This one pan vegan japchae will definitely be your next favorite meal to make! This Korean inspired glass noodles stir-fry features bouncy noodles and colorful veggies cooked in a savory rich sauce. Easy to throw together and is ready in 30 minutes.
This vegan japchae is definitely on my top noodles dish to make, along with vegan jajangmyeon and peanut noodles with tofu. This noodle dish is actually on my weekly meal rotation for quite a while now, and it is time I share it!
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💚Why you will love this recipe
- Quick and easy, fuss-free one pan meal - Traditional ones takes quite some time and effort to make, as each vegetables are cooked separately. However, in this simplified version, everything is made in one pan.
- High in fiber and nutrients - This vegan japchae is packed with colorful and vibrant veggies!
- Rich and packed full of flavors - The sauce for this Korean stir-fry glass noodles is incredibly flavorsome and savory. It is one of those dishes that will please even non-vegans!
- Versatile and customizable - You can enjoy it hot or cold, as a side dish or main, for lunch or dinner. Plus, most components of this recipe can be easily substituted with whatever you have on hand.
- Stores well and freezable - This vegan japchae is a great meal prep recipe, and the ingredients can be easily multiplied to make a bigger batch.
🤔What is japchae
Japchae is a popular Korean side dish that is usually served on special occasions and festive seasons. It consist mainly of vegetables and sweet potato noodles (dangmyeon) seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil. Sometimes, meat like pork and beef are also added.
In this vegan version, we will be substituting meat with pan fried tofu.
What is sweet potato noodles, then?
Sweet potato noodles, sometimes also known as glass noodles, are essentially noodles made from sweet potato starch instead of wheat flour. They have a unique texture and are chewy, elastic and bouncy. They are naturally gluten-free too, and are a great alternative for those who are intolerant to gluten.
You can find sweet potato noodles in most well stock groceries, usually in the international food aisle. They are also available in most Asian groceries for a cheaper price.
If you still have no luck finding them, you can always purchase them online through Amazon.
🧄What you will need
📃Notes / Substitutions
- Shiitake mushrooms - You can use both dried or fresh shiitake. If using dried, soak them in water for a few hours, or in hot water for 20-30 minutes, until they plump up.
- Sweet potato noodles - Can be substituted with cellophane noodles in a pinch, but it is recommended to stick with it.
- Spinach - You can use frozen ones, but do let it thaw slightly before adding into the pan.
- Oil-free - Omit sesame oil in sauce, and use ¼ cup of water to saute your veggies in place of oil. Make sure to use a good non-stick wok or pan. As for tofu, you can pan-fry them without oil or bake them at 200C/400F for 20 minutes.
🔪How to make
In a bowl, combine together all ingredients needed for the sauce. Mix well.
Boil a pot of water and cook noodles according to package instructions. I cooked mine for around 8 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water for 30 seconds. Using a scissors, give it a few cut.
While cooking noodles, make your tofu. Combine cornstarch and salt. Then, place tofu cubes along with cornstarch mixture into a zip-top bag and toss until tofu are well coated.
Heat up a tablespoon of neutral oil in a wok or pan on medium high heat. Place tofu in one layer and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until most sides are golden brown. Set aside.
In the same wok/pan, add in other ½ tablespoon of oil. Add in onion and saute for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Next, stir in garlic and cook for an addition 1 minute.
Toss in carrot and red pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until they have soften slightly, stirring frequently. Subsequently, add your mushrooms and spinach. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until spinach are wilted.
Add noodles, tofu cubes and sauce into the pan and give everything a good stir. Turn the heat off and enjoy vegan japchae while warm!
✔Helpful tips
- Use pre-cut noodles if possible. It is much easier to cook and handle, although you will still need to give it a few cuts after cooking!
- Use a large enough pan. As we will be tossing the ingredients around quite a lot, using a big pan will ensure that ingredients don't leap out of pan. Less mess is definitely a win!
- You can baked your tofu or cook them in the air-fryer instead of pan-frying them. Bake them in oven for 20-25 minutes at 200C/400F, or in the air fryer for 15-20 minutes at 180C/350F.
- Don't overcook your veggies! You will want them to still be slightly crunchy in the end. However, you can of course cook them for longer if you prefer your veggies to be soft.
✨Variations/add-ins
If you are not a fan of tofu, feel free to use other plant based protein in place. Seitan, tempeh and vegan chicken tenders are some great alternatives. Or, you can just omit it totally, no big deal!
As for the vegetables, you can switch it up and use whatever you have on hand. Broccoli, zucchini and other variety of mushrooms will all work great in vegan japchae.
To make Korean stir-fry glass noodles more veggie centered, you can substitute parts of noodles with zoodles, or zucchini noodles instead.
Love spicy foods? Throw in a teaspoon or so of gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes). Or, you can top it off with some hot sauce or sriracha, if desired.
Lastly, top your vegan japchae with some toasted sesame seeds and chopped scallions before serving for some extra flavors and texture!
🍜How to serve
This vegan japchae is pretty hearty on its own, but you can definitely serve it with something else to make it more filling!
You can serve it with traditional Korean ban chan, or side dishes, like kimchi, Korean pancakes, salads like cucumber salad, and veggies like stir-fry zucchini or bok choy.
You could also serve it on a bed of rice, alongside some condiments like gochujang sauce or black bean sauce. When I have some extra time on hand, I will omit tofu and make myself some gochujang tofu to pair with vegan japchae instead!
❔Commonly asked questions
Yes, this vegan japchae is naturally gluten-free, as sweet potato noodles and other ingredients used are all free from gluten. The only thing to take note is to make sure you are using gluten-free soy sauce, or you can substitute it with tamari.
No, vegan japchae is not spicy, and are suitable for kids or those who are sensitive to spices. However, you can make it spicy by throwing in a generous pinch of Korean red pepper flakes or regular chili flakes while cooking. Alternatively, drizzle on some hot sauce or sriracha before serving.
Korean sweet potato noodles, or dangmyeon are commonly used in japchae. They are made from sweet potato starch, and are transparent in colour. The noodles also have a unique chewy and bouncy texture.
However, if you really can't find sweet potato noodles, the second best choice is Chinese glass noodles, or cellophane noodles.
You can eat japchae hot, chilled or even at room temperature. It all comes down to personal preference!
Vegan japchae can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days in a sealed container. It is also freezable too and will keep for 3 months when frozen. To freeze, first divide noodles into individual portions, either in sealed containers or zip-top bags. They are now ready to be frozen!
To reheat, let japchae thaw completely in the fridge overnight, or on countertop for a few hours. Alternatively, you can use the microwave's "defrost" setting to speed up the process.
Proceed on heating it up in a pan with some sesame oil over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add a splash of water if mixture appears dry. Or, sprinkle on some water and heat noodles in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, until thoroughly warmed.
The texture of tofu might change after freezing and turns chewier, but will still taste amazing regardless!
🍽More vegan Asian dinners
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Japchae (Korean Glass Noodles Stir-fry)
Ingredients
For sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
For stir-fry
- 7 oz sweet potato noodles (dangmyeon) *
- ½ medium yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium carrot julienned
- 1 red bell pepper julienned
- 4-6 fresh shiitake mushroom or dried**
- 4 oz spinach ***
For tofu
- 1 14 oz block extra firm tofu drained, pressed and cubed
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch/tapioca starch/arrowroot starch
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine together all ingredients needed for the sauce. Mix well.¼ cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- Boil a pot of water and cook noodles according to package instructions. I cooked mine for around 8 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water for 30 seconds. Using a scissors, give it a few cut.7 oz sweet potato noodles
- While cooking noodles, make your tofu. Combine cornstarch and salt. Then, place tofu cubes along with cornstarch mixture into a zip-top bag and toss until tofu are well coated.1 14 oz block extra firm tofu, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt
- Heat up a tablespoon of neutral oil in a wok or pan on medium high heat. Place tofu in one layer and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until most sides are golden brown. Set aside.
- In the same wok/pan, add in other ½ tablespoon of oil. Add in onion and saute for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Next, stir in garlic and cook for an addition 1 minute.½ medium yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Toss in carrot and red pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until they have soften slightly, stirring frequently.1 medium carrot, 1 red bell pepper
- Next, add your mushrooms and spinach. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until spinach are wilted.4-6 fresh shiitake mushroom, 4 oz spinach
- Add noodles, tofu cubes and sauce into the pan and give everything a good stir. Turn the heat off and enjoy vegan japchae while warm!
Notes
- Use pre-cut noodles if possible. It is much easier to cook and handle, although you will still need to give it a few cuts after cooking!
- Use a large enough pan. As we will be tossing the ingredients around quite a lot, using a big pan will ensure that ingredients don't leap out of pan. Less mess is definitely a win!
- You can baked your tofu or cook them in the air-fryer instead of pan-frying them. Bake them in oven for 20-25 minutes at 200C/400F, or in the air fryer for 15-20 minutes at 180C/350F.
Reheating - To reheat, let japchae thaw completely in the fridge overnight, or on countertop for a few hours. Alternatively, you can use the microwave's "defrost" setting to speed up the process.
Heat it up in a pan with some sesame oil over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add a splash of water if mixture appears dry. Or, sprinkle on some water and heat noodles in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, until thoroughly warmed.
The texture of tofu might change after freezing and turns chewier, but will still taste amazing regardless!
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
joshua barbara
This doesn’t have gochujang, nor ginger in the recipe. I recommend using sesame oil for all oils.
Meesha
Authentic Japchae usually do not include gochujang or ginger, but you can add them in if you like!
Ali
This was so good! I had most ingredients on hand so it was super economical and easy to make too. Will definitely be making it again.
Meesha
Yay, really glad you like it!