Best Japchae (Korean Glass Noodles) - Authentic and Amazing (2024)

Japchae is a classic Korean Glass Noodle dish that is served as a side dish or appetizer. Mild in flavor, this is a great first dish to try if you never had Korean food before. This Japchae recipe is traditional and authentic – exactly how my family made it for years, so Enjoy!

Japchae is a very popular Korean glass noodle side dish that’s made with vegetables and also sometimes meat. If you have ever been to a Korean restaurant, chances are you probably have had Japchae(잡채). And if side dish was the only way you had it (as opposed to an a la carte item)- then I’m afraid you probably had a very poorly made japchae.

It sometimes makes me mad when I see restaurants serve this most delicious Korean glass noodle dish as a side dish that’s missing the authentic ingredients and flavor. Probably it’s 98% noodles and then maybe some little specks of vegetables once in a blue moon and no evidence of beef anywhere. Either that or it’s been reheated so many times that it has just morphed into something else.

About Japchae 잡채

Jap(잡雜)means to mix and Chae(채菜) means ‘vegetables’. Historical records go back as far as 17th century Joseon Dynasty when itwas first served to the King Kwanghaekun. Interestingly, there were no noodles in the earlier versions and the glass noodles only appeared in this dish in 1919 when a Dangmyeon 당면 (Glass Noodles/Potato Starch Noodles) factory first appeared in the Hwanghae region of Northern Korea.

My Japchae (ChopChae) Story 😂

There’s a story that I’m reminded of every time I try to explain Japchae to someone.

You see..my father was a diplomat and he had a very good friend who was the US Ambassador (Mr. Walker) to Korea in the early 80’s. We had dinner together at a Korean restaurant in DC one time (I think it was actually Wooraeok), and the ambassador said that he loved Japchae (or as he called it ‘ChopChoi’) and wanted to order it.

And then he said “Do you know how I memorized the name of this dish?? It’s the “execute” = “chop” Mr. Chae (or choi) dish!!” HAHAHA..I thought it was a bit bizarre but also hilarious and very ingenious of him…😂🤣and so the story has always stuck with me ever since. BTW, the ‘chop’ 잡 can be pronounced as somewhere between Job and Chop.

Well, I hope this will help you remember the name a little easier next time! 😍

What makes an Authentic Japchae

The Japchae recipe I introduce here is the way my mom used to make at home when I was little – for the Seollal or Chuseok holidays and big parties. I know there are different ways of making Japchae but the authentic and traditional way to make Japchae is to sauteand season all ingredients separately(I know it’s kind of a pain) and then mix it all together at the end.

Because this can be quite time-consuming, many recipes you see today may tell you to saute all the ingredients all together at the same time.And in my opinion, unless done right (which I actually have found a way to make it right – see my One Pan Japchae recipe for quicker version), it usually produces a mediocre one where everything is soggy, mushy and wet.

Also in terms of ingredients, spinach, beef, carrots, onions and wood ear mushrooms are classic and authentic ingredients that are usually used to make this dish. The authentic recipe for Japchae I have below takes a bit of work and that’s probably why it’s known to be a Janchi Eumshik(잔치음식) = party food. But I think it’s well worth the effort. One simply could not have a true Janchi (party) without executing Mr. Chae!😂🤣

What is Dangmyeon (Korean Glass Noodles) and what brand should I buy?

Dangmyeon is a dried noodle made from 100% sweet potato so it’s a great gluten-free food. It is quite chewy and is also low in calories (90 calories per 1 oz). I have not found a lot of difference between the brands so just buy a reputable brand and that should be fine.

Japchae FAQ

• Is Japchae served HOT or COLD?
  • Japchae is bestserved at room temperature but tcan be served warm too. Japchae can be stored at cool room temperature for up to a day.
• Is Japchae low carb?
  • That’s kind of hard to answer simply. Dangmyeon (Glass Noodles) itself is pretty high in carb as it is made from sweet potato starch. But all the other ingredients (vegetables and beef) are almost zero carb. So my nutrition facts of my recipe say the Japchae carb is around 23 g per serving which is not high but not low either. You can make it low carb by reducing the amount of noodles and adding more vegetables and meat. And using less sugar or use a sugar substitute.
• How do you reheat Japchae?
  • Reheat in a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat, stirring often. You can also microwave but I prefer the pan method.
• How long does Japchae keep in the fridge?
  • It can be stored in the fridge up to a few days or can also be frozen.
• How should I store Japchae?
  • Japchae will spoil if left at room temp longer than half a day in warmer temperatures (summer) so store in fridge right away.

My Tips for Making Perfect Japchae

• Seasoning Japchae – Glass noodles absorbs the seasoning well which means it may taste bland after some time after you season it. So it is best to taste 2-3 times after it is made to make sure it tastes good at time of serving. So taste it right after, maybe another time after letting it sit for an hour and then another time right before serving. Adding little more sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil if you feel like it is missing something.
• Spinach – it is best to use young tender spinach that you buy from Asian or Korean markets. Do NOT overcook the spinach when you blanch. The texture should be chewy.
• Mushrooms – Substitute fresh oyster mushrooms for sh*take mushrooms. Wood ear mushrooms are OPTIONAL but adds a great crunch so try to get some!
• Variations or Substitutions
  • Pork or imitation crab meat in lieu of beef.
  • green or red bell peppers (julienned), Chinese chives, green onions or even some green chili peppers can be substituted for spinach
  • Egg Jidan (thin pan-fried crepe-like egg) can be added on top as a garnish.
  • Vegan – just omit beef, see my One-Pan Japchae recipe below.
  • Gluten Free – glass noodles are naturally gluten-free. To make it 100% gluten-free Japchae, just make sure to use a GF soy sauce like Tamari soy sauce.

UPDATE – Here’s my one-pan Japchae recipe that I uploaded in 2016, if you want to try it. I simplified the recipe without sacrificing the flavor!

Japchae (Korean Glass Noodles) Recipe

Servings: 6 Prep Time: 30 min Cooking Time: 30 min Difficulty: Medium

Step-by-Step Directions

1. BEEF
   1. Cut beef into thin strips, against the grain. If you want an easy way out, you can also use bulgogi meat cut into smaller pieces.

      

   2. Mix the beef marinade in a bowl big enough to hold the beef. Add the beef, massage it with your hands and let it sit for a few minutes while you prepare the vegetables. I used garlic powder here because the garlic flavor doesn’t need to be very strong in this dish but you can certainly use fresh garlic if you prefer.
2. GLASS NOODLES (Dangmyeon)
   1. Boil 8-10 C of water in a pot and boil the dangmyeon (glass noodles)according to package instructions (usually 6-8 min) or until the noodles become clear and is soft all the way to the center of the noodle. More water is better than too little since the glass noodles soak quite a bit of water.

      

   2. Once the noodles are cooked, drain. While noodles are still warm, season with soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil.
   3. Cut noodles with scissors a few times so they are easier to eat. Coating the noodles with oil will keep the noodles from sticking together.
3. SPINACH

   

   1. Wash spinach. Boil another pot of salted water (6 C or so + 1 tsp salt) and quickly blanch them. Do not over cook the spinach – probably no more than 40 seconds. Spinach should be still a bit chewy and not too mushy.
   2. Shock the cooked spinach in cold or ice water to stop the cooking process.
   3. Drain the water and squeeze out any excess water from the spinach by squeezing them gently between your hands, forming a ball.
   4. Season blanched spinach with some salt and sesame oil. Set aside.
4. MUSHROOMS

   

   1. Soak dried sh*take mushrooms (left) and wood ear mushrooms (on the right in top left pic #1).
   2. Rehydrate mushrooms in warm water until they are fully soft (about 20 min). To speed things up, soak them in hot water.
   3. Clean soaked mushrooms under water. Sometimes dirt/sand are buried in the mushroom to make sure all the dirt is washed off. You can also cut off the ends that have the dirt.
   4. Cut sh*take mushrooms into thin strips. Cut wood ear mushrooms into rough wider strips. Set aside.
5. CARROTS/ONIONS

   

   1. Julienne carrots and onions and set aside.
6. SAUTE INGREDIENTS – Saute each of the ingredients separately and let them cool. You can save yourself the trouble of washing pans in between by using one frying pan and sauteing ingredients one by one in the following order: onions -> carrots -> mushrooms -> beef. Just wipe off any excess oil and crumbs with a paper towel after cooking each ingredient and you should be good to go.

   

   1. Add 1 T oil in frying pan on medium heat. Add onions and sprinkle a pinch of salt. Saute until onions become transparent but not brown.
   2. Add 1 T oil in frying pan on medium heat. Add carrots and a pinch of salt. Saute carrots until they are soft and tender
   3. Add 1 T oil in frying pan on medium heat. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Saute for 3 mins or so and the mushrooms should be done
   4. Add 1/2 T oil in frying pan on medium-high heat. Saute the beef until they are fully cooked. If there are any extra juices in the pan, cook a little more until it’s evaporated.
7. Transfer each of the onions, carrots, mushrooms and beef to a plate and let them cool.

   

8. It’s time to put everything together! Add all the cooked vegetables and beef to the noodles and mix them all together.

   

Sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds. Taste some noodles with the vegetables and the beef. Adjust seasoning with more soy sauce and sugar as needed. Unless you like things really bland, it will taste better if you add more soy sauce, sugarand a dash of sesame oilas the final finishing touch. (I added about 3 Tbs soy sauce, 1 Tbs sugar and 1 Tbs sesame oil to a 450g of glass noodles.)

That’s it! Enjoy it with some rice and other main dishes. Since this Japchae/Chapchae is very mildly flavored, it goes well with a lot of things but it goes particularly well with other party dishes like

And because it is a lot of work, when I make it for our dinners, I usually have this as our main dish with some rice and maybe some soup or jjigae.

If you have tried my authentic Japchae or any other recipe on my blog then pleasedon’t forget to rate the recipe(top right of the recipe card) and leave me a comment to let me know how you like it! I’d LOVE to hear from you! 😍

You can alsoFOLLOW MEonFACEBOOK,PINTERESTandINSTAGRAMor join myFACEBOOK GROUPto see other Korean recipes to ask and share everything about Korean food with others just like you!

Enjoy~ ❤

JinJoo