Name: Creamy Gochujang Noodles
Prep time: 4 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 80 g dried sweet potato noodles, or your noodle of choice; 1 clove garlic, minced; 2 heaped Tbsp gochujang; 1 tsp toasted sesame oil; 2 tsp fish sauce; 1 Tbsp rice vinegar; 3 Tbsp cream cheese; toasted sesame seeds; sliced green onions; steamed broccoli (optional)

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These creamy gochujang noodles were inspired by the most insanely delicious stir fried chicken ramen noodles I had at a Korean restaurant one summer day.

I was sitting on a patio with a cold beer in a tall glass, and I ordered these noodles from a photo on the menu. When they arrived, I was thrilled. They were spicy, and creamy, and perfect, and they cured my hangover like nobody’s business.

Maybe the cold beer had something to do with that too…

This homemade version of these Korean-style spicy noodles makes for a perfect easy dinner for one. Especially on those lazy evenings when you just want to curl up with some bad TV shows and stuff your face with spicy noodles. I’m not the only one who’s into that, right?

What Kind Of Noodles Are We Talking?

The original inspiration for these creamy gochujang noodles was actually a ramen dish. However, I find it can be tricky to find ramen noodles in regular grocery stores. You can definitely buy instant noodle packets and leave the seasoning out (instant ramen seasoning makes a great easy chip dip fyi), or you can use any number of noodles you may have available to you. You can use spaghetti, sure. What’s even better, is to make your spaghetti more ramen-like by adding baking soda to the cooking water. I learned that trick from this article from Serious Eats.

The noodles I tend to go for are translucent, glassy sweet potato noodles. They’re gluten-free, they cook in about 6 minutes, and they’re available in many grocery stores nowadays. I love their bouncy texture. Whichever you go with, you’re going to cook the noodles according to package directions.

What Is Gochujang?

I had never heard of gochujang until about 2014 but in recent years it has become the “it” ingredient across North America. Korean food is certainly having its moment in the limelight, and Gochujang is a key player. It’s a fermented red chili and bean paste and its used most commonly in the popular Bibimbap, which is an amazing rice dish served in a stone bowl. Nowadays you’ll likely see gochujang popping up on restaurant menus – Korean and otherwise. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a Gochujang mayo being served with yam fries at my local pub. (I’d breathe a sigh of relief that the chipotle mayo trend is finally over).

Gochujang typically comes in a bright red plastic rectangular tub, but you can also find it in smaller glass jars. If you see it, get it. It lasts forever and it’s a great thing to add to the spicy condiment section of your fridge.

This simple noodle dish is so quick and easy. It’s spicy with gochujang, creamy with cream cheese, vinegary with rice vinegar, and fresh with thinly sliced green onions. You can easily load it up with protein by adding chicken breast, ground pork, or black beans. It’s a great recipe for a single serving, and if you have sauce ingredients like sesame oil and fish sauce on hand, it’s nearly instant.

You really don’t need a side dish with these creamy gochujang noodles, as too many dishes in bed can be a bit unruly. But, if you wanted something refreshing to make you feel better about yourself, these sweet sambal green beans or this smashed cucumber salad is just the thing.

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