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

FAQs

What do Koreans eat kimchi with? ›

As a traditional side dish, kimchi is usually served with other side dishes (banchan) in Korean family households and restaurants. Kimchi can be eaten alone or with rice, but it is also included in the recipes of other traditional dishes, including soup, porridge, and rice cake.

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.

Now, Korean researchers say a few servings of the spicy food each day might help stave off weight gain. "Consumption of 1–3 servings/day of total kimchi was associated with a lower risk of obesity in men," and smaller amounts were linked to similar trends among women, concluded a team led by Sangah Shin.

This kimchi ramen combines the fermented deliciousness of kimchi with a comforting bowl of ramen. This dish is a great winter recipe, it's incredibly easy and quick to make, plus it's full of flavor. Add this kimchi ramen to your menu for this week and thank me later.

The answer to “do you eat kimchi hot or cold” is really about health, not flavor. Kimchi tastes great cooked into almost anything. But heating kimchi kills the healthy, helpful bacteria that are a product of the fermentation process.

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.

I highly recommend your first experience with kimchi being eaten with a fatty steak such as a rib-eye and white rice. Another very important thing you should know is that every kimchi sold in every single grocery store, both Korean and Non-Korean establishments, are wildly different.

Your dog can eat kimchi if you make it at home without toxic ingredients, like spring onions, garlic, salt, and certain spices. Excessive salt and spices can trigger specific digestive signs in your furry friend. Dogs can also find it hard to digest some vegetables, so avoid them when you can.

“While the 'good bacteria' [via probiotics] help us digest food, fight harmful bacteria, and regulate the immune system, excessive kimchi consumption may result in an imbalance of microbes, leading to diarrhea and other health problems,” says Garcia.

As the kimchi matures, it will take on earthy, tangy notes while the heat of the chiles mellows out. Your kimchi will continue to age if kept cool in the refrigerator and away from oxygen, remaining delicious for up to 12 months or even longer.

Should I eat kimchi on an empty stomach? ›

Generally speaking, if your gut is in good shape and your body typically responds well to fermented foods, eating them on an empty stomach should be completely fine. “Fermented foods are typically fine to eat on an empty stomach since they help to support digestion,” Greenfield says.

Fresh and fermented kimchi are both low in calories and may boost weight loss ( 49 ). A 4-week study in 22 people with excess weight found that eating fresh or fermented kimchi helped reduce body weight, body mass index (BMI), and body fat. Additionally, the fermented variety decreased blood sugar levels ( 50 ).

Try making an egg and kimchi bowl!

This recipe is packed with probiotics, fiber, and protein to support your gut health.

The best side dishes to eat with kimchi are steamed white rice, steamed dumplings, fried shrimp, potstickers, beef and broccoli, egg roll in a bowl grilled meat, Korean pancakes, crispy tofu, japchae, Korean fried chicken, bibimbap, and pickled vegetables.

Kimchi can be eaten on its own, as a side dish, or as an ingredient in other foods. Its spicy, tangy flavor is an excellent complement to savory foods, and it's often paired with rice dishes to add contrast to a meal.

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 ).

The use of bold seasonings like gochugaru and, in some regions, salted seafood, offer additional layers of complexity to the overall taste of the kimchi.