Easy Kimchi for Beginners
Prep 30 min · Cook 0 min · Serves 6 ·
Kimchi can feel intimidating the first time, but the basic version is really just salted cabbage mixed with a seasoning paste — there's no fermentation crock or special tools required for a small batch you keep in the fridge. This recipe skips a few of the more traditional steps to keep things approachable for a first attempt.
Recipe
Easy Kimchi for Beginners
Prep 30 min · Cook 0 min · Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1 medium napa cabbage (about 1kg / 2.2 lbs)
- 1/4 cup coarse sea salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 4 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small carrot, julienned
Instructions
- 1Cut the cabbage into quarters lengthwise, then into 2-inch pieces. Place in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt, and toss well.
- 2Let the cabbage sit for 1–2 hours, tossing occasionally, until the leaves are noticeably softened and bendable. Rinse 2–3 times in cold water and drain well.
- 3In a separate bowl, mix gochugaru, sugar, fish sauce, garlic, and ginger into a thick paste.
- 4Add the drained cabbage, green onions, and carrot to the paste. Mix everything together by hand until every piece is coated.
- 5Pack the kimchi tightly into a clean jar, pressing down so the liquid rises above the vegetables.
- 6Leave the jar at room temperature for 1–2 days to begin fermenting, then move to the refrigerator. It's ready to eat right away, but improves after about a week.
If you can't find fish sauce, you can leave it out or substitute a splash of soy sauce. Gochugaru doesn't have a good substitute; regular chili powder is both too spicy and the wrong flavor. Fresh kimchi tastes mild and cabbage-forward. As it ferments, it turns tangier and slightly fizzy — that's the sign it's ready for cooking into dishes like kimchi jjigae.