Delicious and colorful Japchae (잡채) is a popular Korean glass noodles dish like tteokbokki, jajangmyeon and kimbap. Also, Japchae is a great noodle dish because it has carbohydrates, vegetables and protein ingredients all in one dish. Not only is this Japchae Korean glass noodle recipe healthy, but also people love the beautiful and bright colors of the noodle dish. Let’s learn how to make this Japchae Korean glass noodles for meals, party gatherings or feasts with detailed photo instructions and a video.
Like Korean food? Check out these Korean food recipes: kimchi fried rice, tteokbokki, jajangmyeon, homemade kimchi, kimchi tofu soup, kimbap Korean sushi rolls, Menola honeydew popsicles and ginseng chicken soup.
What is Japchae (잡채) ?
Japchae (잡채) is a popular Korean cuisine that made of glass noodles with assorted vegetables, meat and seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil. Also, Japchae noodles are known for their vibrant colors, balanced flavors and appealing textures. Most of the time, Japchae serves in cold (room temperature) as a main or side dish. However, it can serve as hot or warm. Besides, it is great for a party or potluck gathering event to feed a lot of people.
The main ingredient in Japchae is sweet potato noodles, also called glass noodles or Dangmyeon. The noodles are translucent and the texture is slightly chewy when they are cooked. Therefore, they are often soaked in water to soften and boil them before stir frying.
Korean Japchae typically includes a variety of vegetables such as thinly sliced carrots, bell peppers, spinach, onions, and mushrooms. Besides, Japchae Korean glass noodles include protein such as thinly sliced beef, pork, or seafood. These vegetables and meat are stir fried separately and then combined with the cooked noodles.
Then, the dish is seasoned with soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil. The sauce adds a savory and slightly sweet flavor to the dish. Often, it sprinkles with toasted sesame seeds or green onions for extra flavor and visual appeal.
Is japchae gluten-free?
Japchae is a Korean noodle dish that typically stir fry with glass noodles made from sweet potato starch. Then, mixed with various stir fried vegetables and meat. The main ingredient of sweet potato noodles is gluten-free. Overall the dish is gluten-free, but the sauce in the recipe is not. To ensure that Japchae is gluten-free, you can use gluten-free soy sauce and seasoning as alternatives.
What are Korean sweet potato glass noodles (Dangmyeon)?
Sweet potato noodles are called Korean glass noodles or Dangmyeon. They are pale gray, semi-transparent, chewy and elastic noodles made from sweet potato starch. The noodles are translucent and the texture is slightly chewy when they are cooked. Also, glass noodles are dried and need to be soaked in water before cooking. Because the glass noodles are so plain; therefore, seasoning is required.
What Japchae sauce do you use?
Typically, the Japchae sauce is sweet and savory. The sauce is made of brown sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil. It's the perfect balance of sweet and savory. However, in this Japchae noodle recipe, I already use oyster sauce and sugar to marinate the meat. Therefore, I just use soy sauce and sesame oil as the sauce to season the noodles.
What are the ingredients in the Japchae Korean glass noodles?
The main ingredients in Japchae noodles are glass noodles, vegetables, eggs and meat. Some people use Chinese dried fungus, garlic chives, zucchini or other vegetables.
Personally, I like to use onion, spinach, carrot, Chinese dried mushroom, red bell pepper, egg and beef. The reason I chose these vegetable ingredients in this Japchae recipe is because they are healthy and have beautiful colors. And, It gives more colors to the dish and kids love them. It is not only tasty, but also attractive.
Cooking tips for how to make Japchae Korean glass noodles:
Dried Mushrooms:
- Soak dried shiitake mushrooms a few hours before cooking until it's soft. (Around 4-6 hours). I usually soak the dried mushrooms the night before I use it.
Spinach:
- Wash and soak the spinach very well because spinach has lots of sand.
- Boil the spinach, drain the water and rinse under cold water.
- Squeeze extra water from boiled spinach.
Noodles:
- Boil noodles until it’s soft and not too chewy or too soft.
- Drain the noodles and season the glass noodles in a mixing bowl.
- Remember don’t discard the sauce from cooking the beef and add the sauce to the noodles.
- Always taste it and add soy sauce to your taste.
- Use a scissor to cut the noodles a few times, so the noodles won't be too long.
FAQs:
Any brand should works. I use this Korean glass noodle. 
You can refrigerate Japchae and use a microwave to warm them up.
Japchae can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days to a week.
Well seasoned Japchae already tastes great. However, personally I like to add homemade chili garlic sauce, chili oil sauce or xo sauce when I eat Japchae.
Instructions for how to make Japchae Korean glass noodles (잡채):
Preparation:
1. Soak 4 medium sized dried shiitake mushrooms 4-6 hours before cooking. Or, until it's soft. I usually soak the dried mushrooms the night before I use it.
2. Then, soak a bunch of spinach (around 10 oz) for 15 minutes. Then, wash it a few times (3 times) to remove dirt and sand.
3. Soak 1 pound (16 oz) of Korean glass noodle into the water for 30 minutes.
4. Next, peel, wash and cut a medium sized onion into slices.
5. Wash and cut 3 sticks of green onions into strips.
6. Peel, wash and cut 2 small medium sized carrots into strips.
7. After that, wash and cut one large sized red bell pepper into strips.
8. When the mushrooms are soft, cut the soaked mushrooms into strips.
9. The following, cut ½ pound of beef (steak style) into strips.
10. After, put the sliced beef into the bowl, add 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and ½ tablespoon of sesame oil. Mix it well and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes before cooking.
Cooking:
Eggs:
11. Crack 2 eggs into the bowl and beat the eggs.
12. Pour 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan. Then, pour the beaten eggs and pan fry like scramble eggs but make sure it's flat like a sheet. After that, flip the other side.
13. When the pan fry eggs cool off, cut it into strips.
Spinach:
14. Pour 6 cups of water into the pot. When the water is boiling, add washed spinach and boil for around 2-3 minutes.
15. After that, drain water and rinse with cold water.
16. Then, squeeze the cooked spinach to remove excess water. Add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Mix it well and set it aside.
Onion:
17. Pour 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan, turn the fire to medium high. Add cut onion and sprinkle ⅛ teaspoon of salt, stir fry it for a few minutes, cover the lid, until it's soft and set it aside.
Carrots:
18. Next, pour 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan, turn the fire to medium high. Add cut carrots and sprinkle ⅛ teaspoon of salt, stir fry it for a few minutes, cover the lid and until it's soft. Then, set it aside.
Red bell pepper:
19. Pour ½ teaspoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan, turn the fire to medium high. Add cut red bell pepper and sprinkle ⅛ teaspoon of salt, stir fry it for 1-2 minutes. Then, set it aside.
Green onions:
20. The next step, pour ½ teaspoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan, add the cut green onion and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Stir fry it a little bit and set it aside. (Remember don't over stir fry the green onion.)
Meat and mushrooms:
21. Turn on the fire to medium high, add the marinated beef into the non-stick pan.
22. Then, add the sliced mushrooms, cover the lid for a minute and stir-fry them until the beef is cooked. (If sauce comes out from the meat and mushroom. Don't discard them, add to the noodles later.)
23. Now, meat, egg and vegetables are ready.
Noodles:
24. Meanwhile, pour 10 cups of water into the pot. When the water is boiling, add the soaked Korean glass noodle. Let it cook for 5-10 minutes, until it is soft and drain the water.
25. In a mixing bowl, put the cooked glass noodle. Also, use a scissor to cut the noodles a few times, so the noodles won't be too long.
26. Add 4 tablespoons of soy sauce and 4 tablespoons of sesame oil. Then, mix it well. (You can add more or less soy sauce and sesame oil to your taste).
Mixing:
27. After seasoning the cooked glass noodle, add all the cooked vegetables, eggs and beef from step 23 into the noodles.
28. Mix the noodles with the cooked vegetables, meat and eggs.
29. You can sprinkle some roasted sesame seeds. (This is optional.)
Enjoy this colorful and yummy japchae Korean glass noodle recipe! Also, check out these Asian noodles recipes: pad Thai noodles, beef chow fun, chicken udon stir fry, and beef pho noodle soup.
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Japchae Korean Stir Fried Glass Noodles
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound Dried Glass noodle (sweet potato noodles) (16 oz dried Korean glass noodles)
- 2 Carrots (Small medium sized)
- ½ lb Beef (Steak style)
- 2 Eggs (Large)
- 1 Onion (Medium sized)
- 3 sticks Green onion
- 4 pieces Dried shiitake mushroom (Medium sized)
- 1 bunch Spinach (10 oz)
- 1 Red bell pepper (Large sized)
- 4 teaspoons Vegetable oil (For stir fry vegetables and eggs)
- ½ teaspoon Salt (For stir fry vegetables)
- 1 teaspoon Roasted sesame seeds (Sprinkle on top this is optional)
Beef seasoning:
- 2 tablespoons Oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon Soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon Sesame oil
Noodles seasoning:
- 4 tablespoons Soy sauce (Always add to your taste)
- 4 tablespoons Sesame oil
Spinach seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Soak 4 medium sized dried shiitake mushrooms 4-6 hours before cooking. Or, until it's soft. I usually soak the dried mushrooms the night before I use it.
- Then, soak a bunch of spinach (around 10 oz) for 15 minutes. Then, wash it a few times (3 times) to remove dirt and sand.
- Soak 1 pound (16 oz) of Korean glass noodles into the water for 30 minutes.
- Next, peel, wash and cut a medium sized onion into slices.
- Wash and cut 3 sticks of green onions into strips.
- Peel, wash and cut 2 small medium sized carrots into strips.
- After that, wash and cut one large sized red bell pepper into strips.
- When the mushrooms are soft, cut the soaked mushrooms into strips.
- The following, cut ½ pound of beef (steak style) into strips.
- After, put the sliced beef into the bowl, add 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and ½ tablespoon of sesame oil. Mix it well and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes before cooking.
- Crack 2 eggs into the bowl and beat the eggs.
- Pour 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan. Then, pour the beaten eggs and pan fry like scramble eggs but make sure it's flat like a sheet. After that, flip the other side.
- When the pan fry eggs cool off, cut it into strips.
- Pour 6 cups of water into the pot. When the water is boiling, add washed spinach and boil for around 2-3 minutes.
- After that, drain water and rinse with cold water.
- Then, squeeze the cooked spinach to remove excess water. Add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Mix it well and set it aside.
- Pour 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan, turn the fire to medium high. Add cut onion and sprinkle ⅛ teaspoon of salt, stir fry it for a few minutes, cover the lid, until it's soft and set it aside.
- Next, pour 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan, turn the fire to medium high. Add cut carrots and sprinkle ⅛ teaspoon of salt, stir fry it for a few minutes, cover the lid and until it's soft. Then, set it aside.
- Pour ½ teaspoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan, turn the fire to medium high. Add cut red bell pepper and sprinkle ⅛ teaspoon of salt, stir fry it for 1-2 minutes. Then, set it aside.
- The next step, pour ½ teaspoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan, add the cut green onion and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Stir fry it a little bit and set it aside. (Remember don't over stir fry the green onion.)
- Now, meat, egg and vegetables are ready.
- Meanwhile, pour 10 cups of water into the pot. When the water is boiling, add the soaked Korean glass noodles. Let it cook for 5-10 minutes, until it is soft and drain the water.
- In a mixing bowl, put the cooked glass noodles. Also, use a scissor to cut the noodles a few times, so the noodles won't be too long.
- Add 4 tablespoons of soy sauce and 4 tablespoons of sesame oil. Then, mix it well. (You can add more or less soy sauce and sesame oil to your taste).
- After seasoning the cooked glass noodles, add all the cooked vegetables, eggs and beef from step 23 into the noodles.
- Mix the noodles with the cooked vegetables, meat and eggs.
- You can sprinkle some roasted sesame seeds. (This is optional.)
Notes
Cooking tips for how to make simple Korean japchae recipe:
Dried Mushrooms:
- Soak dried shiitake mushrooms a few hours before cooking until it's soft. (Around 4-6 hours). I usually soak the dried mushrooms the night before I use it.
Spinach:
- Wash and soak the spinach very well because spinach has lots of sand.
- Boil the spinach, drain the water and rinse under cold water.
- Squeeze extra water from boiled spinach.
Noodles:
- Boil noodles until it’s soft and not too chewy or too soft.
- Drain the noodles and season the glass noodles in a mixing bowl.
- Remember don’t discard the sauce from cooking the beef and add the sauce to the noodles.
- Always taste it and add soy sauce to your taste.
- Use a scissor to cut the noodles a few times, so the noodles won't be too long.
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