Kimchi Ramen
Crispy pork belly and fried kimchi in a fiery gochujang broth — the kimchi juice is the secret seasoning.
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Join HomecookedIngredients
- 300 g Fresh ramen noodles
- 200 g Kimchi
- 150 g Pork belly
- 1 tbsp Gochujang
- 800 ml Chicken stock
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 2 Egg (optional)
- 2 Scallions (optional)
- 1 tsp Toasted sesame oil (optional)
- 1 tsp Sesame seeds (optional)
Method
- Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil for the noodles and keep it at a low rolling boil.
- While the water heats, slice the pork belly into thin bite-size pieces, chop the kimchi (saving every drop of its juice), mince the garlic, and slice the scallions.
- Soft-boil the eggs in a small saucepan: lower them into boiling water, cook 7 minutes, then move them straight into cold water.
- Set a Dutch oven over medium-high and fry the pork belly in its own fat until crisp at the edges.
- Add the chopped kimchi, garlic, and gochujang to the pork and fry until the kimchi smells sweet and the paste darkens.
- Pour in the stock and the reserved kimchi juice and let the broth simmer gently while you cook the noodles.
- Cook the noodles in the boiling water until just springy, then drain them well.
- Peel and halve the eggs. Divide the noodles between bowls, ladle the kimchi broth and pork over, and finish with the eggs, scallions, sesame oil, and a scatter of sesame seeds.
About Kimchi Ramen
Kimchi ramen is a fusion bowl that marries Japanese-style noodles with the fermented firepower of Korean kimchi, built here into a fiery gochujang broth. Crispy pork belly and fried kimchi sit at its core, with a chicken-stock base charged with gochujang and, crucially, the kimchi's own juice used as a hidden seasoning that ties the broth together. It eats as a substantial, high-volume bowl: springy fresh ramen noodles, rich pork, a jammy soft-boiled egg, and a broth that is spicy, sour, and deeply savory all at once. Scallions and sesame finish it with freshness and a nutty aroma.
The technique that gives this ramen its backbone is rendering the pork belly until its edges crisp, then frying the kimchi and gochujang in that rendered fat until the kimchi smells sweet, building layers of flavor before the stock is added. Timing the soft-boiled eggs to a precise seven minutes gives you the coveted set white and molten yolk, cooled in cold water so they slice cleanly onto the bowl. Not tossing out the kimchi juice is the small step that separates a flat broth from one with real depth. Coming together in about thirty minutes, it is a filling, warming dinner for when instant ramen won't cut it but you still want speed.
Kimchi Ramen: frequently asked questions
Is Kimchi Ramen gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Fresh ramen noodles, Gochujang. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for those ingredients to make it gluten-free.
How long does Kimchi Ramen take to make?
About 30 minutes start to finish, but only around 20 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Kimchi Ramen?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out egg, scallions, toasted sesame oil — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Kimchi Ramen make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.