Japchae

Difficulty

Intermediate

Cooktime

35 minutes

Dangmyeon (Korean glass noodles) and stir-fried vegetables are tossed a light soy-based sauce, along with chewy strips of JUST Egg.

About this recipe

This plant-based take on japchae (잡채), a beloved Korean stir-fried glass noodle dish, swaps out the meat and chicken eggs for tasty strips of JUST Egg Folded. It's a time-saving hack that adds protein without compromising on flavor.

At the heart of this colorful stir-fry are dangmyeon, deliciously chewy sweet potato starch noodles that are naturally gluten-free. If you don't see them at your go-to grocery store, try a Korean market or other Asian grocery store, or order them online. Mung bean vermicelli or rice noodles will also do in a pinch.

In Korean cuisine, a bowl of japchae is an equally welcome sight at a festive gathering or on a busy weeknight dinner table. Just goes to show how easy-to-make and easy-to-love this dish is. Plus, this vegan japchae is nutritious and endlessly customizable – so there’s really no excuse not to put this veggie-packed meal in your recipe rotation. If you’re looking for more plant-based Korean recipes, check out the amazing recipes and writing by Joanne of The Korean Vegan. And for more easy vegan dinner ideas or recipes with JUST Egg, visit our cookbook page.

Serves 2

2 JUST Egg Folded
2-3 green onions
½ a red bell pepper
1 medium onion
4-5 mushrooms, any kind
1 medium carrot
120-170g (4-6oz) fresh adult spinach
150-200g (5-7oz) dangmyeon (Korean sweet potato starch noodles)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt
Vegetable oil

Key Equipment

Equipment

3-4 quart saucepan
Large bowl

01 / 06

Cook the vegetables

vegetables

Wash the green onions and cut them into 2-inch pieces. Cut the red bell pepper and onion into thin strips. Slice the mushrooms. Peel or scrub the carrot and slice it into julienne strips. In a medium skillet, stir-fry the vegetables in separate batches with a bit of vegetable oil, until tender. Transfer all of the cooked vegetables to a plate or bowl.

02 / 06

Heat the JUST Egg

Egg

Return the skillet again to medium heat, add another dash of vegetable oil and cook the JUST Egg Folded for about 5 minutes, flipping halfway through. It should be heated through completely. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into very thin slices.

03 / 06

Blanch the spinach

spinach

Bring a half-filled medium saucepan of water to a boil. Once boiling, salt the water well. Clean the spinach thoroughly, then add it to the boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer the cooked spinach to a colander (keeping the boiling water for the noodles) then rinse the spinach with cold water to stop the cooking. Drain and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Chop roughly, then add to the plate of cooked vegetables.

04 / 06

Prepare the noodles

noodles

Add the sweet potato starch noodles to the pot of boiling water (bring back to a boil if needed) and cook for 5 to 7 minutes (or according to the package instructions), until fully softened and translucent. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking. Rinse the noodles in cool water and drain in a colander. Transfer to a very large bowl. If the noodles are very long, use clean kitchen scissors to cut them up a bit.

05 / 06

Add the sauce

sauce

To the bowl of noodles, add 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of sugar and ¼ teaspoons of ground black pepper. Mix very well. Add the cooked vegetables and JUST Egg strips to the bowl and mix again. Taste for salt and pepper.

06 / 06