This is one of the most popular Korean dishes, this Korean food is a perfect dish, easy to make and can be stylized according to what you have on hand. Mostly prepared for special occasions like lunar new year, this recipe uses a variety of vegetables found in your local asian market. Korean sweet potato glass noodles with tofu strips or cubes is a great way to increase plant protein intake!
What is Japchae
It’s a traditional Korean noodle dish using sweet potato glass noodles or cellophane noodles found in Korean buffet. Commonly stir fried with mushrooms, julienned vegetables and spinach flavored with sugar and soy sauce. What was once a royal dish is now common all over the world. It got its name from Jap meaning mixed and chae meaning vegetables. Can be served warm or cold, popular during 1st birthdays, 16th birthdays and pot lucks due to ease of bulk preparation. The best part is it tastes good after a day or two in the fridge. So what are you waiting for! Head on to the kitchen and give it a try!
Our Variation
I found these puffed tofu and decided to give it a try. I also used shiitakes, bell peppers and onions. I used oyster mushroom sauce instead of soy & sugar. Feel free julienne any vegetables you have on hand and mix it with your glass noodles. Make sure to season it up good and drizzle sesame oil on it too for extra flavor. The tricky part here is mixing the noodles, it is best to use hands to really get into the nitty gritty and get every noodle flavored.
What you need
- Sweet potato noodles
- Oyster mushroom sauce
- Onion
- Bell Pepper
- Mushrooms
- Sesame oil
- Puffed Tofu
- Eggplant
What you do
- Toss noodles puffed tofu and oyster mushroom sauce in a big bowl.
- Sweet Potato noodles according to packaged directions in a large pot of boiling water. Rinse in cold running water.
- Sauté julienned fresh veggies, mushrooms, eggplant with aromatics in a large skillet or nonstick pan in medium-high heat
- Mix cooked noodles with the rest of the ingredients thoroughly using hands or tongs
- Finish with a tablespoon sesame oil, spring onions & scallions
Japchae is a popular Korean dish made with glass noodles, vegetables, and a savory sauce. Traditionally, it includes meat and sometimes eggs, but it can easily be made vegan by making a few substitutions. Here's a vegan version of Japchae along with some variations, substitutions, FAQs, and storage tips
Variations
- Add tofu or tempeh: If you want to add some protein to your Japchae, you can pan-fry or bake tofu or tempeh and add it to the dish.
- Include more vegetables: Feel free to experiment with different vegetables like zucchini, bean sprouts, or broccoli to add more variety and nutrition to your Japchae.
- Spicy Japchae: If you like a bit of heat, you can add some gochujang (Korean chili paste) or red pepper flakes to the sauce for a spicy kick.
Substitutions
- Sweet potato glass noodles: If you can't find sweet potato glass noodles, you can use other types of glass noodles or even rice noodles as a substitute.
- Maple syrup or agave nectar: If you don't have these sweeteners on hand, you can use brown sugar or any other liquid sweetener of your choice. Japchae sauce is also available in asian grocery stores.
- Vegetables: Feel free to substitute or add different vegetables based on your preferences or what you have available in your pantry like bok choy, red bell pepper, baby spinach, shiitake mushrooms thin strips of vegan egg is amazing too!
FAQs
Q: Can I make Japchae in advance?
A: Yes, you can make Japchae in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep well for up to 3-4 days.
Q: Can I freeze Japchae?
A: It is not recommended to freeze Japchae as the texture of the glass noodles may change upon thawing.
Q: Can I reheat Japchae?
A: Yes, you can reheat Japchae in a pan or microwave until heated through. Add a splash of water or vegetable broth if it appears dry.
Storage
Store any leftover Japchae in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat before serving.
Enjoy this vegan version of Japchae, packed with delicious flavors and nutritious vegetables!
Japchae
Ingredients
- 1 Pack sweet potato noodles
- ½ Cup mushrooms thinly sliced
- 1 Pc eggplant small diced
- 1 Pc onion thinly sliced
- 1 Pc bell pepper julienned
- 5 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Pack puffed tofu
- 5 tablespoon Oyster mushrooms sauce you can use soy and sugar
- 5 tablespoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Cook sweet potato for 5-10 minutes or until fully cooked. Strain, run through cold water and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics, add in vegetables and tofu, keep stirring till vegetables soften up a bit. Add mushroom sauce and maybe some water to avoid charring.
- Throw in noodles and mix thoroughly. You may mix it in a large bowl or pot. Using the hand will help a lot in getting the flavors thoroughly integrated.
- Garnish with sesame seeds if you have. I just use scallions and sesame oil and it turned out pretty good.
- Serve and enjoy.
