Skip to main content

How to make kimchi at home so you always have this tasty Korean staple on hand

Kimchi: Making your own version of this popular dish is shockingly simple (we promise)

It took Americans a while to come around to kimchi. It’s like that with unfamiliar dishes sometimes. Even sushi didn’t really get too popular here until the ’80s, and now it’s in every family’s standard weekly rotation. Can you even remember a time when there wasn’t an enormous variety of all of the world’s most delicious cuisines at our fingertips? I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I’m old enough to remember the first Indian restaurant coming to town and the excitement buzzing around something so excitingly new and delicious. Now, thankfully, these global foods are no longer just exotic treats we get to enjoy when we dine out but instead are staples in our own homes, made without giving a second thought to their newness in our lives.

While kimchi has been around for about 4,000 years in Korea, we in the good ol’ US of A have only been enjoying and giving this incredible food the appreciation it deserves for the last decade or so. Thankfully, though, as if to make up for lost time, we’ve fallen hard. Kimchi is hugely popular right now, and for good reason. But have you ever thought to make your own? It’s surprisingly easy and definitely something that you’ll want to have around, so listen up.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

What is kimchi?

If you’re unfamiliar with kimchi, think of it as a sort of Korean-style sauerkraut, but better and more versatile. Like sauerkraut, kimchi’s main ingredient is fermented cabbage, but with the addition of other vegetables and spices. Of course, as with most dishes, recipes vary according to family and region. Spice and flavor will change according to which ingredients you use as well as the time you allow your kimchi to ferment. The longer it ferments, the mellower the flavor will become. Like other condiments, such as hot sauce, the spiciness in kimchi can be adapted to fit personal preference. The flavor notes, though, tend to be spicy, sweet, sour, and tangy all at once, lending a uniquely enticing flavor to just about any dish.

Recommended Videos

What are the health benefits of kimchi?

Fermented foods are incredibly healthy for a wide range of reasons. Active compounds found in fermented foods have anti-inflammatory effects throughout the body and are wonderfully beneficial for vascular and gut health. Not only that, but kimchi is made primarily of very low-calorie vegetables and spices that help to satisfy appetite, making it a great food for keeping off the pounds.

Furthermore, the ingredients in kimchi are loaded with beta-carotene and other antioxidants that can reduce the risk of certain cancers, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

How do I eat kimchi?

The beautiful thing about kimchi is that you can eat it by itself, stirred into soups and ramens, or put on top of just about anything. For an easy dinner, scoop a generous amount over rice and call it a day. It’s especially delicious paired with scrambled eggs in the morning.

Eaten alone or as that star ingredient in applications like these is a beautifully simple way to enjoy this healthy ingredient. It’s also a fantastic addition in dishes like stews and braises. Its complex flavor adds depth and interest to any meal and elevates otherwise humdrum dishes to something special.

Kimchi recipe

Kimchi
Facebook/Feasting at Home

(From Feasting at Home)

Patience is the key in this recipe, and your stoicism will be well rewarded. Before the refrigeration stage, be sure to find a perfectly cool, undisturbed spot for your kimchi to ferment. A cool basement or storage room would be ideal in chillier months. In the summertime, a dark, cool corner of a cupboard or pantry will work just fine.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large napa cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup sea salt
  • 2 cups daikon radish or carrots cut into thin strips 
  • 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic, whole
  • 1 shallot, quartered (optional)
  • 2–6 tablespoons Korean-style red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sugar

Method:

  1. Reserve 12 outer leaves of the napa cabbage, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for later use. Place the remaining prepared cabbage in a large bowl with the salt and toss to combine. Add enough cool water to cover the cabbage and stir until salt is dissolved. Make sure the cabbage is fully submerged, then let stand at room temperature 68 hours or overnight, stirring halfway through.
  2. Give the cabbage a quick rinse, drain, and squeeze out any excess water. Place it back in the bowl and add the daikon radish (or carrots) and scallions.
  3. Place the ginger, garlic, shallot, red pepper flakes, fish sauce, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse until it becomes a thick paste.
  4. Using tongs or gloved hands, mix the paste into the cabbage mixture until thoroughly combined.
  5. Pack the cabbage mixture into a large jar, leaving 12 inches room at the top for juices to release. Add a little of the reserved brine to just cover the vegetables, pressing them down until submerged.
  6. Place the whole cabbage leaf over top and press down. This should help keep the kimchi submerged under the brine. Be sure that the mixture is fully submerged. Any mixture that is exposed to air may mold.
  7. Cover loosely with a lid and place the jar in a large dish to collect any juices that may escape.
  8. Store somewhere dark and cool for three days. 
  9. At the end of the third day, check for fermentation bubbles. If they’ve developed, store in the refrigerator to let the kimchi continue to ferment. For a softer, tangier kimchi, you can continue to ferment for three more days or longer.
  10. If there are no fermentation bubbles after three days, give it another day or two. If you don’t see bubbles when tapping the jar, be patient — it just may need a couple more days, especially in cooler climates.
Lindsay Parrill
Lindsay is a graduate of California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco, from where she holds a degree in…
How to order a martini like you know what you’re doing
Do you know the difference between martinis?
Bartender with a martini

The martini is one of the most iconic drinks in all of cocktail history, thanks in no small part to British superspy James Bond. Bond might take his martini shaken, not stirred -- but please, we're begging you, don't order a drink this way if you want to enjoy it. It's a mystery why Bond enjoys his cocktail made in what most bartenders will agree is objectively the wrong manner, but we're sure you'll have a better time drinking a martini if you have it stirred.

However, there are still a bunch of other details you can play around with when it comes to ordering a martini -- from what spirit to use and what garnish you prefer to the glass you'd like it served in. To learn about all the options, we asked New York City bartender Tom Walker about how to order a martini. Walker is a gin enthusiast and has worked at some of the best bars in America and the world, such as Attaboy in NYC, The American Bar at The Savoy in London, Bramble Bar in Edinburgh, and George Washington Bar at the Freehand Hotel. It’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about ordering a martini the right way.
How do you order a martini for the first time?

Read more
An expert explains how to make the perfect Milk Punch
Milk Punch

The Milk Punch is one of those classic drinks which is beloved by its fans, but has a reputation of being a bit of a hassle to make at home. When working with diary you have to be careful not to split it, so some versions of the drink use milk that is clarified using heat and filtration. The classic version of the cocktail combines brandy or bourbon, rum, sugar, and vanilla alongside the milk for a creamy, boozy, comforting drink that's a little like an eggnog without the egg.

A bartending expert from BLVD Steakhouse, Kyle Davidson, has come up with his own take on the Milk Punch, which uses clarified milk for a light, clearer cocktail that incorporates flavors from the classic Arnold Palmer drink as well. Named for the golfing legend, the Arnold Palmer combines iced tea and lemonade, and sometimes has a shot of vodka, cognac, or bourbon added as well.

Read more
Peanut butter coffee: A creamy twist on your favorite brew (and how to make it)
3 variations of peanut butter coffee
Peanut butter

Unlike french vanilla or hazelnut coffee, the term "peanut butter coffee" isn't one you've likely heard often (or at all). I first encountered peanut butter coffee on an Instagram reel where a fellow coffee lover showed a latte brewed into a cup filled with peanut butter. Since I love creamy peanut butter almost as much as I love coffee, it's safe to say the idea of peanut butter coffee intrigued me.

As it turns out, Alex Zapata's variation of peanut butter coffee is only one of the many ways creative coffee lovers use peanut butter and coffee together. If you're as intrigued about this flavor pairing as I am, here are three ways to try peanut butter coffee for yourself.
Plant-based peanut butter coffee

Read more