Spicy Pork Noodles

Packed with veggies, this spicy pork noodles recipe comes together so quickly and easily! Ready in 30 minutes or less, these flavorful noodles are the perfect weeknight dinner.

Inspired by spicy pork stir fry, also known as jeyuk bokkeum, this spicy pork noodles recipe is packed with flavor, veggies, and protein! It uses the same base sauce as my jeyuk bookeum but with the addition of noodles and vegetables, turning it into a whole hearty meal!

 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s very easy to make these spicy pork noodles. Simply cook the pork, stir fry the veggies, add some cooked noodles and sauce, and just like that, dinner’s ready!
• It’s a hearty meal! It’s full of so much veggies and pork, I’m always super full after a bowl.
• Leftover noodles keep extremely well, making for a wonderful meal prep as well as a tasty weeknight dinner.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Sauce

• pork or vegetable broth — I recommend using low sodium broth to keep the sauce from tasting too salty.
• gochujang — aka Korean red chili pepper paste. You can’t skip the gochujang for the sauce. Please do not substitute this ingredient. Keep in mind that gochujang comes in different levels of spiciness. You can get the super spicy one or mild one, depending on your preference. See the image down below to see where to find the information on the spicy level.
• gochugaru — this is Korean chili pepper powder. You can use coarse or fine pepper. If you don’t have this, you might be able to swap it for red chili flakes or skip it altogether.
• soy sauce — use low sodium soy sauce to keep the stir fried pork and noodles from being too salty.
• mirin — mirin is a Japanese sweet rice wine that adds a subtle sweetness and tang to the sauce. If you are unable to find it, you can try rice vinegar with extra honey. If you’re unfamiliar, you can read more about mirin in my post ‘what is mirin.’
• brown sugar — you can use light or dark brown sugar. This is the one I love using.
• sesame oil — I use pure sesame oil to add a nice nutty flavor.
• black pepper — feel free to add more or less.
• plum extract — Korean plum extract (maesil) is used as a sweetener. It tastes more complex (and tastier) than plain sugar. If you cannot find this, just add more brown sugar.

For the Everything Else

• pork — I use thinly sliced pork shoulder from a local Asian grocer. If you do not have that available, you can slice pork chops or pork tenderloin thinly, or you can even use ground pork. If in a pinch, shabushabu meat works as well, like in my beef pepper rice!
• dried wide vermicelli noodles — you should be able to find these noodles at most grocery stores. If not, you can find these wide rice noodles online. You’re also welcome to use your noodles of choice.
• onion — I, of course, forgot to add onion to my photo up above and only remembered once I saw it in a bowl by my cutting board. But you only need a small yellow onion for this recipe. Use a larger one if you prefer more onions.
• garlic — I always recommend freshly minced garlic over minced garlic in a jar. I usually buy a large batch of garlic and process them myself and freeze them so I always have minced garlic on hand.
• mushrooms — you can use baby bella mushrooms, but lately, my local grocery store has been stocking some amazing shiitake mushrooms, so that’s what I’m using. I also love how they taste.
• bell pepper — I like the sweetness and crunch you get from a sliced red pepper. Feel free to use a different colored bell pepper but keep in mind that red is the sweetest and green is the least.
• carrots — similar to the bell pepper, you get some sweetness and crunch from the shredded carrots.
• baby spinach — I prefer baby spinach to regular spinach as it’s more sweet and tender than regular spinach.

How to Make Spicy Pork Noodles

• Combine the broth, gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, sesame oil, black pepper, and plum extract in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Heat a large skillet with a splash of oil over medium heat. * (see tip down below)
• Add the pork and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until cooked through if you are using thicker-cut pork. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

• Wipe down the skillet if needed, and add another tablespoon of oil. Add the sesame oil to the skillet and sauté the onions for a minute. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
• Add the mushrooms and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the carrots and sauté for another minute.
• Add the spinach and sauté for another minute or until the spinach has wilted. Add sliced bell peppers and cook for another minute.
• Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and add the dried rice noodles to the pot. Cook for 6 minutes before draining and rinsing under running water. Drizzle and coat the noodles with a bit of sesame oil to help keep the noodles from sticking.

• Add the cooked noodles to the skillet along with the sauce. Add the cooked pork back to the skillet and toss until everything is well combined.
• Serve with some sesame seeds and green onions as garnish, if desired.

Recipe Tips and Notes

• Please feel free to cut the noodles down by half! The pack of rice noodles always comes in two and I hate having to use one and finding a ziptop bag to put the other half in, so I always use both.
• Similarly, feel free to use less mushrooms or vegetables in general. I LOVE a veggie packed noodle, so I add as much as possible.
• If you are using the same pork as I am, you might not need a ton of oil as the natural fat in the meat will render down and help cook the pork. You’ll need more oil if you’re using something like sliced pork chops.
• It is perfectly normal for the noodles to break up as you stir fry everything together. It’s no biggie.
• Different brands of noodles require different cooking times. Make sure to check the packaging for specific instructions. Mine take 6 minutes.
• If you have dried shiitake mushrooms, make sure to soak them ahead of time so you can slice them.
• You can add broccoli, snap peas, baby bok choy, and more! There’s no limit (except the size of your skillet lol). This recipe is perfect for the end of the week when you clear out any leftover vegetables in the fridge.
• If you are slicing your own pork, you can freeze it for around 20 minutes to an hour (or until it’s firm) so you can easily slice it thinly.
• Make sure to use a large enough wok or skillet. This is the skillet I’m using in the photos and video.

Make Ahead Tips

• Meal prep: once cooled, store the spicy pork noodles in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
• Reheat: H reheats this in the microwave at work, but since I WFH now, I like to reheat it on the stovetop as I have the time and access to it. I add a splash of water to the skillet and cover it with a lid so the steam helps heat everything without overcooking the pork.

More Recipes to Try

• Beef Chow Fun
• Ground Beef Bulgogi Bowls
• Honey Hoisin Beef Bowls
• Teriyaki Beef Bowl
• Shrimp Stir Fry with Noodles
• Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles with Vegetables (Chow Mein)

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