Buldak Ramen (Korean Fire Noodles with Cheese)
This homemade buldak ramen (Korean fire noodles) delivers chewy ramen tossed in a glossy, fiery, gochujang-based sauce, finished with melty cheese and your favorite toppings. Bold, saucy, and ready in under 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 packs ramen noodles 3–4 oz each; Korean instant ramen or any plain ramen noodles
- 2 cups water plus more as needed for boiling noodles
- 2 tablespoons gochujang Korean red chili paste
- 1-2 tablespoons gochugaru Korean red chili flakes; 1 tbsp for medium heat, 2 tbsp for very spicy
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce low-sodium if desired
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar light or dark; or use honey
- 1 tablespoon mirin or rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water or chicken broth for the sauce base
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated or minced
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil such as canola, avocado, or grapeseed
- 1/2-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese low-moisture; can mix with cheddar or pepper jack
- 1 tablespoon butter optional, for extra richness
- 1-2 green onions thinly sliced, for garnish
- 1-2 soft-boiled or jammy eggs optional topping
- kimchi chopped, optional topping
- sesame seeds toasted, for garnish
- nori strips roasted seaweed, for garnish
- cabbage, bok choy, or spinach thinly sliced; quickly stir-fried or blanched, optional
- cooked chicken, shrimp, or tofu optional, for extra protein
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the ramen noodles and cook according to package directions, but undercook by about 1 minute so they stay chewy when stir-fried in the buldak sauce.2 packs ramen noodles, 2 cups water
- Before draining the noodles, scoop out 1/4 cup of the starchy cooking water and set aside. Drain the noodles well. Toss with a tiny drizzle of oil if you’re worried about sticking, but do not rinse.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin or rice vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of water or chicken broth. The mixture should be thick but pourable. Taste carefully and adjust sweetness or spice as needed.2 tablespoons gochujang, 1-2 tablespoons gochugaru, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon mirin or rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons water or chicken broth
- In a large nonstick skillet or wok, heat the neutral oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and ginger and cook for 30–45 seconds, just until fragrant, adjusting the heat to prevent burning.2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- Pour the buldak sauce mixture into the skillet with the aromatics. Stir and let it simmer gently for 1–2 minutes, until slightly thickened and smelling smoky and rich. If it looks too thick, add a splash of the reserved noodle water.
- Add the drained ramen noodles to the skillet. Toss with tongs or chopsticks until every strand is coated and glossy, adding more reserved noodle water as needed if the noodles seem dry or sticky. Stir in the butter until melted for extra richness.2 packs ramen noodles, 1 tablespoon butter
- Reduce the heat to low and mound or spread the noodles evenly in the skillet. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the top. Cover with a lid and let cook for 1–3 minutes, until the cheese melts into a gooey blanket.1/2-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Remove from the heat. Top with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, nori strips, and any additional toppings you like such as soft-boiled eggs, kimchi, vegetables, or cooked protein. Serve immediately while hot and the cheese is still melty.1-2 green onions, 1-2 soft-boiled or jammy eggs, kimchi, sesame seeds, nori strips, cabbage, bok choy, or spinach, cooked chicken, shrimp, or tofu
Notes
Best served fresh while the noodles are bouncy and the cheese is melty. Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water or broth and add fresh cheese if desired. The buldak sauce base can be mixed 3–4 days ahead and refrigerated in a jar. Adjust the spice by changing the amount of gochugaru and using mild gochujang if needed.
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