Korean Turkey Fried Noodles (Print View)

Quick Korean-style noodles with ground turkey, crisp vegetables, and sweet-spicy gochujang sauce

# Components:

→ Noodles

01 - 10 oz fresh or dried wheat noodles such as udon or ramen

→ Sauce

02 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce
03 - 2 tablespoons gochujang Korean chili paste
04 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
05 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
06 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil

→ Turkey and Vegetables

07 - 14 oz ground turkey
08 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
09 - 3 garlic cloves minced
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
11 - 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
12 - 1 medium carrot julienned
13 - 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
14 - 3.5 oz shiitake mushrooms sliced
15 - 2 spring onions sliced

→ Garnish

16 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
17 - 2 spring onions finely sliced

# Directions:

01 - Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
02 - Whisk together soy sauce, gochujang, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and cook while breaking it apart with a spoon until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 minutes. Transfer to a clean plate.
04 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Sauté garlic and ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add onion, carrot, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables reach desired tenderness.
05 - Return cooked turkey to the pan. Add cooked noodles and prepared sauce. Toss everything together over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes until all ingredients are well incorporated and heated through.
06 - Stir in sliced spring onions and mix thoroughly.
07 - Divide noodle mixture among serving bowls. Garnish generously with toasted sesame seeds and additional spring onions.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, but tastes like you've been simmering something special all afternoon.
  • Ground turkey keeps things lighter than traditional fried noodles, so you don't feel weighed down afterward.
  • The sauce is genuinely addictive—that balance of spicy, sweet, and savory works on a level that feels almost sneaky in how satisfying it is.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the cooked noodles with cold water or they'll stick together into a frustrating clump that refuses to separate no matter how hard you stir.
  • The gochujang won't mix smoothly into the other sauce ingredients if the brown sugar hasn't dissolved first—whisk it properly and your sauce will be silky instead of gritty.
  • Cook the turkey fully before setting it aside, because it won't cook much more once everything's combined and you want it tender, not rubbery from being overdone.
  • Keep your heat high once everything's in the pan together so the noodles toast slightly and the sauce reduces into a coating rather than staying soupy and sliding off everything.
03 -
  • Cook the turkey completely before removing it from the pan, and don't overcrowd the wok or it'll steam instead of brown—a single layer that sizzles is what you want to hear.
  • Toasted sesame oil is non-negotiable here because it's what separates this from generic Asian noodles—the difference between brilliant and forgettable is literally five dollars and a better bottle.
  • If your gochujang seems thick and paste-like when you open the container, that's normal—just whisk it thoroughly with the other sauce ingredients and it'll loosen up into something silky.
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