Viral Sari Gomtang Pasta: Creamy Korean Cup Noodle Recipe

Sari Gomtang was one of my favorite ramyeon flavors when I was a child.

At the time, I could barely handle spicy food, so while other Korean ramyeon often felt too hot for me, Sari Gomtang was easy to enjoy.

It has a mild, savory broth inspired by gomtang, a Korean beef soup traditionally made by simmering beef bones and meat. Nongshim describes Sari Gomtang as a rich but gentle beef-bone-style ramyeon and specifically recommends it for people who do not handle spicy food well.

So when I saw people turning it into a creamy pasta-style ramyeon with milk and cheese, it made perfect sense.
And yes, I tried it.

Quick Answer — What Is Sari Gomtang Pasta?

What Is Sari Gomtang?

Before making the pasta version, it helps to know what the original ramyeon tastes like.

Gomtang (곰탕) is a traditional Korean soup with a rich, savory broth made by simmering beef bones and meat.

Sari Gomtang ramyeon takes inspiration from that kind of mild, beefy soup.

Unlike Buldak or many red Korean ramyeon varieties, it is not built around chili heat. Nongshim describes it as mild and savory and says it is suitable for people who have difficulty eating spicy food.

That is also why I liked it so much as a child.

When spicy ramyeon was still too much for me, Sari Gomtang was one of the flavors I could actually enjoy.

And that mild, milky-looking broth turns out to be a very good base for this creamy recipe.

What You Need

For my version, I used:

• 1 Sari Gomtang cup noodle
• 300 ml milk
• 1 packet of Sari Gomtang seasoning
• 1 slice of cheddar cheese
• Black pepper

That is it.

Some versions use less seasoning because the final dish can become salty, and after trying it myself, I understand why.

One Important Microwave Tip

The Sari Gomtang cup I bought was marked as not suitable for microwave cooking.

So I did not microwave the noodles in the original cup.

Instead, I transferred the noodles to a microwave-safe bowl.

This is worth checking whenever you try a Korean cup noodle recipe from social media. Nongshim also advises checking whether a cup noodle container is microwave-safe before putting it in the microwave.

If the container says not to microwave it, use a separate microwave-safe bowl.

How I Made Sari Gomtang Pasta

1. Put the Noodles in a Microwave-Safe Bowl

I removed the noodles from the cup and placed them in a microwave-safe bowl.

Then I poured in about 300 ml of milk.

You want enough milk for the noodles to cook, but this is not supposed to end up as a bowl of soup.

2. Add the Seasoning

Next, I added the Sari Gomtang powder seasoning.

I used the seasoning packet, but after tasting the finished dish, I think using slightly less would also work well if you are sensitive to salty food.

3. Microwave for 4 Minutes

I microwaved the bowl for 4 minutes.

Milk can rise quickly when heated, so I would use a bowl with plenty of extra space rather than one filled close to the top. Nongshim’s own
Sari Gomtang pasta recipe also warns that milk can boil over during cooking.

Microwaves vary, so it is worth keeping an eye on it the first time.

4. Stir and Add Cheddar Cheese

After 4 minutes, I took the bowl out and stirred everything well.

Then I added one slice of cheddar cheese.

5. Microwave for Another 2 Minutes

I put it back into the microwave for another 2 minutes.

By this point, the milk, seasoning, and cheese had started turning into a creamy sauce around the noodles.

6. Finish with Plenty of Black Pepper

Finally, I mixed everything thoroughly and added a generous amount of black pepper.

For me, the pepper is important.

The noodles are rich and creamy, so the pepper gives the finished dish a little extra sharpness without making it genuinely spicy.

What Did It Taste Like?

It worked surprisingly well.

The milk softened the savory Sari Gomtang flavor and turned the broth into something much creamier and richer.

The original ramyeon already has a savory, beef-broth flavor, so adding milk does not make it taste strangely sweet or simply like ramen with milk poured into it.

Instead, it becomes creamy and rich.

The cheddar adds even more body, and the black pepper helps balance all that richness.

The noodles also absorb some of the sauce while cooking, so the final texture is much thicker than normal Sari Gomtang.

It really does feel closer to a simple creamy noodle dish than soup ramyeon.

My One Change Next Time

I would make one adjustment next time.

Mine was a little too salty for my taste.

Other Sari Gomtang pasta recipes also suggest reducing the seasoning rather than automatically using the entire packet.

So next time, I would probably do one of two things:

• use slightly less of the powder seasoning, or
• add a little more milk

I would not change much else.

The basic combination already works.

Is It Spicy?

Not really.

That is one of the biggest differences between this recipe and many Korean convenience-store ramyeon combinations.

Sari Gomtang itself is designed around a mild, savory broth rather than chili heat.

If you usually avoid Korean ramyeon because you are worried everything will be spicy, Sari Gomtang is one of the easier places to start.

Adding milk and cheese makes the flavor even creamier.

You can also simply leave out any chili toppings that appear in other versions of the pasta recipe.

If you want something much spicier, my Yareu Buldak recipe is almost the opposite of this mild, creamy version.

Sari Gomtang Pasta vs. Regular Sari Gomtang

Regular Sari Gomtang is light, soupy, and comforting.

This version is much richer.

The milk reduces as the noodles cook, the cheese melts into the broth, and the seasoning becomes more concentrated.

So I would not think of Sari Gomtang pasta as a replacement for the original.

They feel like two different ways to eat the same ramyeon.

If I wanted something simple and comforting, I would still make the regular version.

If I wanted something richer and more filling, I would make this.

Would I Make It Again?

Yes.

It requires only a few ingredients, and everything is easy to find at a Korean convenience store or supermarket.

The biggest thing I would change is the salt level.

Next time, I would start with a little less seasoning and add more only if I needed it.

Other than that, milk, Sari Gomtang, cheddar cheese, and plenty of pepper are a surprisingly good combination.

Final Thoughts

Some viral ramyeon recipes look interesting mainly because they are unusual.

This one actually makes sense.

Sari Gomtang already has a mild, savory broth, so replacing the usual water with milk naturally pushes it toward a creamy pasta-style flavor.

It is also a nice option if you want to try a Korean instant noodle hack without the intense heat of Buldak.

For me, there is also a little nostalgia involved.

Sari Gomtang was one of my favorite ramyeon flavors when I could not handle spicy food as a child.

Apparently, all these years later, adding milk, cheese, and black pepper was all it needed to become one of my new favorite ways to eat it.

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