Japchae (aka Korean glass noodle stir-fry). Chewy sweet potato noodles with marbled beef, colorful stir-fried vegetables in a sweet soy sesame sauce. Ready in 25 minutes!
Jump to:
What is Japchae?
Japchae is a delicious, savory and sweet dish featuring sweet potato noodles mixed with bell peppers, spinach, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, onions and beef in a light sauce. This quick Korean dish can be served hot, or at room temperature. You can eat it as a side dish or as a main dish. It's even better the next day as leftovers. Jap Chae is a traditional Korean food for special occasions or holidays! Korean restaurants will serve this Korean glass noodle stir fry. Some Korean grocery store(s) will sell it pre-cooked and chilled.
Japchae can also be served over a bed of rice with extra marinated beef for a filling meal at my favorite restaurants! My version is the quick version that doesn't require you to season and sauté each ingredient. Usually most recipes require you to cook each component separately which takes a lot of time and energy. But this version has been simplified for ease. I love these noodles with a passion and this is easily one of my favorite dishes in Korean cuisine.
Ingredients
Please scroll down to the below Recipe card for full measurements.
Note: Your Asian grocery store will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients.
- Korean sweet potato noodles: these come dried at the Korean grocery store.
- Thinly sliced chuck or rib eye beef (hot pot style beef recommended)
- Carrot
- Onion
- Red bell pepper
- Baby spinach
- Shiitake mushrooms or sub with re-hydrated dried shiitake mushrooms
- Garlic clove
- Sesame oil
- Sesame seeds
Japchae Sauce:
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce of your choice.
- Sesame oil
- Brown sugar
How to make Japchae
Make the Sauce
In a small bowl, combine Sauce ingredients. Set aside.
Boil Noodles
In a pot filled with water, bring to a boil. Boil noodles for 5 minutes and strain.
Transfer Noodles to a Bowl
Transfer to a large mixing bowl to cool down.
Sauté Vegetables
In a large non-stick pan set on low-medium heat, add ½ tablespoon sesame oil. Add onions, carrots, red bell peppers and spinach. Fry until softened but still crisp. About 1-2 minutes. Transfer veggies into large mixing bowl.
Cook Beef
Add the leftover ½ tablespoon of sesame oil into the pan. Fry garlic and mushrooms until softened. Add in thinly sliced beef and 2 teaspoon of Sauce. Mix sauce with beef and mushrooms. Cook until beef is fully cooked. Transfer ingredients to large mixing bowl.
Mix Everything with Sauce
Add remaining sauce into large mixing bowl with noodles. Once the noodles are cool enough to touch, mix everything together with clean hands or if you're impatient like me, use tongs. Garnish with sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Storage & Reheating
This dish will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, microwave for 2-3 minutes or reheat on the stovetop in a pan on medium heat until hot.
Expert Tips
- Thinly cut carrots and bell peppers. This will allow these vegetables to better incorporate into your noodles since they're long and slender like your noodles.
- Pre-mix the sauce! In a small bowl, mix the sauce ingredients well, until the brown sugar fully dissolves for a well-balanced taste.
- Use thinly cut marbled beef for ease! Many Asian markets carry this item in the freezer section. Or you can use any marbled beef and cut it thinly.
- Use pre-washed baby spinach for simplicity! I love using pre-washed baby spinach to make things easier in the kitchen. Any Western or Asian grocer will carry this item.
- Use a large bowl for mixing. Have a large bowl ready to pour your strained noodles and the rest of your ingredients into.
- Fry veggies together until soft but crisp. Over low heat, warm your large skillet. Then fry veggies for 1-2 minutes at most. We do not want to overcook the vegetables. So, cook at a low heat.
- Use clean kitchen scissors to cut the noodles within the large mixing bowl.
FAQ
What are Sweet Potato Noodles made of?
Sweet potatoes starch. These noodles are gluten free.
Where can I find thinly cut marbled beef?
Most Asian markets will sell thinly cut marbled beef in the frozen section. It's usually chuck or rib eye beef that has been thinly cut. It's also known as "Shabu Shabu Beef" or "Hot Pot Style Beef".
You may also use thinly cut rib eye or chuck beef with fat running through it. Freeze it for 45-60 minutes and then this will make it easier to slice into thin pieces.
Can I use other vegetables?
Sure! Feel free to use other various vegetables that suit your fancy. Aim for colorful vegetables like green onions or spring onions, wood ear mushrooms, bok choy or choy sum (or any leafy green), yellow or orange peppers, bean sprouts and more.
Other Korean dishes you may like!
- Korean Fish Cake Stir-Fry
- Cucumber Salad
- Korean Potato Salad
- Bean Sprout Salad (Korean Style!)
- Korean Corn Cheese
- Korean Spinach Side Dish
- Bulgogi (Korean Bbq Beef)
📖 Recipe
Easy Simple Japchae (Korean glass noodle stir-fry)
Ingredients
- 100 grams Sweet potato noodles
- 100 grams rib eye beef (or chuck beef) thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup carrot thinly sliced
- ¼ onion thinly sliced
- ¼ red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 cup baby spinach (packed into the measuring cup)
- 3 shiitake mushrooms (or sub with dried shiitake mushrooms soaked in hot boiling water)
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil for cooking
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds toasted
Sauce:
- 1.5 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine Sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- In a pot filled with water, bring to a boil. Boil noodles for 5 minutes and strain. Transfer to a large mixing bowl to cool down.
- In a large non-stick pan set on low-medium heat, add ½ tablespoon sesame oil. Add onions, carrots, red bell peppers and spinach. Fry until softened but still crisp. About 1-2 minutes. Transfer veggies into large mixing bowl.
- Add the leftover ½ tablespoon of sesame oil into the pan. Fry garlic and mushrooms until softened. Add in thinly sliced beef and 2 teaspoon of Sauce. Mix sauce with beef and mushrooms. Cook until beef is fully cooked. Transfer ingredients to large mixing bowl.
- Add remaining sauce into large mixing bowl with noodles. Once the noodles are cool enough to touch, mix everything together with clean hands or if you're impatient like me, use tongs. Garnish with sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Suggested Equipment & Products
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Comments
No Comments