Spiciest Ramen in the World! The Buldak Noodles Recipe

The Korean Buldak noodles recipe is famous internationally for its extreme spiciness. Originally made famous by Samyang, the noodles are coated in red chili paste. Thanks to its bold flavor and thrilling aftertaste, it has reached a global sensation and is now a common dish worldwide.

The Buldak Ramen recipes leave you with a blazing palate, with a hint of sugar. You can try this as a spice challenge or enjoy the chewy noodles with rich sauce.

Buldak noodles will surely amaze you with its multiple choice of flavors in one dish. It is a must try for anyone looking to add a bit of heat to their meals. Along with other noodle recipes, you can try this Asian cuisine and fall in love with Buldak Ramen.

If you want to be the master and make spicy Ramen in the shortest time, take this Buldak Noodles Recipe that prepares hot and spicy noodles in just 10 minutes. Be ready for a spicy gochujang mix with noodles combo and ask for more!

What is Buldak Noodles?

Bul means fire and dak means chicken. This noodle recipe is packed with a serious punch with the buldak sauce. A perfect balance of spice and sweetness, this dish serves you with a fiery chicken taste.

You can never go wrong with a perfectly made gochujang sauce paste. And adding toppings to your taste will surely capture your heart. Get ready to yearn for the dish after every while. The extremely creamy texture and fun spice level will leave you with an addiction for sure. 

How to Make Buldak Noodles?

Equipment

• Bowl
• Boiling Pan
• Saucepan
• Strainer
• Knife
• Spoon
• Large Pot

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Gochujang: Gochujang is a Korean chili paste that is prepared with red chilis and miso paste. It is usually available at convenience stores. 
• 1 tbsp Gochugaru: Gochugaru is another Korean condiment that is basically a chili powder. You can buy it from stores or make it at home yourself.
• 2 tsp Soy Sauce: Soy sauce is needed for adding a tangy flavor to the noodles.
• 1 tsp Chicken Bouillon: Chicken bouillon or stock will make the soup needed for the noodles. It enhances the taste and provides a chicken flavor to the recipe.
• 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar is a common item used in Asian dishes. It gives a nice balance to the acidic flavor.
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder: For a garlicky aftertaste and smell, you can add garlic powder. You can also try adding garlic paste instead of the powdered form.
• 1 tsp Sugar: Sugar balances out the extra tanginess of the soy sauce. Together it makes a nice combination of savory and sweet.
• ½ tsp Toasted Sesame Oil: Sesame oil is the best condiment to infuse an Asian flavor to the Buldak noodles.
• 1 boneless Chicken/Chicken Breast (Optional): You can top the noodles with your favorite meat pieces at the end. This item is completely optional. You can put different other items as toppings that will be discussed after the recipe.
• 1 Egg (Optional): Egg is another common ingredient used as toppings in Asian noodles recipes. It goes perfectly with the Asian cuisine.
• 1 Portion of Cooked Noodles of Choice: You can choose your own noodles for this recipe. You can either go for instant noodles that you can find in stores, or prepare your noodles separately at home.
• 2-4 tbsp Water: Water is needed both for boiling the noodles and for making the Buldak sauce. It gives a nice consistency to the sauce.

Instructions

Below are all the instructions on how to make Buldak Ramen.

Step 1: Prepare the Buldak Sauce 

To make the Buldak sauce add the spices from the ingredients list in a small bowl, then blend all the items for Gochujang paste. Toss in the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, chicken bouillon, rice vinegar, garlic powder, sugar, and toasted sesame oil. Stir in with a spoon.

Step 2: Cook the Noodles

Put the noodles in the boiling pan and let it cook. Save about ¼ cup of water from there and drain the rest.

Step 3: Prepare the Eggs and Chicken (Optional)

For toppings, you can add chicken pieces. Chicken toppings can be prepared in many ways. It will be discussed later in the article.

You can also put eggs as a topping. Egg toppings can be made in multiple ways. It will also be discussed later.

This step is optional. You can go without adding chicken or eggs to your Buldak Noodles. The basic recipe does not require these two items.

Step 5: Do the Mixing

After preparing all the main ingredients, now it is time for the final mixing. Add the cooked noodles and the sauce to a bowl.

Putting the sauce on top of the noodles will help it to coat it evenly. You can add the saved water from the noodles and add according to your preferred consistency.

Step 6: Serve with Toppings and Enjoy!

Once you mix the sauce, finish with a final bow. Put all your toppings to your preferences. Garnish with some green onions, and sesame seeds, and enjoy!

How to Prepare Additional Toppings for Buldak Ramen

Chicken Preparation

You need to add the chicken to make chicken Buldak Ramen. Sausages are also good for this purpose. Below are the methods you can try.

1. Fry the Chicken

Coat the chicken breast with egg and spice mix. Fry the chicken until golden brown. After removing from heat, cut the fried chicken into pieces as you like.

2. Stir Fry with Sauce

Cut the chicken into small pieces. Fry them with some olive oil. Add some spices and stir-fry the chicken until it’s cooked well.

3. Boil the Chicken

You can also cook the chicken breast by boiling it. As the noodles will be mixed with sauce, there will already be enough sauce paste to coat the chicken. Make sure to cut the chicken breast into bite-size pieces before that.

Egg Preparation

Egg is a must have topping for any Ramen recipe. Go for the methods as follows:

1. Poached Egg

Take some sunflower oil in a small saucepan. Break the egg on the pan when it is heated enough. Add sprinkles of salt on top. Fry until the base is cooked properly.

You can put a lid on the pan while it cooks. Or you may also flip the egg and fry it whole.

2. Scrambled Egg

Beat an egg in a small bowl. Add some green chilies, cut up onions, green onions, etc. to the egg. Mix it well and fry in a saucepan up to your preferences.

3. Boiled Egg

You can also use boiled eggs. Soft boiled egg goes much better with this recipe. For that, you need to boil the eggs for no more than 6 minutes.

Special Tips for Buldak Noodles Recipe

In this Buldak Ramen recipe, the noodles and the sauce mix are prepared separately. But you can also try the following:

1. You can add the sauce mix directly to the noodles and cook for some more time. It will help you save time in straining the noodles.
2. The gochujang and gochugaru themselves are spicy. You can add more or use less according to your spice endurance level.
3. A faster way to make the noodles is by preparing the sauce beforehand. Then you will only need time to cook the noodles. Just mix it and enjoy! 
4. Adding a bit of sugar to the sauce will change the flavor for the better. Do try it out!
5. Do not use the seasoning pack. The instant noodle you are using might come with a seasoning pack. For an original Buldak noodles recipe, toss it. It may conflict with the flavor.
6. Do not boil the noodles too much. If so, the noodles will become soggy and thicken up.

Alternative Methods of Preparing Buldak Noodles

You might not have gochujang or gochugaru at home. If so, prepare your own version with similar creaminess. Try the following:

1. Prepare the sauce using peanut butter. It will add an equal level of creaminess and texture to the sauce. Avoid peanut butter with chunks!
2. Use sour cream or yogurt for the same texture and consistency.
3. Adding beaten egg yolks to the sauce might be a good alternative. When the noodles are added right after boiling, the heat will also cook the egg yolks during mixing.

How to Make Gochugaru and Gochujang from Scratch

Sometimes it’s hard to get these two items right away. But don’t you worry. You can also make them from scratch. The recipes and ingredients are as follows:

Gochugaru

Gochugaru is a simple chili powder, prepared only with reed chilis. Below are the necessary instructions.

Equipment

• Dehydrator
• Food Processor or High-speed Juicer
• Mask and (To avoid irritation while inhaling)
• Hand Gloves

Ingredients

• Red chilis

Instructions

1. Cut the bottom pointy part of the chilis.
2. Lay them out on the dehydrator tray and set at 125°F/52°C.
3. Let the chilis dry until they are completely brittle.
4. Separate the stem and the seeds. Wear hand gloves if needed.
5. Add the remains to the food processor or juicer.
6. Take out the powder when it reaches a medium powder consistency.
7. Store in an airtight container or a zip bag. Better to keep it in a cool and dry place.

Gochujang

It is basically a chili pepper paste. This condiment can be made at home easily using the following recipe:

Equipment

• Small Blender or Food Processor
• Refrigerator

Ingredients

• ⅓ Cup Chickpea Miso Paste
• ¼ Cup Maple Syrup
• ⅓ Cup Gochugaru
• ¼ Cup Coconut Aminos
• 4  Cloves Garlic (Minced)
• 2-4 Tbsp Water

Instructions

1. Add chickpea miso, maple syrup, gochugaru, coconut aminos, and garlic to the blender or food processor.
2. Blend until paste-like consistency.
3. Freeze it for up to 2 weeks.

How to Make It in the Shortest Time

To prepare the Buldak noodles in the shortest possible time, you can pre-make the sauce mix. Using the Buldak sauce ingredients, prepare the sauce mix the night before. Additionally, you can do the following:

1. Pour some oil into a saucepan.
2. Add some minced garlic and cut up onions.
3. Add the sauce mix and keep stirring.
4. After 1 minute, add the drinkable water to the mix.
5. After another 2 minutes, add the instant noodles and bring it to a boil.
6. Add cornstarch to the mix if the noodles are cooked but it’s still soupy. Otherwise, you can skip this step.

This alternative method might not give you the exact taste of the Buldak Ramen. But it will most certainly be close to an authentic taste. Remember, this method is only for a tight schedule. If you have enough time on hand, do try the original recipe mentioned above.

Key Aspects to Consider

Regular chili paste works as a good substitute for the gochujang paste. You will not have a similar consistency, but the taste is almost the same.

You can also add more chili (sauce or flakes) even after using gochujang and gochugaru. But we will not be held responsible for your bad stomach! 

Premake the Sauce

Making the sauce beforehand is a good choice if you want to save some time. You can store the sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

Adding a little bit of cheese or egg yolks to the recipe will increase the creamy texture of the sauce mix. Cheese can be added after the noodles and the sauce is mixed. And egg yolks can be directly added to the sauce.

Nutritional Facts

The nutritional facts you need to know are as follows:

Nutrients	Details	Amount Per Serving
Calories		100 g
Calories from Fat	Fat	2.3 g
	Saturated Fat	0.3 g
Cholesterol		0.01 mg
Sodium		1077 mg
Potassium		55 mg
Total Carbohydrate		15.9 g
Fiber		1.3 g
Sugars		13.9 g
Protein		2.2 g

Final Words

The Buldak noodles recipe is now popular all over the world. It is a creamy hot delight for all the spice lovers out there. If you have a fear of fiery aftertaste, this recipe is not recommended for you!

You can get a spicy and savory Ramen in 6 simple steps in no time. The toppings add special extra flavor to the dish that will make anyone go wild! People will surely want to know how to make Buldak after they try out your dish!

Frequently Asked Questions: