Gochugaru Garlic Noodles

This has become one of my favorite noodle dishes! These noods will not disappoint (ha, pun intended), but seriously, after making this, my boyfriend and I have been craving this regularly. Maybe it’s also just that time of year as we head into winter and are in search of comfort foods. These Gochugaru Garlic Noodles have been satisfyingly delicious, comforting, and quick to make. Which are the reasons why it’s been my go-to dish recently. 

First of all, what is Gochugaru?

I bought a jar of gochugaru on a whim, not fully knowing and realizing the amazing flavor and potential that lie in this little jar. Gochugaru is also known as Korean chili flakes. If you love kimchi, this is an essential ingredient. It has a smoky, spicy and sweet flavor profile to it, which helps give the dishes their depth and in my opinion, deliciousness. 

How Spicy is Gochugaru?

Ok, so disclaimer, I’m a wimp when it comes to very spicy food. Don’t get me wrong, I like spicy things with a kick to it (so a mild to medium tolerance for me). But if it gets too spicy, it just feels like I stuck my mouth in a fire, followed by a very runny nose. Personally, I like to taste my food. My boyfriend on the other hand can eat level 10 out of 10 spicy, be drenched in sweat, and somehow still finds it enjoyable. So if you like it spicier, go for it and add more spice! You can always stick to this recipe and add more spiciness to taste as well.

Back to Gochugaru, the spice level ranges. In this recipe, I use the “Mother in Law’s Gochugaru” brand, which I find the flavor high and the spice level medium. Even the boyfriend likes it and doesn’t actually add more peppers to it. If you like very spicy and have actual gochugaru peppers, feel free to add for the exxxtra kick. If not, cayenne pepper and/or red pepper flakes can do just as nicely!

Let’s Make Some Gochugaru Garlic Noodles!

Mix together the:

• Ginger
• Sea Salt
• Gochugaru (Mother in Law’s)
• Maple Syrup
• Toasted Sesame Oil
• Coconut Aminos
• Rice Vinegar
• Fish Sauce

together in a small bowl first. That way when it’s time to add to the pan, it’ll be a quicker and easier process as the sauce cooks pretty quickly. After warming the avocado oil, add the minced garlic and let it simmer for a few minutes so that the garlic envelops the oil in flavor. Love us some flavor here! 

After a few minutes of the garlic and avocado oil mingling together, we are going to add the gochugaru sauce (literally spicing things up! I apologize, I’m full of puns today….). Let that simmer and mingle together for another couple minutes before introducing….cashew butter to the mix. The plot, I mean…sauce thickens! Also literally. Stir over low heat until well incorporated. Stir in some fresh cracked black pepper and remove from heat until the noods are ready. Save some starchy noodle water to add to the sauce later too. 

Time to prepare the noodles! Why not prepare the noodles beforehand? Once the noodles are done, you want to toss them in the sauce immediately. That way they do not have time to get all clumpy and undesirable. Having the sauce prepared first, and mixing the pasta in right after will help the sauce attach itself to the noodles better. You will have a more flavorful pasta with a desirable texture (now that’s sexy!). 

What Type of Noodles to Use

I like and recommend the brown rice pad thai noodles from “Lotus Foods.” It’s quick to cook and tasty. Any type of rice noodle is best in my opinion. There are wide flat noodles that would work well if you prefer. I find the pad thai noodles to be just the right size.

When cooking the noodles, be sure to generously salt the water, give the noodles a stir after adding to the boiling water, and taste the noodles before draining to make sure the texture is to your liking. Follow the directions on the packet (sometimes you may have to cook the noodles a minute less or a minute more depending on the brand and type of noodles). 

Right after draining and splashing with cold water, add the noodles to the sultry gochugaru sauce and let the sauce and noods get it on! Sprinkle some fresh chopped green onion in there if desired, heck throw some sesame seeds on top too and dang, that is a great looking meal!

Add Your Choice of Meat…or Not

The beauty of this dish is that it’s delicious and satisfying by itself or with some added protein. My favorite meat to add to the gochugaru garlic noodles is ground pork, but ground beef, shredded chicken, are all great options too. If you prefer a seafood addition, I’d recommend shrimp. Typically after seasoning the meat with garlic salt and pepper, I will add it to the same pan the noodles were cooked in with some butter or avocado oil. There’s some leftover sauce in the pan that the meat soaks up for some added flavor. And one less pan to clean! Then just add your desired amount of protein on top of the noodles, mix in and enjoy.

These Gochugaru Garlic Noodles are Also Vegan

This can easily be a vegan recipe too, the only ingredient that would need to be omitted is the fish sauce. The fish sauce adds that extra umami, but you can add a little extra coco aminos and/or sea salt instead and it will still be a mouth-watering, satisfying meal. This dish will go fantastic with tofu and choice veggies (oooh bok choy or broccolini) as well! Toss the veggies and/or cooked tofu in at the end until well incorporated. 

I hope you enjoy this dish and find comfort in it. Remember this dish can be changed around with different proteins, veggies, and spice level. 

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