Description
Japchae is a popular Korean dish featuring chewy sweet potato noodles stir-fried with colorful vegetables, beef, and a sweet-savory soy-based sauce. It’s a versatile and celebratory meal that’s also perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz sweet potato glass noodles (dangmyeon)
- 6 oz beef (sirloin or ribeye), thinly sliced
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 medium carrot, julienned
- 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 4–5 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 4 tbsp soy sauce (divided)
- 2 tbsp sesame oil (plus more for tossing noodles)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp sugar (divided)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1–2 tbsp vegetable oil (for stir-frying)
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cook the sweet potato noodles according to package instructions. Rinse with cold water, drain well, and toss with a little sesame oil to prevent sticking.
- Blanch spinach in boiling water for 30 seconds, rinse under cold water, squeeze out excess moisture, and chop roughly.
- In a skillet, sauté beef with 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp sugar, minced garlic, and black pepper until cooked through. Set aside.
- Individually stir-fry carrots, onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms in a bit of vegetable oil and salt until tender-crisp. Set each aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked noodles, spinach, vegetables, and beef.
- Add remaining 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp sesame oil, and additional garlic to taste. Toss everything until well combined.
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds before serving.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit beef or substitute with tofu or additional mushrooms.
- Add thinly sliced omelet strips or scrambled eggs for extra protein.
- Include zucchini or other seasonal vegetables for variety.
- Adjust sweetness with a touch of honey or mirin if desired.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stir-Fry
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 35mg