Kimchi Bibim Guksu

By Darun Kwak

Kimchi Bibim Guksu
Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(765)
Notes
Read community notes

Bibim guksu, which means “mixed noodles” in Korean, is an adaptable, spicy cold noodle dish that's perfect for a quick summer meal. For many Korean families, bibim guksu and samgyupsal, or grilled pork belly, is a go-to meal after long afternoons spent in the sun. Traditionally, bibim guksu does not include kimchi, but here it imparts a robust flavor with spicy and sour elements. Somyeon (thin wheat flour noodles) or soba noodles are traditionally used, but angel hair pasta would work as well. You can double the sauce and use it for bibimbap in another meal.

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Ingredients

Yield:2 servings

    For the Sauce

    • ½cup kimchi (about 3½ ounces), chopped into ½-inch pieces, plus ¼ cup kimchi juice
    • 3tablespoons gochujang
    • 2tablespoons rice vinegar
    • 1tablespoon granulated sugar
    • 1tablespoon soy sauce
    • 1tablespoon sesame oil
    • 1garlic clove, minced
    • 1teaspoon roasted white sesame seeds

    For the Noodles

    • 6ounces somyeon (thin wheat flour noodles) or soba
    • 1cup salad mix or leafy greens
    • ½cup julienned cucumber
    • ¼cup julienned carrot
    • Perilla leaves, chopped (optional)
    • Gim (roasted seaweed sheets), crumbled or crushed (optional)
    • 2soft-boiled or hard-boiled eggs, halved and served chilled, warm or at room temperature, depending on your preference (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

525 calories; 14 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 83 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 22 grams protein; 2244 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a pot of water to boil. While the water comes to a boil, prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients. When adding the sesame seeds, crush them gently between the palms of your hands to release a deeper flavor. Stir sauce to combine, then set aside. (Makes ¾ cup.)

  2. Step 2

    Cook the noodles according to package directions, making sure not to overcook. Once the noodles are cooked, rinse thoroughly under cold water, to ensure they maintain a chewy consistency.

  3. Step 3

    In a large mixing bowl, combine the noodles and the sauce. Mix well with clean hands. (This adds 손맛 or sohn mat, which is Korean for “the taste that comes from one’s hands” or “a homemade taste.”)

  4. Step 4

    Divide the mixed noodles between two bowls. Top with small piles of salad greens, cucumbers and carrots, plus perilla leaves, gim and eggs (if using).

Ratings

4 out of 5
765 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

Mina

Made the recipe as written (minus the gim since I didn’t have any on hand) and liked it - great alternative to bibimbap on a hot day. Husband wanted a little more crunch so he added some chopped peanuts.

KC

Somen noodles are somyeon noodles.

Susan

I make my version all the time. Make sure the somen noodles are not overcooked. To ensure its chewiness, while it is cooking you can either lift it up into the air a couple of times or add ice when it boils to cool it, then when it boils again, the noodles are done (the difference in the temperature make it bouncier). Rinse it vigorously in ice water to get all the starch off (like washing laundry). The noodles will be much bouncier and the dish tastier.

A. Randall-Packer

Shiso flower buds make the most amazing tempura. Pick the flower stalk when the buds are plump but not open yet.

Sohee

My mom's bibim guksu recipe has always kimchi in it. No gochujang or soy sauce. Kimchi and kimchi juice, salt, Korean pepper flakes, maesil chung (green plum syrup), sesame and sesame oil. I think every Korean household has different bibim guksu recipes that's been passed down.

A. Randall-Packer

Somen noodles would be a better substitution than soba, in my opinion, for whatever that's worth

Patricia

Decrease gojuchang to 2 T. to start; add peanuts, tofu.

Leslie

This was GREAT. I would suggest to those who found the heat too intense to simply increase the amount of salad and veggies (and thereby dissipate the concentration of head) rather than altering the ratio in the recipe because the gochujang brings a whole set of flavors besides just heat and decreasing it can alter what is, as written, a beautifully balanced, if a bit intense, sauce.

Martha Griswold

This is delicious! For people who don't like things quite so spice, cut down on the gochujang. Three tablespoons makes it quite spicy (and delicious!), but I would hate for someone to miss out on this because they don't like as much spice. Yum!! It is very easy to make - the hardest part was getting the noodles right!

Harold

Very tasty - even without parilla leaves. Used poached egg. Added shrimp for more protein. Definitely a keeper recipe.

cook fish using bon appetit recipe

Very yummy but spicy. Suggest cutting chili paste to 2 Tbsp if you can’t handle the heat.

Bobby P, Maryland

Made the lower sodium version, low sodium Thai soy sauce, lower sodium kimchi, lower sodium miso gochujang, lower sodium seaweed, topped it chopped scallions. Outstanding!

MLiew

Made the sauce exactly as described. Substituted Someone with potato starch noodles and added thinly sliced celery, Korean pear and spring onions. Excellent and incredibly easy and adaptable. Am craving for another serving right now.

anita

just leave it out and don't sub the sriracha or harissa. there should be enough spice from the kimchi. or you could use some of the kimchi juice.

JH Kah

Having grown up on this dish, never ever put carrot in it. It kills the entire flavor of the dish. Carrot is often shown on Korean dishes but mostly for decoration purposes. Its aroma is often too strong for cold dished. Carrot in hot somyeon is ok since it is soaked in hot soup and the aroma is diluted somewhat but NEVER on cold noodle.

RM

Cut down to 1 tbl gochujang and plenty spicy with kimchi. Takes way more than 20 minutes just to cut everything.

kpewpew

Added browned ground pork to the sauce and it’s very tasty this way.

Jane

For the sugar, I first tasted the sauce without sugar and adjusted to 1 teaspoon (from 1 tablespoon sugar). Overall, recipe comes together pretty quickly and is delicious.

Chantz

Nice summer dinner option, if rather hard to eat. I used homemade kimchi and added a bit of perilla oil as fresh leaves aren't available in my area. If I make again, I'll skip the leafy greens and add something that mixes in easier - mushrooms, radish, etc.

P

You can go a Little easier on the fermented pepper paste Juice of kimchi is nice but not necessary to add more of it then comes with the kimchi

Esskay

With the majority of Korean recipes, like this one, I omit sugar. The rice vinegar and gochujang are already sweet.

Kara

Delicious! I'll admit I didn't pay much attention to the ratio of noodles/cucumber/carrot and next time I will go even more wild with veg as it was delicious. The baby butter lettuce mix I used felt like an afterthought so I might do a thinly sliced romaine next time. My 13 month old enjoyed the components of this dish with me, but with a peanut-sauce vinaigrette I had on hand. She likes spice but I didn't want her to rub gochujang into her eyes, my eyes, the couch, etc.

Claudia

Could I just use furikake instead of the gim and sesame seeds?

wayne

Where do you add the kimchi?

Kristina

Too much gochujang for the amount of noodles

Katie S

Good but spicey!

Joan Crowley

Are there widely available substitutes for Gim and Perilla? I used to be able to get shiso, but the grower is no longer active. Can I use basil or mint for perilla and nori for gim?

Mike

Delicious! Made it with kelp noodles since we're trying to watch our carbs.

Connie

Wonderful for a healthy and tasty lunch. Tried both ways and prefer the sauce without the kimchi. Have also made it without sesame seeds and compensated with a little extra sesame oil--still delicious. Can add an extra Tbsp of gochugaru for extra heat. For veggies, about 2 cups of julienned cabbage in lieu of the salad mix makes for a more filling meal with good crunch. Instead of measuring the other vegetables, I usually use 1 small/medium carrot and 2 small cucumbers.

Deedub

Maybe I missed it, but when I look at my fellow readers' suggestions, I'm surprised not to see anyone [1] mentioning toasting the sesame seeds until they become fragrant or even just grinding them, [2] pointing out that Korean gim is basically the same as Japanese nori so even if you don't have the benefit of a Korean grocery nearby you can probably find nori. It tastes a bit different, but it works, or [3] asking why it matters to use white vs black sesame seeds.

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