Cold Soybean Noodle Soup or Kongguksu is a summertime noodle dish that is traditionally made with natural soy milk. I’m going to share an easy way to make it that’s just as creamy and savory as the original!
When I was making this recipe, I realized how much I love Korean cuisine. Whatever season, produce, and ingredients our ancestors had, they were able to create something so easy and good out of it.
We have so many kinds of noodles and recipes for noodles. For summertime, we have Bibim Guksu which uses traditional Korean spices, and Dongchimi Guksu which uses juice from Korean fermented vegetables. Now, it’s no surprise with these spicy and tangy flavors, Kongguksu is definitely the rich and creamy variation of noodles we ’bout to make!
How to Make Kongguksu?
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The traditional way of making these is to soak the soybeans overnight. Then, it is boiled and blended with several ingredients like sesame seeds and nuts. For this recipe, however, we are going to skip all these processes and use a block of tofu and dairy milk.
To get started, you can either use soft or firm tofu. What’s important is that it is fresh. Check if there is no sharp or funky smell coming from it. Fresh tofu will not have a particular taste, instead, it will adapt to the ingredients you combine it with. Tofu, however, will make the soup rich and thick.
To make it quick and easy, we are going to use real dairy milk for this recipe. This is a great twist on the traditional way of making cold soybean noodle soup. I simply love the flavor of it, but more importantly, it is a source of high-quality protein, nutrition, and vitamins that I lack sometimes. Milk is a versatile and healthy ingredient that you can adjust to fit your personal goals.
The tofu and milk with salt should be good as it is. It will taste a bit salty on its own, but it should be okay when mixed with the noodles and some ice. However, what will take this kongguksu recipe up a notch is the sesame seeds, sesame powder, and peanut butter. You can add either or all of these to the sauce and it should be FIRE! These will give the soybean noodles a savory and nutty finish to cut through all the creaminess.
When making the sauce, make sure to blend it smoothly until there are no more lumps. This ensures that everything is well incorporated. You can make the sauce ahead, place it in a clean container, and store it in the fridge. It will keep well for about 24 hours. Make the noodles only when you’re about to consume them.
How to Serve Cold Soybean Noodle Soup?
To serve, you can use a variety of vegetables like cucumber and tomatoes for garnish. You can also serve this with any side dishes like a hard-boiled egg, Kimchi, etc.
Other amazing Korean noodle dishes you may like:
- Black Bean Noodles
- Knife Cut Noodles
- Korean Glass Noodles
- Acorn Noodle Soup
- Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup
Make sure to leave a rating, a comment, or tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Tiktok when you chop them up! Yeobosayo!
Korean Cold Soybean Noodle Soup (Kongguksu)
Ingredients
- 200 grams Somyeon Noodles
- Cucumber Julienned, For garnish
- Tomatoes Sliced, For garnish
Cold Soybean Soup
- 200 grams Tofu Either soft or firm
- 1 cup Dairy Milk Any preferred variaton is ok (Non-fat, Lactose-free, etc)
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Sesame Seeds Optional
- 1 tsp Wild Sesame Flour Optional
- 1 tsp Peanut Butter Optional
Instructions
- Boil tofu for 1 minute, drain, and wash with running water to cool it down.
- Blend tofu, milk, salt, sesame seeds, wild sesame seed powder, and peanut butter thoroughly then set aside.
- Cut the vegetables, use as much as you prefer for garnish.
- In a deep pot, boil water with salt to cook the noodles. Cook the noodles for 3 minutes.
- Drain the noodles and rinse with ice.
- Place the noodles on a bowl, add about 4-5 pcs of ice, and pour the milky sauce.
- Garnish with vegetables and sesame seeds, serve, and enjoy!
@chefchrischo #ad Soybean Cold Noodle Soup with Tofu and Milk?! This twist on the traditional recipe cuts down prep time and has an extra nutritional punch thanks to dairy milk’s 13 essential nutrients! P.S. Lactose-free milk is still real milk with the same nutritional benefits! @Milk #gonnaneedmilk ♬ original sound – Chef Chris Cho
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