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a bowl of Korean Spicy Noodles with beef, mushrooms, carrots, sesame seeds, green onions with white chopsticks
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Korean Spicy Noodles

Korean Spicy Noodles are a glass noodle stir fry loaded with tender beef, mushrooms, carrots, onions and bell peppers all bathed in a spicy soy, ginger, garlic sesame sauce.  It is a symphony of tantalizing flavors and textures and one of my favorite recipes to date - you don't want to miss this one!     Most of the work for these Korean Spicy Noodles is is slicing your steak/veggies beforehand, so when its “go” time you can have dinner on the table in less than 15 minutes.   
Cuisine Asian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

Stir Fry

  • 1 pound flank steak cut across the grain into thin slices then cut into 2” length pieces
  • vegetable or peanut oil
  • toasted sesame oil
  • 8 oz. Korean sweet potato starch noodles (dangmyeon) see notes
  • 1 yellow onion thinly sliced, then cut into 1” lengths
  • 3.5 oz. shiitake mushrooms sliced
  • 1 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks from about 3 medium carrots
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced
  • 2 cups baby spinach about 2 oz.

Marinade/Sauce

Add later:

Garnish

  • 3 green onions chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seed

Instructions

  • Whisk together marinade/sauce ingredients in a medium bowl (not beef bouillon). Add 1/4 cup marinade to a freezer bag/glass dish then whisk in 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Add beef and massage in marinade. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate for 2-8 hours (longer the better). To the remaining reserved Sauce, whisk in 1 1/2 teaspoons beef bouillon. Cover Sauce and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Cook the noodles according to package directions just until al dente, taking care not to overcook. Rinse noodles several times in cold water. Snip noodles with kitchen shears into manageable lengths.
  • Heat 1 ½ teaspoons vegetable oil (or other neutral oil) in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until hot and sizzling. Add half of the beef to the skillet in a single layer, cook without stirring for 1 minute, then flip beef over and sear just until browned, about 1-2 minutes (it will cook more in the sauce). Don’t overcook or it won’t be as tender! Transfer beef to a large plate and cover. Repeat with remaining beef.
  • Wipe out pan. To the now empty pan, heat 2 teaspoons sesame oil over medium high heat. Add the onions, mushrooms, and carrots and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the bell peppers and stir-fry until crisp tender, about 2 additional minutes.
  • Add the noodles, beef and reserved sauce and cook while stirring until noodles are warmed through and sauce has thickened slightly. Add spinach and cook and stir one minute, or just until spinach begins to wilt.
  • Taste and add additional gochuchang if desired for more heat. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Notes

Where Can I Buy Korean Noodles?

  • You can buy Korean Noodles on Amazon or in any Asian specialty store but take care you are purchasing the correct glass noodles.
  • I purchased my Korean Noodles on Amazon and they were called, “Glass Noodles, Korean Vermicelli, Dangmyun, Sweet Potato Starch.”
  • Glass noodles come in a few different varieties.  Non-Korean glass noodles are often made with mung bean starch or green pea starch.  They can also have different shapes from thin noodles to wide, flat noodles resembling brownish, clear fettuccine.  We are looking for the thicker, round grey Korean noodles made from sweet potato starch.   If you aren’t sure if the noodles are correct, check the ingredient list for sweet potato starch.

TIPS AND TRICKS

  • Gochuchang. Gochuchang is a Korean BBQ Sauce that’s the perfect blend of savory, sweet and spicy.  I use Annie Chun’s Sweet and Spicy Gochujang Sauce located in the Asian section of my grocery store, but you can also easily buy it on Amazon.
  • Rice Wine. Rice wine is NOT rice vinegar- DO NOT switch them out.  I use “Kikkoman Aji-Mirin: Sweet Cooking Rice Seasoning” which is commonly found in the Asian section of most grocery stores or you can Amazon it.  I highly suggest you google image before you head off to the grocery store so you know exactly what you are looking for.  The best substitute for rice wine is pale dry sherry.
  • Freeze beef. The easiest way to thinly slice beef is while it is partially frozen.  Wrap beef in plastic wrap or place in a freezer bag and freeze 1-2 hours until it is firm enough to hold shape but still soft enough to slice.  I like to cut the beef in half and place one half in the freezer until I am finished slicing the first half so it doesn’t start to defrost on the cutting board.
  • Cut beef across the grain. You can see the “grain” running through the meat in one direction. The grain is essentially the muscle fibers running through the meat.  You want to cut perpendicular to the muscle fibers so they become as short as possible as opposed to long muscle fibers. Long muscle fibers will give you chewy, rubbery tough meat – so cut AGAINST the grain.
  • Use a hot skillet. Your pan should be hot enough so that the meat sizzles as soon as it touches the pan. We want the outside of our meat to develop a nice sear while the inside remains tender, this ensures juicy steak.
  • Don’t overcrowd your pan. Cook your steak in 2 batches so you don’t overcrowd your skillet which will steam instead of sear your beef.
  • Mushrooms.  Purchase fresh shiitake mushrooms.  If you purchase dried mushrooms you will have to soak them in water before using them.   You may also substitute another variety of mushroom.
  • Carrots.  If you don’t cut your own matchstick carrots, then store-bought matchstick carrots will be much thinner.  Add store-bought matchstick carrots to the skillet with the bell peppers and NOT the onions/mushrooms.
  • Customize.  Feel to customize the veggie and use your favorites.
  • Heat. Start with less than 2 tablespoons Gochuchang if you know you don’t like much heat.  Add more Gochuchang to taste at the end for spicier Korean Spicy Noodles.