Beef Japchae is a popular Korean stir-fried noodle dish, packed with vegetables, tender beef, and the signature glassy texture of sweet potato noodles. It's a perfect combination of savory, sweet, and umami flavors, complemented by the satisfying chewiness of the noodles!
Beef japchae is saucy noodle deliciousness! The soft and chewy sweet potato noodles with slightly crunchy vegetables and tender beef come together to make a super satisfying dish. Plus, the nutty, savory sauce adds so much flavor.
Whether you are vegetarian or gluten-free, this recipe can be adapted to fit your needs. This japchae recipe is loaded with vegetables like spinach, carrots, bell peppers and mushrooms, making it a well rounded meal everyone will love!
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Ingredients
To make homemade beef japchae, you need the following ingredients:
- Sweet Potato Noodles: Also known as glass noodles, these noodles are made from sweet potato starch! They are slightly sweet with a wonderfully chewy texture.
- Vegetables: This beef japchae is packed with vegetables. I added sliced carrots, bell peppers, onions, shitake mushrooms, and some spinach, too!
- Sirloin: Thinly slice the sirloin steak before cooking it! You can also make this with beef short ribs.
- Sauce: To make the sauce, you can combine sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce and honey!
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Beef Japchae
- Soak Noodles: Soak the sweet potato starch noodles in warm water for 10-15 minutes, until softened.
- Season Meat: Season sirloin strips with salt and pepper. Set aside for 15 minutes.
- Sauté Veggies: In a large pan over medium-low heat, add carrots and a pinch of salt. Sauté until softened. Remove and set aside. Repeat with onions, bell peppers and shiitake mushrooms. Cooking each vegetable individually prevents our veggies from steaming and also gives the pan room to remove moisture. Overcrowding will cause the veggies to steam but if you have a large enough pan, feel free to cook it all together.
- Cook the Sirloin: In the same pan over medium heat, add the sirloin strips and cook until the desired temperature. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Boil Noodles: Drain the sweet potato noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the sweet potato noodles and cook for 5-10 minutes or until softened. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- Make Sauce: To make the sauce, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, pressed garlic, and honey.
- Combine: Add all the stir fried vegetables and noodles to a large mixing bowl and toss. Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss until the sauce is evenly mixed in.
Hint: Don't over cook the beef! It will cook up quickly since it is sliced into thin pieces! Simply sear at a high heat for about 5 minutes.
Recipe Variations
Beef japchae is incredibly versatile! Feel free to change it up and make this recipe exactly how you like it.
- Vegetarian Japchae: You can totally omit the beef for a delicious vegetarian japchae instead!
- Chicken or Pork: If you aren't a fan of beef sirloin, try replacing it with chicken or pork for a slight twist.
- Gluten-Free Japchae: To make a gluten-free version, replace the soy sauce with a gluten-free alternative like coconut aminos or tamari.
Storage
You can store any leftover beef japchae in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days!
To reheat, you can microwave it for 1-2 minutes or stir-fry briefly in a hot pan with a little oil. If the noodles seem dry, add a splash of soy sauce or water.
Top Tips
- Don't overcook the noodles! Sweet potato noodles can become too soft if overcooked. Be sure to cook them al dente and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Season the beef well. Salt and pepper the beef before stir-frying for extra flavor. Don’t forget to cook it in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the pan. Alternatively, you can make extra sauce and marinade the beef in the japchae sauce!
- Prep ingredients in advance! This recipe moves quickly once you start. Be sure to have everything prepped and ready when you start! To ensure everything cooks evenly, slice all your vegetables to the same size and shape, too. This also makes stir-frying quicker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Japchae is a beloved Korean dish featuring stir-fried glass noodles and vegetables, known for its savory and subtly sweet flavors!
Technically yes, however, the Korean glass noodles provide the classic texture that japchae is known for. If you prefer, you can use rice noodles or soba noodles instead.
More Recipes to Try
Beef Japchae
Ingredients
- 100 grams sweet potato noodles
- 2 small carrots julienned
- 3 small bell peppers thinly sliced
- 1 small onion sliced
- 6-8 shitake mushrooms sliced
- 2 cups spinach
- ½ lb sirloin sliced into strips
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
For the Sauce
- ¾ teaspoon sesame oil
- 2-4 garlic cloves pressed
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Soak the sweet potato noodles in warm water for 10-15 minutes, until softened.
- Season sirloin strips with salt and pepper. Set aside for 15 minutes.
- In a large pan over medium-low heat, add carrots and a pinch of salt. Sauté until softened. Remove and set aside. Repeat with onions, bell peppers and shiitake mushrooms. Cooking each vegetable individually prevents our veggies from steaming and also gives the pan room to remove moisture. Overcrowding will cause the veggies to steam but if you have a large enough pan, feel free to cook it all together.
- In the same pan over medium heat, add the sirloin strips and cook until the desired temperature. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Drain the sweet potato noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the sweet potato noodles and cook for 5-10 minutes or until softened. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- To make the sauce, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, pressed garlic, and honey.
- Add all the veggies and noodles to a large bowl and toss. Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss until the sauce is evenly mixed in.
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