Description
This black bean noodles vegetarian recipe is a meatless take on Korean jajangmyeon—loaded with chewy noodles, a rich black bean sauce, and crisp vegetables. It’s bold, comforting, easy to customize, and comes together in just 35 minutes. Perfect for a cozy dinner that tastes better than takeout.
Ingredients
200g Korean wheat noodles or udon noodles
3 tablespoons Korean black bean paste (chunjang)
1 tablespoon neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or avocado oil)
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup mushrooms (shiitake or king oyster), sliced
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup cabbage, shredded
1 medium carrot, diced
1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional, to taste)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Optional toppings:
Julienned cucumber
Scallions or green onions
Toasted sesame seeds
Vegan kimchi
Pan-seared tofu or tempeh
Instructions
1. Prep your vegetables: Chop the zucchini, mushrooms, cabbage, carrot, and onion into bite-sized pieces.
2. Sauté aromatics: Heat oil in a skillet or wok over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cooking until soft and fragrant.
3. Cook vegetables: Add mushrooms, carrots, and cabbage. Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, then stir in zucchini. Cook until everything is tender.
4. Toast the black bean paste: Push vegetables to one side of the pan. Add a bit of oil and stir in the chunjang. Cook for 30–60 seconds.
5. Simmer the sauce: Mix the paste with the vegetables. Add broth or water, soy sauce, and sugar (if using). Simmer for 5 minutes. Drizzle with sesame oil.
6. Cook noodles: Boil noodles according to the package. Rinse under cold water to keep them springy.
7. Assemble: Divide noodles into bowls. Ladle sauce over the top. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy.
Notes
Make it spicy: Add gochujang, gochugaru, or chili flakes to the sauce.
Make it creamy: Mix in a splash of oat cream or coconut milk to soften the richness.
Gluten-free option: Use tamari instead of soy sauce and gluten-free noodles like rice noodles or shirataki.
Make ahead: Store sauce and noodles separately to maintain the best texture.
Storage: Refrigerate sauce in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Noodles can be steamed or reboiled for 30 seconds when reheating.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stir-fry
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 0mg