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Kimchi noodles are one of the best-known dishes in Korean cuisine and for good reason too, it's bloody beautiful and it's surprisingly easy to make. This isn't some fussy restaurant dish that requires precise technique or obscure ingredients. This is Korean comfort food at its finest: a deeply flavorful broth built on fermented kimchi, umami-rich mushrooms, and aromatics that fill your kitchen with the kind of smell that makes your neighbors jealous.
The secret? Old kimchi. That jar you've been ignoring in the back of your fridge for weeks? That's your goldmine. As kimchi ferments, it develops a complex tanginess that transforms this soup from good to spectacular. Store-bought works brilliantly, homemade is even better. Either way, you're 30 minutes away from a bowl that's spicy, tangy, and deeply satisfying.
Your bowl of fermented fire awaits. Let's get spicy! 🍜🔥🌱
Ingredients
- Noodles – ramen noodles, udon, soba or make your own potato udon noodles.
- Kimchi – about 1 cup of chopped kimchi, and a few tablespoons of the kimchi juice from the jar.
- Garlic – 2-4 cloves (minced)
- Ginger – 1-2 teaspoons of grated fresh or frozen
- Shallots – 4 thinly sliced
- Tofu – 400-500g of firm or extra firm (cubed)
- Shiitake Mushrooms – 100g (chopped and destalked)
- Bok Choi – 140g or 2 heads
- Stock – 1 litre (4 cups) of vegetable, chicken, or beef broth.
- Oil – 1 tablespoon vegetable or Rapeseed (canola oil)
- Optional – 1-5 red chilli of choice to increase the heat
Seasonings
- Light soy sauce – 1-2 tablespoons
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) – 2 teaspoons, 1 if you have baby mouth
- Maple syrup – 2 teaspoons
- Gochujang (Korean chili paste) – 2 tablespoons for a thicker, spicier broth
- Optional – 1-2 teaspoons of sesame oil for a nutty finish.
Method
The smaller you chop the aromatics the quicker they will cook, don't burn them, use these timings as a guide.
- Heat the oil in a pot or a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat.
- Add the shallots and shiitake mushrooms and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger and saute for a further 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the chopped chillies if you're feeling spicy.
- Add the chopped kimchi and saute for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the gochugaru, maple syrup and gochujang with the sauted vegetables.
- Pour in the stock.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Once simmering, cover the pot and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes. The longer you leave it simmering, the better the flavor.
- Once the broth has come to a boil and reduced to a simmer, add the tofu cubes and let them warm through in the broth (about 3-4 minutes).
- While the broth is simmering, bring a separate pot of water up to a boil and cook your noodles according to the package directions.
- As soon as you add the noodles to the separate pan, add the bok choy stems to the simmering broth first, then add the leaves 2-3 minutes later (this ensures even cooking).
- When the noodles are nearly cooked, add the sesame oil to the broth.
- Once the noodles are cooked, drain them and divide them among serving bowls.
- Ladle the hot kimchi soup over the noodles, making sure to include tofu, mushrooms, and bok choy in each bowl.
- Garnish with desired toppings. Serve immediately!
Nutritional Information (Per Serving)
| Nutrient | Amount | % of Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 385 kcal | 21% |
| Protein | 22g | 44% |
| Carbohydrates | 58g | 22% |
| Fat | 8g | 11% |
| Fibre | 6g | 20% |
| Salt | 2.4g | 40% |
*Makes 4 servings. Based on UK guidelines for an 1800 calorie diet.
Meal Prep
- Storage tips: Store the broth (with tofu, mushrooms, and bok choy) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Cook and store noodles separately in the fridge for up to 3 days (toss with sesame oil to prevent sticking).
- Fresh is best: If you prefer, cook fresh noodles each time and just reheat the broth. Takes an extra 5 minutes but gives you perfect noodle texture.