Glossy cod, tangled noodles and a sauce that’s equal parts citrus and fire, umami delicious and unapologetically sticky, just as a noodle bowl should be.
Hey Lolly
A Bowl Built Around Good Fish
Some meals start with a craving. Others start with two ingredients. Gochujang Cod.
This one began with a visit to Fred Hallam fishmongers in Beeston, where the counter was full of beautiful, fresh fish, the sort that makes you change your dinner plans immediately. I left with thick fillets of fresh cod, still smelling faintly of the sea, and already knew they deserved something bright, punchy and just a little bit glossy.
Enter yuzu and gochujang.
Yuzu brings that unmistakable citrus sharpness, somewhere between lemon, mandarin and grapefruit, while gochujang adds depth, heat and that rich fermented sweetness that makes you want to drag everything on the plate through the sauce. Together they create something sticky, savoury and just spicy enough to be entirely moreish.
The Noodles Carry Everything
Underneath the gochujang cod sits a bed of udon style noodles, soft enough to soak up every drop of sauce but still light enough to keep the bowl feeling fresh.
Around it, vegetables that feel bright and seasonal. Halved pak choi, their pale stems tender and sweet.
Purple sprouting broccoli, slightly nutty and deeply green. Slices of red pepper and onion for sweetness and bite. Three humble ingredients working absolute magic together.
Why This Gochujang Cod Bowl Works
The magic of this recipe is the balance. The gochujang cod stays delicate and flaky, the noodles soft and slurpable, the vegetables crisp and green. Then the dressing brings everything together, sticky yuzu brightness with that unmistakable gochujang warmth.
A scattering of roasted peanuts, fresh coriander, and a squeeze of lime at the end adds crunch, freshness and enough contrast to make the whole bowl feel alive. It’s the kind of meal that feels both comforting and vibrant at the same time.
The sort you eat slowly at the table with chopsticks, chasing the last glossy noodles around the bowl.
Ingredient Notes for Gochujang Cod
Fresh Cod
This recipe really shines when you start with good fish. The cod here came from Fred Hallam Fishmongers, where the quality is always exceptional. Fresh cod holds its shape beautifully in the pan while still staying tender and flaky.
Yuzu
Yuzu gives the dressing its bright citrus edge. If you can’t find it, a mix of lemon and lime works well.
Gochujang
The Korean fermented chilli paste that brings warmth, depth and a gentle sweetness to the sauce.
Sticky, citrusy and just spicy enough to keep things interesting, this bowl is exactly the sort of dinner that makes you pause for a moment before the first forkful — glossy cod, tangled noodles and a sauce doing its best work underneath.
If this kind of flavour-packed bowl is your thing, you might also enjoy a few other dishes from my kitchen that lean into the same bright, punchy style of cooking. Try the Sticky Sichuan Chilli Prawns with Teriyaki Noodles & Pak Choi, the Asian Sesame Tuna with Garlic Ginger Dressing, or the fresh, herb-laced Thai Poached Chicken with Vietnamese Noodle Salad, all dishes that celebrate the same balance of heat, citrus and savoury depth.
And if you’d like to see more recipes like this coming together in real time, you can always find me cooking, tasting and experimenting over on Instagram and TikTok.
There’s always usually something new simmering!
Ingredients
For the cod noodle bowls
- 2 x 300g cod loins
- 200 g udon-style noodles or rice noodles
- 1 bunch purple sprouting broccoli
- 2 pak choi rinsed and halved lengthways
- 1 large red pepper sliced
- 1 large white onion sliced
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped coriander
- 1 lime cut into wedges
- 1 tbsp sesame oil for frying
For the yuzu gochujang dressing
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp yuzu juice
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
To finish
- Extra chopped coriander optional
- Lime wedges
- Roasted peanuts optional, if used in the original post/images
Instructions
Make the dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, yuzu juice, sesame oil, gochujang, honey and grated ginger until glossy and well combined.
Cook the noodles
- Cook the noodles according to packet instructions, then drain and set aside. Toss with a spoonful of the dressing if you want to stop them sticking.
Stir-fry the vegetables
- Heat the sesame oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and red pepper, then cook for 3–4 minutes, until beginning to soften.
Add the greens
- Add the minced garlic, purple sprouting broccoli and halved pak choi. Cook for a further 3–4 minutes, until tender but still vibrant. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.
Cook the cod
- Add a little more oil to the pan if needed. Place the cod loins in the pan and cook over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes on the first side, then carefully turn and cook for a further 2–3 minutes, depending on thickness, until just cooked through and flaking.
Glaze the cod
- Pour the yuzu gochujang dressing into the pan and spoon it over the cod. Let it bubble gently for 1–2 minutes, until sticky and glossy. Be careful not to overcook the fish.
Assemble the bowls
- Divide the noodles between two bowls. Add the stir-fried vegetables and place the glazed cod on top.
Finish and serve
- Spoon over any remaining sticky sauce from the pan. Finish with chopped coriander, lime wedges and roasted peanuts, if using. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Cod is delicate, so turn it gently and avoid moving it too much once it hits the pan.
- Let the sauce bubble just long enough to turn glossy. Too long and it can catch because of the honey.
- If using rice noodles, rinse them briefly after cooking so they don’t clump together.
- If using udon-style noodles, toss them straight through the pan juices for a softer, slurpier bowl.
- Pak choi and purple sprouting broccoli should stay bright and tender, not tired and grey.
- A final squeeze of lime makes the whole bowl feel sharper, fresher and less sweet.
