This Vegetarian Japchae is packed with a rainbow of colorful veggies, chewy bouncy noodles, and a delicious sauce that’s sweet, savory, and nutty. It ties everything together!
If you love Korean food or bouncy noodles in general, you know you can’t pass up Japchae! It’s always a must whenever we go to Korean restaurants and it’s surprisingly easy to make at home too!
This simple Veggie Japchae recipe is filled with exciting textures in every bite, making the perfect dish all by itself or a delicious side with Korean Fried Chicken, succulently tender Korean Marinated Kalbi Short Ribs or a quick Spicy Braised Tofu.
🥘 Ingredients
- Sweet Potato Noodles: You can easily find sweet potato starch noodles at local Asian or Korean markets (or trusty Amazon of course). These Korean glass noodles, or dangmyeon in Korean, are the traditional noodles for Japchae and there’s no substitution. They also don’t contain any wheat so they’re naturally gluten-free.
- Mushrooms: I reach for Shiitake mushrooms for this Vegetarian Japchae because it has a “meatier” taste that’s a great sub for meat!
- Vegetables: For this recipe, you’ll need spinach, carrots, red bell peppers, onion, and green onions. The vibrant colors and crunchy texture of the various vegetables contrast the chewy bouncy glass noodles so well.
- Sesame Oil: It’s an absolute must that adds a nutty depth of flavor – a little goes a long way here.
🔪 Instructions
Make the Sauce
In a mixing bowl, combine the sauce ingredients until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
Prepare Spinach
In a large pot, bring water to a boil on medium-high heat. Add spinach and cook for a few seconds, or until the spinach has wilted. Keep a close watch because it shouldn’t take long to cook and can easily become mushy if overcooked.
Remove the spinach while keeping the water boiling for the noodles. Drain the spinach then rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Then carefully squeeze out any excess moisture from the spinach.
In a mixing bowl, season the spinach with salt and sesame oil. Mix until evenly coated, then set aside.
Boil Noodles
Prepare the noodles according to the package’s instructions and cook until chewy and elastic – it shouldn’t be al dente!
Drain and rinse noodles under cold water, then drain thoroughly. Use kitchen scissors to cut them a few times to make them easier to break up and eat.
Pour 3/4 of the sauce on top of the noodles and mix until evenly coated, then set aside to allow the noodles to absorb all that goodness while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Boil noodles, then rinse under cold water, & drain thoroughly.
Cut noodles a few times then combine with 3/4 of sauce.
Cook Eggs & Vegetables
The key thing to keep in mind while cooking the vegetables is that you want them to be tender and still slightly crunchy. It gives a beautiful contrast against the chewy glass noodles, so keep a close eye on the veggies and avoid overcooking them.
Heat a small pan on medium with a little oil. Pour in the beaten eggs and cook for about a minute, or until set.
Roll the egg into a log, then transfer it onto a cutting board. Slice the rolled egg into thin ribbons, then set aside.
Roll egg into a log while it’s still warm in the pan.
Cut the egg roll into thin ribbons then set aside.
Add a little more oil onto the pan and begin cooking the vegetables separately, seasoning each with a little pinch of salt. Cook the vegetables separately in the following order:
- Onions
- Green onions
- Carrots
- Red bell peppers
- Mushrooms
Combine
Combine the noodles, vegetables, egg ribbons, and sauce in a large bowl. Finish with a little extra sesame oil and sesame seeds, then enjoy!
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Mushrooms: If you can’t find fresh shiitake mushrooms, you can substitute them with dried shiitake mushrooms instead, which you can find in local Asian markets. You’ll just need to soak it for an hour or two for it to become tender, however, the wait is worth it because it has an even more concentrated flavor than fresh mushrooms! If you still can’t find dried shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms work as well.
- Serving Cold or Hot: Japchae can be served cold or hot – it’s versatile!
⏲️ Storage & Reheating
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating is optional since you can enjoy it hot or cold, but if you prefer it warm, you can heat it up in the microwave until warm.
👩🏽🍳 Key Tips
- Noodle Doneness: Noodle instructions vary from different brands, however, no matter which way you choose to prep and cook it, the cooked noodles should be chewy and elastic – not al dente.
- Easy Egg Rolling: Start rolling your eggs when they’re about 85% cooked. They’ll finish cooking with the residual heat and are still flexible. Use a spatula to loosen the edges then slowly roll, using chopsticks if needed to help roll the eggs.
- Uniformity is Important: Cut your vegetables into long even strips, or julienned. This helps the vegetables finish cooking at the same time and looks more aesthetically pleasing with the long glass noodles.
- Keeping Veggies Vibrant: Cook the vegetables separately from lightest to darkest vegetable to prevent the lighter vegetables (like the onions) to pick up a darker color (like the red bell peppers). Cooking the vegetables separately also helps avoid overcooking them since they take various times to finish cooking.
- Why Not Pan-Fry Noodles: Some recipes call for the noodles to be cooked again in the pan with the sauce and cooked veggies. However, I noticed the noodles weren’t as bouncy the next day. So instead, mix together all the cooked ingredients with the sauce and serve. It’s much less effort that keeps your noodles chewier for a longer period of time.
💭 FAQs
Let’s get cooking!
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Korean Vegetarian (Veggie) Japchae
Watch How to Make It!
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- black pepper to taste
Noodles & Vegetables:
- 2 eggs beaten
- 12 oz sweet potato glass noodles
- 1/2 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 2 carrots thinly sliced
- 1/2 onion thinly sliced
- 3 1/2 oz shiitake mushrooms thinly sliced
- 3 green onions sliced into 2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds optional for garnish
Spinach:
- 12 oz baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Heat a medium skillet on medium heat, then add ½ teaspoon of oil. Add the beaten eggs and once they're 85% done, begin to roll the egg into a log. The residual heat will finish cooking the egg. Remove it from the pan, then cut the egg log into strips of ribbon. Set aside.
- In a large pot, bring water to boil. Blanch spinach by cooking spinach until wilted. Remove spinach from the pot, while keeping the water boiling for the noodles. Rinse spinach under cold water, then squeeze any excess water out. Place in a bowl, mix in sesame oil and salt, then set aside.
- In the same pot of boiling water, add noodles and stir to prevent sticking. Cook until noodles are soft, 5 – 7 minutes, or until they're soft, yet chewy – not al dente. Drain, run under cold water, then use scissors to cut noodles. Pour 3/4 of the sauce on the noodles then set aside.
- In the large skillet on medium heat, cook each of the vegetables separately with a 1/2 teaspoon of oil and a pinch of salt. Cooking vegetables separately prevents over or under-cooking the vegetables. Start by adding ½ teaspoon of oil to the pan, then the carrots. Salt and cook until tender with a little crunch still. Set aside. Repeat the process for cooking the remaining vegetables individually. Set them aside.
- Combine the noodles, eggs, vegetables, the remaining sauce. Sprinkle on sesame seeds, if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
- Sweet Potato Glass Noodles: Chewy glass noodles, also known as sweet potato noodles, are easily found at local Asian markets or on Amazon.
- Mushroom Options: Shitake mushrooms are typically used, but button or oyster mushrooms work too. For a meatier taste, use dried mushrooms; rehydrate, slice, and follow the recipe.
- Key Tips:
- Noodle Doneness: Cooked noodles should be chewy and elastic, regardless of brand or cooking method.
- Prevent Cracking Eggs: Roll eggs while hot and about 85% cooked for flexibility and to avoid cracking.
- Vibrant Veggies: Cook vegetables separately, starting with lighter ones to keep the veggies vibrant. Adjust cooking times for each veggie since they take various times to finish cooking..
- Serve Hot or Cold: Japchae is versatile and can be enjoyed hot or cold.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
