This gochujang mushroom udon is the perfect weeknight meal that you can prepare in just 20 minutes or even less! The bouncy udon noodles are coated in a creamy sauce that’s incredibly savory with a spicy kick from the Korean pepper paste. This will for sure become your new weeknight staple!

What is gochujang?

Gochujang is fundamental in Korean cuisine, it’s essentially a fermented red chili paste composed of soybeans, glutinous rice, and gochugaru (Korean chili powder).

All of this becomes a sticky and thick paste that’s perfectly savory and spicy, with a slight sweetness to it.

As a result, gochujang is extremely versatile in the way it can be used; from rice dishes, to soups, stews, and even noodles dishes just like this recipe!

You can find these being sold in most Asian groceries sold in their signature red rectangular container!

Looking for more EASY noodle recipes? Here’s a couple more you should give a try:

Ingredients for gochujang mushroom udon

Servings: 2-3

2 blocks frozen udon

3 tbsp unsalted butter, for frying
~8 mushrooms, sliced (Shiitake, cremini, or oyster mushrooms work best here!)
4 garlic cloves, minced

Creamy gochujang sauce:

1/2 cup heavy cream
~3 tbsp udon water (reserved from boiling)
1-2 tbsp gochujang (according to spice tolerance)
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar (more or less, to taste)
1/2 tsp sesame oil

Toppings:

Scallions, chopped
Sesame seeds

Instructions

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, drop in your frozen udon and let it blanch for about a minute or so, or until the noodles begin to loosen up and separate.

Reserve some of the boiling liquid, then drain. Set the udon aside until use.

Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add in the sliced mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms have softened, browned, and their juices begin to release, about 3-4 minutes.

Then add in the minced garlic and continue to saute until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute.

Add in the heavy cream, reserved udon boiling liquid, gochujang, soy sauce, and sugar. Mix thoroughly until smooth and no clumps of paste are left.

Continue to let the sauce simmer until slightly thickened/reduced, about 1 minute.

Add in the cooked udon. Drizzle in the sesame oil. Mix to combine and continue to cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until the sauce coats the noodles, stirring occasionally.

Top with chopped scallions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

What else can I add to my gochujang mushroom udon?

Anything you want!

This recipe is incredibly versatile and can be used as a blank slate to satisfy your own cravings. Here are a couple mix-in ideas:

Any protein of your choice (e.g., shrimp, bacon, or thinly sliced beef are my absolute favorites with this recipe)
More vegetables (e.g., onions, bell peppers, radish, sliced cucumbers)
Sauces (e.g., miso paste, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce)
Toppings (e.g., fried sunny-side-up egg, crispy seaweed, fried garlic, fried shallots)