Easy Beginner's Kimchi (No Fish Sauce!)
User Reviews
4.9
177 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
1 hr 15 mins
-
Fermentation Time
2 d
-
Total Time
2 d 1 hr 15 mins
-
Servings
4 cups
-
Calories
23 kcal
-
Course
Side Dish, Appetizer, Condiments
-
Cuisine
Korean
Easy Beginner's Kimchi (No Fish Sauce!)
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Are you a kimchi lover who's wondered how to make kimchi at home? I'm walking you through my easy process for making your own kimchi! As a lover of all things fermentation, I've perfected this beginner's kimchi over the years. It has easy-to-find ingredients, step-by-step photo instructions, and dozens of five-star reviews.
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Ingredients
- 1 large head Napa cabbage 3 to 5 lbs, 1.3 to 2.2 kg
- ¼ cup non-iodized salt 60 g
- ¼ to ½ cup Gochugaru Korean pepper flakes, depending on your spice tolerance, 30 to 60 g
- 7 to 10 cloves garlic
- 3 to 4 inches ginger 7½ to 10 cm
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 to 4 Tbsp water 45 to 60 mL
- Optional: 3 Tbsp miso paste
- 2 carrots cut into strips, or 8 oz daikon radish
- 4 green onions cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
- Sterilize: Wash your hands well before every time you touch the ingredients. Wash all supplies with hot water.
- Brine: Cut cabbage into large chunks, then rinse well. Place in a large bowl and cover completely with salt, working the salt between all the leaves. Let sit for about 2 hours, massaging and turning the cabbage every 30 minutes, until cabbage has wilted down. When finished, drain and rinse the cabbage very well (until a torn-off piece no longer tastes overly salty). Squeeze out excess water.
- Flavor: While cabbage is in the brine, add the gochugaru, garlic, ginger, sugar, and water* to a clean food processor. If desired, add miso paste as well (for umami taste). Blitz until smooth.
- Mix: Combine the well-rinsed cabbage, pepper paste, carrot (or daikon radish), and green onions in a large bowl, mixing well with clean hands (you may choose to use gloves here to prevent your hands from smelling).
- Ferment: Pack the mixture into clean glass jar(s), pressing down so that it’s submerged by the juices and there are as few air pockets as possible. Leave at least an inch of free space at the top of the jar, then seal shut with a lid. Set the sealed jar on a plate or bowl (to catch possible spills), and place somewhere room temperature and out of direct sunlight, letting it ferment for 2 to 5 days.
- Upkeep and storage: Check on the kimchi everyday, pushing the cabbage down with clean fingers or a spoon to release gasses and prevent leaks. It's done when the taste is slightly sour and cabbage is a bit soft (depends on your taste - longer fermentation will result in a more sour, less crunchy kimchi). When finished, store in the fridge to stop the fermentation process.
Notes
- *For traditional kimchi, replace 2 Tbsp of the water with fish sauce.
- Storage: Kimchi that has been made in a sterile environment can be stored in the fridge for several weeks or months!
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1cup (depends on fermentation length)
Calories
23kcal
(1%)
Carbohydrates
4g
(1%)
Protein
1g
(2%)
Fat
0g
(0%)
Saturated Fat
0g
(0%)
Cholesterol
0mg
(0%)
Sodium
624mg
(26%)
Potassium
0mg
(0%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Calcium
62mg
(6%)
Iron
9mg
(50%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 23 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cup (depends on fermentation length) | |
| Calories | 23kcal | 1% |
| Carbohydrates | 4g | 1% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 0g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat | 0g | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 624mg | 26% |
| Potassium | 0mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Calcium | 62mg | 6% |
| Iron | 9mg | 50% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
177 reviews
Excellent
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