Japchae recipe: how to make Korean glass noodles with vegetables

Oct 5, 2026

By Jihye Dschihä

Japchae (잡채) is Korean glass noodles with vegetables, mushrooms and often a little beef, seasoned with soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil. In Korea, japchae is part of holidays such as Seollal and Chuseok, weddings and birthdays. This recipe makes four servings and follows Korean Bapsang.

Which noodles do I need for japchae?

Japchae is made with 당면 (Dangmyeon), glass noodles made from sweet potato starch. They are thicker than many other glass noodles and turn translucent, soft and chewy when cooked. You can find them at an Asian grocery store. Our Dosirak cooking box also contains Korean glass noodles, together with soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds and a recipe book that includes japchae.

What ingredients do I need for japchae?

For the noodles and vegetables

200 g dangmyeon (sweet potato glass noodles)
115 g beef or pork loin, cut into thin strips
170 g spinach
½ onion
1 carrot
85 to 115 g fresh shiitake or 4 to 5 dried ones
2 scallions
1 egg (optional)

For the sauce

3.5 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp sesame seeds
Pepper

Other recipes use considerably more soy sauce and sugar or rice syrup; one Korean recipe on 10000recipe, for example, uses soy sauce and syrup in a ratio of 1 to 2. It is best to adjust to taste as you go.

How do I cook japchae?

The most important thing first: in japchae, each ingredient is cooked separately and everything is only mixed at the end. The vegetables should still have a little bite. First, stir together the sauce ingredients.

Noodles: cook in boiling water for 6 to 8 minutes until completely translucent and soft. Other recipes give up to 11 minutes. Rinse under cold water, drain and cut to about 15 cm with kitchen scissors. Mix with 3 tbsp of the sauce.
Beef and mushrooms: cut into strips, season with 2 tbsp of the sauce and stir-fry briefly, one after the other.
Spinach: blanch briefly, rinse in cold water and squeeze well.
Onion and carrot: cut into thin strips and stir-fry each briefly with a pinch of salt.
Egg (optional): Korean Bapsang separates the white and yolk, fries each into a thin sheet without browning, rolls it up and cuts it into thin strips. This garnish is called 지단 (Jidan).
Combine: mix the noodles, meat, vegetables and scallions with the rest of the sauce, adjust the seasoning and sprinkle with sesame seeds and egg strips.

Japchae can be eaten warm, at room temperature or cold. Served over rice, it is called 잡채밥 (Japchae-bap). In Korea, japchae counts as 반찬 (Banchan), a side dish to go with rice.

For a vegan version, Korean Bapsang leaves out the meat and uses more mushrooms or other vegetables instead. Pan-fried tofu works well too.

What does japchae mean?

The name combines 잡 (雜, "mixed") and 채 (菜, "vegetables"). So glass noodles are not in the name, and in fact japchae was originally a dish without noodles. In the 1670 cookbook 음식디미방 (Eumsik Dimibang), according to South Korea's Ministry of Culture, it is a dish of more than 20 kinds of vegetables, including cucumber, radish, mushrooms and bellflower root.

Where does japchae come from?

According to tradition, japchae was served at a banquet at the court of King Gwanghaegun in the early 17th century. Yi Chung, a favorite of the king, is said to have brought him special dishes again and again. Whether Yi Chung really invented the dish cannot be proven.

The glass noodles were only added in the 20th century. In the 1910s and 1920s, factories for dangmyeon were set up, among other places in Pyongyang and Sariwon in what is now North Korea. Sources differ on exactly when the first factory opened. According to the Korean Wikipedia, japchae with glass noodles only became widespread from the 1930s on.

How long does japchae keep?

According to Korean Bapsang, japchae keeps for three to four days in the fridge. The noodles do harden in the cold, though, because the starch sets. To reheat, most sources recommend a pan with a small splash of water over low to medium heat until the noodles are soft again. Korean Bapsang uses the microwave.

Another Korean dish to make at home is bibimbap, and how to make your own kimchi is explained in How to make kimchi.