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Vegetarian, East Asian

Bibim guksu with egg

Bibim guksu is a Korean dish of thin cold noodles tossed in a sweet, tangy, spicy gochujang sauce, served with cucumber, kimchi, and a hard boiled egg. For 4 people, it takes 25 minutes, very easy level, at €1.70 per person. The key is rinsing the noodles well under ice cold water, which keeps them firm under the bold sauce.

Tonight, thin cold noodles, a spicy sweet and sour sauce, and a hard boiled egg, perfect when it's hot out.

Bibim guksu with egg
Total time
25 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€1.70
Calories per person
530 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer
The kids
They generally like it

Bibim guksu is all about contrast. Thin, cold somen noodles stay firm under a gochujang sauce that balances heat, sweetness, and the tang of rice vinegar. Crunchy cucumber and kimchi add texture, while the hard boiled egg rounds everything out. This is a dish meant to be eaten chilled, never lukewarm, and it wakes up your appetite even on the hottest days.

It's the ideal weeknight dinner when turning on the oven is the last thing you want to do. Kids who like noodles can get their portion with less gochujang, while the adults spike their sauce to taste. Everything cooks in one pot of boiling water, the dish is served cold, and there's no complicated timing involved.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Thin somen noodles 320 g
  • Fish free kimchi 150 g
  • Gochujang 3 tbsp
  • Rice vinegar 2 tbsp
  • Sugaroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Sesame oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Sesame seeds 1 tbsp

Dairy

  • Eggs 4

Fruits and vegetables

  • Cucumber 1
  • Garlic 1 cloves

Allergens Gluten, Soy, Eggs, Sesame

The step by step recipe

  1. Hard boil the eggs, plunge them into cold water, then peel them. 10 min

    Cook for 9 minutes for a firm yolk.

  2. Mix the gochujang, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chopped garlic together. 3 min

    The sauce should taste bold, the noodles will dilute it.

  3. Cut the cucumber into sticks and chop the kimchi.

    Save the kimchi juice, add a spoonful to the sauce.

  4. Cook the noodles in boiling water, rinse them under ice cold water, and drain. 4 min

    Somen cook very fast, don't walk away from the pot.

  5. Toss the noodles with the sauce, plate with the cucumber, kimchi, and halved eggs, then sprinkle with sesame seeds.

    Mix with your hands or chopsticks until every noodle turns red.

Our tips to get it right

  • Taste the sauce before tossing it with the noodles, it should seem a bit too strong on its own since the plain noodles will mellow it out once mixed.
  • Dry the cucumber and noodles well after rinsing, excess water will dilute the sauce and flatten the flavor.
  • Make the sauce and cut the vegetables ahead of time, leaving only the noodles to cook at the last minute for a fast dinner.

The variations

  • Swap the fish free kimchi for quickly pickled radishes if you don't have any on hand.
  • For a milder version for kids, cut the gochujang in half and add a drizzle of honey.
  • Add thin slices of Asian pear or apple for a sweet, crunchy touch alongside the cucumber.

What to serve it with

  • A light warm broth on the side
  • Steamed Korean dumplings (mandu)
  • Iced lemongrass tea

Storage

Keep the sauce and noodles separate in the fridge, in a sealed container, for up to 2 days. Toss them together right before serving to keep the noodles firm. This dish doesn't freeze well, neither the cooked noodles nor the cucumber hold up.

Questions about this dish

Can I use a different noodle instead of somen?

Yes, thin wheat noodles or rice vermicelli both work well. Stick to thin noodles that cook quickly, so the dish keeps its light texture.

How do I tone down the sauce for kids?

Use less gochujang and add a bit more sugar or a drizzle of honey. You can also serve the sauce on the side so everyone adjusts it to their own taste.

Can I make this ahead for the next day?

Make the sauce and cut the vegetables the day before, storing them separately in the fridge. Cook the noodles just before serving, since they lose their firmness if they sit too long already sauced.

Is kimchi essential to this recipe?

It brings the fermented tang that's typical of this dish, but you can skip it if you don't have any. Just add a little more rice vinegar to keep the sweet and sour balance.

How long does it take to make a bibim guksu, cold noodles in gochujang sauce, with an egg?

Count 25 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a bibim guksu, cold noodles in gochujang sauce, with an egg?

About 530 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a bibim guksu, cold noodles in gochujang sauce, with an egg cost?

About €1.70 per serving, or €6.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, soy, eggs, sesame. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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