10 Delicious Ways to Eat Kimchi (includes Korean Recipes) (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to eat Korean kimchi? ›

As the national dish of South Korea, kimchi is a staple in kitchens around the world. This fermented cabbage dish can be served as a side dish, over a bed of rice, folded into scrambled eggs, whirred into tomato sauce, or even just eaten as is.

Cabbage and radish kimchi, a popular fermented vegetable dish, in particular were effective in reducing the risk of obesity and abdominal obesity in both men and women.

Koreans don't eat Kimchi everyday in every meal like some people think. Koreans tend to eat Kimchi if there is greasy food(ex. melted cheese), or as a side dish to eat. As a normal Korean, I'd say that we eat about one to two plates of Kimchi a day, sometimes none.

Along with fiber, vitamins, and minerals, kimchi contains natural probiotic bacteria. If you eat them regularly, the probiotics in fermented foods can be beneficial to your gut microbiome. Studies suggest that eating kimchi on a daily basis could help to improve some digestive problems.

Eating up to three servings of kimchi a day is associated with a lower risk of obesity compared to eating one serving or less or more than five servings daily, according to a new study.

Though kimchi is usually fermented for a few days to a few weeks before serving, it can be eaten fresh, or unfermented, immediately after preparation. This dish is not only delectable but also offers many health benefits ( 1 , 2 , 3 ).

Kimchi spoilage and over-fermentation

It will continue to ferment at a cool temperature. If kimchi over-ferments, it will have a very vinegary odor and taste. It is not pleasant to eat raw, so it is often used for soups and stews. If any fermentation gets soft and slimy, then it is a sign of spoilage.

If you have store-bought kimchi that's been opened, it will be good for 3-4 days at room temperature and up to 6 months when refrigerated. Signs of your kimchi going bad include mold growth, an alcoholic smell, and an extremely sour taste.

May support gut health

There is growing evidence that fermented foods such as kimchi may improve levels of beneficial bacteria in the gut, and may as a consequence improve symptoms such as constipation.

A new study shows consuming up to three servings of kimchi each day is linked to a lower rate of obesity among men. As an observational study, it's difficult to know kimchi's specific impact on weight loss.

What does kimchi mean in Korean? ›

The Korean term "Kimchi" refers to fermented vegetables, and encompasses salt and seasoned vegetables. It is mainly served as a side dish with every meal, but also can be served as a main dish. Kimchi is mainly recognized as a spicy fermented cabbage dish globally.

Kimchi, a traditional Korean dish made by fermenting cabbage or other vegetables, was exported to 92 countries from South Korea last year, with the United States and Japan being the top customers, according to BusinessKorea, a monthly magazine.

Now, a study of more than 100,000 people by researchers from the Chung Ang University in South Korea has found that men who eat three portions of the dish per day are less likely to be overweight and have less belly fat - the type thought to be the riskiest for type 2 diabetes.

Potential health benefits

It tends to be an excellent source of many vitamins including vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, iron, and several B vitamins like niacin and riboflavin. The fiber found in kimchi serves as a prebiotic, or a source of food for the probiotics (beneficial bacteria) living in our gut microbiome.

Enjoy plain kimchi cold or warmed up.

You can eat kimchi straight out of the fridge, or you can throw it in a small skillet and heat it up with 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of vegetable oil. It tastes great both ways! Some people prefer the cold, spicy taste, while others find the tangy texture best when heated up.

It's great straight out of the jar for a little snack any time. It's fun to fish out a single piece with a fork whenever the craving hits, but you can also pull a whole bunch of it out of the liquid and arrange it in a bowl and serve it with toothpicks alongside. Want to get even more purist about kimchi?

Kimchi is usually served as a side dish (banchan) to be eaten with other elements of a Korean meal (bapsang), including steamed rice (bap), soup (guk), salted dish (jang), and other side dishes consisting of vegetables (namul) and/or protein dishes (meat and fish) [24].

So do you eat kimchi hot or cold? If you are eating kimchi because of the amazing live cultures and nutrient availability it offers, we recommend eating it cold. Try some of our own favorite cold kimchi recipes to get started: Cold noodles with kimchi.