Korean Glass Noodles Stir Fry Recipe (2024)

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Impress friends and family with a fancy sounding, yet easy dish, and lovingly serve this Korean Glass Noodles Stir Fry. A spicy sweet and savory dish, brimming with delicate noodles made of sweet potatoes, jackfruit and veggies in the most delicious stir fry sauce. Top off the delightful dish with sesame seeds, scallions and cilantro for the perfect presentation.

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Korean Glass Noodles

This vegan glass noodles stir fry is a favorite dish of mine that I order from Tru Food kitchen any chance I get. I always ask for grilled tofu and bok choy add-ins, and it always hits the spot. Since I love it so much, I finally decided to come home and recreate it for myself. This is mainly because I want to eat it more often without feeling guilty that I’m eating out. I’m really glad I decided to do so because I absolutely love the homemade version!

I’ve always said that it’s hard to outdo homemade recipes. For example, the store bought versions of Homemade Apple Pie Filling or Homemade Cashew Milk just can’t be matched by the options you can make at home. I maintain that same outlook on this noodle dish now that I’ve made it for myself. Did I mention it’s naturally gluten-free and cruelty-free? You’re going to be head over heels for this one.

How to Make Korean Glass Noodles Stir Fry

Make the sauce – Combine all the delicious sauce ingredients and set aside.
Prepare the jackfruit – Drain and rinse the jackfruit before tearing it apart with your hands to resemble meat pieces.
Make the glass noodles – In a big pot of boiling water, cook the noodles for about 6 minutes. Drain and place in a bowl of ice cold water for cooling and non-sticking purposes.
Prep the mushrooms – In a large skillet, add a splash of oil or stir fry sauce, then saute the mushroom until they gain some color. Set aside.
Stir fry the vegetables – Add in the carrot, bell pepper and bok choy. Stir fry until the bok choy leaves have wilted. Transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms.
Add the jackfruit – Follow the same steps with the jackfruit and stir fry for a couple of minutes then add in the remaining of the sauce and veggies.
Combine – Add the noodles to the vegetable mixture, toss to coat, and cook for another minute. Add the scallions and cilantro. Garnish, serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Tips + Variations

Storage – Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I do not suggest freezing glass noodles stir fry.
Reheating – Reheat using the microwave. Cover with a damp paper towel to ensure the noodles don’t dry out too much.
Where to buy glass noodles? – Your best bet is your local Asian market. They’re popularly sold in these types of stores. There’s usually an Asian foods section in most grocery stores these days as well. You might find them there as well. If neither are an option for you, Amazon has your back.
Glass noodles substitute – There’s really no great substitute for these noodles since they’re so unique. However, you can always try kelp noodles, rice noodles, soba or angel hair pasta, but it just isn’t the same.
About the jackfruit – Depending on the brand and the batch of jackfruit, you may have to simmer the jackfruit pieces first to make sure they suit your preferences as far as softness goes. It’s important that you use the green unripe jackfruit not fresh.
Make it less spicy – You can always omit the pepper flakes and the sriracha sauce if the spice is too much for you. This will make it more of a savory sweet dish instead. Just note that removing the sriracha will change the flavor outcome quite a bit.
Don’t overcook the noodles – It’s really important you don’t overcook the glass noodles. Their texture just doesn’t turn out very pleasant when you do.

Korean Glass Noodles FAQ

What is JAPCHAE?

Japchae isn’t as complicated as its name might make it sound. Japchae is simply glass noodles served in a stir fry style with mixed vegetables added in. The name suggests a very specific dish, but you can adjust the veggies as you see fit. It’s an easy dish to customize to your preferences.

What are glass noodles made from?

Glass noodles look transparent and are often a greyish color. They’re largely made of sweet potato starch, along with mung bean starch, tapioca, green pea starch and canna. Canna being the root of an edible flour of the canna species. More specifically, it’s the starch from these roots, or rhizomes, that’s used in the making of glass noodles. Of course, depending on the brand, ingredients will vary.

Vegan Noodle Recipes

Vegan Peanut Noodles
Kelp Noodle Salad
Creamy Vegan Ramen Noodles
Vegan Vegetable Noodle Soup
Vegan Miso Noodle Soup
Vegan Kung Pao Tofu
Potsticker Salad.

5 from 1 vote

Vegan Korean Glass Noodles Stir Fry

Vegan Korean Glass Noodles Stir Fry - A spicy sweet and savory dish, brimming with delicate noodles made of sweet potatoes, meaty jackfruit, earthy shiitakes, sweet bell peppers and bok choy in the most delicious stir fry sauce.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Cook Time:20 minutes mins

Total Time:35 minutes mins

Ingredients

7 oz glass noodles
7 oz shiitake mushrooms thinly sliced + stems removed
2 bunches baby bok choy
1 red bell pepper julienned
1 carrot cut into sticks (or a mix of carrot + broccoli + mung beans)
4-5 scallions sliced
20 oz can green jackfruit drained and rinsed well (do not use fresh jackfruit)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro optional

Korean Stir Fry Sauce

7 tbsp Tamari
2 tbsp Sriracha sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 pinch red chili flakes to taste
2 tbsp sesame oil (replace with water for WFP compliance)
2 tbsp water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine all of the stir fry sauce ingredients and set aside until needed.
Drain and rinse the jackfruit discarding any tough pieces. When squeezed with your fingers the jackfruit should easily shred and resemble pulled meat. If this isn’t the case you might want to boil it for 5 to 10 minutes until softened. This will usually depend on the brand and that particular batch.
Cook the glass noodles in a big pot of boiling water for six minutes until al dente. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water immediately to stop the cooking process and keep the noodles from sticking to each other. It’s important not to overcook them.
Meanwhile preheat a large skillet over medium low heat and saute the mushrooms in a drizzle of oil or a splash of the sauce for a few minutes until they start to get a little color. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.
Add the carrot and bell pepper and stir fry a couple pf minutes until they begin to soften to your liking. Transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms.
Add the bok choy leaves to the pan and a drizzle of the sauce if needed and cook until the bok choy is wilted but still al dente then transfer to the bowl with the rest of the veggies. (Alternatively you could blanch the bok choy for 2 minutes before adding it to the stir fry).
Add the jackfruit pieces to the skillet and stir fry with another drizzle of the sauce until coated all over and gets a little color.
Pour in the remaining sauce and bring to a simmer.
Add the cooked glass noodles (make sure to drain the noodles well first) and all the vegetables then toss everything to coat well. Cook another minute or so until the noodles start to soak up some of that sauce. Remove from heat and add the scallions.
Serve hot garnished with the cilantro, extra chili flakes and sesame seeds.

Notes

Tips and Variations

Storage - Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I do not suggest freezing glass noodle stir fry.
Reheating - Reheat using the microwave. Cover with a damp paper towel to ensure the noodles don’t dry out too much or add a little splash of veggie stock..
Where to buy glass noodles? - Your best bet is your local Asian market. They’re popularly sold in these types of stores. There’s usually an Asian foods section in most grocery stores these days as well. You might find them there as well. If neither are an option for you, Amazon has your back.
Glass noodles substitute - There’s really no great substitute for glass noodles since they’re so unique. However, you can always try kelp noodles, thin rice noodles, soba, angel hair pasta, or vermicelli but it's just not the same thing.
About the jackfruit - Depending on the brand and the batch of jackfruit, you may have to simmer the jackfruit pieces first to make sure they suit your preferences as far as softness goes.
Don’t overcook the noodles - It’s important you don’t overcook the glass noodles. Their texture just doesn’t turn out very pleasant when you do, so 6 minutes total.

Nutrition

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Korean

Keyword: glass noodles, plant based, vegan stir fry

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 515kcal

Author: Florentina

Korean Glass Noodles Stir Fry Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you need to soak glass noodles before cooking? ›

How To Cook Glass Noodles. Some brands require soaking the noodles overnight, and others can be cooked immediately. The label will usually indicate best practices.

Is Korean glass noodles healthy? ›

Glass noodles are fat-free and great for weight-loss diets. Reducing fats in your meal will combat obesity, cardiovascular disease, and several other metabolic disorders. Cellophane noodles are also a great source of iron. Getting enough iron in your diet ensures that oxygen is transported through the body.

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What is this glass noodle dish from Korea called *? ›

Japchae (Korean: 잡채; Hanja: 雜菜) is a savory and slightly sweet dish of stir-fried glass noodles and vegetables that is popular in Korean cuisine.

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How are Korean glass noodles made? ›

'flour thread'), sometimes called glass noodles, are a type of transparent noodle made from starch (such as mung bean starch, potato starch, sweet potato starch, tapioca, or canna starch) and water. A stabilizer such as chitosan (or alum, illegal in some jurisdictions) may also be used.

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How long do you soak glass noodles? ›

Glass noodles take only 7 minutes to soak in room temp water, so no advance prep required. And they can linger in the water for a quite a bit longer with no harm done. Rice noodles take up to an hour to soak, and even though you can speed this up by using warm or hot water, that method risks over-soaking them.

How long does it take for glass noodles to cook? ›

Glass noodles are easy to make and cook quickly. They can be soaked in warm water for about 10 minutes or boiled like regular noodles, like here in our Japchae recipe. They don't take long to boil, so be careful not to overcook them. Only cook them until they are soft, which should take about five minutes.

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What are the healthiest noodles for stir fry? ›

Kelp noodles are best for a stir fry, or dishes that call for thin noodles, Vu says. If you're looking to keep calories as low as you can, use them in place of rice or ramen noodles.

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Are glass noodles good for stomach? ›

Glass noodles are also an amazing option if you have celiac, are gluten-sensitive, or are just on a gluten-free diet. Reducing the gluten in your diet can help increase your daily energy, help digestion, lower cholesterol, and more.

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Are glass noodles better for you than pasta? ›

Are glass noodles healthy? Despite not being made with flour, glass noodles are nutritionally similar to white flour–based pastas. (Each 1 cup serving of cooked glass noodles has 160 calories and 39 grams of carbohydrates, whereas the same amount of cooked spaghetti has 200 calories and only 24 grams of carbs.)

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What is the difference between Chinese and Korean glass noodles? ›

The most common glass noodles use mung beans or sweet potatoes. For example, in China most glass noodles are created with mung bean flour, whereas in Korea it's common to find noodles made with sweet potato starch and under the name dangmyeon.

What is another name for glass noodles? ›

Some other names for glass noodles that you might see include cellophane noodles, fensi, bean thread noodles, vermicelli, bean threads, or miến.

Is japchae eaten hot or cold? ›

The beauty of japchae is that you can eat it hot, room temperature, or even cold. It makes a great on-the-go lunch, as the noodles don't get soggy and there's a nice balance of vegetables and starch. This dish is also nice for potlucks, as it doesn't have to be served hot.

Tell Me More ›

What is dong fen in english? ›

Tang hoon, also called vermicelli, glass noodles, 冬粉 (dong fen, meaning winter noodles), is a light version of bee hoon, typically made from some kind of starch.