These easy Korean spicy noodles are a little sweet, a little salty, and full of spice. Despite their depth of flavor, they come together in a quick 30 minutes and make for the perfect weeknight meal.
These easy Korean-style noodles are rich with flavor and have a nice kick of spice. If you’re looking at a Korean menu, they are referred to as “japchae”. What’s unique about this dish is that it’s made with a Korean-style sweet potato noodle. It’s hard to explain, but the texture is unlike any other noodle. They’re soft and silky, with a slightly sweet taste.
Whether you’re looking to add another noodle dish to your rotation or just trying to skim down on order takeouts, this dish is for you. With minimal prep and clean-up, it’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or those days when you’re not in the mood to do dishes (aka every day).
Did you know? Korean-style sweet potato noodles are naturally gluten-free.
What are Spicy Korean Noodles?
Spicy Korean noodles, or “japchae”, are made with sweet potato noodles, veggies, and a savory sauce. This slightly savory, slightly sweet noodle dish is extremely popular in Korean cuisine and used to be considered a “royal dish”. Today, it’s served at every occasion from potlucks to birthdays to weddings. Due to its easy preparation, it’s also found served as street food. Below, find a rundown of the flavor, texture, and cooking time.
- Flavor: Spicy Korean noodles are the perfect balance of savory, sweet, and salty.
- Texture: Smooth, chewy noodles are contrasted with crunchy veggies and tender bites of sliced beef.
- Time: From prep to table, this dish takes only 30 minutes to make.
How to Make Spicy Korean Noodles
Spicy Korean noodles only require some light preparation and a few wholesome ingredients to make. Below, find a quick overview of the recipe before you dive in.
- Slice the Beef & Veggies: Using a sharp knife, slice the beef into thin strips and chop your veggies. Prepare the Korean noodles according to the instructions on the package.
- Saute the Veggies: In a wok, saute the mushrooms. Set them aside. Next, saute the carrots. Set them aside.
- Prepare the Sauce: Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Saute the Beef: In the same wok, saute the beef. After the beef forms a crust, pour the sauce over the top and let simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Stir Fry the Ingredients: Add the noodles and veggies back into the wok. Toss in some green onion and stir to combine. Add in the spinach and stir fry the mixture for 5 minutes. Enjoy!
Tips for Making the Best Spicy Korean Noodles
Below, find a collection of tips and tricks to help you make the best spicy Korean noodles.
- Slice the beef against the grain. To prevent your beef from turning tough, always slice it against the grain. If you’re unsure what “against the grain” means, it refers to the direction that the muscle fibers run through a cut of beef. You always want to slice against the muscle fibers versus alongside them. This breaks up the fibers and makes beef easier to bite and chew.
- Saute the veggies in batches. To prevent your veggies from overcooking, prepare them in batches.
- Use a wok. A wok is perfect for making stir-fried noodles. The high edges prevent spillage and also allow you to push up the more cooked bits away from direct heat.
- Adjust the spice level to your liking. Depending on your preferred level of spice, add more or less sriracha and crushed red pepper flakes. When you make the sauce, taste it as you go to adjust the level to your liking.
Serving Spicy Korean Noodles
Serve these spicy Korean noodles for a quick weeknight dinner or bring them to your next potluck. They’re feeling enough on their own, but if you want to make a full-on spread, whip up some Korean-style chicken thighs or pork ribs in the air fryer. Also, don’t forget to pick up a bottle of kimchi. This fermented, spicy cabbage is hugely popular in Korean food and is often served as a side dish or topping. If you love sauerkraut, you’ll adore kimchi!
Storing Spicy Korean Noodles
Looking for ways to store spicy Korean noodles for later? We’ve done the testing for you. Here’s what we found.
- Refrigerator: Store leftover spicy Korean noodles in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should keep for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Not recommended. Korean sweet potato noodles are too starchy to freeze. Once they thaw out, they will turn mushy and break apart.
Reheating Tip: Reheat your Korean noodles in the microwave for a minute or two.
FAQ
Where can I purchase Korean-style sweet potato noodles?
You can purchase Korean-style noodles on Amazon or at most specialty Asian stores. If you’re having trouble finding them, they are also commonly referred to as “glass noodles” or “sweet potato noodles”.
What are Korean-style sweet potato noodles made of?
Korean-style sweet potato noodles are made of sweet potato starch and water. They have a very mild sweetness to them, but mostly taste just like glass rice noodles.
Are sweet potato noodles good for you?
Sweet potato noodles are fat-free and low-calorie. They are also naturally gluten-free.
Other Noodle Recipes
- Korean Stir-Fried Sweet Potato Noodles Recipe – Traditional japchae recipe
- Beef Lo Mein Recipe – Stir-fried beef and veggie noodles
- Simple Yakisoba Noodles Recipe – Japanese-style noodles
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb Korean noodles (also referred to as "glass noodles" or "sweet potato noodles")
- 1 lb beef
- 1 lb mushrooms
- 1/2 lb carrots
- 1 bunch green onions
- 1 lb spinach
Sauce
- 6 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp sriracha sauce
- 1 tbsp crushed red peppers
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cut beef into thin strips against the grain. Chop the veggies into similar-sized pieces. Cook the Korean noodles according to the package instructions.
- Preheat a wok with a little bit of oil over medium heat. Brown the mushrooms and set them aside. Brown the carrots and set them aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients. In the wok, cook the beef slices until they form a bit of a brown crust. Pour the sauce over the beef. Let the beef simmer in the sauce for a couple of minutes.
- Add the noodles, carrots, green onions, and mushrooms into the wok. Toss to combine everything together. Add spinach, stir to combine, and cook for 5 additional minutes.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Any suggestions for a spinach substitute? It’s a hard one because of the volume shrinkage and texture.
Hi Ingrid, The spinach in supposed to shrink in volume and most greens will do the same thing when cooked. However, if you don't prefer the texture, feel free to omit it.
As a Korean-American, this is so cringe. Sriracha isn’t Korean, you should be using gochujang. Please if you’re looking for Korean recipes, use recipes written by actual Koreans. Maangchi, or Korean bapsang.
As a Japanese-American, I was never hung up on actual authencity of the dish. Some of the best dishes are Asian fushion dishes.
Only in America does anyone care whether one’s country’s version of a recipe is authentic. But…gochujang is delicious.
After making it tonight, I agree on the gochujang. Also, cut the sesame oil at least in half, and add some garlic. I think the backbone here is great but it's way too much sesame oil in my opinion.
Thanks for the feedback, David!
Hi, Candice! Thank you for taking the time to comment. This recipe was given to me by a coworker, and this is how her family made it. I understand that not every ingredient may be fully authentic or the way that you would make it. We love my coworkers recipe nonetheless. 🙂
Is your coworker Korean? I’ve never heard of a Korean noodle dish using glass noodles and sriracha. Glass noodles are used for japchae, which is not a spicy dish. And again, sriracha is not a Korean ingredient. I think maybe you should just rename this recipe as a spicy noodle dish and not call it Korean.
Korean ingredients aren’t always easy to find, so maybe it was used as a substitute. I have no clue. But I think we can just appreciate this recipe for its own charm and if you don’t like it. Don’t use it. 🙂
What do I put for the sauce
Hi Gino- the sauce ingredients are also listed in the recipe card!
Delicious! I have a question, I always use "stir fry" meat from Whole Foods for my stir fry's however i'm always ending up with a ton of juice while initially cooking the meat. Do you have any tips to avoid that because it ends up just cooking the meat fully instead of searing? None of the recipes i've followed mention anything about that. Thanks!
Hey Gisella, this happens when you overcrowd the pan. I would cook less meat at a time or use a larger pan. Enjoy
This looks yummy. I have a question, what if I just want to make it w/o meat, just noodles and veggies. How would I deviate from this?
Hey Michelle, you totally can. Just skip the step with the meat part. Add extra veggies this way the sauce is balanced.
Do you start with 1 lb of dry glass noodles or is it 1 pound after they are cooked? The packages are usually very small (3.5 oz) and you end up with about 1 lb noodles after cooked.
Hey Sherry, we use 1lb of uncooked noodles. Sometimes I add fewer noodles and more veggies. Hope this helps
This recipe was amzing my grandma and I loved it
I'm so glad you both enjoyed the recipe, thank you for taking the time to comment!
Is there a substitute for the brown sugar?
Yes, you can use regular sugar.
I love it so much and thanks for your recipe❤
I have tried it . I love it . Thank u
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you for your feedback.
Looks easy to make.. I am gonna try today👍
I hope you love the recipe, circle back and let me know how it went!
Can you use rice noodles instead of glass noodles?
Rice noodles can get a bit mushy and I wouldn't recommend them for this recipe. The texture of the noodles is what makes this dish amazing. You can purchase them in most Asian food markets or even amazon.
How do you make the noodles?
Hi Emily, I typically purchase the noodles. Haven't tried making them.
She means how do you cook the noodles. Typically Asian glass noodles have no cooking directions, at least in English.
Linda, that makes sense now. Thanks for helping out. We boil the glass noodles for about 5 minutes and run it under right after they are drained.
What kind of beef do you use
Hi Lee, I like to use any lean beef cuts that I can slice very thinly. Cuts like sirloin or top round steak would work great!
These spicy noodles are going to be amazing for our monthly ladies party. We're all about that Asain food. Can't wait to try it.
I hope you all will love them! They do reheat really wells so it would be perfect!
I have an undeniable love for Asian stir fry noodles. These Korean spicy noodles look so delicious! My husband is going to love this Asian noodle recipe!
Dina, my husband loves it too and doesn't even complain about all the veggies. We love a good noodle recipe!
I love all the veggies that you added to these korean spicy noodles! It looks like the most perfect easy weeknight meal.
Thank you Katya. It a good way to hide a ton of veggies in one dish.
How do you make the carrots look like that? We have just been shredding them but I want to make them how it’s pictured. Could you please share your secret with me?🙏🏼
I purchase shredded carrots. I love using them for noodles recipes, not so much for salads.
I am putting these Korean noodles on my regular rotation. They look perfect for a quick midweek dinner!
Yes, they reheat really great too. Next day lunch is covered! Its a win win 🙂