![A bowl of mul naengmyun with a spoon and metal chopsticks inserted into it.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.seriouseats.com/thmb/eMa11yru7BWVtpyWKB0uKgocaiM=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__recipes__images__2014__09__20140908-cold-korean-noodle-soup-daniel-gritzer-9-5859afa700d94e0cb33acf0d27f7c440.jpg)
Serious Eats / Daniel Gritzer
Why It Works
- Poaching beef in chicken broth adds an extra dimension of flavor without the need to make a separate beef broth.
- Adding gelatin to store-bought chicken broth, if not using homemade, adds just enough body to create a slushy-textured soup that melts slowly, without unpleasant ice shards.
- A touch of either sugar and vinegar, or the brine from pickled radishes, adds a pleasant sweet-tart flavor to the broth.
Come summer, gazpacho recipes are about as predictable as the heat that inspires them. I don't mean to sound dissatisfied, because I love gazpacho as much as anyone—who wouldn't want a refreshing chilled soup made from some of the best ingredients of the season? But this summer, I've been sustained by a different cold soup, Korea's mul naengmyun. Made from a sweet-tart, icy-cold broth, chewy buckwheat noodles, and refreshing toppings like cucumber, pickled radish, and Asian pear, mul naengmyun is one of the great bowls of hot-weather fare. So, with guests coming over for dinner the other weekend, and with uncomfortably high temperatures predicted, I decided I'd try my hand at cooking a version of it at home.
Rule #1 of dinner parties: never cook a dish for the first time.
I really have to thank my dinner guests for this recipe though, because they suffered through my first botched attempt—the chilled soup that sat, refusing to melt, like blocks of Jell-O in their bowl. I still don't know how they managed to choke it down, but it was a failure that led me to a recipe that works.
The Stock: What Went Wrong and How I Fixed It
In short, I was foiled by my own cooking experience. One of the rules I generally live by is that a good stock should be simmered slowly to extract as much gelatin as possible from bones and meat scraps: when chilled, it should set into a firm gel. It's one of the secrets to creating soups and sauces that are rich and full-bodied even before any butter or other fat is whisked in.
I figured this large load of gelatin would be a good thing for a chilled soup. Because gelatin inhibits ice-crystal formation while acting as a stabilizer to slow down melting (which is why it's sometimes added to ice-cream bases as well), I thought it would help my broth freeze less hard, and would slow its melting to prolong the slushy experience—perfect for a soup that should be served partially frozen with a slightly slushy texture*.
*Some folks just serve the broth chilled and drop ice cubes into it, but the idea of water melting into and diluting the broth didn't appeal to me, so I went with the slightly trickier soup-slush version.
In my first pass at the broth—the version I served to my hapless guests—I went for maximum gelatin, loading my stockpot with connective tissue-rich ingredients like chicken feet and a cow's foot. But that much gelatin didn't just slow the melting of the broth, it prevented it from melting altogether. Even at room temperature, I had a solid mass on my hands. Instead of serving my guests an icy soup, I was forced to serve them a quivering bowl of meat jelly.
![A stainless steel pot holding cut piece of beef bones, water, and vegetables.](https://www.seriouseats.com/thmb/D57sXEwwaVPbhQ-aF1Zg1JKinFA=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__09__20140908-cold-korean-noodle-soup-daniel-gritzer-1-53c28120c13b48d4aff09f19cd7ff849.jpg)
Serious Eats / Daniel Gritzer
After that, I realized that I to scale back my ambitions to make a simpler broth—one with a milder amount of gelatin in it. At its easiest, the broth I came up with is just store-bought chicken broth enhanced with fresh ginger, scallions, garlic, and a small amount of unflavored gelatin. Even better, though, is if you use homemade chicken stock, in which case a quick infusion from the aromatics and no extra gelatin (since homemade stock should already have at least a little) is all that's needed.
![A stainless steel pot holding chicken broth cooked with vegetables, with some thinly sliced, uncooked beef on top.](https://www.seriouseats.com/thmb/ibvnpssJFBjvAVxZMpXsea7ugPU=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__09__20140908-cold-korean-noodle-soup-daniel-gritzer-2-e44158d9f57c46c9a83fe3964d6888ec.jpg)
Serious Eats / Daniel Gritzer
When researching this recipe, I found many examples that called for a one to one blend of chicken and beef broth. Unfortunately, it's not practical for everyone to get beef bones, and most store-bought beef broth is not very good. So I decided to infuse the chicken broth with a little beef flavor by quickly poaching thinly sliced beef brisket in it. The cooked brisket is frequently served in mul naengmyun anyway, so why not get its flavor into the broth?
One other important lesson I learned about homemade broth: it's important to skim it completely of all of its fat (you can do this by removing the fat disk after the broth has chilled). Cold animal fat leaves an unpleasant waxy texture in the finished dish.
![A plastic quart container holding a mix of frozen chicken stock and gelatin. The stock has broken up in a way where it is visually granular, indicating it has the right texture.](https://www.seriouseats.com/thmb/CHoQQOqVsY6Im4BL01zMdYWeYcg=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__09__20140908-cold-korean-noodle-soup-daniel-gritzer-7-e3450930e24948b1ae7a373449b4c1fd.jpg)
Serious Eats / Daniel Gritzer
Before freezing the finished broth, the final step was to add some pickling liquid from Korean pickled radish, which is both sweet and vinegary. I went to a Korean supermarket and found the pickled radish product below, but if you can't find it, don't worry: you can add a splash of rice vinegar and a touch of sugar to the broth instead for a similar flavor. Either way, go easy on it, since the soup is served with vinegar on the side for diners to add according to their tastes.
![A plastic container of pickled radish slices.](https://www.seriouseats.com/thmb/qE6tGbtMd7xBvc7PNDBv5rlcJKY=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__09__20140908-cold-korean-noodle-soup-daniel-gritzer-3-ace3f29cd88a40baa09bc1d7c2a7ec7f.jpg)
Serious Eats / Daniel Gritzer
The Noodles
I don't speak Korean, but if I understand correctly the "naengmyun" in mul naengmyun refers to the cold noodles typically served in this soup. Often made at least in part from buckwheat, they're incredibly quick-cooking and have a slippery, chewy texture.
![A package of noodles made for mul naengmyun.](https://www.seriouseats.com/thmb/ZfxhuYdrbceGMqniI2vShmxalag=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__09__20140908-cold-korean-noodle-soup-daniel-gritzer-4-4190ffa3761544919c764120f7b6973f.jpg)
Serious Eats / Daniel Gritzer
The package I bought had the noodles conveniently separated into portion sizes, which made things very easy.
![The uncooked, still-dry noodles removed from their packaging.](https://www.seriouseats.com/thmb/hN5ilAu6IqyU7hI4P74xJfnBdNU=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__09__20140908-cold-korean-noodle-soup-daniel-gritzer-5-9b22697c8d2e4929b9ed6a2e87a29d67.jpg)
Serious Eats / Daniel Gritzer
As soon as they're cooked, which only took a minute or two, I ran them under cold water until thoroughly chilled to prevent them from overcooking and to rinse off any excess starch that could cause them to stick together. I pressed out the excess water before setting the noodles into bowls.
![Cooked noodles being drained in a colander and rinsed with running water.](https://www.seriouseats.com/thmb/gMovAu4z3m4PBGvrR-Xmzqaa7mI=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__09__20140908-cold-korean-noodle-soup-daniel-gritzer-8-b33c9b19522044fdbb6d6195a0dbf91d.jpg)
Serious Eats / Daniel Gritzer
Toppings
With the stock set and the noodles cooked, I arranged fresh toppings on the soup to serve.
I went with the things I've seen it served with it restaurants: silvers of cucumber and pickled radish, along with Asian pear (pictured here), hard-boiled egg, and those brisket slices.
![A whole Asian Pear.](https://www.seriouseats.com/thmb/nSkSG2a10p_GWFRAv4AhXA_j158=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__09__20140908-cold-korean-noodle-soup-daniel-gritzer-12-659eb2a43c7e45eba7b2c47e9a3ef320.jpg)
Serious Eats / Daniel Gritzer
At the table, pass around some mustard or mustard oil as well as some vinegar. Diners can add each to make the soup as piquant and tangy as they like.
![A pair of Korean metal chopsticks lifting cooked noodles out of a composed bowl of mul naengmyun](https://www.seriouseats.com/thmb/8b_Soh6R51XcU5WgucBuU5K409U=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__09__20140908-cold-korean-noodle-soup-daniel-gritzer-11-ddbcb4d7446c4547a711f1f73428d639.jpg)
Serious Eats / Daniel Gritzer
September 2014
This recipe was cross-tested in 2024 and lightly updated for best results.
Recipe Details
Mul Naengmyun (Cold Korean Noodle Soup) Recipe
Ingredients
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2 quarts (1.9L) homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
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3 whole scallions (2 ounces; 55g total), divided (1 left whole, 2 thinly sliced for garnish)
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One 1-inch piece fresh peeled ginger (1/2 ounce; 15g)
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4 medium cloves garlic (20g)
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One 1/4-ounce (7g) packet unflavored gelatin softened in 1/4 cup water for 1 minute (optional but recommended if using store-bought broth)
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1/2 pound (226g) thinly sliced beef brisket
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Kosher salt
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One 12-ounce (350g) package Korean pickled radish with brine (see note), julienned, plus brine to taste
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4 portions Korean naengmyun noodles (3 1/2 ounces; 100g each), see note
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1/2 cup julienned cucumber (2 1/2 ounces; 70g) from one English cucumber, for garnish
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1/2 cup julienned peeled Asian pear (2 1/2 ounces; 70g) from pear, for garnish
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4 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved lengthwise
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Rice vinegar, for serving
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Mustard or mustard oil, for serving
Directions
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In a medium pot, bring stock, whole scallion, ginger, and garlic to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer, for 20 minutes. If using store-bought broth, stir in optional softened gelatin until dissolved.
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Gently poach brisket slices in simmering broth over medium-low heat until just cooked, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Using a wire mesh spider or a slotted spoon, transfer brisket to a plate and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. While brisket is cooling, season broth with salt to taste. Add pickled radish brine to taste (you want the broth very slightly sweet and tart). Strain broth through a fine mesh strainer into a large heatproof container, discarding solids, and refrigerate, uncovered, until chilled, about 2 hours.
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Skim and discard all fat from surface of chilled broth. Transfer broth to freezer until frozen, at least 12 hours. Remove broth from freezer, and let stand at room temperature until softened, about 30 minutes.
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Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Add noodles, cook, undisturbed, according to package directions. Run under cold water until chilled, about 1 minute, then squeeze out excess water, arrange noodles in deep bowls; set aside.
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Microwave broth on high in 30-second intervals until partially defrosted. Using a butter knife, break partially frozen broth up into ice shards. Using the back of a spoon or a bottom of a measuring cup, crush ice shards into a wet slush texture.
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Spoon slushy broth all around and top with pickled radishes, cucumber, Asian pear, eggs, chilled poached brisket, and remaining sliced scallions. Serve, passing rice vinegar and mustard or mustard oil at the table for diners to season to taste.
Notes
If you can find pickled Korean radishes, you can add their brine to the broth for a slightly sweet-tart flavor. If not, add a very small amount of sugar and rice vinegar to taste for a similar effect. Naengmyun noodles can be found at Korean markets; they are often sold pre-portioned, making it easy to select the right number of servings (if not, each serving should be roughly 100 grams uncooked noodles).
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
---|---|
442 | Calories |
20g | Fat |
29g | Carbs |
37g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings: 4 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 442 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 20g | 25% |
Saturated Fat 6g | 31% |
Cholesterol 247mg | 82% |
Sodium 1323mg | 58% |
Total Carbohydrate 29g | 10% |
Dietary Fiber 3g | 10% |
Total Sugars 4g | |
Protein 37g | |
Vitamin C 7mg | 33% |
Calcium 93mg | 7% |
Iron 6mg | 34% |
Potassium 1145mg | 24% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |