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Vegetables · Pickled & preserved

Kimchi

Korean fermented napa cabbage with chilli, garlic, ginger and seafood seasonings; tangy, spicy and crunchy.

Also called: kimchee, baechu kimchi

Around the world: 김치 (ko)

A kind of napa cabbage

6 recipes with it

What it is

Kimchi is vegetables, most often napa cabbage, salted then fermented with gochugaru chilli, garlic, ginger, spring onion and usually fish sauce or salted shrimp. It starts fresh and crunchy and becomes sourer as it ages. Other kimchis use radish (kkakdugi) or cucumber. Sauerkraut is a European salted cabbage without chilli or seafood.

How it’s used

  • Served as banchan with rice
  • Fried into kimchi fried rice and pancakes
  • Simmered in kimchi jjigae
  • Topping for noodles, tacos and toasties

Characteristics

Taste
Sour, spicy, garlicky and savoury.
Texture
Crunchy, softening as it ages.
When cooked
Older, sourer kimchi is preferred for cooking; it keeps fermenting and building gas, so open jars carefully.
Sold as
fermented
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Commonly cooked, Suitable for frying
Common in
Korean

Storage

Refrigerated. Refrigerate in a sealed container, pressing it under its juices; it continues to sour slowly. Discard if fuzzy mould appears.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Fish, Crustaceans.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Usually contains fish sauce and/or salted shrimp (fish and crustacean allergens); vegan kimchi is made without them.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
15 kcal
Protein
1.1 g
Carbohydrate
2.4 g
Fat
0.5 g
Fibre
1.6 g
Sugars
1.06 g

USDA FoodData Central: Cabbage, kimchi.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Sauerkraut — With chilli flakes and garlic added; less complex.

Related ingredients

Recipes with kimchi

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