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Jump to RecipeDo you want delicious, healthy, and comforting noodles? Look no further than this Vegan Jap Chae Noodles Recipe. I hope you love this recipe as much as we do – we honestly go through phases where we eat this exact dish 3-5 times a week sometimes. It’s that tasty.
What is Jap Chae?
Japchae, also spelled as chapchae, is a popular Korean dish that consists of stir-fried glass noodles made from sweet potato starch. It’s incredibly versatile and soaks up whatever sauce you toss it in. It’s similar to tofu in that way. But it’s a popular alternative to traditional gluten noodles. Jap chae is naturally gluten free! Which makes it really healthy in more regards than one.
Jap Chae for Weight Loss
Jap Chae is great at helping you lose weight! It’s much healther than traditional noodles and is naturally low in fat. Curious to read more about its weight loss properties and why it’s a popular weight loss meal in Korea? It comes in a few forms too – from thinner vermicilli like noodles to thicker, chunkier noodles. Also – it can be eaten hot or cold which makes it even more versatile.
Where to buy Jap Chae Noodles
Depending on where you live, it’s possible you can find Jap Chae Noodles in your town. I live in Portland, so have a plethora of Asian grocery stores near me (H-Mart and 99 Ranch primarily) where there’s a whole section of Jap Chae Noodles to choose from.
If you don’t have any Asian Supermarkets near you – there’s always Amazon! This is my favorite brand of Jap Chae Noodles that you can buy straight on Amazon.
How to press and marinate your tofu
If you opt to use tofu like I did in this recipe, pressing your tofu helps it maintain a thicker and less fragile texture. I always press tofu to get the water out before cooking with it. I find that it allows it to soak in flavors more easily.
Here is the tofu press that I personally use (and love)
I highly recommend marinating it after pressing for optimal flavor. As pictured above, I just tossed a little bit of low sodium soy sauce into a ziploc bag and let it soak up all the sauce for a few hours.
Vegan Jap Chae
Equipment
- 1 Tofu Press Optional
Ingredients Â
- 1 Block Super Firm Tofu
- 2 Tablespoon Tahini
- 1/3 Cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
- 1/8 Cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce (For Tofu)
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic
- 8-12 Ounces Veggies
- 1 Fistful Jap Chae Noodles (Equates to about 4 Ounces)
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Honey or Maple Syrup
InstructionsÂ
Tofu
- Press your tofu to your desired consistency. I use super firm tofu that has very little water inside. Once pressed, I slice into planks to be placed into my marinade.
- Add the 1/8 Cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce into a bag with the tofu planks. Let marinate for a few hours.
- Put 1 Tablespoon of chosen oil into a pan on medium high heat
- Add tofu planks one by one and cook evenly until desired cookness. I normally cook mine for about 10 minutes to get a nice "char" going on.
Noodles
- Cut your Jap Chae Noodles in half (This is a personal preference)
- Grab one fistful and put into boiling water for 10 minutes.
- Strain and put back into pot
Veggies
- Saute your chosen veggies (I normally use Snow Peas or Green Beans) over medium high heat.
Sauce
- Mix the soy sauce, tahini, garlic, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey/maple syrup together in a bowl.
Fold it all together
- Once all aspects of the meal are done – mix everything together in the strained pot of Jap Chae Noodles.. Thoroughly combine and enjoy.
