Try this Vegan Zucchini Noodle Japchae recipe
- for the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2.5 packed cups spinach
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or oil of choice)
- 1 carrot, peeled cut into matchsticks and halved
- 1/2 white onion thinly sliced
- 1 3.5 oz container shiitake mushrooms stems removed, tops sliced into 1/2†pieces
- 1 large zucchini (or 2 medium) blade c
- toasted sesame seeds to garnish (about 1/4 tsp)
- 2 teaspoon honey (maple syrup or agave for vegans)
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- Carbohydrate 13.0804537750474 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 7.82100001308755 g
- Fiber 3.9453750071937 g
- Protein 6.50034001220589 g
- Saturated Fat 1.10342362684935 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (260g)
- Sodium 15.2499375303026 mg
- Sugar 9.13507876785368 g
- Trans Fat 0.556308001006339 g
- Calories 132 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring a small pot to a boil.
- While waiting to boil, combine all ingredients for the sauce, whisk together and set aside.
- Once water boils, add in the spinach for 30 seconds or until wilted and then transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate and gently squeeze out excess water.
- Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-heat and once heated, add in the olive oil.
- Once oil heats, add in the onion, carrots and shiitake mushrooms and cover and cook for 5-7 minutes or until mushrooms are wilted and carrots have mostly softened.
- Add in the zucchini noodles and toss for 2-3 minutes or until zucchini is cooked to al dente.
- Pour the noodle mixture into a colander and toss to let excess moisture drain out.
- Place the drained noodle mixture back into the skillet.
- Add in the spinach and pour in the sauce.
- Toss to combine all the flavors and warm the sauce, about 1 minute.
- Transfer to plates and garnish with sesame seeds.
When working with a single heavy skillet and limited counter space, moisture management becomes the primary operational hurdle. Zucchini naturally releases a high volume of water when heated, which can quickly dilute the soy-sesame sauce if the drainage step is skipped. Utilizing a colander immediately after the initial sauté stage stops the cooking process and prevents the vegetables from becoming waterlogged. Whisking the soy sauce and sweetener in a separate bowl beforehand allows the sesame oil to emulsify properly with the liquid components.
Managing Vegetable Textures
Different vegetables require specific thermal exposure to reach optimal doneness simultaneously without turning mushy. Shiitake mushrooms and dense carrot matchsticks need a covered five-to-seven-minute sweat to soften properly, whereas delicate spinach leaves require only thirty seconds of boiling water immersion to wilt safely. Squeezing the excess water from the spinach by hand prevents pooling liquid on the final plate. Swapping honey for maple syrup or agave nectar maintains the exact viscosity required for the sauce to cling to the vegetable strands.
- If the zucchini noodles release excess liquid during tossing, return the entire mixture to the hot skillet over medium-high heat for thirty seconds to evaporate residual water.
- Ensure the shiitake stems are completely removed before slicing the caps, as the fibrous stems remain tough even after prolonged steaming.
- Toast raw sesame seeds in a dry pan for precisely sixty seconds over medium heat if unroasted seeds are the only option available in the pantry.
