Naengmyeon is the ultimate Korean summer dish, and this spicy version called Bibim Naengmyeon is hands down, my all-time FAVORITE noodle dish in the entire world! It’s spicy, sweet, tangy, and sooo refreshing during the summer.
“Bibim” means mixed and “Naengmyeon” means cold noodles. Naengmyeon originated in North Korea. The noodles are made from buckwheat, arrowroot, and/or potato starch, and there are different kinds of Naengmyeon noodles that have different ratios of these ingredients.
The non-spicy version is called mul-naengmyeon and I posted my recipe for it here. Between these two, I definitely prefer Bibim Naengmyeon!
There are a few types of Naengmyeon noodles and if texture is a big deal to you, then these distinctions might be important.
The more popular Pyeongyang style Naengmyeon is made with buckwheat. These noodles aren’t as chewy and would probably suit the taste of most people. I like buckwheat noodles but for neangmyeon, these are not my favorite.
I like chik-naengmyeon (칡 냉면) the best for any type of naengmyeon dish. This type of noodle is chewier and darker than the more popular Pyeongyang style naengmyeon. Instead, this one is made with more arrowroot starch.
These noodles are chewy, and I mean really chewy! Sometimes it’s so chewy that its a bit difficult to cut through them with your teeth when you are slurping away. But, to me this is a good thing! That texture is key.
You can make the sauce ahead of time or in bulk and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. I think it actually starts to taste better after a couple of days. During the summer, I keep a lot of bibim sauce ready in my fridge for quick lunches. You can use this for bibim guksu & bibimbap too.
To make this vegan, use water and mushroom bouillon instead of beef broth. Soaking some dried shiitake mushrooms and using the water will also work.
If you’re making this without beef but you’re not vegan/vegetarian, you can just use dasida and water for the beef broth portion of the recipe.
What does the perfect naengmyeon taste like? Well, there are two varieties— spicy bibim (“mixed”) naengmyeon and mool (“water”) naengmyeon. The first is a flavor bomb— fiery, tart, and savory all at the same time. The second, mool naengmyeon, is refreshing, because the broth is served ice cold.
Bibim Naengmyeon (Korean Spicy Cold Noodles)
- 1 lb brisket
- 1/4 lb Korean radish
- 1/2 small onion
- 4 green onions bulbs (white parts)
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp dashida (beef bouillon)
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 4 cups water
- Or make the quick version: 1/4 cup hot water + 1/4 tsp dashed (beef bouillon)
- 1/4 cup beef broth (from above)
- 1/4 Asian pear
- 1/4 small onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp fresh ginger
- 3-4 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
- 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
- 2 tbsp rice syrup
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- brisket slices
- thinly sliced cucumbers
- Asian pear slices
- hard boiled egg
- crushed sesame seeds
- Soak the brisket in cold water for 30 minutes
- Put the brisket in a instant pot with the garlic, onion, green onion bulb, Korean radish, black peppercorns, and dashida. Pressure cook for 40 minutes.*If you dont have a pressure cooker, you can just boil for 2-3 hours on medium but youll need to add water as needed.
- Strain the broth
- Remove as much fat as you can for a nice clean broth. I used a fat seperator.
- When you cut the Asian pear, make sure to cut out the center where the core/seeds are because that part is bitter. Blend all of the ingredients together until smooth. Taste and make adjustments as needed. I like my sauce really spicy, tangy, and a little bit sweet.
- Thinly slice the cucumber.
- Once the brisket has cooled thinly slice against the grain.
- Use a mortar and pestle to grind down the sesame seeds
- To hard boil an egg: bring a pot of water to a boil then add a splash of vinegar. Carefully drop the egg into the boiling water and set the timer for 12 minutes. Get an ice bath ready in the meantime. Immediately put the egg into the ice bath after boiling and let it sit for about a minute.
- Thinly slice the Asian pear or cut into matchsticks, whichever you prefer. These will oxidize quickly so either place them in cold sugar water before using it, or wait until the last minute to cut them.
- If you can find this brand, get it! This one was my favorite for texture and flavor. Boil the noodles for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Watch the noodles closely because they are very porous and will cook quickly.
- When the noodles are almost done, quickly drain and rinse under ice cold water. Remove as much starch as you can, but try not to keep them under water for too long because they are so porous that they will continue to get softer even in cold water.
- Build your bowl immediately- do not let naengmyeon noodles sit out too long because the texture will change. Top the noodles with the bibim sauce, brisket, cucumber, Asian pear, egg, & crushed sesame seeds. Pour in the icy broth (if using) & enjoy
- You dont need this to make good Bibim Naengmyeon but I love drinking the broth. It also keeps it nice and cold. To make the icy broth, add equal parts of beef broth + dongchimi brine. Season to taste with sugar and soy sauce, then put it in the freezer for a couple of hours to turn slushy. You can find my recipe for dongchimi here.
*This post contains affiliate links to products that I actually use & recommend. I am not sponsored by these brands, but I do make a small commission from qualifying purchases made through these links.
15 MINUTE Korean Spicy Cold Noodles, Easy Bibim Naengmyeon
FAQ
What does naengmyeon taste like?
What does Korean cold buckwheat noodles taste like?
What is the difference between naengmyeon and Bibimmyeon?
Is bibim naengmyeon cold or hot?
How do you make bibim naengmyeon?
Add 1/2 cup of the icy broth to the bottom of the serving bowl. Place the cooked noodles in the bowl and add about 6-8 tablespoons of the bibim naengmyeon sauce on top. Garnish the dish with pickled radish, cucumber, Korean pear (if desired), and a hard or soft-boiled egg.
How do you serve bibim naengmyeon?
Often bibim naengmyeon is served with a small side of cold broth and added by the spoonful to the bowl of noodles, where the noodles in mul naengmyeon arrive to the table already flooded in the same cold broth.
Does bibim naengmyeon need broth?
Bibim naengmyeon is much simpler since you don’t have to make the broth. Some people still add a little bit of broth as well as meat to bibim naengmyeon, but it’s not necessary. The spicy sauce is easy to put together. You can easily double the sauce for more servings or later use. The sauce will keep well in the fridge for weeks.
What is bibim naengmyeon?
Get ready to dive into a bowl of pure bliss! Bibim Naengmyeon (비빔냉면), which translates to “cold mixed noodles” in English, is a delightful and refreshing Korean dish perfect for warm weather. While the word “bibim” often connotes spiciness, as in bibimbap (Korean mixed rice), it’s essential to note that it’s not always the case.