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    Home » Mains & Entrees

    Vegan Jajangmyeon (Korean black bean sauce noodles)

    Published: Dec 19, 2022 by Meesha · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Graphic with 2 images of a plate of jajangmyeon with chopsticks beside with text between the pictures.
    A graphic with a plate of jajangmyeon served with chopsticks with text below it.
    Taking noodles using a pair of chopsticks from a plate with text overlay.

    This vegan jajangmyeon features chewy noodles cooked in a rich black bean sauce. A one-pot recipe that is easy to make and is ready in 30 minutes. These vegan black bean noodles will be a hit in your household! 

    2 bowls of jajangmyeon served with chopsticks with 2 glasses of water beside.

    If you are a fan of noodle dishes, definitely give this vegan jajangmyeon a try! This hearty noodle dish is saucy, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying. It is the perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner that is low-effort and quick to fix. 

    If you are looking for a spicy version, I highly recommend giving this gochujang pasta a go!

    Jump to:
    • 💚Why you will love this recipe 
    • 🤔What is jajangmyeon 
    • 🍜Noodles for jajangmyeon 
    • 🧅What you will need 
    • 📃Ingredients notes and substitutions 
    • 🔪How to make 
    • ✔️Helpful tips 
    • ✨Variations 
    • ❔Commonly asked questions
    • 🍽️More vegan noodles recipe
    • 📖 Recipe

    💚Why you will love this recipe 

    • Umami, is hearty and packed with flavors 
    • Quick to make and is ready in 30 minutes 
    • Healthy, filling, and is lower in fat and calories than the regular version 
    • Highly customizable - most components in this dish are swappable! 

    🤔What is jajangmyeon 

    Jajangmyeon is a popular Korean-Chinese noodle dish consisting of thick wheat noodles cooked in chunjang (black bean sauce) with vegetables like zucchini, onion, and pork belly. The Chinese Zha Jiang Mian heavily inspires this dish. 

    To make this recipe vegan, we will use tofu instead of pork belly. 

    🍜Noodles for jajangmyeon 

    Traditionally, fresh Chinese thick wheat noodles are used to make jajangmyeon. You can usually get it from your local Korean or Asian markets. However, as fresh noodles can be hard to find outside of Korea, you can opt for dry wheat noodles, udon noodles, or ramen. 

    To make this recipe lower in carbs, you can use zoodles (zucchini noodles) or shirataki noodles. 

    🧅What you will need 

    Ingredients needed like noodles, cabbage, tofu, mushrooms, onion, and zucchini.
    Ingredients needed like chunjang, oyster sauce, broth, sugar, and cornstarch.

    📃Ingredients notes and substitutions 

    • Chunjang - Also known as Korean black bean paste. 
      • It is a thick black sauce and is umami, salty, and pungent in flavor with a slightly bitter aftertaste. 
      • You can find it in the international aisle of your local grocery. It can also be found in Asian or Korean markets. I usually get my chunjang online through Amazon. 
    •  Oyster sauce -  Use vegetarian ones to keep this dish vegan.
      • I am using the Lee Kum Kee ones. Although it is labeled as '' stir-fry sauce'', it is essentially vegetarian oyster sauce and contains mushroom extracts.
      • Feel free to substitute it with soy sauce, but you might need less.
    • Sugar - To balance out the bitterness of chunjang. Any sweetener like maple syrup, cane sugar, or brown sugar can be used in this recipe. 
    • Noodles - Opt for wheat noodles, udon, or ramen to make vegan jajangmyeon. Both dried and fresh noodles will work. 
    • Tofu - Use extra-firm tofu that has been drained and pressed beforehand, either using a tofu press or by stacking something heavy on top. 

    🔪How to make 

    Start by dicing your tofu into small cubes. Set aside. 

    Cook/prepare your noodles according to package instructions. Set aside.

    Heat some oil in a large cast iron skillet or non-stick pan, then add onion and zucchini. Fry until the onion is translucent. 

    Add cabbage and shiitake mushrooms next. Cook until veggies have softened. 

    Cooked onion and zucchini in a pan with 2 empty ramekins beside.
    Cooked onion, zucchin, cabbage, and mushrooms in a pan.

    Make a well in the pan, then add black bean paste, oyster sauce, and sugar. Fry for a minute, stirring constantly. 

    Now, add broth and tofu to the pan. Give everything a mix, and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes. In the meantime, mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and stir until the cornstarch has dissolved completely. 

    A pan containing cooked vegetables and black bean sauce with 2 empty ramekins beside.
    Pouring broth into a pan of cooked vegetables and tofu with 2 ramekins beside.

    Pour cornstarch slurry into the pan, and cook until the sauce has thickened. Give it a taste, adding some soy sauce or salt if needed. Serve it with cooked noodles, and your vegan jajangmyeon is ready to be enjoyed! 

    Pouring cornstarch slurry into a pan of black bean sauce.
    A pan of black bean sauce with tofu and vegetables with a wooden stirrer beside.

    ✔️Helpful tips 

    • Cooked noodles might clump together after sitting for some time. You can easily separate the strands by rinsing them under cold water. 
    • If you prefer a thinner, soupy sauce, I recommend increasing the broth to 1 ½ cups. 
    • Leftover black bean sauce noodles can be refrigerated for 3-4 days. If possible, keep black bean sauce separated from the noodles. 
    • I highly recommend multiplying the recipe for black bean sauce as part of your meal prep! All you have to do is cook up some noodles and heat the sauce when ready to serve. 

    ✨Variations 

    Noodles - As mentioned above, you can use fresh or dried wheat noodles, udon noodles, or ramen to make vegan jajangmyeon. The vegan black bean sauce goes well with rice too! 

    Tofu - Can be substituted with veggie grounds, tempeh, or chunks of seitan chicken. 

    Veggies - Feel free to use whatever veg you have to make this recipe! Potatoes, button mushrooms, carrots, and celery are some great options. Add harder veggies like potatoes and carrots to the pan before the more tender ones. 

    Toppings - Shredded cucumber, toasted sesame seeds, chopped green onion, and red pepper flakes are some of my go-to. I also love serving this vegan jajangmyeon with some danmuji, or Korean pickled radish.

    Make it spicy - Add around 1-2 tablespoons of gochujang along with chunjang, or stir in some gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes) or regular chili flakes while cooking. 

    Taking out black bean sauce noodles with a pair of chopsticks from a plate.

    ❔Commonly asked questions

    Is jajangmyeon spicy?

    Jajangmyeon is naturally spice-free, making it suitable for children or individuals who are sensitive to spice. However, you can easily add heat to the dish by stirring in 1-2 tablespoons of gochujang or adding a few teaspoons of gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes) or regular red pepper flakes.

    What do black bean noodles taste like?

    Jajangmyeon is an incredibly flavorful dish. It is savory, sweet, and umami, with a mildly bitter aftertaste.

    Why is my jajangmyeon bitter?

    Chunjang, the main condiment used to make jajangmyeon, naturally has a slightly bitter taste. To remove it, chunjang is lightly fried in some oil before use. Sugar is also essential to help balance the bitterness; hence I do not recommend omitting it.

    🍽️More vegan noodles recipe

    • Vegan Pad See Ew
    • Vegan Yakisoba with Tofu
    • Shirataki Noodles Stir-fry
    • Bami Goreng (Vegan)

    If you did make this recipe, do leave a rating and comment down below, we love hearing from you! Subscribe to My Plantiful Cooking to get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get the latest updates. 😉

    📖 Recipe

    A plate of noodles served with black bean sauce with a pair of chopsticks beside.

    Vegan Jajangmyeon (Korean Black Bean Sauce Noodles)

    Meesha
    This vegan jajangmyeon features chewy noodles cooked in a rich black bean sauce. A one-pot recipe that is easy to make and is ready in 30 minutes. These vegan black bean noodles will be a hit in your household!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Chinese, korean
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 302 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 16 oz fresh wheat noodles or 8oz (225g) dried noodles*
    • 1 yellow onion diced
    • 1 cup diced zucchini
    • 3 cups shredded cabbage
    • 6-8 shiitake mushrooms sliced
    • 4-5 tablespoons chunjang ( also labelled as black bean paste / jjajang )**
    • 1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce ***
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    • 1 cup vegetable broth
    • 1 14 oz block extra firm tofu drained and diced into small cubes

    For cornstarch slurry

    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
    • 2 tablespoons water
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Cook/prepare your noodles according to the instructions on the package. Set aside for later use.
      16 oz fresh wheat noodles
    • Heat up ½ tablespoon of oil in a large cast iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Once oil is heated, add onion and zucchini. Fry until onion is translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
      1 yellow onion, 1 cup diced zucchini
    • Add cabbage and shiitake mushrooms next. Cook until veggies have softened, about 2-3 minutes.
      6-8 shiitake mushrooms, 3 cups shredded cabbage
    • Make a well in the pan, then add chunjang, oyster sauce, and sugar. Fry for a minute, stirring constantly.
      4-5 tablespoons chunjang, 1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar
    • Now, add broth and tofu to the pan. Give everything a mix, and bring mixture to a gentle simmer. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes. In the meantime, mix cornstarch with water and stir until the cornstarch has dissolved completely.
      1 cup vegetable broth, 1 14 oz block extra firm tofu, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoons water
    • Pour cornstarch slurry into the pan, and cook until the sauce has thickened. Give it a taste, adding some soy sauce or salt if needed. Serve it with cooked noodles, and your vegan jajangmyeon is ready to be enjoyed!

    Notes

    *Noodles - Opt for wheat noodles, udon, or ramen in this recipe. Both dried and fresh noodles will work. 
    **Chunjang - Also known as Korean black bean paste. 
      • It is a thick black sauce and is umami, salty, and pungent in flavor with a slightly bitter aftertaste. 
      • You can find it in the international aisle of your local grocery. It can also be found in Asian or Korean markets. I usually get my chunjang online through Amazon. 
    ***Oyster sauce -  Use vegetarian ones to keep this dish vegan.
    • I am using the Lee Kum Kee ones. Although it is labeled as '' stir-fry sauce'', it is essentially vegetarian oyster sauce and contains mushroom extracts.
    • Feel free to substitute it with soy sauce, but you might need less.
     
    Helpful tips
    • Cooked noodles might clump together after sitting for some time. You can easily separate the strands by rinsing them under cold water. 
    • If you prefer a thinner, soupy sauce, I recommend increasing the broth to 1 ½ cups. 
    • Leftover black bean sauce noodles can be refrigerated for 3-4 days. If possible, keep black bean sauce separated from the noodles. 
    • I highly recommend multiplying the recipe for black bean sauce as part of your meal prep! All you have to do is cook up some noodles and heat the sauce when ready to serve. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 302kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 17gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gSodium: 441mgPotassium: 430mgFiber: 6gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 239IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 2mg

    Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.

    Did you make this recipe ?Tag @myplantifulcooking on Instagram !

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Carol

      May 17, 2022 at 10:31 am

      1181mg sodium per serving. Nope. I see there's no added salt that could be eliminated. How do we get the sodium down to 400mg-450mg per serving??

      Reply
    2. Jean

      March 24, 2022 at 8:09 am

      What can I replace the celery with?

      Reply
      • Meesha

        March 24, 2022 at 4:35 pm

        You could actually omit it! Alternatively, substitute it with other veggies like zucchini!

        Reply

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