Japchae (Korean Noodles)

Japchae (Korean Sesame Noodles) with Beef - on a plate.

Japchae (Korean Noodles)

This recipe covers everything you need to know to make japchae from scratch—a classic Korean stir-fried noodle dish with sweet potato noodles, marinated beef, and vegetables tossed in a savory sesame-soy sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Korean

Keyword Japchae, Japchae Noodles, Korean Japchae Recipe, Korean Sesame Noodles

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 469kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

Beef + Marinade

1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons sesame seed oil
2 teaspoons mirin
1 clove garlic minced
10 ounces ribeye steak (boneless, sliced thin) see my note below!

Japchae Noodle Sauce

¼ cup sesame seed oil
¼ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
½ teaspoon black pepper

Noodles, Eggs, and Vegetables

10 oz sweet potato noodles (you can sub with glass noodles) see my note below!
6 ounce fresh spinach
1 tablespoon neutral oil divided
2 eggs lightly beaten
6 shiitake mushrooms thinly sliced (fresh or dried but rehydrated) see my note below!
½ onion sliced into thin strips
1 medium to large carrot peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 red bell pepper sliced thin
salt to taste

Garnish

scallions roughly chopped
sesame seeds

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Beef + Marinade

In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, mirin, and garlic until the sugar dissolves. Put the sliced rib-eye into the marinade, coating the meat, and set aside.

Japchae Noodle Sauce

In a measuring cup or small bowl, combine the sesame seed oil, soy sauce, sugar, sesame seeds, and black pepper until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

Cook sweet potato noodles

In a large pot, cook the noodles according to the directions on the package, saving the boiling pot of water once you remove the noodles. Make sure you place the noodles in a sieve, rinse with cold water, drain very well or even rub into a towel if they are too wet, and place them into a large bowl. You can cut the noodles with scissors if they are too long.
Pour ⅔ of the Japchae Noodle Sauce over the noodles and mix well.

Cook veggies, eggs, and marinated beef

With the pot still boiling (it’s OK if the water looks muddy from the noodles), salt the water, blanch the spinach, and then place in a small bowl. Run the spinach under cool water to stop them from cooking then squeeze out as much water as possible. Place the spinach on top of the bowl of noodles.
In a medium pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil on medium heat and cook the eggs in 1 layer doing your best not to brown them. You can add a splash of water and cover with a lid for 1-2 minutes in order to fully cook the egg. Flip the egg “crepe” onto a cutting board or plate to let cool.
Wipe the pan if there’s any residual oil and return the pan to medium heat. Dry saute the mushrooms with a pinch of salt until wilted and slightly wet. Add on top of the noodles.
In the same pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil and cook the onions, carrots, and bell pepper with a pinch of salt until just softened. Add to the top of the noodles.
Lastly, heat 1 teaspoon of oil on high heat, searing off the marinated beef until just cooked through and then add it to the bowl of noodles.
Roll the cooled egg tightly, and slice into thin strips. Place on top of the bowl of noodles.

Final touches

Pour the remaining Japchae Noodle Sauce over the bowl of noodles, vegetables, and eggs, mix gently with your hands, making sure to coat all the ingredients in the sauce. Adjust to taste if necessary using salt, sugar, pepper, soy sauce, or sesame seed oil.
Move the japchae to a serving platter and sprinkle with green onions and more sesame seeds. Eat hot, warm or at room temperature to enjoy!

Notes

Use fresh or dried shiitakes: If using dried—rehydrate them properly by soaking them in hot water for 5–10 minutes (weigh them down to keep submerged), then squeeze out excess water, pat them dry with paper towels, remove stems, and slice.
Use Korean glass noodles (dangmyeon), made from sweet potato starch—they're chewy, translucent, and soak up sauce beautifully, which is key to authentic japchae. You can find them at Asian markets or online. If unavailable, substitute with regular glass noodles (mung bean or potato starch), rice vermicelli, udon, or soba. As a last resort, ramen or spaghetti can work—not traditional, but still tasty with the sauce and veggies.
Use thinly sliced BONELESS ribeye or sirloin or NY strip steak—tender, flavorful, and cook quickly. You can also use flank or skirt steak, just slice thinly against the grain. Freezing the beef slightly beforehand makes slicing easier.
Can I eat Japchae hot or cold? Japchae is typically eaten warm or at room temperature, but is also delicious hot. You can eat it cold as well, but the texture would not be as enjoyable, as the noodles will be quite gummy.
Storage tips: Japchae can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I do not recommend storing it in the freezer. To reheat, place in a microwave safe plate or bowl and microwave for 30 seconds.
You will need these supplies: various mixing bowls, cutting board, knife, medium pan, large pot, tongs.
YOUR FEEDBACK: If you have any questions or feedback about this recipe, I'm always looking forward to hearing from you in my comment section below.

Variations

Chicken/Pork: Skinless, boneless Chicken or pork loin can replace the beef!
Vegetarian/Vegan: Replace the beef with tofu or plant-based meat or omit it all together for a vegetarian friendly version.
Spicy: Japchae is not typically spicy, but you can make it that way if you’d like! I recommend using gochujang (Korean chili paste) or any other Asian hot sauce.

Nutrition