Homemade Kimchi Recipe
This easy Kimchi recipe is simple to make and takes only 30 minutes of hands-on time before Mother Nature takes over! Full of healthy, gut-healthy probiotics, this authentic kimchi is vegan-adaptable, gluten-free, and can be made as spicy or as mild as you like!
How to Make the Best Homemade Kimchi
There’s something truly magical about making your own homemade kimchi—watching simple cabbage transform into a tangy, spicy, probiotic-rich fermented delicacy over the course of a few days. This traditional Korean staple has been made for centuries, and once you try making it at home, you’ll understand why it remains a cornerstone of Korean cuisine.
The beauty of this recipe is that it requires only about 30 minutes of hands-on work. After that, you simply let time and beneficial bacteria do their job. The salting process draws moisture from the napa cabbage while creating the perfect environment for fermentation. The vibrant red paste—made with gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes), garlic, ginger, and fish sauce—coats every piece of cabbage and infuses it with incredible depth of flavor.
Whether you’re new to fermentation or a seasoned pro, this kimchi recipe is wonderfully forgiving and adaptable. Adjust the spice level to your preference, swap in carrots for daikon, or make it completely vegan by using miso or soy sauce. The longer you let it ferment in your refrigerator, the more complex and tangy it becomes. Enjoy it as a side dish, stir it into fried rice, or add it to soups and bowls for an instant flavor boost.
Homemade Kimchi
This easy Kimchi recipe is simple to make and takes only 30 minutes of hands-on time before Mother Nature takes over! Full of healthy, gut-healthy probiotics, this authentic kimchi is vegan-adaptable, gluten-free, and can be made as spicy or as mild as you like!
Ingredients
Cabbage
Vegetables
Kimchi Paste
Instructions
Salt the Cabbage
- Reserve 1-2 outer leaves of the napa cabbage and refrigerate for later use. Core and cut the remaining cabbage into 1-inch pieces and place in a large bowl with the salt and toss well.
- Add enough cool water to cover the cabbage and stir until salt is dissolved. Keep the cabbage submerged with a plate over the bowl and let this stand at room temperature 6-8 hours (giving a stir midway through if possible) or overnight.
Prepare the Vegetables and Paste
- Drain the cabbage, saving the brine. Rinse the cabbage (not excessively, just a little quick rinse), drain, squeeze out any excess water, or blot with paper towels, and place it back in the bowl, adding the daikon radish and scallions.
- Make the paste: Place the ginger, garlic, shallot, red pepper flakes, fish sauce (or alternatives) and sugar in your food processor. Add optional rice powder. Process until well combined, pulsing, until it becomes a thick paste.
Massage and Pack
- Scoop the paste over the cabbage and using tongs or gloves, mix and massage the vegetables and the red pepper mixture together really well, until well coated.
- Pack the cabbage into a large, two-quart jar (or two quart jars) or a crock, leaving 1-2 inches room at the top for juices to release. Add a little of the reserved brine to just cover the vegetables, pressing them down so they are submerged.
- Place the reserved whole cabbage leaf over top, pressing down to help keep the kimchi submerged under the brine. You can also use a fermentation weight or a small zip lock filled with water.
Ferment and Store
- Cover loosely with a lid (allowing air to escape) and place the jar in a baking dish or big bowl to collect any juices that may escape. Leave somewhere dark and cool (55°F-65°F is ideal) for 3-4 days.
- On the evening of day 3, check for fermentation action or bubbles. Tap the jar and see if tiny bubbles rise to the top. If you see bubbles, it is ready to store in the refrigerator.
- For a softer, tangier kimchi, you can continue to ferment for 3 more days or longer. If no action, give it another day or two.
- After you see bubbles (usually 3-5 days), refrigerate the kimchi. It won't achieve its full flavor and complexity until about 2 weeks in the fridge, slowly fermenting.
- This will keep for months in the fridge as long as it is submerged in the brine. It will continue to ferment very slowly, getting more and more flavorful.
Notes
- Korean-style red pepper flakes (gochugaru) are ideal for authentic flavor. You can substitute gochujang paste, but reduce the amount slightly as it's more concentrated.
- For a vegan version, use vegan fish sauce, miso paste, or soy sauce instead of fish sauce.
- The glutinous rice powder is optional but helps create a slightly stickier paste that clings better to the vegetables.
- If mold appears on top, simply scrape it off—the kimchi underneath is still safe to eat as long as it smells normal.
- Serve as a side dish drizzled with sesame oil and topped with toasted sesame seeds, or use in kimchi fried rice, bibimbap, or kimchi soup.
