Description
A classic Korean Japchae recipe made with sweet potato noodles, stir-fried vegetables, and sesame soy sauce. This savory-sweet noodle dish is naturally gluten-free, easy to customize, and perfect for holidays, potlucks, or weeknight dinners. Learn how to make authentic Japchae with simple ingredients and tips for perfect texture every time.
Ingredients
200g sweet potato noodles
1 cup carrots, julienned
2 cups spinach, blanched and chopped
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
150g beef or tofu, optional
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the sweet potato noodles for 6–7 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with a little sesame oil to prevent sticking.
2. Blanch spinach for 30 seconds, then squeeze out excess water and cut into bite-sized pieces.
3. In a skillet, sautée onion, carrots, mushrooms, and bell pepper separately in sesame oil until just tender. Lightly season with salt.
4. If using beef, sauté thin slices with garlic, soy sauce, and a touch of sugar until browned. For tofu, pan-fry until golden.
5. In a large bowl, combine noodles, cooked vegetables, protein (if using), remaining soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and minced garlic. Toss until evenly coated.
6. Top with toasted sesame seeds and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
This dish can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept in the fridge.
Use gluten-free soy sauce for a 100% gluten-free meal.
You can swap out or add other veggies like zucchini or green beans.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stir-Fried
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 15mg