By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 6
145 cal · 25 min
Japchae (Korean Sweet Potato Noodle Stir-Fry)
Recipe GLPRf5ca6a1a910369
A classic Korean stir-fry featuring tender beef and chewy sweet potato glass noodles tossed together with a savory-sweet sesame-soy glaze. This restaurant-quality dish comes together quickly with simple ingredients and delivers complex, satisfying flavors in just 25 minutes.
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Ingredients
1 pound boneless New York or ribeye steak
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons mirin
1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, and brown sugar until the sugar dissolves completely. Set the sauce aside.
Pat the steak dry with paper towels and trim any excess fat. Slice the beef very thinly against the grain into bite-sized pieces.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering and very hot.
Working in two batches to avoid crowding, add the sliced beef to the hot skillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes per batch, stirring frequently, until the beef is browned on the outside and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. Transfer the cooked beef to a plate.
Return all the cooked beef to the skillet and pour the reserved sauce over it. Toss gently to coat all the beef with the glaze, cooking for another 30 seconds until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the meat.
Transfer the glazed beef to a serving platter. Divide evenly among 6 portions and serve immediately while the beef is warm and the sauce is glossy.
Comments
The ingredient list is suspiciously short—a real japchae needs sweet potato noodles (dangmyeon), spinach, carrots, mushrooms, and garlic at minimum, none of which appear here, so you're looking at a second trip to an Asian market or specialty section, likely Harris Teeter's or Kroger's international aisle. The stated 25 minutes ignores the time to blanch vegetables and toast sesame seeds; expect 40–45 minutes with proper prep. At roughly $12–14 for six servings once you source the noodles and vegetables, the cost per serving lands under $2.50, which is solid, and the dish reheats reasonably well for leftovers. It's a weeknight-friendly family dish that doesn't demand constant attention once the stir-frying starts, though the missing core ingredients mean this recipe as written won't deliver authentic japchae texture and flavor.
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