Curated recipes from 193 countries  •  New seasonal Mediterranean issue out now
Dinner Ideas — Global Recipe Journal
Regions All Regions Mediterranean & Italy East & South Asia Latin America & Caribbean Middle Eastern Nordic & European African Heritage North America Oceania & Pacific Browse Atlas

Overview

Kongguksu

Kong-guksu, Cold Soybean Noodle Soup, Korean Soy Milk Noodles

This kongguksu recipe is Korea's cold soybean noodle soup: dried soybeans soaked overnight, ground and strained into a fresh, creamy milk, then chilled and poured over wheat noodles with cucumber, tomato and a scatter of sesame. It is nothing like naengmyeon — there is no icy beef broth and no buckwheat here, just mild, nutty soybean milk, served cold on the hottest days of summer. One serving is about 578 g.

Kongguksu is a summer dish: soybeans are soaked, ground and strained into a fresh, creamy milk, then chilled and poured over wheat noodles. It is eaten cold on the hottest days of the Korean summer, when a hot soup is the last thing anyone wants — the ice in the bowl is not decoration, it is the point. Some versions add a spoonful of sesame or a little sugar to the milk, and the toppings change with the season, but the heart of the dish never changes: fresh soybean milk, cold noodles, and a bowl cold enough to fog up.

Pairs well with: Kimchi, cucumber & sesame

Provenance

South Korea flag South Korea

Korean Heritage

East & South Asia

Time Dedication

50m

40m prep • 10m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

544 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 578 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (Fresh Soy Milk)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Prime Metabolic Fit

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Pasta & Noodles Occasions: Hot summer lunches, light weekday meals, vegetarian days Cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home
Tags: Tofu Noodles Mild Vegetarian Soup
A bowl of kongguksu — cold soybean milk over wheat noodles with cucumber, sesame and ice — with kimchi and salt on the side

Korean Heritage

Photo: hyolee2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home (USD)

Real kongguksu starts with soybeans soaked overnight and ground fresh — never with shop-bought soy milk if you can help it — and it is always served ice-cold.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 50m
P

Prep Stage: Soak the Beans & Chill the Bowls

40 Mins • Soaking & Blending

The 200 g soybeans must soak for 8 hours or overnight in cold water — start the night before, or first thing in the morning. Once soaked and drained, they are ready to blend. Put the 4 serving bowls in the fridge to chill: kongguksu must be served cold, and a warm bowl melts the ice and dulls the milk in minutes.

Maestro Tip: Do not skip the soak: unsoaked beans will not blend smooth, and the milk comes out gritty.

  1. 1

    Blend the Soybean Milk

    15 Mins Room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)

    Put the soaked, drained soybeans in a blender with the 1.1 litres of cold water and 10 g of the toasted sesame seeds. Blend on high for 2–3 minutes until completely smooth and creamy. Pour through a fine sieve or a nut-milk bag into a jug, pressing and squeezing to get every drop — the dry pulp left behind is okara, and it should be almost dry.

    Squeeze the bag hard: the milk in the pulp is the richest part, and leaving it behind makes a thin, watery soup.

    Done when: Smooth, creamy, pale milk; the leftover pulp is nearly dry.

  2. 2

    Season and Chill the Milk

    10 Mins Chilled, below 5°C (41°F)

    Stir the 6 g salt and the 10 g sugar into the milk until dissolved, then taste: it should be mildly salty with just a whisper of sweetness. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or stir in half the 200 g ice to chill it fast. The milk must be properly cold before it meets the noodles.

    Taste the milk cold, not warm — cold dulls salt, and a milk seasoned warm always ends up under-seasoned.

    Done when: Milk is cold, smooth and gently seasoned.

  3. 3

    Cook and Chill the Noodles

    10 Mins Boiling water, 100°C (212°F), then cold rinse

    Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and cook the 280 g somyeon for 3–4 minutes until just tender. Drain at once and rinse under cold running water, rubbing the noodles gently with your hands until they are completely cold and no longer sticky. Drain very well — water left on the noodles thins the milk.

    Rinse until the noodles are cold to the touch. Warm noodles melt the ice and turn the milk lukewarm.

    Done when: Noodles are cold, separate and springy.

  4. 4

    Assemble and Serve Cold

    5 Mins Serve cold, below 5°C (41°F)

    Divide the cold noodles between the 4 chilled bowls. Pour the cold soybean milk over them, add a few ice cubes to each bowl, and top with the julienned cucumber, sliced tomato, remaining sesame seeds and spring onions. Add a few drops of sesame oil to each bowl and serve at once — kongguksu waits for no one, and the ice melts fast.

    Serve the milk and noodles separately if people are arriving at different times — assembled bowls warm up and the noodles drink the milk.

    Done when: Cold bowls with noodles in creamy milk, ice still floating.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Eat kongguksu cold, with chopsticks and a spoon, while the ice is still floating. Stir the toppings into the milk as you go — the cucumber stays crisp, the tomato adds acidity, and the sesame keeps the mild milk from tasting plain.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

544

kcal / serving

Protein

29g

Complete AA

Carbs

74g

Complex

Fats

15g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 578 g)
Energy544 kcal
Protein29 g
Carbohydrates74 g
Fat15 g
Fibre5.8 g
Sugar7.9 g
Sodium590 mg
Per 100g
Energy94 kcal
Protein5 g
Carbohydrates12.8 g
Fat2.6 g
Fibre1 g
Sugar1.4 g
Sodium102 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: B vitamins, iron, calcium and magnesium from the soybeans, vitamin C from the tomato and cucumber; the milk is the main source of protein. Nutrition is estimated.

High in Plant Protein

About 28.8 g of protein a serving from the soybeans and noodles — this kongguksu recipe is one of the most protein-rich cold soups, with no meat at all.

Fresh, Raw Toppings

The cucumber and tomato are served raw, so they keep their crunch, their vitamins and their cool freshness against the creamy milk.

Cooling Summer Food

Served ice-cold, kongguksu is genuinely refreshing on a hot day — a cold meal that still fills you up, which is exactly what Korean summers call for.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Kimchi

A small dish of sharp, spicy kimchi is the classic partner: its heat and acidity wake up the mild, nutty milk.

Steamed Dumplings (Mandu)

A few hot mandu on the side turn a light cold lunch into a full meal — hot and cold together is a very Korean combination.

Vegetables

Cucumber & Tomato

Already on top of the bowl, they add crunch, colour and a fresh acidity that stops the soybean milk from tasting flat.

Drinks

Barley Tea (Boricha)

Cold, roasted barley tea is the everyday Korean summer drink — nutty, unsweetened and a natural match for the soybean milk.

Complete menu

Serve the kongguksu ice-cold with a small dish of kimchi, cold barley tea and a few hot mandu on the side — a full Korean summer lunch.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Serving It Lukewarm

Kongguksu served warm tastes flat and beany — the chill is part of the flavour. Chill the milk, chill the bowls, rinse the noodles cold. This is general food-safety information, not medical advice.

Keeping the Milk Overnight

Fresh soybean milk sours quickly, even in the fridge — make it the same day you serve it and do not keep leftovers past 24 hours. This is general food-safety information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA light, refreshing lunch — filling but not heavy, ideal on a hot day.
  • ChildrenChildren usually like the mild, milky soup — serve it less salty and with extra cucumber.
  • ElderlySoft noodles and mild milk make this an easy, gentle lunch for older people.
  • Pregnant womenGenerally suitable; the milk is fresh and the noodles are wheat — keep the sugar out if you prefer; ask your clinician.
  • Breastfeeding womenGenerally suitable; the plant protein is useful and the dish is light — a modest portion is wise.
  • AthletesAbout 28.8 g of protein a serving makes it a decent light post-training lunch — add mandu if you need more energy.
  • Weight gainA light choice — at 544 kcal it can help with weight gain if paired with mandu and a bigger noodle portion.
  • Weight lossAt 544 kcal a serving, this is a reasonable weight-loss lunch: filling, high in protein and low in fat — just skip the sugar.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesAbout 73.7 g of carbohydrate a serving, mostly from the wheat noodles — a large amount; take fewer noodles and more milk; ask your clinician.
  • High blood pressureAt about 590 mg of sodium a serving, this is moderate — season lightly and skip extra salt; ask your clinician if you are on a sodium limit.
  • Kidney diseaseMild, low in fat and low in sodium — generally well tolerated; ask your clinician.
  • GoutEat in moderation — soybeans are moderate in purines; ask your clinician.
  • Stomach issuesCold, mild and easy to digest — one of the gentlest noodle soups for a sensitive stomach.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseLow in fat and modest in sodium, so this fits a heart-friendly pattern well.
  • Fatty liverLow in fat and plant-based — a reasonable choice in normal portions; ask your clinician.
  • Food allergiesContains soy, sesame and gluten (wheat noodles) — the milk itself is soy. Use rice noodles for a gluten-free bowl.
  • Special therapeutic dietsPlant-based, low in fat and moderate in sodium, so it suits several therapeutic diets — ask your clinician or dietitian before eating it regularly.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Store the milk, noodles and toppings in separate airtight containers in the fridge.
In the fridge
Soybean milk 1 day only; cooked noodles 1 day; toppings 2 days.
In the freezer
Do not freeze — the milk splits and the noodles turn to mush.
How to reheat
Do not reheat — this dish is served cold. If the noodles have been chilled, rinse them briefly in cold water before serving.
Freezing recommended
No — kongguksu does not freeze.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell in the milk, slimy noodles, or a milk that has separated and will not stir back together.

More recipes to explore

Dolsot bibimbap in a hot black stone bowl — bulgogi beef, egg yolk, carrots, zucchini, bean sprouts and sesame seeds over rice South Korea flag South Korea 1h 5m
Dinner •Korean Heritage

Bibimbap

This bibimbap recipe builds Korea's most famous rice bowl the dolsot way: hot rice in a sizzling stone pot, ringed with five separately seasoned namul vegetables, bulgogi beef and a fried egg, with gochujang to stir through at the table. The stone bowl crisps the bottom layer of rice into golden nurungji while you eat. One serving is about 510 g.

Colourful & Satisfying

Warm rice, five seasoned vegetables, bulgogi beef and a fried egg, mixed at the table with gochujang.

Pairs Well With
Kimchi, kongnamul-guk (bean sprout soup) & barley tea
Korean fried chicken pieces coated in a glossy red yangnyeom glaze South Korea flag South Korea 45m
Dinner •Korean Heritage

Korean Fried Chicken

This Korean fried chicken recipe is the real thing: boneless chicken in a thin potato-starch batter, fried twice — once to cook it through, once at higher heat to drive out moisture and shatter the crust — then tossed in a glossy yangnyeom glaze of gochujang, honey and garlic. The double fry is what keeps the skin crisp under the sauce. One serving is about 250 g.

Crispy & Bold

Double-fried chicken in a thin potato-starch crust, tossed in a sticky sweet-spicy yangnyeom glaze.

Pairs Well With
Pickled radish (chikin-mu), cold beer & steamed rice
High Protein • Quick Prep (<30m)
Kimchi jjigae — a red kimchi stew with tofu and spring onions in a black stone pot, served with a bowl of rice South Korea flag South Korea 45m
Dinner •Korean Heritage

Kimchi Jjigae

This kimchi jjigae recipe is the Korean comfort stew: aged, well-fermented kimchi fried with pork belly, then simmered in its own brine with tofu until the broth turns brick-red and rich. It is a stew, not the kimchi itself — the North Korean white kimchi published earlier is the pickled cabbage, while this is what you cook with it. One serving is about 425 g.

Comfort & Warmth

Aged kimchi and pork belly simmered in kimchi brine with tofu — sour, spicy and deeply savoury.

Pairs Well With
Steamed rice, fried egg & banchan
Soups & Broths • Fermented / Gut Health
Whole heads of baechu kimchi coated in red gochugaru paste on a white platter South Korea flag South Korea 2h 35m
Dinner •Korean Kimjang Heritage

Baechu Kimchi

This kimchi recipe turns one head of napa cabbage into classic baechu kimchi: salted leaves packed with a bright red gochugaru paste, then left to ferment until tangy and fizzy. It is the spicy southern-style kimchi most people picture when they hear the word kimchi, and it keeps for weeks in the fridge. One serving is about 165 g.

Fermented & Fiery

Crisp, spicy, sour napa cabbage kimchi — Korea's everyday banchan, fermented at home in a jar.

Pairs Well With
Serve a small bowl with steamed rice, grilled meat or a fried egg.
Fermented / Gut Health

The Dinner Gazette

Never wonder what’s for dinner again

One email a week with easy dinner ideas from around the world — ingredients, steps and nutrition, tested in our kitchen first.

Delivered every Thursday morning. Unsubscribe anytime.