Japchae – Healthy Korean Glass Noodles Recipe (Video)
Japchae is a tasty Korean noodle dish made with glass noodles and colorful vegetables. It has a soft, chewy texture and a slightly sweet flavor. This recipe brings together the perfect balance of sweet and savory.
People love japchae because it feels light but filling. It’s great for lunch, dinner, or even parties. This noodle dish is also easy to pack for school or work meals.
Try out some of my other noodle dishes if this piques your interest, such as: Japanese Cold Noodle (Hiyashi Chuka), Wonton Noodle Soup, Braised Beef Noodle Soup, and Miso Udon Noodle Soup.
What Is Japchae?
Japchae is a Korean noodle dish made with clear, chewy sweet potato noodles, colorful veggies, and a sweet soy-based sauce. It’s full of flavor with a mix of carrots, spinach, mushrooms, and sometimes meat like beef or short ribs. The sauce is salty, sweet, and full of sesame flavor. Once a royal dish, japchae is now a popular comfort food served at holidays, parties, or family dinners.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It has the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and savory in every bite.
- You can enjoy it hot or cold, so it’s great for any time of day.
- It’s a great way to eat more veggies in a tasty noodle dish.
Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make the best Japchae:
- Korean Glass Noodles
- Eggs
- Vegetables
- Light soy Sauce
- Sesame Oil
- Brown Sugar
- Salt & Pepper
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions
- Sweet potato noodles: Use rice noodles if you can’t find them. They’re soft and cook quickly too.
- Spinach: Swap with kale or bok choy. Just cook it until soft.
- Soy sauce: You can substitute with coconut aminos.
How to Store and Reheat
To store: Keep japchae in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat: Japchae can be served hot or cold. If you prefer to eat it hot, you can microwave it to reheat until warm.
Top Tips for Success
- Soak the noodles in hot water until soft before cooking to save time.
- Use a big pan or wok so everything mixes well without spilling.
- Prep all your veggies before you start cooking to make things easier.
Japchae – Healthy Korean Glass Noodles Recipe (Video)
Ingredients
- 8 oz Korean glass noodles
- cooking oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 medium carrot, julienned
- ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- ½ onion, thinly sliced
- 2 green onion, chopped
- 3 clove garlic, minced
- 4 shiitake mushroom, rehydrated and sliced
- 1 cup spinach
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp black pepper
- a pinch salt, add more if needed
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cook glass noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse in cold water and set it aside. Cut the noodles with a pair of scissors a few times.
- In a bowl, whisk 2 eggs. Add 1 tsp of oil to a heated pan. Pour the egg into the pan, tilt it around so the egg spreads thinly. Let it cook for about 1 minute, flip over and cook for another minute. Let it cool and chop it into thin strips. Set it aside.
- In a cooking pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Saute the carrots sand bell pepper for 3-4 minutes, or until softened. Remove from the pan.
- Add more oil and saute onion, mushroom, garlic, and green onion until softened. Then add spinach and salt, and stir fry until it begins to wilt. Remove from the pan.
- In the same pan, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, and black pepper. Once the sugar dissolves, add the cooked noodles and toss to coat evenly with the sauce. Add the vegetables and egg strips back in and toss everything together until well combined.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Serve and enjoy!
