reply

Semzang Soo says

08/02/2016 at 10:11 am

Thanks for sharing generously your family recipe. I am interested in Korean temple
good recipe as I’m a vegan. Thank you. Semzang, Malaysia

Reply

Rahsan says
01/06/2016 at 6:48 am

Maybe I missed out on something, but the recipe doesn´t add up for me. Is it supposed
to taste sweet? Like, really sweet and not salty at all? I added a bit of salt, and it tasted
better. And the oil is way to less for this amount of vegetable as well for the black bean
paste. It nearly burned even with constant stirring. I never tasted jajangmyeon, so
maybe I just dont know. Thanks for the recipe though.

Reply

Nor Fadzilah says

12/19/2015 at 7:04 am

This recipe look yummy! My kids gonna love it!…Is there any other ingredients to
substitute rice wine? I’m a Muslim.. wine & any type alcohol drinks are prohibited in
Islam. Thanks.

Reply

Hyosun says
12/20/2015 at 10:36 pm

You can simply skip rice wine. Enjoy!

Reply

moon says
09/29/2015 at 8:16 pm

yay! i’m so glad you included korean-chinese dishes on your blog.

I am half korean/half american and growing up, my mom would always give me
“chocolate noodles” and it’s something i still enjoy eating with my mom, along with the
korean version of sweet and sour pork. thank you for sharing your recipes

Reply

Hyosun says
 09/29/2015 at 9:22 pm

You’re welcome! Enjoy!

Reply

nuri says
06/19/2015 at 3:45 am

Hai mom,
i wonder if you could share how ro make the jajang (chunjang paste). I would be very
appreciate it.
Thx//

Reply

Hyosun says
07/19/2015 at 11:13 am

Hi nuri – Sorry about the late response! I haven’t made chunjang myself. It is
fermented black beans, so the process would be quite involved.

Reply

delia says
05/31/2015 at 6:50 pm

I’m unable to find he black bean sauce here. Is there any way we can make it from
scratch or substitution? Tq.

Reply

Hyosun says
06/01/2015 at 9:30 am
 Making it from scratch will be difficult because it takes long fermentation. No
substitute either, but have you tried on-line such as Amazon or H-Mart.

Reply

Robin Pigott says

05/21/2015 at 1:39 am

/Users/johnpigott/Desktop/IMG_4271.jpg

Thank you for this recipe! This was my first Jjajangmyeon I ever made and to my
surprise, it tasted really well (I say that because I really didn’t think I could make it), if
not better than some of the mediocre Jjajanmyeon I have tasted in many
Chinese/Korean restaurants. Now, I know that it is simple to make, flavorful and
ahhh…, brings me back a lot of those fond memories. I guess this is one of the reasons
why I love cooking because, sometimes, cooking sort of completes the circle, of those
memories of my childhood Thanks, again!

Reply

Hyosun says
05/21/2015 at 7:02 pm

I am trilled to hear it turned out well for you! Yes, cooking does bring back fond
memories. And we all loved jajangmyeon growing up.

Reply

Celeste says
12/28/2014 at 5:56 am

Is there any where other than a Korean market where I can buy chunjang? There are
none where I live > <"
Reply

Hyosun says
12/29/2014 at 12:17 am

You can buy on-line here: [Link]

[Link]

Reply

Epet says
08/31/2014 at 3:08 am

Hello,

My husband loves eating this Jajangmyeon and asked me if I could learn how to cook. I
am very excited to come across your blog; but I am a little confused when I went to a
Korean supermarket to find the black bean sauce, can you please tell me what’s the
difference between “Fermented Black Bean Paste” and “Roasted Black Bean Paste”?
Which one should I buy for this noodle?

Thank you very much for your time and effort!!

Reply

Hyosun says
08/31/2014 at 4:01 am

You can buy either the Korean black bean paste called chunjang ( ) or the
roasted (or fried) black bean paste called jjajang ( ). The black bean paste should
be first fried in oil for this sauce. This process helps remove the bitter taste of the
bean paste. So, if you buy the latter, you can skip the frying step. Hope this helps.
Cheers!
 Reply

Epet says
09/01/2014 at 3:13 am

Thank you very very much, it does help. Cheers!

Reply

Jessica says
08/15/2014 at 2:22 am

I just made this recipe this evening and wanted you to know how delicious it was! Do
you think it would work to make the sauce a day in advance and just heat it up and add
the noodles before serving?

Thank you!

Reply

Hyosun says
08/15/2014 at 3:43 am

That’s awesome! Thanks for letting me know. Making the sauce in advance will be
fine. Just save the last step for adding the starch until you reheat.

Reply

Kristin says
08/06/2014 at 3:33 am

Hey! I want to try this so bad, but I dont eat meat :'( What would you suggested
subbing in? eggplant?

Reply
Denny Li says
06/26/2014 at 6:29 pm

I’m in Atlanta, GA where there is a huge Korean population. I remember the first time I
ordered this at a Korean/Chinese restaurant and being completely surprised. I thought
it would be more Chinese -i.e., brown with more stuff in the sauce. I’ve liked it enough
to order it a few more times, but always felt like there’s too much sauce and not enough
meat/seafood/vegetables. I find myself digging for the “good stuff”. Now that I have
your recipe, I can bump up the meat and veggies. I’ve brought all the ingredients from
H-Mart and am ready to cook. Thanks so much!!

Reply

Hyosun says
06/27/2014 at 1:40 am

Great! That’s the beauty of home cooking. You can make it the way you like! Enjoy!

Reply

John says
05/11/2014 at 12:08 pm

Yum !!!! This looks and sounds totally cool !!! I’m sure finding half the stuff u
mentioned above is going to be literally impossible here in India

Reply

lilysmom says
04/24/2014 at 3:20 pm

I am so excited to find this recipe!! I studied abroad in Korea in 2005 and competently
fell in love with the country AND the food!!!! I had this dish a lot as takeout when we
were out eating late night. Unfortunately, there are not many Korean markets in CO. I
will find one though! Thank you so much!

Reply

Anonymous says
02/13/2014 at 7:01 am

I love this dish. I made this for my parents who hate to try anything new and they loved
it too. Now I get request for it and jajangbop. I have also learned to make kimchi as
well.

Reply

Hyosun Ro says
02/14/2014 at 5:12 am

That’s awesome! You’re making kimchi too? I’m so proud of you. Thanks for letting
me know. Cheers!

Reply

Robert Kiss says

12/30/2013 at 3:58 pm

First I’ve tried it at my favorite restaurant, now I’ve cooked it myself. Thank you so
much for this recipe, I will make it on a regular basis from now on. Used seafood since
I’m not a fan of meat, still turned out great.

Reply

Hyosun Ro says
12/31/2013 at 2:59 am
 Hi Robert – So happy to hear it turned out great for you! Seafood in jajangmyeon is
always good. BTW – We call seafood jajangmyeon “samseon jajangmyeon”. Cheers!

Reply

Robert Kiss says

01/05/2014 at 10:22 pm

I know I am studying your beautiful language too. Now just on my own, but for
the basis I had Korean help. Great people, great food, beautiful language, culture,
hope to visit someday.

Reply

Anonymous says
08/17/2013 at 2:07 pm

I was able to easily make a vegan version of this. It came out great. Just Google for the
recipe.

Reply

Brainiac says
06/11/2013 at 1:45 am

I made this recipe using chunjang, substituting tofu and mushrooms for pork. It turned
out really salty and bitter. I don’t think I used enough oil when frying the chunjang, but
is there anything else I can do to take away the saltiness?

Reply

Hyosun Ro says
06/11/2013 at 2:58 am
 Some brands are saltier than others. Try using more oil and fry longer. The rule of
thumb is to use 1:1 (chunjang to oil), though I used less. You can remove some of
the oil after frying, so don’t be too afraid to use more oil. Also, using more sugar
and liquid will help. Let me know how it turns out with these tips. Thanks!

Reply

Anonymous says
05/13/2013 at 4:29 pm

Thank you thank you thank you for posting this! When I lived in Seoul as a student we
would order Korean-Chinese food take out (we were very amused that Chinese food
was a take out food in Korea just like in the US… for some reason we thought Chinese
would be a more “sit down” meal in Korea). There was no English on the menu so we
just ordered blindly until one day we ordered this dish! From then on it was the only
thing we ordered, we all loved it so much. We tried to get the delivery guy to teach us
how to say it, but I never mastered it enough to know the English spelling, so I could
look it up. I stumbled upon this recipe today and it made me so happy! Thank you!

Reply

Soyon says
04/22/2013 at 5:10 pm

Hyosun,

Hello, I know this is an old post, but if you get to see my comment… I’ve tried to make
this dish twice and both time they come out such a fail. I’m using the pre-fried and it’s
just so salty, way saltier than when I buy it at a restaurant. I wonder if it’s the brand
I’m using (Wang) or if using chunjang would make it less salty. Any thoughts? Thanks,
Soyon

Reply
 Hyosun Ro says
04/23/2013 at 12:15 am

Hi Soyon – I haven’t used Wang brand, but I know certain brands are saltier than
others. You can try it using less paste, more liquid, and more sugar. Also, if using
chicken stock, use low (or no) sodium. Let me know if any of these helped. Thanks!

Reply

Don says
02/27/2013 at 10:31 am

Thank you for this recipe. This was my favorite dish when I was stationed in Korea (US
Army) in 1984. I’ve been to many restaurants looking for this dish with no luck. I’ll be
making this on Saturday.

Reply

Abi says
02/14/2013 at 10:32 am

Hello, I’ve borrowed a photograph from this post for a blog entry about Valentine’s day
(and White day and Black day) on my blog. I have linked it to this post. If you would
rather I find a different photograph let me know and I will take it off, no ill will was
intended but I wanted to let you know (here is the link so you can check, and not to
advertise myself [Link]
[Link]). Best wishes.

Reply

Hyosun Ro says
02/16/2013 at 2:40 am

Abi – Totally fine since you provided the link to my blog. Thanks!
 Reply

Jared Stanley says

02/09/2013 at 7:18 am

I recently went to Korea and had this dish quite a bit there and have tried making it
back home in Australia. Finding the Black Bean paste has been difficult. I asked at an
Asian Grocery store if they had Black Bean paste and they handed me a jar of Black
Bean Sauce telling me it is the same thing. They then also said I could buy fermented
black beans and make the paste myself, which I did, by blending the beans with a little
water, however my dish turned out brown. Flavour was still good compared to what
I experienced in Korea.

Any idea how to make the black bean paste?

Reply

Hyosun Ro says
02/09/2013 at 4:31 pm

I actually haven’t made it myself. Have you tried to see if you can find it from on-
line Korean food sources? [Link]

Reply

S. Kim says
01/27/2013 at 12:04 am

I made this for my husband for the first time today. He’s been talking about eating it
for so long but his mom doesn’t make it anymore and no restaurants have it here
either. I’m so glad I found the recipe here. My MIL is a fabulous cook but isn’t a good
“teacher” of Korean food. I agree with others that I would LOVE to see you have a
cookbook someday.
Reply

Anonymous says
01/09/2013 at 3:22 pm

How do you make the black bean paste itself?

Reply

Hyosun Ro says
01/10/2013 at 12:46 am

Actually, the paste itself (chunjang) is widely available where I live, so I’ve never
made it myself. Sorry!

Reply

Mitchi says
12/27/2012 at 8:07 am

I had often read that jjajangmyeon is mostly eaten by loveless people during Black Day.
Whatever! I eat mine anytime I like because it’s delicious.

Reply

Ted and Maria says

11/27/2012 at 12:26 am

I just made this for my Korean son’s 2nd birthday celebration….we all loved it! So, so
good! I’m also excited that there’s a Korean market close-by where I can pick up the
authentic ingredients. The only drawback? The noodles aren’t gluten-free (I have a
wheat allergy), so next time we’ll go with rice.

Reply
 Hyosun Ro says
11/27/2012 at 12:31 am

Very happy to hear you and your family loved it. This sauce served over rice is
called jajangbap. It will be good. Thanks!

Reply

Ted and Maria says

11/27/2012 at 7:48 pm

Good to know, thank you! I just realized today that the black bean paste also has
wheat flour in it. Sad, but I can’t NOT have this every once in a while. My first
Korean dish, and I can’t wait to make more…Thanks for making cooking Korean so
accessible!

Reply

Blueberry says
05/26/2012 at 1:49 pm

it makes me watery ahahaha …. I really want to try that , but only no pork on it hehehe

Reply

Sunny says
05/18/2012 at 6:02 am

I like to eat my jjanangmyun with pickles sometimes in place of the cucumbers

Reply

Hyosun Ro says
10/11/2011 at 1:30 am
Sas – Thank you so much for leaving me detailed comments about various ways my
recipe can be modified. Sounds like you are a great cook! Let me know how it goes
when you use Korean black bean paste. Cheers!

Reply

Sas says
10/10/2011 at 10:25 pm

Thanks for posting this, I made a slightly modified version of your recipe and all of the
family loved it!

I made it vegetarian by using tofu and sliced king oyster mushrooms instead of pork,
which worked well (I think the mushrooms give it a richer, meatier taste & texture than
the tofu alone). I had to substitute a few things because I didn’t have the ingredients to
hand: chinese black bean sauce instead of Korean, a yellow pepper instead of zucchini,
and spaghetti instead of the noodles (my kids are some of the few children in the world
who don’t like noodles, but they do like pasta so the only way I can cook noodle dishes
is to sub spaghetti!). I also added sweet potato as I found another recipe for
jajangmyeon that included them and I had one lying around & wanted to pack lots of
veggies in.

So it probably didn’t turn out very authentic, but we all enjoyed it anyway – I can
imagine eating this a few more times over the winter, as it’s very tasty, comforting sort
of food that will go down especially well in the colder weather. I’ll have to hunt down
Korean black bean sauce and make it properly next time!

Reply

Hyosun Ro says
09/21/2011 at 4:23 pm

Anonyomous – Thank you! I wish I do, but hopefully one day that would happen.
Reply

Anonymous says
09/21/2011 at 4:04 am

Hi. Do you have a cook book in English for all these wonderful Korean recipes…with
step by step pictures???

Reply

Nami @ Just One Cookbook says

06/06/2011 at 8:18 am

Hi Hyosun! Thank you so much for your kind comment on my blog, and I’m so happy
to find your site! My mom loves Korean cultures and she goes to Korea A LOT. She
actually teaches quilts there a few times a year. She told me all about Korean food and
she’ll enjoy your site! I love Korean food and often go to a restaurant. As for Korean
home cooking, I used to have a great Korean friend who cooks Korean food for me. But
he went back to Korea and I’ve missed so much of his cooking. Now with your blog, I
think I’ll start Korean home cooking more. Not just BBQ… home cooking! Jajangmyeon
is my favorite noodle too. What a coincidence!

Reply

Kay Heritage says

06/05/2011 at 12:30 am

Oh, I love this dish,Hyosun!! Brings back so many wonderful memories as a child in
Korea! My most favorite noodle dish to eat. Unfortunately it is most difficult to get
good jajangmyeon in Savannah. I guess I will need to make it myself using your
wonderful recipe! THANK YOU!!

Reply
Bliss Bunny says
06/01/2011 at 6:30 am

Whoops! I just saw that you posted a picture of the brand you prefer. Thank you! I’m
going to try this! Ill write again after I make this. Thank you!

Reply

Bliss Bunny says

06/01/2011 at 6:29 am

Hi there! There are many different brands of jjajiang paste at the Korean Grocery store.
Is there a brand that you recommend? Thank you! I think I’ll make this next. I LOVE
YOUR BLOG!

Reply

Biren @ Roti n Rice says

05/18/2011 at 12:39 am

I’ve never tried this but it sounds very tasty. Black beans are so good with pork. As
always, I love how you present your dish

Reply

Hyosun Ro says
05/17/2011 at 12:13 am

invisaligngal – Of course shrimp would be a great substitution. Restaurants also add

squid in their seafood version. Just remember to put it in at the end to avoid
overcooking. I have not tried it with garlic since I really don’t think garlic pungency is
necessary in this sweet and savory dish. But I am sure a little bit of garlic would be fine.

Thanks a lot for the encouraging words! I really appreciate it.

Reply

Judy says
05/16/2011 at 3:14 am

Hi Hyosun! I’m hoping my comment works this time. I tried to leave you a comment on
your last post seafood noodle post about a week ago but I received an error message.

I never knew that there were Korean Chinese restaurants! I love black bean sauce
dishes and frequently order them at the Chinese restaurant. I need to go to our local
Korean supermarket to look for this black bean sauce. I purchased and Americanized
instant black bean sauce but I was disappointed. I’m sure I’ll love the black bean paste
you’ve recommended! Have a great week!

Reply

invisaligngal says
05/16/2011 at 5:15 am

Your pictures are so beautiful and now I want to make this tomorrow for dinner! This
was my absolute favorite dish growing up and it was the only thing I would ever order
at the Korean-Chinese restaurants. My mom or dad would say, “How about Jjamppong
today?” and I would always say no!

I have made this dish many times and it is almost like yours, except for the cabbage
and oyster sauce! I will have to try that. I also stopped using pork and potatoes (lately I
don’t like them). Do you think shrimp is a good substitute? Also, do you ever add
garlic? I have seen some recipes that put that in too. Thank you so so much for this
blog. It continues to be my inspiration and motivation to become a better Korean cook!

Reply

Hyosun Ro says
05/16/2011 at 3:42 am

Hi Judy – I am sure LA has many good Korean-Chinese restaurants. I think you should
try to go to one. It will be a memorable experience. They are quite different from
Korean restaurants but still uniquely Korean.

For this dish, you will really need Korean made black bean paste. If you like other black
bean paste dishes, you’d really like this dish. Thanks always for stopping by.

Reply

Hyosun Ro says
05/15/2011 at 4:40 am

Chris – Thank you!

Stephanie -Hope you can find the paste and give the recipe a try. Let me know how it
turns out. Thanks.

Kevin – Hope you try it and let me know how you like it. Thanks for stopping by.

Pierre – I am glad to hear you will be going to Seoul this summer. Hope you find the
best jajangmyeon you’ve been looking for. Oyster sauce is very common in Chinese
cooking, and it adds another layer of flavor.

Andrea – That’s what’s good about making it at home. You can control everything that
goes in to the dish. I think you’d really like this recipe. Hope it turns out to be your
family favorite. Thanks.

Michelle K – Oh I am so thrilled to hear you and your husband liked it. Thank you so
much for the kindest words. They mean a lot to me. Let’s hope to see my recipes in a
cookbook one day.

Cooking Gallery – Thanks for stopping by and leaving me a comment.

Reply

Cooking Gallery says

05/14/2011 at 9:31 pm

I’ve seen this many times featured in other blogs and I have been wanting to try it but
haven’t done so till now. You remind me how delicious it looks (and sounds). As an
avid noodle lover, I really shouldn’t wait much longer…;)!! Btw, I’m so glad to find your
blog because I love Korean food :D)

Reply

Michelle K says
05/14/2011 at 7:29 pm

Thank you so much for posting this. I have made this two days in a row. It is that good.
And it’s so easy to make. My Korean husband thanks you too. Now my Korean sister-
in-law is asking me where I got the recipe. I would love to see a cook book with your
recipes. I have many Korean cook books, but often the pictures look great, but the dish
doesn’t taste that good and involves way too many odd ingredients. So your blog is my
go to place when I am cooking. Thank you for that.

Reply

Andrea@WellnessNotes says
05/14/2011 at 2:30 pm

I love jajangmyeon, and I have been wanting to make it at home for long time now as
I’m a bit worried about all the fat in the restaurant version (I can’t handle too much fat
very well because of my gallstones). Thanks for the recipe! It’s going my my “list!”

Reply
PFx says
05/14/2011 at 6:29 am

Jjangjangmyeon instant noodle has always been my childhood favourite. Kinda

suprised how very different it tasted from the real stuff when I first tried it 10 years
ago. And how rare it is to find the good authentic one, I tried a few specialty restaurant
in Seoul… and still disappointing. I’m still on the look out for the best on in Seoul next
time I go there in August.

Oyster sauce? Is that commonly used?

Reply

Kevin says
05/11/2011 at 6:17 am

Looks good! I have been wanting to try jajangmyeon for a while now.

Reply

Stephanie says
05/11/2011 at 4:20 am

Yum this looks delicious. I found a Korean market near my house so I’ll have to see if
they have the paste

Reply

Christopher Ro says
05/11/2011 at 3:55 am

looks delicious!

Reply
Hyosun Ro says
05/11/2011 at 3:53 am

Tammy – Thanks for stopping by!

Jean – The Chinese black bean paste is similar, but not the same. For authentic flavors,
you will need to use Korean black bean paste. Hope you try the recipe. You will like it.
Thanks for stopping by.

Roxan – It is really easy to make, so get that bean past in your next trip to a Korean
market. Thanks.

Ali – I am sure your sister will be impressed if you make this for her at home. Great to
hear from you. Thanks.

Reply

Hyosun Ro says
05/11/2011 at 3:36 am

erica – Pre-frying is a traditional technique used to remove the bitterness and fully
develop flavor of the bean paste. The rule of thumb is to use 1:1 (chunjang to oil),
enough to have a deep frying effect, which would be hard to achieve if simply stir-fried
with meat and vegetables and boiled. (We know how good deep-fried food tastes.) This
is what restaurants and professional chefs usually do.(Some actually use pork fat for
richer flavor.) However, like you, I am a little concerned about using that much oil, so
my recipe only calls for 2 tablespoons of oil to fry 5 tablespoons of chunjang. So the
choice obviously is yours, but I suggest you try pre-frying using healthy oil to see how
different it is to you. Hope this helps. Thanks for stopping by. I am always happy to see
you here.

Reply
Ali says
05/09/2011 at 3:45 pm

My sister used to eat jajangmyeon at her best friend’s house all the time growing up.
I’ve never had it myself but my sister, in an effort to feed her addiction, would buy the
packaged grocery store version and eat it at home.

Of course, that’s nowhere near as good as the original but now that I have this recipe, I
think I’ll surprise her and make it sometime

Reply

Roxan says
05/09/2011 at 3:23 pm

Oh, Hyoson! I LOVE jjanangmyun. I haven’t had it in so long. I’d love to make some
but I need to get that black bean paste first.
I think a trip to Koreatown is in order!

PS This is Roxan from kitchen meditation! I have a new blog

Reply

lemonsandanchovies says
05/09/2011 at 2:24 pm

Hyosun, this looks like comfort food that I would enjoy over and over again. Is Korean
black bean paste similar to the Chinese kind? Either way, I think I’d like this.

Reply

Tamar1973 says
05/08/2011 at 8:31 am
I’ve never eaten authentic jjajangmyun because it has pork in it. I usually get gan
jjajangmyun with beef instead.

Reply

erica says
05/08/2011 at 1:07 am

Oh, I love jjajangmyeon! Great post–I have been asking a lot of my Korean friends why
it is necessary to fry the chunjang before adding it to the rest of the ingredients, so your
explanation is very helpful! I still wonder, though: if the chunjang is going to be cooked
in the following steps to the point of boiling, is it truly necessary to pre-fry it? I have
never pre-fried the chunjang in the times I’ve made this dish, and I always find the end
result tasty. But maybe I am missing out on authentic flavor?

I am always torn over this issue–do I want to do it the authentic way or do I want to
save the calories by skipping the frying step? I would be curious to get your thoughts on
this!

Reply

Trackbacks
Savory lentil and rice pancakes – oothappams | Garden & Grub says:
06/15/2014 at 7:34 pm
[…] paste), making not-quite-authentic “Korean inspired” stews. I really want to make
jajangmyeon, but I’ll have to visit a Korean market in Moore to find the right kind of
black bean […]

4.68 from 343 votes (306 ratings without comment)

 Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment *

Recipe Rating

Name *

Email *

Website
POST COMMENT

WELCOME TO
KOREAN BAPSANG

Hi! I'm Hyosun, and I am a Korean-

American mom of two wonderful
grown-up children. Here, you will
learn how to cook Korean dishes the
way we Koreans traditionally eat at
home. Read More...

NEVER MISS A
RECIPE
NAME

EMAIL

SIGN UP

TRENDING RECIPES
 POPULAR
C AT E G O R I E S
As Featured On:
 search...

COPYRIGHT © 2025 · ALL RIGHTS RESERVED · KOREAN BAPSANG

Update Privacy Settings

Update Privacy Settings