Japchae (Korean Glass Noodle Stir-Fry)

Japchae with colorful veggies and noodles served on a plate.

Japchae (Korean Glass Noodle Stir-Fry)

Easy Japchae recipe with chewy Korean glass noodles, tender beef, and colorful vegetables in a savory-sweet sauce. Quick to make with authentic taste in every bite.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Noodles

Cuisine Korean

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword dangmyeon, Dangmyeon noodles, glass noodle stir-fry, japchae, Japchae recipe, Korean glass noodles, Korean noodle stir fry, Korean stir-fry noodles, sweet potato noodles

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings people

Calories 326

Author Hyegyoung K. Ford

Ingredients

8 oz (226 g) Korean glass noodles (dangmyeon)
6 oz (170 g) beef sirloin or pork loin. See note below for the vegan/vegetarian option
2 tbsp oil
1 medium onion thinly sliced
1 medium carrot cut into thin matchsticks
1 small red bell pepper thinly sliced
a few pinches salt
5-6 shiitake mushrooms sliced
1 bunch (about 6 oz, 170 g) spinach cleaned
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

For meat marinade

1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp sweet rice wine (mirim)

For japchae sauce

4 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup (120 ml) water
2-3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp sweet rice wine (mirim)
1 tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tbsp black pepper

Instructions

For the glass noodles

Soak the glass noodles in hot water for 15 minutes, then drain and set aside. .

For the meat seasoning

Slice beef (or pork) into thin match sticks (about 1/4-inch thick) against grain and mix with marinade ingredients. Set aside.

For the Japchae sauce

Combine all japchae sauce ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

To cook Japchae

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add onion, carrot, pepper, and a pinch of salt; stir-fry until soft but have a slight crunch. Add sliced shiitake mushrooms and another pinch of salt. Continue to stir-fry until soft. Add spinach at the end and stir-fry until spinach is wilted. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the vegetables to a large plate to cool.
Reheat the pan over high heat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, add the beef (or pork) and stir-fry until fully cooked. You will see the juice coming out from the meat. Transfer the meat to the large plate with the reserved vegetables, reserving the juice in the pan.
Add the drained glass noodles to the pan with the meat juices. Pour the japchae sauce over the noodles and toss to combine. Let the noodles cook over medium heat until they are soft and the sauce liquid is mostly absorbed into the noodles, about 3-4 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low. Add the vegetables and meat back to the pan over the noodles. Add sesame oil and sesame seeds. Toss well and adjust seasoning to taste.

Video

Notes

Expert Tips:

Let cooked vegetables and beef cool slightly before mixing—this keeps the noodles from getting soggy.
Use kitchen scissors to snip long noodles into manageable lengths.
Don’t skip the final drizzle of sesame oil and sesame seeds—it enhances aroma and taste.
To make this Japchae vegan or vegetarian: omit the beef (or pork) and the meat seasoning step in the recipe.

Storage & Reheating:

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water or oil to loosen noodles and restore flavor.

Nutrition