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 (춘장)!
What is jajangmyeon?
Jajangmyeon (자장면), also called jjajangmyeon (짜장면), is a noodle dish in a black bean sauce. Along with jjamppong (짬뽕, spicy seafood noodle soup) and tangsuyuk (탕수육, sweet and sour pork or beef), it’s a popular Korean-Chinese dish. Called collectively as Junghwa Yori (중화요리), 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 (짜장면): 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 (간짜장면): 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 (삼선짜장면): 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 (삼선간짜장면) on the menu as well.
Euni jjajangmyeon (유니짜장면): Jajangmyeon made with ground meat.
Jaengban jjajang (쟁반짜장면): 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 (춘장), 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 (된장, 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 (우동 짜장면) or jungwhamyeon (중화면).
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 (짜장밥).
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.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 servings fresh jajangmyeon/udon noodles (about 6 ounces per serving)
For the sauce
- 5 tablespoons Chunjang (춘장), Korean black bean paste some may be labeled as jjajang (짜장)
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Add the onion and cook until soft, stirring occasionally.
- Add the cabbage and zucchini and continue to stir fry until vegetables are softened.
- 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.
- 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
This jajangmyeon recipe was originally posted in May 2011. I’ve updated it here with new photos, more information, and some changes to the recipe.
CC says
Recipe tastes great but there must be a typo: 2 onions can’t possibly weigh 12-14 ounces!
Elizabeth says
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
Hyosun says
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.
Elizabeth says
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!
Katie says
This is better than any of the jajangmyeon I’ve had at Korean restaurants!
Audrey says
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.
Aimée says
Wonderful recipe. I have this page bookmarked now. Unfortunately I have celiac and only eat gluten-free noodles. Any recommendations? I found this…
https://www.seoulmills.com/products/gluten-free-rice-chunjang-300g
Thank you so very much.
Hyosun says
I haven’t tried it with gluten-free noodles, but how about rice noodles, thick ones?
Tai says
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!
Hyosun says
Nice! Enjoy!
Martin_likes_things says
I’ve made this numerous times and my wife and kids love it. thank you for this delicious and easy recipe
Hyosun says
so happy to hear that! Thank you!
Christina Tran says
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
Dori says
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 !
Taran says
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.
Hyosun says
Oh awesome!! So happy to hear that. I’ve been craving for weeks as well so now I want to make it.
Laura says
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.
Hyosun says
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. https://www.seoulmills.com/products/gluten-free-rice-chunjang-300g
Elena says
Loved making it, we all loved eating it 🙂
Hyosun says
Great!! Thanks for letting me know! Means a great deal to me.
JP says
My go to recipe. Always comes out delicious!
Katie says
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! 잘 먹었습니다!
Christina says
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.
Hyosun says
Oh that sounds like fun! Enjoy, and merry Christmas!!
Zita says
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!
Lydia says
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.
Hyosun says
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
Sammie says
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.
Hyosun says
Yes you can. I’m sure it’s still delicious, but obviously not the same as with pork.
Richard says
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!
Cath says
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!🤗
Hyosun says
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.
Laura says
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!!
Marcos says
Loved this post!
Mikko says
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
Hyosun says
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.
Ashley says
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.
Michelle says
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.
Candice says
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.
Hyosun says
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!
Ms.Chan: says
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. ^_^
Rufus Elswyer says
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.
Alizeh fatima says
I love jjajangmyeon! Excited to make it at home. How long can we keep the prepared sauce in the fridge before it goes bad?
Hyosun says
Should be fine up to 5 days.
chas says
Hi!
Is it possible to make jajangmyeon with doenjang instead?
div1013 says
No, theyre two totally different flavor profiles. You’ll definitely want to find the chunjang for this dish. It’s also available on amazon!
asghalhg says
The best part about the recipe is that you time when to start cooking each part – it’s perfect.
Jennifer says
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!
Hyosun says
Awesome! Wow good to know bacon works as well.
Amanda says
Brings back memories of living in Korea! Tastes just like I remember! Delicious!
SM says
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.
yasemin says
Very good explanation. I will try.
Elena says
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!
Martychan says
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!!
Nicole Hansen says
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!
Iris Dilion says
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
Denice Childers says
Hyosun,
If you don’t add sugar will it still taste good? I dislike sugar.
Thank you,
Denice
Hyosun says
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.
Bg says
Try honey instead of sugar
Jen says
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!
Hyosun says
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.
Steph says
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
Hyosun says
The resulting sauce texture is pretty smooth.
Carlos says
Since when did Chinese food become Korean?
I can read says
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.
Hyosun says
Thank you!
S.Yu says
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.
Patricia Evans says
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!
Andrew says
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!
Hyosun says
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!
Rebeca says
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?
Hyosun says
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.
Lolita W. says
Thank you for all your recipe everything good.
Hyosun says
Thank you!
Mitch Maxon says
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!
Hyosun says
Sounds great!
vi says
Can I use black bean garlic sauce instead? What to replace rice wine with if it’s not available?
Hyosun says
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.
Sandra says
Tried your Soondubu soup! Taste superb… going to try cooking this Jajangmyeon which I have always wanted to try after watching the Korean drama…
Hyosun says
Hi Sandra! Wonderful to hear you liked soondubu. You’ll love jajangmyeon. Korean dramas do that to all of us.
Patricia Kloss McKay says
Thank you for the delicious recipe! I used soft tofu rather than pork but otherwise made the recipe as posted. Many thanks!
Marian Lee says
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).
Hyosun says
So delighted to hear that! I should try hoisin sauce.
Franzi says
It’s one of my favorite recipes on your website. Thanks for all the wonderful recipes.
Ronaldinho says
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!
Coco in the Kitchen says
Oh my goodness! This looks AMAZING!
I’ve gotta get my hands on some Korean black bean paste asap!
Elle says
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.
Abby says
Can you freeze the leftover sauce
Rae Stang says
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!
Karen Hwang says
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!!!
Deborah Rose says
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
Aimée says
This may be helpful as well.
https://www.seoulmills.com/products/gluten-free-rice-chunjang-300g
Lady says
Do you have a recipe to make the chunjang or jjajang from scratch please?
Hyosun says
Sorry I don’t.
TheFibroFighter says
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.
Andrea says
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 🙂
Ayeesha says
Pls is there any way I could replace the pork
I’m a Muslim so I’m not really supposed to eat pork
Hyosun says
Use beef, chicken, or seafood instead.
Sam says
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.
Sam says
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.
Jasmine says
Can you use black bean sauce instead of paste?
Hyosun says
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.
Youngmi says
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!
Hyosun says
Hi Youngmi! Yes it does! Happy to hear your nice feedback. Thanks for stopping by to let me know.
Samantha says
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!
Cesamiii says
Is the black bean garlic sauce can use for this dish? I cant find any black bean paste huhu help
Hyosun says
Not the same, but try it. I’m sure it will still be delicious.
joongkoogjip says
Looks delicious.Thanks For sharing this post.
Semzang Soo says
Thanks for sharing generously your family recipe. I am interested in Korean temple good recipe as I’m a vegan. Thank you. Semzang, Malaysia
Rahsan says
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.
Nor Fadzilah says
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.
Hyosun says
You can simply skip rice wine. Enjoy!
moon says
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
Hyosun says
You’re welcome! Enjoy!
nuri says
Hai mom,
i wonder if you could share how ro make the jajang (chunjang paste). I would be very appreciate it.
Thx//
Hyosun says
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.
delia says
I’m unable to find he black bean sauce here. Is there any way we can make it from scratch or substitution? Tq.
Hyosun says
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.
Robin Pigott says
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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!
Hyosun says
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.
Celeste says
Is there any where other than a Korean market where I can buy chunjang? There are none where I live > <"
Hyosun says
You can buy on-line here: http://crazykoreanshopping.com/products/black-bean-paste-korean-style-chunjang-8-82-oz-by-chung-jung-one.html
Epet says
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!!
Hyosun says
You can buy either the Korean black bean paste called chunjang (춘장) or the roasted (or fried) black bean paste called jjajang (짜장). 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!
Epet says
Thank you very very much, it does help. Cheers! 🙂
Jessica says
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!
Hyosun says
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.
Kristin says
Hey! I want to try this so bad, but I dont eat meat :'( What would you suggested subbing in? eggplant?
Denny Li says
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!!
Hyosun says
Great! That’s the beauty of home cooking. You can make it the way you like! Enjoy!
John says
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
lilysmom says
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!
Anonymous says
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.
Hyosun Ro says
That’s awesome! You’re making kimchi too? I’m so proud of you. Thanks for letting me know. Cheers!
Robert Kiss says
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.
Hyosun Ro says
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!
Robert Kiss says
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.
Anonymous says
I was able to easily make a vegan version of this. It came out great. Just Google for the recipe.
Brainiac says
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?
Hyosun Ro says
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!
Anonymous says
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!
Soyon says
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
Hyosun Ro says
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!
Don says
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.
Abi says
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 http://thegoodthebadthequirky.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/happy-valentines-day.html). Best wishes.
Hyosun Ro says
Abi – Totally fine since you provided the link to my blog. Thanks!
Jared Stanley says
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?
Hyosun Ro says
I actually haven’t made it myself. Have you tried to see if you can find it from on-line Korean food sources? http://www.hotfrog.com.au/Products/Korean-Food
S. Kim says
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.
Anonymous says
How do you make the black bean paste itself?
Hyosun Ro says
Actually, the paste itself (chunjang) is widely available where I live, so I’ve never made it myself. Sorry!
Mitchi says
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.
Ted and Maria says
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. 🙂
Hyosun Ro says
Very happy to hear you and your family loved it. This sauce served over rice is called jajangbap. It will be good. Thanks!
Ted and Maria says
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!
Blueberry says
it makes me watery ahahaha …. I really want to try that , but only no pork on it hehehe
Sunny says
I like to eat my jjanangmyun with pickles sometimes in place of the cucumbers
Hyosun Ro says
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!
Sas says
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!
Hyosun Ro says
Anonyomous – Thank you! I wish I do, but hopefully one day that would happen.
Anonymous says
Hi. Do you have a cook book in English for all these wonderful Korean recipes…with step by step pictures???
Nami @ Just One Cookbook says
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!
Kay Heritage says
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!!
Bliss Bunny says
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!
Bliss Bunny says
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!
Biren @ Roti n Rice says
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 🙂
Hyosun Ro says
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.
Judy says
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!
invisaligngal says
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!
Hyosun Ro says
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.
Hyosun Ro says
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.
Cooking Gallery says
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)
Michelle K says
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.
Andrea@WellnessNotes says
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!” 🙂
PFx says
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?
Kevin says
Looks good! I have been wanting to try jajangmyeon for a while now.
Stephanie says
Yum this looks delicious. I found a Korean market near my house so I’ll have to see if they have the paste
Christopher Ro says
looks delicious!
Hyosun Ro says
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.
Hyosun Ro says
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.
Ali says
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 🙂
Roxan says
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 🙂
lemonsandanchovies says
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. 🙂
Tamar1973 says
I’ve never eaten authentic jjajangmyun because it has pork in it. I usually get gan jjajangmyun with beef instead.
erica says
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!