Grandma’s Kimchi Korean Cold Noodles – Kimchi Mari Guksu
Korean cold noodles is a Korean summer noodle dish where chewy somyeon noodles are served in an icy, tangy kimchi broth, and Koreans enjoy this kimchi mari guksu (김치말이국수). In Korea, people usually buy store-bought naengmyeon broth to make it, but living in Europe, I realized that naengmyeon broth is hard to find. So I prepared it as my grandmother’s recipe, made just the way it was in her time without store-bought broth. Cooking time:10 minutes. No matter where you are in the world, you can get that authentic taste with my grandmother’s kimchi mari guksu recipe.
Why I Make Korean Cold Noodles with My Grandmother’s Recipe in Europe
When I made kimchi mari guksu in Korea, I used a store-bought naengmyeon broth pack from the supermarket. But after moving to Europe, I found it really hard to get this naengmyeon broth pack. Then it suddenly occurred to me to think of the days when my grandmother used to cook. When my grandmother was young, the very concept of buying naengmyeon broth didn’t exist, she made the broth using only kimchi juice from home, anchovy stock or fish sauce, vinegar, and sugar. So this kimchi mari guksu recipe I’m making now, without naengmyeon broth, is actually closer to the original version.
No matter where you live, whether or not you can get naengmyeon broth, making it possible for you to recreate the real taste of a Korean summer at home is the reason I’m sharing this recipe.
Ingredients for Korean Cold Noodles with Kimchi
Noodles
Broth (if not adding ice)
Broth (if adding ice)
Kimchi Topping
Toppings
My Personal Preference
- Tuna sauce: My grandmother made anchovy stock or used anchovy fish sauce. But I found the fishy taste of anchovy fish sauce a bit much. So I switched to tuna sauce, which brings out the savory flavor well while having less of a fishy taste. You could see it as a variation suited to a younger, more mainstream palate.
- Type of kimchi: You can make it with napa cabbage kimchi, but honestly, in summer I prefer using yeolmu kimchi, Korea’s representative summer kimchi. Kimchi mari guksu made with crisp, light yeolmu kimchi and its juice is another delicacy of summer.
How to Make Korean Cold Noodles (Kimchi Mari Guksu)
- Prep 3 minutes + Cook 7 minutes = Total 10 minutes
On a hot summer day you want something cool to eat, but you don’t want to stand in front of the gas stove for long. The only time you actually use the stove is the 3 minutes it takes to boil the noodles.
- Make the broth: Strain the kimchi juice through a sieve and mix it with the rest of the broth ingredients. The seasoning of the broth differs between the version with ice and the version without, so make it by referring to the measurements for whichever you prefer. (Put the broth in the freezer while you prepare the other ingredients.)
- Boil the egg for the garnish and cut it in half, and thinly julienne the cucumber.
- Finely chop the kimchi and mix it with sugar and sesame oil to make the kimchi topping. I used kimchi that was already cut when I bought it.
- Boil the somyeon noodles for the time indicated on the package (about 3 minutes). This is a Korean tip, adding 1 cup of cold water when the water comes to a boil makes the noodles chewier.
- Rinsing the boiled noodles under cold water isn’t enough, you need to scrub them thoroughly to completely remove the starch so they turn out chewy.
- Put the noodles in a bowl and top with the seasoned kimchi, cucumber, and boiled egg.
- Pour over the cold broth and ice you prepared, and finish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.
I Actually Made This Mistake and It Tasted Terrible! 😅
Mistake 1. Adding ice made it watery?
At first, I made the broth of Kimchi mari guksu with the same ratio as the version without ice, and once I added the ice, it instantly turned watery. So I learned that the broth meant to have ice added needs to be made saltier, sweeter, and more sour from the start. It’s about calculating in advance so that it reaches the right concentration even after the ice melts.
Mistake 2. The noodles weren’t chewy?
At first, I just gently rinsed the boiled noodles under cold water. As a result, the starch stayed on them, the noodles stuck to each other, and the cold Kimchi noodle soup wasn’t chewy. You need to scrub the noodles thoroughly by hand under cold water so the starch is completely removed and the noodles turn out chewy for the best Korean cold noodles.
Substitutions & Variations for Cold Kimchi Noodle Soup
- Switch up the kimchi: You can use yeolmu kimchi instead of napa cabbage kimchi. Especially in summer, I make this version more often with crisp, light yeolmu kimchi and its juice mixed in — it’s definitely more refreshing. Make
- cold kimchi noodle soup without naengmyeon broth: This recipe itself is a version made without naengmyeon broth, so you can make these korean cold noodles anywhere without worrying about hard-to-find ingredients.
- Swap the fish sauce: You can use guk-ganjang (soup soy sauce) or anchovy fish sauce instead of tuna sauce, but if you want less of a fishy taste, tuna sauce is recommended.
Why This Korean Cold Noodles is Good for Your Gut
Kimchi is famous as a healthy superfood because it’s a fermented food. You’ve probably heard a lot that fermented foods with live probiotics are good for gut health, and that’s why this bowl of korean cold noodles, packed with probiotic-rich kimchi juice and plenty of kimchi, leaves you feeling comfortable in your stomach after a refreshing cold kimchi noodle soup. Don’t be scared off by how red the broth of this kimchi mari guksu looks. It’s not sharp or spicy at all. Eating your way to health doesn’t have to be hard.
FAQ
More Korean Cold Noodles Recipes
Kimchi Cold Ramyeon
Just add one euro coin’s worth of ramyeon and you can turn instant noodles into naengmyeon too.
Kimchi Cold Ramyeon
Tomato Gochujang Bibim Guksu
My mom’s secret trick, a bibim guksu with natural umami from tomatoes mixed into the sauce.
Tomato Gochujang Bibim Guksu: Korean Cold Noodles
Tofu Kongguksu
A quick-fix kongguksu made with tofu instead of grinding soybeans, ready in 10 minutes.
10-Min Tofu Kongguksu Recipe | Easy Korean Cold Noodles
Kimchi Korean Cold Noodles – Kimchi Mari Guksu
Ingredients
Noodles
- 100 g Somyeon thin wheat noodles
Broth (version with ice)
- 1.5 ladles Kimchi juice
- 200 ml Water
- 1.5 tbsp Tuna sauce substitute with anchovy fish sauce
- 1.5 tbsp Vinegar
- 1.3 tbsp Sugar
- 1/2 cup Ice pour in right before eating
Kimchi Topping
- 4 tbsp Sliced napa cabbage kimchi
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Sesame oil
Toppings
- 1/5 Cucumber
- 1 tbsp Toasted sesame seeds
- 1/2 Egg boiled
Instructions
- Strain the kimchi juice through a sieve, then mix it with the rest of the broth ingredients (except the ice). Put the broth in the freezer while you prepare the other ingredients.1.5 ladles Kimchi juice, 200 ml Water, 1.5 tbsp Tuna sauce, 1.5 tbsp Vinegar, 1.3 tbsp Sugar
- Boil the egg for the garnish and cut it in half, and thinly julienne the cucumber.1/5 Cucumber, 1/2 Egg
- Mix the kimchi with the sugar and sesame oil to make the kimchi topping.1 tsp Sugar, 1 tbsp Sesame oil, 4 tbsp Sliced napa cabbage kimchi
- Boil the somyeon noodles for the time indicated on the package (about 3 minutes). Adding 1 cup of cold water when the water comes to a boil makes the noodles chewier.100 g Somyeon
- Scrub the boiled noodles thoroughly under cold water to remove the starch completely, then drain.
- Put the noodles in a bowl and top with the seasoned kimchi, cucumber, and boiled egg.
- Pour the cold broth over the noodles, add the ice, and finish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.1/2 cup Ice, 1 tbsp Toasted sesame seeds
Nutrition
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