Korean-style serving of Kongguksu

콩국수 · Kongguksu

Kongguksu

콩국수

What exactly is it?

Wheat noodles sit in chilled broth made from cooked, ground soybeans. The liquid can be white and creamy without dairy. Its thickness and texture depend on how the beans are ground, ranging from smooth to slightly grainy.

Main ingredients

Wheat noodles, cooked and ground soybeans, water, salt, cucumber or tomato garnish

Ordering and serving

Taste the soybean broth before adding the seasonings provided. Some kitchens blend in peanuts, sesame or other nuts, so an allergy check should cover more than soy alone.

Origins and changes

This summer noodle dish combines wheat noodles with cooked soybean milk. Unlike a meat-stock cold soup, the beans themselves give the broth its body. Modern restaurants vary the blend, sometimes adding nuts or other ingredients.

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Kongguksu

콩국수

Main ingredients
Wheat noodles, cooked and ground soybeans, water, salt, cucumber or tomato garnish
Flavor and character
Wheat noodles sit in chilled broth made from cooked, ground soybeans. The liquid can be white and creamy without dairy. Its thickness and texture depend on how the beans are ground, ranging from smooth to slightly grainy.
How to eat it
Taste the soybean broth before adding the seasonings provided. Some kitchens blend in peanuts, sesame or other nuts, so an allergy check should cover more than soy alone.
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Chilled soy-milk noodles

냉콩국수

Main ingredients
Chilled soybean broth, wheat noodles, cucumber, seasonings such as salt
Flavor and character
This menu name emphasizes that kongguksu is served cold. Ground cooked-soybean broth holds noodles and cucumber, sometimes with ice. It identifies the serving temperature rather than a separate kind of noodle.
How to eat it
Ice gradually thins the soybean broth. Taste before seasoning, and ask whether sesame or nuts are blended in if you need a precise ingredient list.
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