Korean Japchae Glass Noodle Salad Recipe

Korean Japchae Glass Noodle Salad is a vibrant, festive Korean dish made with chewy sweet potato glass noodles (dangmyeon) tossed with colorful vegetables and a savory-sweet sesame sauce. Traditionally served at Korean celebrations and banquets, japchae is one of Korea's most beloved dishes. This gluten-free, naturally dairy-free salad provides 5g of protein from the noodles, vegetables, and sesame with a satisfying chew that is unlike any other noodle dish.

Ingredients

Noodles and Sauce

• 200g Korean sweet potato glass noodles (dangmyeon)
• 3 tbsp low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp honey or sugar
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• Black pepper to taste

Vegetables

• 200g baby spinach
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 100g shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 2 tbsp avocado oil

Optional Protein Add-in

• 200g beef sirloin or firm tofu, thinly sliced (for extra protein)

Instructions

1. Cook sweet potato glass noodles according to package directions (usually 6-8 minutes in boiling water). Drain and rinse with cold water. Cut noodles with scissors a few times to manageable lengths.
2. Toss drained noodles with tamari, sesame oil, honey, and garlic while still warm. Set aside.
3. Heat 1 tsp avocado oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute carrots for 2 minutes until slightly tender. Remove and set aside.
4. In the same pan, saute red bell pepper for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
5. Saute shiitake mushrooms for 3 minutes until browned. Season with a pinch of salt. Remove and set aside.
6. Saute yellow onion for 3 minutes until golden. Remove and set aside.
7. Wilt spinach: add 1 tsp avocado oil, add spinach, and cook for 1 minute until just wilted. Squeeze out any excess liquid with your hands once cooled slightly.
8. If using beef or tofu: season and cook in the same pan for 3-4 minutes per side.
9. Combine noodles with all vegetables in a large bowl. Toss gently.
10. Taste and adjust with additional tamari, sesame oil, or honey. Top with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Tips & Variations

• Cooking each vegetable separately ensures they each develop their individual texture and flavor. Tossing them together at the end is how japchae achieves its distinctive character.
• If the noodles clump together as they cool, drizzle with a tiny bit of sesame oil and toss to separate.
• Japchae can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold. It is equally delicious all ways and is one of the best make-ahead Korean dishes.
• Adding sliced beef (bulgogi-style, marinated in soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil) is traditional. Pan-sear over high heat for 2-3 minutes per side.
• Store leftover japchae for up to 3 days. The noodles absorb the sauce overnight and become even more flavorful.

Nutrition Breakdown

Calories: 506 kcal

Protein: 5.3g

Fat: 20.8g

Carbs: 76.7g

Fiber: 4.7g

Track It with Nutrify

Tracking Korean Japchae Glass Noodle Salad is easy with Nutrify's AI-powered food scanner. Just snap a photo of your bowl and get instant calorie and macro data. Download Nutrify to start tracking smarter.