Yumundi
English
KR

Korean Recipes

40 recipes

Korean cooking grew out of rice farming, long winters and a habit of fermenting almost everything. Meals are built around steamed rice, a soup or stew and several banchan, small shared dishes such as seasoned vegetables, braised tofu and kimchi. Kimchi itself is cabbage or radish fermented with chili, garlic and salted seafood, and chili peppers arrived only a few centuries ago yet now define the red pastes and pickles. Jars of doenjang (soybean paste), gochujang (chili paste) and soy sauce, aged for months, give the food its savory depth, while sesame oil, garlic, scallions and ginger season nearly everything. Meat is often grilled at the table and wrapped in lettuce, and stews bubble in earthenware pots. Noodles appear at celebrations, and street food such as rice cakes and pancakes is part of daily life. The calendar has its own dishes: tteokguk at the lunar new year, songpyeon at the autumn harvest holiday and seaweed soup on birthdays.

Staple ingredients

Appetizers

Soups

Salads

Main Dishes

Side Dishes

Desserts

Snacks

Drinks

Pickles and Preserves

Common questions

What is Korean food known for?

Kimchi and other fermented foods, grilled meats such as bulgogi and samgyeopsal, bubbling stews called jjigae, bibimbap, and a spread of small side dishes (banchan) served with rice at every meal.

What is the national dish of South Korea?

There is no official one, but kimchi is the closest thing, since it appears at almost every meal. Bibimbap and bulgogi are the dishes most people abroad name first.

Is Korean food spicy?

Some of it is, but not all. Kimchi, tteokbokki and many stews use chili, while bulgogi, japchae, samgyetang and most namul side dishes are mild. The heat usually comes from gochujang and gochugaru.