Japchae (Korean Glass Noodle Stir-fry)

Name: Japchae (Korean Glass Noodle Stir-fry)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 200 g Sweet potato glass noodles (dangmyeon); 150 g Beef; 1 handful Spinach; 0.5 Carrot; 0.5 Onion; 4 Shiitake mushrooms; 0.5 Bell pepper; 1 Egg; 4 tbsp Soy sauce; 2 tbsp Sugar; 2 tbsp Sesame oil; 1 tbsp Minced garlic; 1 tbsp Sesame seeds; Black pepper

Chewy sweet-potato glass noodles tossed with colorful vegetables and beef in a sweet-savory soy seasoning — Korea's classic celebration dish, a fixture at holidays and birthday tables.

Ingredients

4servings

Sweet potato glass noodles (dangmyeon)200 g
Beef · thinly sliced, bulgogi cut150 g
Spinach1 handful
Carrot0.5
Onion0.5
Shiitake mushrooms4
Bell pepper · optional0.5
Egg · for garnish, optional1
Seasoning
Soy sauce4 tbsp
Sugar2 tbsp
Sesame oil2 tbsp
Minced garlic1 tbsp
Sesame seeds1 tbsp
Black pepper · a pinch

Steps

Soak the glass noodles in cold water for at least 30 minutes until pliable.
⏲ 30 min
Cut the beef into thin strips and season with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 0.5 tbsp sugar, sesame oil, and minced garlic.
Julienne the carrot, onion, and bell pepper, and slice the shiitake. Blanch the spinach briefly, rinse in cold water, and squeeze out the moisture.
⏲ 1 min
Lightly oil a pan and stir-fry the carrot, onion, bell pepper, and shiitake separately, seasoning each with a pinch of salt; set aside.
⏲ 5 min
In the same pan, stir-fry the seasoned beef until cooked through.
⏲ 3 min
Boil the soaked noodles for 5-6 minutes, drain, then stir-fry in the pan with 3 tbsp soy sauce and 1.5 tbsp sugar until glossy.
⏲ 6 min
Combine the vegetables, beef, and spinach with the noodles, drizzle with sesame oil and sesame seeds, and toss everything together.
⏲ 2 min

Tips & Variations

Variations

Seafood japchae: Swap the beef for squid and shrimp for a lighter version.
Mushroom japchae: Skip the meat and pile in oyster and wood-ear mushrooms for a vegan dish.
Japchae-bap: Pile it over warm rice for a one-bowl meal.
Whelk japchae: Add canned whelk (golbaengi) to turn it into a drinking snack.

Tips

Soaking the noodles in cold water ahead of time shortens the boil and keeps them chewy.
Stir-fry the vegetables separately to keep their color and texture; cooking them all at once turns them watery.
Stir-frying the noodles right in the pan with soy sauce and sugar lets them soak up the seasoning and turn glossy.
Add the sesame oil off the heat at the end so its aroma survives.
It's delicious even at room temperature — great for lunchboxes and parties.

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