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Home » Year-Round » Saucy Gochujang Noodles

November 6, 2019

Saucy Gochujang Noodles

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overhead photo of gochujang noodles with recipe title text overlay
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Noodles tossed with a gochujang sauce? Count me in! These noodles are so much more than just “asian noodles.” The gochujang sauce has a punchy heat to it while also being characterized by a silky, sauciness—both reasons why it’s so craveable. 

Overhead image of saucy gochujang noodles in a glue bowl with black chopsticks.Gochujang rice noodles 

Since rice noodles are so sticky, they work wonderfully in this recipe because they grab ahold of the flavorful sauce. Feel free to use any type of rice noodles such as pad thai, stir-fry, vermicelli, straight cut, etc. Often times I’ll stop by our local Asian market and just grab whatever variety looks interesting that day! No need to fret about the shape or size.

If you aren’t a fan of rice noodles or don’t have any on hand, you can also use spaghetti or linguine instead.  

Serve these gochujang noodles with Glazed Asian Meatballs, seared scallops, or simply as is!

What is gochujang?

Gochujang is a fermented Korean chili paste that’s sweet, spicy and savory. It’s bright red in color, is sticky and thick, and is used as a condiment or in sauces in Korean cooking. (Think “sticky tomato paste,” to help you visualize the texture). 

Where can I find gochujang? 

I can always find a large container of gochujang at my local international market, but it’s becoming increasingly easier to find in mainstream grocery stores. You should be able to find it in the Asian section of most supermarkets. Otherwise, head on over to your local international or Asian market, it’s sure to be there. And of course, you can always get gochujang on Amazon. 

When shopping for gochujang, look for a short bright red rectangle container (some have a gold lid). 

Side angle of bright orange gochujang noodles in a blue bowl with chopsticks sticking out

How to make a gochujang sauce for noodles?

The sweet, spicy and savory qualities of gochujang make the bright red paste an ideal ingredient for pasta sauces, dipping sauces, bbq sauces, and more. 

Here, I use gochujang in a sauce destined for a mixture of zucchini noodles and rice noodles (although you can choose to use one or the other if you don’t want the mixture). If you want just rice noodles, use 14–16 ounces of rice noodles. If you choose to use all zucchini noodles, use 6–8 medium zucchini. 

This sauce recipe combines gochujang, hoisin (more salty, sweet), lime juice, olive oil and garlic. Instead of cooking the sauce separately from the noodles, I simply toss it right in with the cooked and drained rice noodles. Just a couple minutes over medium heat is all it needs to cook that “bite” out of the garlic.

From there, I toss in the zucchini noodles to heat through. While those are warming, I whisk together some water and cornstarch—an essential step to create a thick, smooth sauce. The cornstarch slurry gets added to the pot of noodles and cooked for a minute or so until thicken. Off heat, I throw in a few pats of butter and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil to guarantee that crave-able silkiness and to add a dose of comfort.  

Overhead image of bright orange noodles with gochujang sauce in a dark blue bowl set on a striped napkin.

How to use gochujang sauce 

There are a few ways you can use this sauce:

Tossed with noodles (as this recipe does)

As a glaze for asian meatballs (swap out the hoisin sauce for a few tablespoons of gochujang and honey) 

As a bbq sauce for grilled meat

photo of chopsticks pulling a pile of bright orange gochujang noodles up from a bowlMake sure to tag me @ZESTFULKITCHEN ON INSTAGRAM or comment below if you make these saucy Gochujang Noodles. 

To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can click the button on any of the photos, or the red button on the side bar or below the recipe. Happy cooking!

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Saucy Gochujang Noodles

★★★★★ 4.8 from 12 reviews
  • Author: Lauren
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 6 cups (serves 6); ⅔ cup sauce 1x
  • Category: Side dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Asian/Korean
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Description

Crave-worthy asian noodles with a silky smooth gochujang sauce. They’re easy to make, have a punchy heat, and are made with both rice noodles and zoodles. Although you can choose one or the other if you prefer!


Scale

Ingredients

  • 3 large zucchini, spiralized*
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 8 ounces rice noodles, cooked according to package directions; drained
  • ¼ cup gochujang**
  • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil 
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic 
  • ½ cup water 
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch 
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 
  • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter (vegan butter if needed)
  • Sliced scallions and sesame seeds for serving (optional)

Instructions

Toss zucchini with salt in a strainer set over a bowl; let sit 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, whisk together gochujang, hoisin, lime juice, oil, and garlic.

Cook rice noodles according to package directions; drain and transfer back to pot over medium heat. Pour gochujang sauce over noodles and cook 2 minutes. 

Squeeze zucchini noodles to release excess liquid (when you think you’re done, squeeze a bit more), discard liquid and transfer zucchini noodles to pot with rice noodles and sauce and gently toss to combine.

Whisk together water and cornstarch; pour into pan with noodles and cook until thickened and silky; about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in sesame oil and butter. 

Top with scallions and sesame seeds.


Notes

*Don’t want a mixture or rice noodles and zucchini noodles? You can use one or the other. If you want just rice noodles, use 14–16 ounces of rice noodles. If you choose to use all zucchini noodles, use 6–8 medium zucchini.

Toasted sesame oil is not the same as regular sesame oil. Be sure to seek out toasted sesame oil at the store.

**Gochujang: if you’re gluten-free be sure to check the labels of gochujang. Some products are gluten-free, while others are not.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 224
  • Sugar: 11g
  • Sodium: 868mg
  • Fat: 13g
  • Saturated Fat: 4g
  • Carbohydrates: 25.5g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 3g
  • Cholesterol: 10mg

Keywords: Asian noodles, gochujang sauce, gochujang noodles, asian zucchini noodles,

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a comment below and tag @zestfulkitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #zestfulkitchen!

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Filed Under: 30-Minute Meal, Healthy Dinner Recipes, Lunch & Dinner, Pasta & Noodles, Recipes, Sides, Year-Round Tagged With: Asian, Dairy-Free Option, Gluten-Free, Meal Prep, Quick and Easy, Vegan, Vegan-friendly, Vegetarian

About Lauren Grant

Lauren Grant is a professional culinary food scientist, food writer, recipe developer, and food photographer. Lauren is a previous magazine editor and test kitchen developer and has had work published in major national publications including Diabetic Living Magazine, Midwest Living Magazine, Cuisine at Home Magazine, EatingWell.com, AmericasTestKitchen.com, and more.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Susie says

    January 4, 2020 at 10:00 am

    I tried gochujang sauce for the first time last year and now I love it! These noodles were a hit at my house.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  2. Tawnie Kroll says

    January 5, 2020 at 11:41 am

    We love anything spicy, saucy and with noodles in this house – this recipe was a hit! Thank you!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. Libby says

    January 5, 2020 at 12:23 pm

    So quick and easy! We loved it with some shishito peppers for an appetizer!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  4. Emily Bruno says

    January 10, 2020 at 11:09 am

    My whole family loved this!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  5. Anna Kate Goshko says

    January 15, 2020 at 9:21 am

    Freaking love gochujang! And we do Asian at least 1x per week!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  6. Kelly Banach says

    January 17, 2020 at 4:19 pm

    A good depth of flavors with just the right amount of heat…good by itself or combined with your Asian turkey meatballs, chicken or shrimp…This warmed me up on a cold winter day! Thanks Lauren!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      February 17, 2020 at 5:12 pm

      🙂 So happy you enjoyed these! Gochujang is such a fun ingredient to cook with!

      Reply
  7. Jaime says

    January 28, 2020 at 8:15 am

    These look so good! But just an fyi, many hoisin sauces are not GF. I would add to your notes, to check labels.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      January 28, 2020 at 12:04 pm

      Hi Jaime! Thanks for letting me know, I remember seeking out a GF version but forgot to mention it in the post. I will add that note!

      Reply
  8. Ingrid says

    June 4, 2020 at 6:52 pm

    Oh gosh, I did NOT like this dish. It was extremely spicy for my taste.

    HOWEVER! My husband loved it so much he went for thirds. He won’t shut up about how good it was. I don’t remember him liking a dish SO much. AND its suuuper easy to make. So this will probably be on our dinner rotation!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  9. Alaina says

    July 11, 2020 at 1:01 pm

    Super yummy! Very spicy, but still great. I recommend a squeeze of lime right on top before you eat it to temper the spice and add just a little more zing. I stirred in meatballs I had made a while back and frozen; it was great. Normally with noodle/sauce recipes I have to double the sauce (especially if I’m adding protein), but that wasn’t necessary with this recipe.

    ★★★★

    Reply
  10. afra says

    July 11, 2020 at 2:16 pm

    This is going to the top of my want-to-eat-but-dont-want-to-cook list. Simple and tasty. I went for 100% zucchini noodles and left out the butter. And despite your warning I used regular sesame oil as that is the only kind I had 🙂 I also added some sugar snap peas. Fried them first and then put them on top (instead of tossing in the sauce) Thank you so much for this fabulous recipe!

    ★★★★

    Reply
  11. Carolyn says

    August 29, 2020 at 5:25 pm

    We loved this! I also made your Glazed Asian Turkey Meatballs to go with this, cause my husband likes his meat! LOL Also a big hit! Thanks for 2 great recipes!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lauren Grant says

      August 31, 2020 at 7:52 pm

      I’m so glad to hear your enjoyed the noodles and meatballs Carolyn!! Two of my favorite recipes! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Lisa says

    October 6, 2020 at 10:20 am

    Made this last night with the Vietnamese Mango Salad. Both recipes were outstanding!! Thank you !

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  13. Brenda says

    December 1, 2020 at 6:09 pm

    The recipe was super easy and super good. I used shredded cabbage (stir fried and lightly steamed) added in with the noodles instead of zucchini. It gave a satisfying crunch to the otherwise creamy dish. We’ll definitely make this again – thanks!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lauren Grant says

      January 5, 2021 at 4:56 pm

      Hi Brenda—I’m so glad you enjoyed this! I love the idea of adding cabbage, genius!

      Reply

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I'm Lo, a professionally trained Culinary Food Scientist, Journalist, and former food magazine editor. I'm all
about cooking healthy-ish—aka healthy recipes that don't sacrifice on flavor. I'm here to help you find confidence in the kitchen and LOVE what you eat.

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