Black Bean Sauce for the Korean noodle dish jangmyeon is a dark, umami-laced indulgence. The thick, glossy black bean sauce clings to every noodle strand, perfectly balancing salty, sweet, and just a little funky. It’s not delicate. It’s bold with in-your-face flavor.
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What’s So Special About Jajangmyeon?
Jajangmyeon is a classic Korean street food. The base of the sauce is chunjang, a fermented black bean paste that’s salty, earthy, and slightly sweet with an undertone of deep umami flavor. The first time I tasted Jajangmyeon, I was immediately hooked by the bold, complex flavors.
The beauty of this black bean sauce lies in its simplicity. It’s great on plain noodles, but you can always toss in some stir-fried vegetables or meat to make it more substantial. Add whatever veggies or proteins you you have in the fridge, making it an easy go-to when you want something satisfying but not too complicated. I like to add cabbage along with pork, beef, chicken, shrimp, or tofu. Black bean sauce works its magic with whatever you throw in there.
Ingredient Notes
Most of the ingredients you need to make this Black Bean Sauce are available at most grocery stores. The one specialty item is the black bean paste, which may require a visit to your local Asian market.
Chunjang is sold in jars alongside other sauces and condiments. It is a salty-sweet fermented paste made from black soybeans and wheat flour. If you can’t find it, miso paste can work as a substitute, though it won’t have quite the same flavor.
How To Make Black Bean Sauce for Noodles
This dish comes together quickly, and despite the simple ingredient list, the flavor is anything but basic. Here’s how you make it:
- Cook your noodles according to the package instructions and then drain them.
- In a skillet or wok, add the black bean paste, soy sauce, sugar, and water. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat.
- Stir the sauce constantly as it cooks. The black bean paste will start to bubble and soften, and the sauce will come together into a thick, rich coating.
- Once the sauce is smooth and heated through, remove pan from the heat and add the cooked noodles. Toss the noodles in the sauce until they are well-coated.
- Serve immediately.
How to Use Black Bean Sauce
This black bean sauce is perfect for making Jajangmyeon using udon or ramen noodles, but there are other ways to use it, too. It works great in stir-fries, soups, and even as a marinade for meats. You can toss it with vegetables for a quick side dish, or pair it with stir-fried beef or chicken for a more substantial meal. This sauce is also used in dishes like Jajangbap, which a rice bowl topped with the black bean sauce and your choice of meat or veggies. And if you’re craving noodles again, try using it in a noodle stir-fry.
Black Bean Sauce for Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 pound noodles of choice cooked according to package directions and drained
- ¼ cup black bean paste or chunjang
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Make the sauce by combining the ingredients in a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is well mixed and heated through. Add the cooked noodles to the skillet and toss to coat well. Serve hot.
Nutrition
Robin Donovan is an AP syndicated writer, recipe developer, food photographer, and author of more than 40 cookbooks including the bestsellers Ramen Obsession and Ramen for Beginners. Her work is featured by major media outlets including Huffington Post, MSN, Chicago Sun-Times, Orlando Sentinel, Buzzfeed, Cooking Light, Mercury News, Seattle Times, Pop Sugar, and many others. More about Robin