Mul Naengmyeon (Korean Cold Noodle Soup) Recipe

I remember the first time I had mul naengmyeon. It was a boiling hot day in South Texas and I had been shooed out of the kitchen. My mom and her sisters were sitting at the table in front of the big box fan and l heard laughing and slurping and sighing. “Shi-won-hae-yo!” (“so refreshing!”) I heard my oldest aunt say.

I ran in, wanting whatever they were having, but my aunt exclaimed “no, you won’t like it!” I started to protest, so my mom scooped up some noodles from her bowl and lifted her chopsticks to my mouth. 

It was so cold it made my teeth ache! My aunt was right—I didn’t appreciate it then. But my mom made me a bowl and put a scoop of hot rice in it for me and said, “someday you’ll love it cold like we do.” Moms are always right about this stuff.

What Is Naengmyeon? 

Originating in the Pyongyang province of Korea, naengmyeon is a soup of cold noodles served in an icy broth (typically beef), mixed with radish water kimchi and topped with tasty garnishes. It is a cool and refreshing soup with a mild flavor, served mostly during the heat of summer. 

Mul means water (although we are using a light beef broth) and naengmyeon means cold noodle—so essentially it translates to cold noodle soup.

You can customize the flavor of your soup with the addition of garnishes such as pickled radishes, pear slices, kimchi, hard boiled eggs, and sliced beef. You can even make it spicy with the addition of sauces and dried pepper. 

The Best Noodles

Naengmyeon is usually prepared with buckwheat noodles. The buckwheat is often combined with some sweet potato starch or wheat, giving the noodles a very satisfying stretchy and chewy texture. Taking only a few minutes to cook, you rinse them thoroughly in cold water numerous times to remove excess starch and chill them, making them even more springy and bouncy.

Look for Korean buckwheat noodles. You can find them at most Asian markets or buy them online. Many brands come with a soup base included, but since I make my own, I usually buy a brand called Assi, which is just the noodles.

Varieties of Naengmyeon

This recipe is for mul naengmyeon, which is a traditional mild version originating in the Pyongyang region of North Korea. There are many other versions, including broths made with seafood, beef, chicken, or pork (sometimes all three). 

My personal favorite, bibim naengmyeon, is served with a spicy red sauce. I have included a recipe for a simple spicy gochujang sauce if you want to add a little heat to your soup, just as my mom and her sisters did.

Soup Toppings, Additions, and Accompaniments

Any fresh or pickled vegetables or fruits can be served on top of your soup. Most versions include the addition of dongchimi—radish water kimchi—to the broth to add brightness to the soup. 

The word dongchimi can be broken down to “dong” meaning winter and “chimi,” an old Korean word for kimchi, which gives us winter kimchi. You can buy dongchimi in the kimchi section of your local Asian grocer, but making your own takes only minutes and is ready to use in as little as 48 hours.

Make It Ahead

Making the broth, radish water kimchi, and even some of the garnishes ahead of time makes this an easy-to-assemble dish when you’re ready to cool off on a hot day!

Cold Dishes to Beat the Heat