Creamy Kimchi Udon Noodles, also known as Kimchi Udon Carbonara, is a delicious and unique twist on the traditional carbonara dish. While traditional carbonara uses eggs in the sauce, this dish gets its creaminess from heavy cream, which perfectly offsets the spice and tangy flavors of kimchi.
I buy my kimchi from Costco
One of the best places to purchase kimchi for this dish is at Costco. Costco’s kimchi comes pre-chopped, eliminating the need for an extra step in the recipe preparation. However, it’s important to note that while kimchi is best enjoyed fresh, when cooking with kimchi however, it’s best to use kimchi that has passed its prime.
How do I know when my kimchi is ready for cooking?
To tell when kimchi is ready for cooking, look for signs of fermentation such as bubbles, and a stronger, more pungent aroma. These indicate that the kimchi has developed a deeper, more complex flavor that will enhance the dish.
When cooking kimchi, it’s important to not overcook it as it can become mushy and lose its texture. To cook kimchi, heat a pan over medium heat and add the kimchi. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, until the kimchi is heated through and slightly softened.
You can find udon noodles at your local Asian grocery store
For the udon noodles, you can find them at the Asian grocery store in the frozen section. Vacuum-sealed udon noodles will also work for this dish. You can follow the package instructions to cook the udon noodles. Generally, cooking frozen udon noodles is quite simple. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the udon noodles. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until they are tender.
What kind of mushroom can I use for this dish?
In this recipe, I used white beech mushrooms, but you can also use enoki mushrooms or other varieties of mushrooms. These can be found at the Asian supermarket. If you are not a fan of mushrooms then you can simply leave it out.
How to make creamy kimchi udon noodles
To make the dish, prepare the cooked bacon and eggs. Sauté the kimchi in a pan until the kimchi has cooked down. Then add heavy cream, cooked bacon, and udon noodles. Toss everything together until the sauce coats the noodles evenly.
Serve the creamy kimchi udon noodles hot, topped with a fried egg and garnished with chopped green onions.
Creamy Kimchi Udon Noodles
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 4 oz white beech or enoki mushrooms
- 1.5 cup kimchi, chopped I recommend using kimchi that has passed its prime
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 squares frozen udon noodles
- 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- 1 sheet roasted nori, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp cooking oil any unflavored oil like avocado or canola will work
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and prepare your udon noodles according to package instructions
- Chop bacon into thin 1/2" strips and cook in a pan until crispy (about 6 to 7 minutes). Remove the cooked bacon using a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Remove all but about 2 tbsp of the rendered bacon fat from the pan. Add chopped kimchi and saute until the kimchi has cooked down and has shrunk in size (around 5-7 minutes). Then add mushrooms and gochujang and saute for another 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the heavy cream then add the cooked udon noodles and the cooked bacon that was reserved earlier into the pan.
- Continue to mix until the noodles and sauce are well combined.
- Add 1 tbsp oil to a separate pan and fry the eggs sunny side up
- Add an egg over each serving of noodles, then garnish with green onions and nori (*optional).
