Korean

Naengmyeon (Cold Buckwheat Noodles) — served

Serving

Korean Kid-friendly Quick & easy

Naengmyeon (Cold Buckwheat Noodles)

Name: Naengmyeon (Cold Buckwheat Noodles)
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 2 servings dried buckwheat noodles (naengmyeon); 2 cups clear beef broth; 2 cups dongchimi (radish water kimchi) broth; 1/2 cucumber (julienned); 1/4 Asian pear (sliced); 4 slices boiled beef brisket; 1 hard-boiled egg (halved); yellow mustard paste and vinegar (to serve)

Long, thin handmade noodles made from the flour and starch of various ingredients, including buckwheat, served in a tangy iced broth.

20 minutes

Serves 4

Dinner/Lunch

9 min prep

15 min cook

Contains common allergens

Egg mustard Wheat

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Good to know

Ready in under 30 minutes

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals

Instructions

6 steps

1
Combine the beef broth and dongchimi broth in a bowl, season lightly with salt if needed, and place in the freezer for 2-3 hours until it forms an icy slush.
2
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the buckwheat noodles and cook for exactly 3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent clumping.
3
Drain the noodles and immediately plunge them into a large bowl of ice water. Vigorously rub the noodles between your hands to remove excess starch and enhance their chewy texture.
4
Divide the cold, drained noodles into two large, chilled stainless steel bowls, forming a neat mound in the center.
5
Carefully pour the icy, slushy broth around the base of the noodles.
6
Artfully arrange the cucumber, pear, beef slices, and half an egg on top. Serve immediately with vinegar and yellow mustard on the side.

Naengmyeon (Cold Buckwheat Noodles) — plated and served — Serving moment. How Naengmyeon (Cold Buckwheat Noodles) looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

77/100

Good fit for most families

Allergen-friendly 70

Kid-friendly 85

Weeknight-easy 96

Budget-friendly 86

Great leftovers 56

Pantry-friendly 49

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

Calories

6 g

Protein

5 g

Carbs

2 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Naengmyeon is the cold buckwheat noodle dish of North Korean origin, served in an icy, tangy beef-and-radish-water broth. A summer favorite, it pairs chewy noodles with chilled broth, cucumber, pear, and a halved egg, sharpened with mustard and vinegar at the table. The contrast of icy broth and chewy noodles is its whole appeal.

Listahan note

This version serves chewy buckwheat noodles in a chilled beef-and-dongchimi broth, leaving the mustard and vinegar for diners to adjust the tang and heat themselves.

Technique cues

Chill the broth until icy, even slushy, for the authentic effect.
Rinse the cooked noodles in cold water to firm up their chew.
Add mustard and vinegar to taste at the table, not in the pot.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Chill the broth well ahead; prep toppings while the noodles cook.
Make-ahead: Naengmyeon (Cold Buckwheat Noodles) reheats well, so cooking it a day ahead and finishing it just before serving is a reasonable way to spread out the work. This one leans on the servings dried buckwheat noodles. Plan around the boil; that's the slow part.
Leftover move: Keep extra broth chilled for another quick bowl.
Cleanup rhythm: One pot and a few bowls; rinse the starchy noodle pot promptly.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Buckwheat noodles

Base

Purpose: Their firm, chewy bite is the heart of the dish.

Handling: Boil briefly, then rinse in cold water and chill.

Adaptation: Any naengmyeon-style noodle works.

Beef and dongchimi broth

Cold broth

Purpose: Gives the dish its tangy, savory, refreshing character.

Handling: Chill thoroughly until icy before serving.

Adaptation: A store-bought naengmyeon broth concentrate saves time.

Cucumber and pear

Fresh toppings

Purpose: Add crunch and sweet contrast to the cold broth.

Handling: Julienne the cucumber and slice the pear thin.

Adaptation: Apple can stand in for pear.

Mustard and vinegar

Table seasonings

Purpose: Let each diner sharpen the broth to taste.

Handling: Serve on the side to stir in at the table.

Adaptation: Hot mustard or English mustard both work.

Technique notes

The colder the broth, the better; some freeze it slightly to a slush.
Rinse the noodles vigorously in cold water for the right chew.
Cut the noodles with scissors at the table, as is customary.

Ingredient swaps

Spicy direction: Toss the noodles in a gochujang sauce for bibim naengmyeon instead.
Vegetarian direction: Use a chilled vegetable-and-radish-water broth and skip the beef.
Gluten-free direction: Use 100 percent buckwheat noodles and confirm no wheat is blended in.

Serve alongside

Boiled beef brisket
Pickled radish
Kimchi
Mandu
Barley tea
Cold water
Soju

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Keep the broth chilled up to 3 days; cook noodles fresh each time.
Serve cold; this dish is never reheated.
Freezing the broth concentrate is fine; noodles are best fresh.

Equipment

Pot for noodles
Colander
Chilled serving bowls
Kitchen scissors

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