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    Home » Recipes » Courses

    Published: Apr 22, 2021 · Modified: Sep 5, 2022 by Julia · This post may contain affiliate links · 20 Comments

    Quick & Easy Homemade Kimchi

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Kimchi is a necessity in our household. Kimchi, a spicy fermented cabbage, is usually served as a side dish in Korean cuisine, but is also used in this quick and easy kimchi fried rice recipe and in a piping hot bowl of kimchi stew. Homemade kimchi allows you to adjust the spice and umami levels by playing around with the amount of hot pepper flakes and fish sauce.

    There is definitely a traditional way to make kimchi that involves large tubs and creating a glutinous rice paste. The time and energy that goes into creating traditional kimchi is what makes the ones you find in Korean restaurants unbeatable. I've been told that one doesn't merely judge a Korean restaurant by how good their food is, but by how well their kimchi is made. Having eaten Korean food from Atlanta to LA all way to Korea, itself, I can definitely say that's true.

    Fortunately, I can still make a quick and easy kimchi at home that's just as delicious. The paste includes gochugaru (hot pepper flakes), fish sauce, and some sugar. I love adding in scallions and julienned Korean radish for the added crunch.

    Ingredients

    • Napa cabbage
    • Hot pepper flakes
    • Fish sauce
    • Sugar
    • Minced garlic
    • Scallions
    • Julienned daikon or carrots

    Instructions

    1. Cut 1 large napa cabbage in half lengthwise. Then cut each half into quarters. Wash each piece throughly and place into a sieve with a large bowl underneath.
    2. Add ½ cup kosher salt and use your hands to ensure to each piece is covered in salt. Let sit for 2 hours. The salt helps to draw water out of the cabbage
    3. After 2 hours, rinse the cabbage several times under cold water. You want to do this so the kimchi isn't too salty. Let cabbage drain while you prepare the spice paste.
    4. In a separate bowl, make the spice paste. Mix ½ cup hot pepper flakes, ⅓ cup fish sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 3 cloves minced garlic, 3 stalks of scallions, and a handful of julienned daikon. Mix well until it forms a thick paste. If you need more liquid, add more fish sauce.
    5. Put on a pair of gloves and use your hands to spread the paste on the cabbage. Ensure that each piece is evenly and well coated.
    6. Store in a jar (I like using mason jars or old pasta glass jars)

    You can enjoy immediately for a more fresh kimchi or let it sit on the counter for 2-3 days to ferment and move to the fridge.

    kimchi
    Print Pin
    4.95 from 17 votes

    Quick and Easy Kimchi

    A quick and easy kimchi recipe that still packs a punch and perfect for weekday banchan
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine Korean
    Diet Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Vegetarian
    Prep Time 2 hours 10 minutes
    Total Time 30 minutes
    Servings 8
    Author Julia

    Ingredients

    • 1 large napa cabbage
    • ½ cup hot pepper flakes
    • ⅓ cup fish sauce
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    • 3 stalks scallions
    • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
    • ¼ cup Korean radish (julienned)

    Instructions

    • Cut 1 large napa cabbage in half lengthwise. Then cut each half into quarters. Wash each piece throughly and place into a sieve with a large bowl underneath.
    • Add ½ cup kosher salt and use your hands to ensure to each piece is covered in salt. Let sit for 2 hours.
    • After 2 hours, rinse the cabbage several times under cold water. Let cabbage drain.
    • In a separate bowl, make the spice paste. Mix ½ cup hot pepper flakes, ⅓ cup fish sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 3 cloves minced garlic, 3 stalks of scallions, and a handful of julienned daikon. Mix well until it forms a thick paste.
    • Put on a pair of gloves and use your hands to spread the paste on the cabbage. Ensure that each piece is evenly and well coated.
    • Store in sealed jar.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tyanne Johnson says

      April 26, 2021 at 9:48 am

      5 stars
      Pictures are glorious and look super tasty!

      Reply
    2. Angela says

      April 26, 2021 at 1:01 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for the great recipe! I've always wanted to make my own at home.

      Reply
    3. Audrey says

      April 26, 2021 at 1:04 pm

      5 stars
      One of my favorite things at Korean bbq restaurants is the kimchi. I never knew it was so easy to make!! I can now enjoy this at home.

      Reply
    4. Estee says

      April 26, 2021 at 1:11 pm

      5 stars
      I needed this!!! Been wanting to make kimchi fried rice for ages but haven’t found kimchi! Thank you!

      Reply
    5. Jamie says

      April 26, 2021 at 2:02 pm

      5 stars
      Fast and easy indeed! I love this with everything!

      Reply
    6. Lilly says

      April 26, 2021 at 2:16 pm

      5 stars
      My Kimchi turned out perfect! Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    7. Swathi says

      April 26, 2021 at 4:30 pm

      5 stars
      This quick and easy kimchi looks yum.

      Reply
    8. Debra says

      April 27, 2021 at 7:54 am

      5 stars
      So easy...and super tasty too. Thanks.

      Reply
    9. Leslie says

      April 27, 2021 at 9:46 am

      5 stars
      Super easy kimchi recipe! LOVE!

      Reply
    10. maur says

      April 27, 2021 at 10:20 pm

      5 stars
      I love Kimchi, and this flavor sounds so tasty. I will try making a batch this weekend.

      Reply
    11. Amy says

      April 27, 2021 at 11:43 pm

      5 stars
      I love kimchi but I have never tried making my own as I've never really found a recipe that I was happy with. But I love this one! Quick and easy are music to my ears!

      Reply
    12. Sangita says

      April 28, 2021 at 10:13 pm

      5 stars
      This is a very easy and refreshing recipe.

      Reply
    13. Linda says

      April 29, 2021 at 2:49 pm

      5 stars
      Oh yum! I love kimchi, especially when combined with ramen. This quick and easy version will be a new addition at our home

      Reply
      • Julia says

        April 30, 2021 at 10:24 am

        Kimchi is great with any type of noodles!

        Reply
    14. Natalie says

      April 30, 2021 at 3:15 am

      5 stars
      I always wanted to make my own kimchi at home. Your recipe sounds easy to follow. I will definitely make it now. Thanks!

      Reply
    15. Ayngelina Brogan says

      May 03, 2021 at 1:31 pm

      5 stars
      Something I have always wanted to learn how to make, thank you!

      Reply
    16. Alexandra says

      May 03, 2021 at 4:18 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for sharing this - I am so excited to try this - love kimchi!

      Reply
    17. Paul says

      September 05, 2022 at 4:04 am

      I know this post is over a year old but...
      "You can enjoy immediately for a more fresh kimchi or let it sit on the counter for 2-3 to ferment and move to the fridge."
      2-3 minutes? hours? days? weeks? months? years? etc?

      Reply
      • Julia says

        September 05, 2022 at 8:58 am

        Great catch, it's 2-3 days!

        Reply
    18. Nancy Miller says

      December 11, 2022 at 2:12 pm

      Thank you for this recipe! The Korean meal, kimchi, usually contains Korean radishes, Napa cabbage, and various flavors such as ginger, garlic, pepper, and fish sauce. Drying and salting are the oldest food conservation methodology’s most well-known practices. Likewise, the most common way of making kimchi includes tenderizing the vegetables to draw out the water.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm J! I'm a marketer by day, food photographer and recipe-tester by any other time available. The Floured Camera was born from my need to make quick, delicious, and (sometimes) healthy dishes for when I'm craving my favorite Asian childhood dishes!

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