Easy Beginner's Kimchi (No Fish Sauce!)
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
1 hr 15 mins
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Fermentation Time
2 d
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Total Time
2 d 1 hr 15 mins
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Servings
4 cups
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Calories
23 kcal
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Course
Side Dish, Appetizer, Condiments
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Cuisine
Korean
Easy Beginner's Kimchi (No Fish Sauce!)
Description
This kimchi recipe starts by cutting and salting Napa cabbage, allowing it to wilt over a couple of hours while turning it periodically. After draining and rinsing the cabbage to remove excess salt, a spice paste is made by blending gochugaru, garlic, ginger, sugar, water, and optional miso paste until smooth. The cabbage is mixed thoroughly with the paste along with carrot strips and green onions.
The mixture is packed tightly into glass jars to ferment. The method focuses on hygiene with sterilized equipment and clean hands to support a safe fermentation environment. The absence of fish sauce makes this version accessible for those avoiding seafood.
Flavor develops over time as the cabbage ferments, producing the characteristic tangy, spicy, and umami notes of kimchi. This beginner-friendly recipe emphasizes traditional ingredients minus fish sauce, making it adaptable for different dietary preferences.
Proper fermentation and storage in the refrigerator extend the life of the kimchi, allowing it to last for weeks or months. This preservation method supports gradual flavor development while maintaining texture.
Ingredients
- 1 large head Napa cabbage 3 to 5 lbs, 1.3 to 2.2 kg
- ¼ cup salt 60 g, non-iodized
- 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
- miso paste optional, 3 Tbsp
- 2 carrot 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
- Replace 2 tablespoons of water with fish sauce for a more traditional kimchi flavor if desired.
- Ensure all tools and hands are thoroughly clean to create a sterile environment for safe fermentation.
- Store the fermented kimchi in the refrigerator, where it can keep for several weeks or months.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition 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.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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