Japchae is a noodle dish that is usually served at Korean festivities. In recent years, this dish has grown in popularity because it’s been commonly served in Korean BBQ.
Would you believe this dish was initially made with just vegetables? Japchae literally means “mixed vegetables” and I guess because of the sweet and savory sauce, it has evolved by adding noodles to the mix and it was loved even more by everyone.
What kind of noodles are used in Japchae?
Disclaimer: I get a small commission at no additional cost to you when you make a qualified purchase under the affiliate links.
The noodles used here are sweet potato noodles or dangmyeon. When you go to Hmart or any Korean grocery, sometimes the label can also say Korean glass noodles or vermicelli noodles. Make sure that the strands are grey and thick since there’s also a variant of vermicelli noodles that are white and thin.
Despite the dark color of the noodles, it becomes transparent once boiled. It then absorbs the amber color and savory taste of the sauce when mixed together. It is also generally chewy in texture when eaten.
Something I personally do when cooking japchae is to soak the noodles anywhere from 2 hours to overnight, that way I’d only boil it for three minutes. But if you don’t soak it, you can just go ahead and boil it for 10 minutes or as instructed in the package.
One thing to remember is to never overcook the noodles otherwise they will become “buruhsuh” or mushy. After boiling, wash the noodles in cold water, then leave them to drain. Do not, however, let it sit for more than 3 minutes because the residual heat might overcook it as well.
Overall, ensure all other ingredients are ready to go so you can cook continuously. We don’t want no mushy noodles here!
Mix Vegetable Topping for Korean Glass Noodles
As mentioned, japchae was originally mixed vegetables so there is a wide variety of produce you can add according to your preference. Shiitake mushroom, wood-ear mushroom, red bell pepper, onion, carrots, spinach, cabbage, and zucchini are some vegetables you can use.
Some notes for these vegetables:
- If using dried mushrooms, hydrate them first by soaking them in hot water for 1 hour.
- Chop all the vegetables thinly or julienne so it is easy to pick them up all together using when chopsticks.
- Blanch the spinach, drain, and squeeze out the excess water to prepare. For all other vegetables, just stir fry to cook.
- When stir-frying, make sure to season it well with salt and pepper. A simple seasoning like this can already enhance the taste of the vegetables.
- You’re not really cooking the veggies but only stir-frying them to keep them crunchy!
The main protein commonly used in japchae is beef. Any beef cut is okay as long as you slice it into thin strips, but you can altogether skip the meat if you want your noodles vegetarian.
What is the Japchae sauce made of?
The sauce is a basic combination of soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. It’s a balance of savory, sweet, and nutty Asian taste. To boost the flavor even more, I like adding oyster sauce. A little bit will not be noticeable but will go a long way for sure! Do skip the oyster sauce if you’re allergic, and just add a bit more soy sauce.
As always, taste as you go. If you think it needs a bit more seasoning, then add salt. If you want it to be a little sweeter, then add more sugar.
Two Ways to Make Japchae
In assembling the three components of this noodle dish, you can either make it a one-pan stir fry by first sauteing the vegetables, adding the noodles, then the sauce in the pan.
Another way is to boil the noodles, stir-fry the vegetables, and prepare the sauce separately. Then in a big bowl, mix all these three by hand and give it that “sohn mat”. This is how traditional ahjummas have done it, and this is an especially easier way to go when making a big batch of these.
The noodles tend to stick together and may be hard to mix at first, but once the sauce and the vegetables penetrate, it will be easier to mix. You can also cut the noodles to make them easier to combine.
How do you serve Japchae?
To serve, you can eat it as is as a meal, or along with a Korean feast. Typically, special occasions for us would comprise of these noodles, variants of meat like Galbi Jjim, Mini Beef Patties, and Bulgogi, variants of kimchi like Cabbage Kimchi and Water Kimchi, and variants of soup like Mandu Guk and Mu Guk.
If after the feast, you have tons of leftovers, store japchae in an air-tight container and in the fridge for 1-2 days. However, this must also be consumed immediately as its texture can change. Serve cold or microwave for a couple of minutes and enjoy!
Other Korean noodle dishes you might like:
Make sure to leave a rating, a comment, or tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Tiktok when you chop them up! Yeobosayo!
Korean Glass Noodles Stir Fry (Japchae)
Ingredients
- 300 grams Korean Glass Noodles or Sweet Potato Noodles or Dangmyeon
Japchae Ingredients
- 20 grams Shiitake Mushroom Sliced thinly
- 20 grams Woodear Mushroom Sliced in half
- 30 grams Red Bell Pepper Julienne
- 50 grams Onion Sliced thinly
- 15 grams Carrots Julienne
- 30 grams Spinach Blanched
- 70 grams Any Beef Cut Sliced thinly
- Vegetable or Canola Oil For sauteing
Japchae Sauce
- 1/2 tbsp Garlic
- 3 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1/2 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 1/2 tbsp Sesame Seeds
- 1/2 tbsp Sugar
- Salt and Pepper To taste
Instructions
- Prepare your vegetables. Set aside.
- Season the beef with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, sesame seeds, and sugar. Set aside.
- In a pot, boil some water. Once it’s boiling, add the noodles and cook as instructed in the packaging.
- Drain the noodles and wash them with cold water. Let drain for three minutes.
- In a separate pan, turn the heat to high. With a bit of oil, stir-fry the garlic and beef.
- When the beef is 70% done, add the vegetables. Add the onions and carrots first and cook for a minute, then add the rest of the vegetables and saute for a couple of minutes. Season it with salt and pepper and do not overcook it!
- Add the noodles and mix thoroughly, then add the sauce and mix thoroughly.
- Once everything is coated with the sauce, move to a plate and garnish with sesame seeds.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Other vegetable options can include zucchini and cabbage, just make sure that the total weight of the veggies is 150-200 grams.
Jesse Eshuis says
Yoo Chef Cho, there’s garlic instead of sugar in your sauce recipe. Just letting you know, thanks for the great recipes!
Chef Chris Cho says
Good eye! Edited it already, thank you so much for pointing it out!
Jaimie says
Perfect Japchae!
Chef Chris Cho says
Yeobosayo!!