Japchae is the Korean dish that combines glass noodles, vegetables, and meat stir-fried with sesame oil and seasonings. Its noodles are usually dangmyeon, translucent noodles made from sweet-potato starch.
The dish is commonly seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, garlic, and sesame seeds. Typical ingredients include spinach, carrots, onions, mushrooms, and strips of beef, though vegetarian and meat-free versions are also common. The ingredients are often cooked separately before being mixed, helping preserve their textures and colors.
Japchae has a notable courtly origin story. It is traditionally said to have been created for a royal banquet during the Joseon period, although the modern version with starch noodles developed later after those noodles became available in Korea.
Despite their appearance, dangmyeon are not wheat noodles and are not the same as Japanese harusame or Chinese mung-bean glass noodles. Their sweet-potato-starch base gives japchae its characteristic springy chew.