10 Delicious Ways to Eat Kimchi (includes Korean Recipes) (2024)

FAQs

How do Koreans eat kimchi? ›

As a traditional side dish, kimchi is usually served with other side dishes (banchan) in Korean family households and restaurants. Kimchi can be eaten alone or with rice, but it is also included in the recipes of other traditional dishes, including soup, porridge, and rice cake.

The Korean term "Kimchi" refers to fermented vegetables, and encompasses salt and seasoned vegetables. It is mainly served as a side dish with every meal, but also can be served as a main dish. Kimchi is mainly recognized as a spicy fermented cabbage dish globally.

Warm and crunchy, spicy and pungent, tangy and garlicky—what's not to love about Korean kimchi? Aside from, of course, the amazing taste and probiotic benefits, one of the most exciting things about kimchi is that it uses different ingredients than many other fermented foods.

Kimchi ramen is one of the most loved dishes in Korean cuisine, combining the prized and very moreish kimchi, with rich, Japanese umami-flavoured ramen.

The use of bold seasonings like gochugaru and, in some regions, salted seafood, offer additional layers of complexity to the overall taste of the kimchi.

Enjoy plain kimchi cold or warmed up.

You can eat kimchi straight out of the fridge, or you can throw it in a small skillet and heat it up with 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of vegetable oil. It tastes great both ways! Some people prefer the cold, spicy taste, while others find the tangy texture best when heated up.

Classic Kimchi

Heat a large skillet over medium heat; add in the oil and swirl to coat. Add ½ the kimchi, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Sauté kimchi with sauce until kimchi is softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Kimchi can be eaten on its own, as a side dish, or as an ingredient in other foods. Its spicy, tangy flavor is an excellent complement to savory foods, and it's often paired with rice dishes to add contrast to a meal.

If you have store-bought kimchi that's been opened, it will be good for 3-4 days at room temperature and up to 6 months when refrigerated. Signs of your kimchi going bad include mold growth, an alcoholic smell, and an extremely sour taste.

ABOUT JONGGA

Jongga, Koreans' favorite Kimchi brand of all time, has been elevating the legacy and culture of Kimchi since 1987.

What is kimchi most commonly eaten with? ›

This fermented cabbage dish can be served as a side dish, over a bed of rice, folded into scrambled eggs, whirred into tomato sauce, or even just eaten as is. Here's what to know about kimchi, how to make kimchi, and some of our favorite recipes using it as a deeply flavorful ingredient.

What else can I do with kimchi besides eating it straight from the jar while the refrigerator door is open?" Korean cuisine offers a whole range of dishes that incorporate kimchi and its brining liquid (sometimes referred to as its "juice"), including soups, stews, noodles, and savory pancakes.

My kimchi is mushy, not crunchy like it should be, what went wrong? It's possible your kimchi fermented in a room that was too hot. Higher temperatures can lead to the bacteria becoming a bit overactive, breaking down the structure of the vegetables.

Along with fiber, vitamins, and minerals, kimchi contains natural probiotic bacteria. If you eat them regularly, the probiotics in fermented foods can be beneficial to your gut microbiome. Studies suggest that eating kimchi on a daily basis could help to improve some digestive problems.

The best side dishes to eat with kimchi are steamed white rice, steamed dumplings, fried shrimp, potstickers, beef and broccoli, egg roll in a bowl grilled meat, Korean pancakes, crispy tofu, japchae, Korean fried chicken, bibimbap, and pickled vegetables.

So do you eat kimchi hot or cold? If you are eating kimchi because of the amazing live cultures and nutrient availability it offers, we recommend eating it cold. Try some of our own favorite cold kimchi recipes to get started: Cold noodles with kimchi.

Kimchi can be eaten on its own, as a side dish, or as an ingredient in other foods. Its spicy, tangy flavor is an excellent complement to savory foods, and it's often paired with rice dishes to add contrast to a meal.

People can eat it as a side dish, use it as an ingredient in other meals, or eat it on its own. Although individuals can cook kimchi, keep in mind that heating any fermented foods can start to kill off the healthy probiotics.