Delicious Vegan Japchae

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What is Vegan Japchae?

VEGAN JAPCHAE or CHAPCHAE (Korean Glass Noodles With Stir-Fried Vegetables) is a sweet, delicious, and savory dish that will delight both the eyes and the palate with its chewy stir-fried potato starch glass noodles (dangmyeon) mixed with a gorgeous and colorful array of tender-crisp vegetables.

Finished dish with delicious japchae ingredients around the plate

Why Cook Japchae?

DID YOU KNOW? In the early 17th century, people considered japchae as a royal dish and it originally did not include any noodles. According to the Korea Tourism Organization (2017), cooks first created it for King Gwanghaegun’s palace banquet. The dish quickly gained prestige, and the royal family and other high-level officials enjoyed it as a luxurious dish.

Today, japchae ranks as one of the most popular dishes in Korean cuisine. People traditionally cook it with potato starch glass noodles, stir-fried meat, mushrooms, and vegetables like carrots, onions, and spinach. Since then, the recipe has evolved, but the beauty of this dish remains the same.

Photograph of the delicious mix of vegetables, noodles, and other ingredients for vegan japchae

Koreans often serve japchae during celebration​​s and festive holidays. But we can definitely enjoy it as an everyday dish. Although this recipe is vegan and therefore not traditional, the combination of flavors and ingredients in this is still incredibly good and will leave you craving more!

This is my go-to recipe when I’m cooking for my loved ones because it is so easy to prepare, has simple ingredients, and is a definite crowd-pleaser. I also discovered a secret ingredient for the classic vegan egg garnish (jidan) in traditional japchae! View the recipe card in this post to see what it is!

If you’re looking for more easy and simple noodle recipes, you’ll also love this Savory & Umami Mushroom Ramen Noodle Soup that is perfect for days when you just want a comforting embrace of coziness and warmth.

Finished dish with all of the delicious japchae ingredients

how to cook this delicious Vegan Japchae

by Bianca Marie San Luis

Vegan Japchae (Korean Glass Noodles with Stir-Fried Vegetables)

A Korean dish that captivates both the eyes and the palate with its chewy potato starch glass noodles mixed with a gorgeous and colorful array of savory and crisp vegetables + a secret ingredient for the classic vegan egg garnish in traditional japchae!
Print Recipe
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 230 g Korean sweet potato starch glass noodles (dangmyeon)
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 1/2 Sweet onion
  • 1 cup Dried black fungus (wood ear mushrooms)
  • 50 g Sliced tofu skin (vegan jidan/egg substitute)
  • 1 Carrot
  • 1/2 Red bell pepper
  • 1/2 Yellow bell pepper
  • A handful of spinach
  • Oil, for sautéing
  • Toasted white sesame seeds, for garnish
  • A pinch of salt for the noodles
  • A pinch of black salt for the eggy taste of tofu skin (optional)
For the sauce
  • 3 tbsp Soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp Brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp Sesame oil

Method
 

PREPARATION
  1. Cook the dried black fungus in boiling water for 20 to 30 minutes (or until it has softened). Roughly chop into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
  2. For the jidan, cook the sliced tofu skin in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and let it cool. (TIP: You may add a pinch of black salt or kala namak to replicate the eggy taste). Set aside.
  3. Put the glass noodles into boiling water with a little salt and let it boil for at least 10 minutes (may vary according to packaging instructions). Once it is cooked, drain the noodles and mix with a tablespoon of sesame oil and a pinch of salt. Set aside in a bowl.
  4. To blanch the spinach, bring a pot of water to boil. Cook the spinach in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Once it has wilted and has turned into a bright green color, remove it with a slotted spoon and submerge it into a bowl with ice and water for at least 1 minute then drain (this step helps preserve its bright color and texture). Drain and gently squeeze out the excess water from the spinach. Set aside.
  5. Mince the garlic. Thinly slice the onion. Slice the carrot and bell peppers into julienne strips.
  6. In a small and dry frying pan, toast the white sesame seeds until it turns fragrant and golden in color. Let it cool and set aside. Now we are ready to start cooking japchae! YAY!
COOKING PROCESS
  1. In a large non-stick pan, sauté the garlic and sweet onion with oil until it is aromatic. Add the wood ear mushrooms and stir fry for at least 2 minutes over medium heat.
  2. Add the strips of carrot and bell peppers into the pan and stir fry for a few minutes, but be careful not to overcook it. We want the vegetables to be cooked with a tender-crisp texture.
  3. Add the noodles into the pan and mix in with the sauce and other ingredients (spinach and tofu skin).
  4. Serve hot on a plate and garnish with the sliced tofu skin and toasted white sesame seeds.

Notes

  • For the jidan or vegan egg garnish substitute, I used tofu skin. Tofu skin is a great source of plant-based protein. It contains approximately 44 to 50 grams of protein per 100 grams. So cool, right?
 
SAVE this post for food inspo and FOLLOW @my.vegan.harvest on Instagram for more delicious recipes 💛
With love, Bianca

Historical Info Reference:

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