10 types of dishes to eat kimchi with

As kimchi is fermented, it’ll keep for a long time in your fridge, so you’ll need some inspiration beyond having it on the side of a rice dish. Or maybe you have a little stash of Kelly Loves kimchi pouches in your cupboard because it’s something you can’t do without (we hear you!) and you want to hear about new ways of getting your kimchi hit. 

10 dishes to eat with kimchi

By itself 

Kimchi is the star of the show here. The vegetable mix is delicious when drained and presented in a bowl with toothpicks to pick up those tangy pieces of veg. And you can always eat the kimchi straight with a spoon when you crave it! Or how about using some crisps or crackers to scoop some kimchi up? Try it by itself by following our simple kimchi recipe.

Fried rice

Kimchi fried rice (kimchi bokkeumbap) is one of the most popular ways to eat kimchi in Korea. Different meat and vegetables can be added to the rice and the kimchi gives the dish an added texture and spicy, umami flavour. The dish only takes around 15 minutes to rustle up and is a great way of using up some leftover rice and aged kimchi. Make sure that you include all the spicy kimchi juice!

Kimchi stews

Kimchi stew, also known as kimchi soup (kimchi jjigae) is a staple food in Korea. It’s a succulent combination of kimchi, tofu and rich, fatty pork — the warm aroma as the ingredients melt into the hot soup is divine. 

Pancakes and fritters

Kimchi adds some spice and crunch to pancakes and fritters. They’re a quick and easy way of using up some aged kimchi in your fridge.

Kimchi pancakes are known as kimchi buchimgae or kimchi jeon. Kimchi pancakes are made with wheat flour, a little seasoning and plenty of spicy kimchi. Add some sweet potato for something more substantial. 

Tasty spring onion and kimchi fitters are also a firm favourite. They take minutes to cook and you can eat them as a side dish or a quick snack. For a meal, top the fritters with a poached egg. 

Tofu

Tofu kimchi is a popular snack in Korea and can also be used as a side dish. It’s made of stir fried kimchi with boiled tofu (served together, but not cooked together). The combination of different textures and cooking methods is immediately appealing: crunchy kimchi and soft tofu along with the spicy aroma of the kimchi and the nutty aroma of the sesame oil. It’s usually made with pork, but can be vegetarian if you just use veggies instead of meat.  

Udon noodles 

Kimchi udon is a quick and easy dish to make. Koreans love complex flavours: umami, tangy, sour, sweet — and connoisseurs of Korean cuisine will find them all here: kimchi, gochujang (Korean chilli paste), gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes), and sesame seeds among other additions. Plus, it’ll deliver at least three of your five-a-day veg with radish and spring onion in the mix. 

Another way to appreciate the unique kimchi flavour is by enjoying kimchi ramen noodles. These are a favourite Korean dish, combining the tangy kimchi with umami seasoned ramen from Japan. Kelly Loves kimchi ramen noodles come in a handy cup so that you can experience the deliciousness at home or in the office. 

Kimchi dumplings 

Korean dumplings are known as mandu or mandoo. And of course kimchi can be added to dumplings — it’s so versatile! You can also load up the dumpling with tofu and minced beef or pork, along with the kimchi. Korean dumplings can be steamed (jjin mandu) or fried (yaki mandu or gun mandu).

Korean BBQ

Another dish to eat kimchi with: BBQ lettuce wraps! Koreans love juicy, rich pork belly. In fact, they love it so much that there’s even a pork belly day in Korea - March 3rd (as if we need an excuse…!). Simply BBQ the pork belly, wrap it in lettuce and serve it with a dipping sauce called ssamjang with kimchi on the side. 

Eggs

If you have eggs in the house, you always have a meal: scrambled, fried, poached… just add some kimchi for a kick of spicy flavour. How about a gut-friendly brunch with poached eggs and avocado on toast with a sprinkle of togarashi and spring onion to finish and some kimchi on the side? Or you can make a brunch tortilla wrap with omelette, cheese and kimchi. 

We encourage you to experiment to find your favourite egg/kimchi combination — invent your own recipe. If you haven’t tried kimchi before, this is a great option to start as the flavour can be as subtle or as strong as you like.  

Burger topping 

Kimchi is the perfect topping for burgers — it works like pickled gherkin or red cabbage. Or you can mix the kimchi with some mayonnaise, sesame oil and sugar and brush your burgers with soy sauce to complement the kimchi tanginess. 

When you are wondering what to eat with kimchi, there are certainly plenty of modern and traditional recipes out there, but really, kimchi is so versatile that you can eat it with almost anything! You can even try making your own with our kimchi making kits.