Noodles with blackbean sauce (Jjajangmyeon: 짜장면)

black bean paste

🥗Healthier: miso paste

💰Cheaper: soy sauce + cocoa powder

Miso provides umami flavor with fewer calories.

pork

🥗Healthier: chicken

💰Cheaper: tofu

Tofu is a budget-friendly protein alternative.

wheat noodles

🥗Healthier: whole wheat noodles

💰Cheaper: rice noodles

Rice noodles are gluten-free and often less expensive.

sesame oil

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: vegetable oil

Vegetable oil is a more affordable cooking oil.

Boil water for cooking noodles.

Peel and soak potatoes in cold water to prevent browning.

Cut potatoes into small cubes, around half an inch.

Cut Korean squash (or zucchini) into small cubes, same size as potatoes.

Cut onion into small pieces, totaling around 1.5 cups.

Cut radish into small cubes, around half an inch, about 1 cup.

Chop pork shoulder (or pork belly) into small pieces.

Heat a pan and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.

Add pork to the pan and stir-fry over high heat until crispy, removing excess fat.

Add radish to the pan first, then potato, onion, and zucchini, stirring until potatoes are half translucent.

Make an empty spot in the center of the pan and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and 1/4 cup black bean paste, stir-frying for about 1 minute.

Add 2 cups of water to the pan and cover to cook for around 10 minutes until vegetables are fully cooked.

Mix 2 tablespoons potato starch with 1/4 cup water and 1 teaspoon sugar, then slowly stir this mixture into the sauce to thicken it.

Add 1 teaspoon sesame oil to the sauce and mix well, then remove from heat.

Cook one portion of noodles in boiling water until done, then rinse in cold water to make them chewy.

Reheat the black bean sauce.

Garnish the dish with thin matchstick cucumber strips.

Serve with rice (Jjajangbap) or noodles (Jjajangmyeon) and yellow pickled radish (danmuji).

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens