Korean Naengmyeon Cold Noodle Soup (Printable)

Refreshing cold buckwheat noodles in tangy broth with beef, cucumber, pear, and egg toppings. Perfect summer meal ready in 40 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ Broth

01 - 4 cups beef broth (preferably homemade or low-sodium)
02 - 2 cups cold water
03 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
04 - 1 tablespoon sugar
05 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
06 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
09 - 4-6 ice cubes (for serving)

→ Noodles

10 - 14 oz naengmyeon noodles (Korean buckwheat noodles or substitute with soba if unavailable)

→ Garnishes & Toppings

11 - 1 Asian pear, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
12 - 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
13 - 4 oz cooked beef brisket, thinly sliced
14 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
15 - 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chili paste), optional
16 - Korean yellow pickled radish (danmuji), sliced, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, combine beef broth, cold water, rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt. Stir well until sugar and salt dissolve. Refrigerate until ready to serve—the colder, the better.
02 - Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook eggs for 10 minutes, then cool and peel. Slice cooked beef, cucumber, Asian pear, and optional pickled radish.
03 - Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add naengmyeon noodles and cook according to package instructions (about 3-4 minutes). Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to chill and remove excess starch.
04 - Divide the cold noodles evenly among four serving bowls. Pour the chilled broth over the noodles. Top with cucumber, pear slices, beef, and half an egg. Add ice cubes to keep the soup extra cold.
05 - Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and a dollop of gochujang if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The chewy buckwheat noodles have this incredible bounce that makes every bite satisfying
  • That shockingly cold broth is like air conditioning for your insides on sweltering days
  • Prep everything ahead and assembly takes literally five minutes
02 -
  • The broth really does need to be ice-cold—warm naengmyeon is weirdly sad and defeats the entire purpose
  • Rinse those noodles under cold water way longer than you think you need to
  • Kitchen scissors are your friend here—these noodles are incredibly long and practically require cutting
03 -
  • Chill your serving bowls in the freezer for 20 minutes before plating
  • Buy extra naengmyeon noodles—they're impossible to find once you're actually craving them
  • That splash of sesame oil at the end makes everything taste expensive

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