Vegan Kimchi: A Super Simple Recipe (2024)

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Kimchi is hot, salty, and pungent. A staple in Korea, it is eaten at nearly every meal. This simple vegan kimchi is packed full of flavor. It’s a delicious condiment regardless of whether it’s eaten fresh or sour.

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Traditional kimchi is made with raw squid, oysters, and/or fish sauce. Like all traditional foods, the exact recipe differs from region to region and from house to house. It also varies based on the availability of ingredients and personal taste.

Since my husband, Brad, is allergic to shellfish we always make vegan kimchi. If you want to make more traditional kimchi, then I recommend exploring Maanchi.com.

And check out this video: How to Make Kimchi: according to my Kun Umma for an entertaining look at kimchi and Korean-Canadian immigrant life.

What can you do with kimchi?

Kimchi is a tasty all-purpose condiment. Fresh kimchi (only 3 to 7 days old) is sweet and sparkling. It is typically served alongside meals, like a salad or pickles.

My daughter, Una, LOVES fresh kimchi. She eats it by the forkful as a healthy afterschool snack.

As kimchi ages, it becomes sour and is more suited to flavoring other dishes and meals. Sour kimchi is delicious, probiotic, and perfect for making quick, Asian-inspired meals. Here are six delicious ways to serve sour kimchi.

  1. Serve it as a trendy hot dog or hamburger topping.
  2. Kimchi fried rice is my kids’ favorite way to eat kimchi.
  3. Use kimchi to make a rich and delicious noodle bowl (not a vegetarian recipe, but you can use tofu for protein instead.)
  4. This quick and easy vegan kimchi soup only takes 15 minutes to make.
  5. Try a traditional, not vegetarian, pork belly kimchi soup.
  6. Add kimchi to an Asian-inspired Buddha bowl.

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Vegan Kimchi

Vegan Kimchi: A Super Simple Recipe (4)

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Kimchi is a hot, salty, and flavorful condiment that is a staple in all Korean kitchens. This 100% vegan kimchi is simple and delicious. See the section above for 6 ways to enjoy kimchi.

  • Author: Emillie
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 3 quarts 1x
  • Category: Condiment
  • Method: Fermented
  • Cuisine: Korean
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Units Scale

  • 4 Tbsp non-iodized salt
  • 8 cups of water
  • 1 large head of napa cabbage
  • 1 daikon radish (6″ to 8″ in length)
  • 3 carrots
  • 4 green onions
  • 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2-inch knob of ginger, peeled and diced
  • 14 Tbsp red chili pepper flakes (using gochugaru is traditional)
  • Optional: 4 Tbsp of wakame

Instructions

  1. Dissolve the salt in the water to make a brine.
  2. Roughly chop the cabbage, and submerge it in the brine for at least 5 hours, up to 24 hours. If there isn’t enough brine to cover the cabbage, wait 30 minutes for the cabbage to start softening. It should all fit under the brine.
  3. Use a weight to keep the cabbage below the surface of the brine. I soak my cabbage in a large bowl and use a dinner plate to keep it below the surface.
  4. After soaking, drain the cabbage reserving 6 cups of the brine.
  5. Dice the radish, carrots, and green onions into bite-sized sticks.
  6. Place the yellow onion, garlic, ginger, and chili pepper flakes into a food processor and chop until it becomes a paste.
  7. Mix all the vegetables and the paste in a large bowl. Wakame isn’t traditional, but it is a nice replacement for the usual fish sauce. Add it at this point, if you are using it.
  8. Pack the vegetables into several glass mason jars. This vegan kimchi recipe should make around 3 quarts depending on the size of the cabbage.
  9. Pour the reserved brine over the vegetables, using as much as needed to keep them submerged. Cap the jars with a loose lid that will allow CO2 to escape as it ferments. Kimchi will bubble vigorously for the first few days, so make sure the jars have headroom to prevent them from overflowing.
  10. Place the jars of kimchi to ferment in a dark location for up to 3 days. It is traditional to eat kimchi while it is still in the sparkling stages of fermentation (3-7 days.)
  11. After 3 days, place the kimchi in the refrigerator to slow the fermentation.

Notes

  • If raw garlic, onions, and spices aren’t your thing, here’s my recipe for kid-friendly kimchi. It avoids the stronger flavors while keeping the delicious kimchi-ness.
  • If you can’t find napa cabbage then use savoy. You can also use a regular cannonball cabbage, but it won’t have the same texture or flavor.
  • You can find gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) in Asian grocery stores or onlineVegan Kimchi: A Super Simple Recipe (5).

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Vegan Kimchi: A Super Simple Recipe (6)Rachel

    Hello! Will I need to unscrew the lid and allow it to vent each day? Or is it okay to keep it sealed the entire time. Thank you in advance.

    Reply

  2. Vegan Kimchi: A Super Simple Recipe (8)Lisa

    The first time I found it too spicy, so I ended up cooking it to make it less strong. This time I only used 1 clover of garlic and skipped the onion, and it was perfect.

    Reply

  3. Vegan Kimchi: A Super Simple Recipe (9)Cat

    How long can you allow this recipe to ferment and what is the shelf life? If this recipe isn’t suited for longer fermenting and storage….can you recommend one? Thank you.

    Reply

    • Vegan Kimchi: A Super Simple Recipe (10)Emillie

      Traditionally kimchi is eaten fresh and sparkling. So after 3-5 days of fermenting. However, it is just a variation of sauerkraut, so it will continue to ferment for up to 8 weeks. The flavour will become more sour and sauerkraut-like. Here’s a post I wrote on the shelf-life of various fermented foods: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/what-is-the-shelf-life-of-fermented-foods/ Cheers!

      Reply

  4. Vegan Kimchi: A Super Simple Recipe (11)Emillie

    Thanks for sharing! I make this a lot… so I guess the onion and spice suit my taste! But I will make a note to increase the gochugaru from 1 to 4 tbsp. Cheers, Emillie

    Reply

  5. Vegan Kimchi: A Super Simple Recipe (12)Liz

    I’ve made this recipe twice. First time I found the garlic and onions to be too strong, so this time I only did 1 clove of garlic and skipped the onions. It was perfect!

    Reply

    • Vegan Kimchi: A Super Simple Recipe (13)Emillie

      Glad you found your happy medium! Enjoy!

      Reply

  6. Vegan Kimchi: A Super Simple Recipe (14)Shurdell

    Hi Emillie,
    Can I use regular radishes if I can’t get the daikon radishes?

    Reply

    • Vegan Kimchi: A Super Simple Recipe (15)Emillie

      Yes, daikon tends to be a bit milder, but they will taste similar. Enjoy!

      Reply

  7. Vegan Kimchi: A Super Simple Recipe (16)John

    If I wanted to use fish sauce, how much would I add. I like the looks of your recipe, but want to try it both ways.

    Reply

    • Vegan Kimchi: A Super Simple Recipe (17)Emillie Parrish

      This recipe would work with 1 to 2 Tbsp of fish sauce. Enjoy!

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Vegan Kimchi: A Super Simple Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it okay to eat kimchi every day? ›

Cabbage and radish kimchi, a popular fermented vegetable dish, in particular were effective in reducing the risk of obesity and abdominal obesity in both men and women.

Is vegan kimchi better than regular kimchi? ›

Traditional vs vegan

The health benefits of traditional and vegan kimchi are … the same. Yes, there is almost no difference. A study conducted at Brown University showed that because of the fermentation process, both vegan and traditional kimchi probiotics were similar in the end, although both started differently.

Is vegan kimchi still probiotic? ›

Kimchi made without seafood products still has the same probiotic bacteria. Good news, vegans: a new study finds that kimchi made without fish products has the same type of bacteria as more traditionally made kimchi.

Does kimchi reduce belly fat? ›

Men who ate more than three serves a day of cabbage kimchi (baechu) were less likely to have obesity and abdominal obesity (excess fat deposits around their middle). And women who ate two to three serves a day of baechu were less likely to have obesity and abdominal obesity.

Can eating kimchi everyday destroy gut bacteria? ›

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.

Are there any drawbacks from consuming kimchi? ›

Kimchi is high in sodium, with about 500 milligrams per cup. That's more than 20% of all the sodium that you're supposed to get in a day. Too much sodium can raise your risk of high blood pressure. If kimchi isn't prepared or stored properly, it can cause food poisoning, especially in people who are immune compromised.

Is kimchi better than sauerkraut? ›

The nutritional value of sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickles

Sauerkraut, for example, is a rich source of vitamin C and K, as well as fiber. Kimchi, a Korean staple, contains vitamins A, B, and C, and is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties.

What is the Chinese equivalent of kimchi? ›

According to Sojin Lim, co-director of the Institute of Korean Studies of the University of Central Lancashire, Korean kimchi is often called pao cai in China, but China has its own Sichuanese fermented vegetable dish that it also calls pao cai.

Is Trader Joes kimchi probiotic? ›

If you want to get in more probiotics alongside or in lieu of starting a supplement, there are a few foods worth incorporating, such as yogurt, kefir, kimchi, kombucha and sauerkraut.

Who is the vegan kimchi queen? ›

Aruna Lee's path to running a fermented food brand is riveting, from her journey as an orphan to Buddhist nun to founder of Volcano Kimchi.

Is kefir better than kimchi for probiotics? ›

The winner? Kefir, and by a long shot. It clocked in significantly higher than the rest with a whopping 27.7 billion CFU per 1 cup serving. Other heavyweights are yogurt and kimchi at 3.6 billion CFU per 1 cup serving and 2.6 billion CFU per ½ cup serving, respectively.

Is too much kimchi bad for your stomach? ›

The most common reaction to fermented foods is a temporary increase in gas and bloating. This is the result of excess gas being produced after probiotics kill harmful gut bacteria and fungi. Probiotics secrete antimicrobial peptides that kill harmful pathogenic organisms like Salmonella and E. Coli.

When should you not eat kimchi? ›

Kimchi spoilage and over-fermentation

It will continue to ferment at a cool temperature. If kimchi over-ferments, it will have a very vinegary odor and taste. It is not pleasant to eat raw, so it is often used for soups and stews. If any fermentation gets soft and slimy, then it is a sign of spoilage.

Is eating kimchi good for skin? ›

Great For Your Skin And Anti-Ageing

Kimchi is high in vitamin C, which is responsible for collagen production. This protein keeps the skin youthful, maintains its firmness, reduces wrinkles, and slows the ageing process.

Can you eat kimchi the same day you make it? ›

Kimchi ferments at room temperature in only 1-2 days or more slowly in the refrigerator. For safety, kimchi should be stored refrigerated and is best eaten within 1 week, as the quality of kimchi deteriorates with longer fermentation.

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