Love this Easy, Fast Mak Kimchi recipe? Check out our other fabulous Korean Food Recipes!
If you’ve been with me for a while, you’re well aware of my undying love for kimchi. Yes, it is stinky and bubbly and more than a little wild, but WOWZA the taste and the texture are so worth it.
If you’re new to the Foodie with Family family and you aren’t familiar with kimchi, I can give you a super condensed description; it’s essentially spicy, aromatic Korean sauerkraut. Today, I’m bringing you a fool-proof Easy Fast Kimchi recipe {Mak Kimchi}.
Kimchi comes in almost as many forms as there are vegetables because nearly any vegetable can be fermented. They range from super mild smell to mega funky and mellow to melt-your-face-off spicy and there is one for every possible point in between.
The kimchi recipe that I’m sharing today is my family’s favourite version. It’s chock full of fabulous pro-biotics (as most kimchi is) and the longer it ages (translation: ferments) the stronger it becomes in both flavour AND pro-biotic content.
It’s like yogurt on steroids, people. That’s how good it is for you!
Here are a couple of fun kimchi recipe facts:
-Health Magazine named kimchi one of it’s Top 5 World’s Healthiest Foods.
-Kimchi is low in calories and high in dietary fiber.
-It’s wicked high in Vitamins A, B, and C.
-It’s also incredibly low in fat.
-Many (if not most) Koreans eat a little kimchi with each meal or at least once a day.
-Kimchi is credited with helping most Koreans avoid obesity by virtue of its ability to satisfy even while being low calorie and low fat.
-Seoul National University conducted a study and claimed that chickens infected with the H5N1 virus, also called avian flu, recovered after eating food containing the same cultured bacteria found in kimchi.
How do I make a homemade kimchi recipe?
Let’s get cracking and make some kimchi, shall we? The variety we’re making today is an Easy, Fast Kimchi recipe or Mak Kimchi…
In other words, it’s already cut up and ready to shovel into your mouth. Unlike what is usually just called ‘kimchi’ which is whole heads of napa cabbage smeared with the kimchi paste and allowed to ferment all wrapped up.
This version is FAR easier to make and far faster to be ready. Bonus, it is way easier to eat straight from the jar with a pair of chopsticks or a fork.
Do I need special tools to make a kimchi recipe?
In short, no. All you really need is a knife, a cutting board, and a big bowl. You will need a couple of ingredients that you may not have purchased before, but never fear, they’re not hard to find these days and I’ve included links to them below.
To begin with, you’ll need a big old head or two of Napa cabbage. I had two heads like the one above weighing in at about 3 pounds each.
It yielded, when all was said and done, about 3 quarts of kimchi, so that was perfect for me. You can cut that back if you think you can’t consume that amount of our Easy, Fast Kimchi recipe or Mak kimchi.
But I find all sorts of places to tuck it in, so it’s not an issue here and it’s only my husband, myself, and two of our boys who eat it. We love our kimchi.
Kimchi Recipe
Lob your cabbages in half lengthwise. Use a paring knife to remove the gnarly core from them before cutting in half lengthwise again, leaving you with quarters.
Cut across the quarters to make bite-sized squares of cabbage. I usually shoot for 2-inch squares.
Add the cabbage to a monstrously huge bowl (or bowls), top with the julienned carrots, and sprinkle salt over the whole works. Toss the veggies and massage the mixture until the cabbage just starts to wilt.
Pour in enough cold water to over all the cabbage and carrots by a bit. It doesn’t have to be swimming in water, just covered.
Stir it up with your hands and let it rest at room temp for a couple of hours.
After a couple of hours, when the sturdier pieces of cabbage have become flexible, pour the whole lot into a strainer and let the brine water drain away.
Now you’re going to whizz up the good stuff. Garlic, ginger, the white parts of scallions, Korean Red Pepper Powder*, fish sauce, unsweetened pear or apple juice, miso paste, and whatnot go into the food processor or blender.
Obliterate and smash it all into a lovely, red, fabulous smelling paste. It’s worth noting that you shouldn’t just up and increase the garlic because it can make kimchi linger more on your breath than you’d like it to do.
It also tastes out of balance if you add a lot more. Be aware.
And by the same token, you shouldn’t increase the ginger willy-nilly because that can make the final product a little more bitter than you’d like it to be. Start with the mixture and proportions I’m giving you and then play with it in subsequent batches.
*It’s important to note that you cannot use American or Mexican Chili Powder in place of the Korean pepper powder here. They’re COMPLETELY different animals.
Now you’ll CRAM this stuff into jars or food-safe plastic containers. When I say cram it, I mean shove it in there as firmly as you can without putting your fist through the bottom of the jar.
I do prefer glass canning jars, if you’re wondering, because they don’t retain odors like plastic does, and, well, this stuff is odiferous!
Gently place a lid and ring on the jar, but don’t screw it tightly into place because BOOM. It’ll pop. This is active stuff, mes amies!
Place the jar on a rimmed pan or baking dish. The rim is pretty crucial here, because as the kimchi ferments at room temperature (and more slowly but still actively in the refrigerator) it will bubble up and may release a little juice over the edge of the jars.
In other words, you could have a kimchi river a-flowin’ on your counter top unless you take precautions. It’s easiest to use the pan and not worry about your Easy, Fast Kimchi recipe {Mak Kimchi} bubbling over onto your counters.
It’s going to spend a couple of days at room temperature getting bubbly and fragrant. Every day, you’ll insert a clean chopstick or butterknife into the jar to help release air bubbles and top the jar off with extra brine if needed to keep everything submerged.
When it’s almost carbonated looking (usually between 24-72 hours after packing the jars), it’s ready to refrigerate. I highly recommend refrigerating it on the tray you used to contain the Grand Kimchi River while it fermented.
There aren’t a lot of things quite as unnecessary as removing everything from a fridge and mopping kimchi juices off of it. Take my word for it.
How long can I keep kimchi?
It’s ready to eat at that point! Of course, it gets stronger and more kimchi-y the longer it sits. I love cooking with the older stuff and eating the newer stuff ‘raw’.
One of my all-time best-loved ways to eat older kimchi is in pancake form. Not like Aunt Jemima pancakes or flapjacks, but savoury, crispy-edged, kimchi-studded, pan-fried, snack cakes that convert even die-hard kimchi skeptics.
It’s the only way my eldest likes kimchi, but OH how he loves it this way. And the smell of kimchi pancakes while they cook is irresistible.
Bonus: This stuff lasts just about forever when you make sure the veggies are submerged in the brine. It’s hard to go wrong.
What can I make with my kimchi recipe? How do I use kimchi?
-Kimchi Grilled Corn on the Cob
-Kimchi Fried Rice AND another version of Kimchi Fried Rice (the second one has a fried egg on top. SWOON!)
-Kimchijeon (Savoury Kimchi Pancake)
Use these to make this fast Kimchi recipe:
Easy, Fast Kimchi Recipe {Mak Kimchi}
Ingredients
- 3-8 pounds napa cabbage
- 2 bunches green onions trimmed of the root bits
- 2-3 large carrots peeled, thinly julienned
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup korean chili powder
- 15-20 cloves garlic overdoing garlic makes this stay on your breath more than usual., peeled
- 4-6 inches ginger peeled, rough chopped
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- unsweetened pear juice or unsweetened apple juice
- 4 tablespoons white miso paste
Instructions
- Cut the napa cabbage in half longways, then in half again longways. Cut the core out of the four quarters. Cut the cabbage into squares (about 2-3 inches square), pop it in a bowl with the carrots. Sprinkle with the 1/2 cup kosher salt, massage so everything is coated in salt and starting to soften and wilt. Fill with cold, chlorine free water to cover it well and let it soak for at least 1 1/2 hours.
- Pour the cabbage and carrots and liquid into a strainer. Let the brine drain away.
- Lob off the white bits of the green onions and put them in a food processor with the garlic cloves, ginger, miso paste, and korean pepper powder. Zap it on high 'til it's smooth-ish. Add in the fish sauce and a couple of slops of pear juice and zap it more until it's about pancake batter consistency... maybe a bit thinner.
- Put the brined cabbabe/carrots in a big, anti-reactive (glass, enamel, or stainless steel) bowl. Rough chop the green parts of the onions and add those to the cabbage/carrots. Pour the chili paste combo over the cabbage and wear gloves to massage it all over the cabbage/carrots green onions so everything is completely covered.
- Pack super tight in canning jars. CRAM it in there. Add a two-piece lid, but just set the ring in place to hold the lid down without screwing it in place. Place it on a rimmed baking dish to catch any spill-over. Let it sit at room temperature for up to 72 hours, until it is bubbly and fragrant. Once every day, insert a clean chopstick or butterknife to release air bubbles. If needed, pour in some additional brine to keep all the vegetables submerged.
- Store on a rimmed sheet in the refrigerator for up to six months, being sure that the vegetables are submerged the whole time. The older it gets, the stronger it will become.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on December 2, 2013 and was updated December 28, 2016 and again in June 2018.
Kathleen says
This looks wonderful! I eat a lot of kimchi, so will definitely have to try this out as it gets expensive to buy it all the time. Also, just an fyi, it’s actually “mat” not “mak”. 🙂
Rebecca says
I hope you enjoy this version, whichever you decide to call it. 😀
Can you explain the difference between ‘mat’ and ‘mak’ to me? Because my Korean sister-in-law referred to this as Mak kimchi… and the variety that is much like this that I buy at the Korean market is labeled Mak Kimchi as well.
Kathleen says
I’ve only had the “mat” version, but apparently there is also a “mak” version as well (they don’t sell the “mak” version at my store, hence the confusion). The version that I get is also sliced but doesn’t have carrots in it. So, now I’m curious too. I speak Korean, but am not a native and only lived over there for a couple years. Maybe your sister-in-law can let us know the difference! 🙂 In the meantime, I’m looking forward to trying this recipe!
Rebecca says
I have a feeling this may be a regional translation thing! We need to get some folks who know better than us to chime in, methinks! Whatever it’s called, though, it’s darned good… I hope you make some!
Davey says
I think the difference is simply trying to find an English way to spell the sound that Koreans make. I’ve always spelled this dish as kimchi, but I have a Korean friend who spells it gimchi, with a G. The actual sound is somewhere between a K and a G so there isn’t one right answer.
mo says
Nice post.
You mention fish sauce in the blog but I am not seeing it in the ingredient list in the recipe. Am I crazy and can’t see it?
Rebecca says
You’re not crazy, Mo… I accidentally left it out. The recipe has been fixed and the fish sauce appears where it should! (It wouldn’t be a disaster to leave it out, and would make the kimchi vegan, but I prefer it with the fish sauce!)
Amber says
Can i also use soy sauce? I used this recipe that needed rice, soy sauce, sugar and ginger and garlic plus the powder and thats it, rather mild taste, you think it still works?
LJ says
Yes
Lukas TS says
Great recipe, easy to follow & allows for personal creativity! I probably had too much salt at first , so after adding more veggies (sliced radishes & chopped cabbage) enjoyed the reduced saltiness and varying degrees of crunchiness!
Have polished off half of the three quart batch in two weeks!
Thanks for adding to my repertoire!
Lukas
Rebecca says
Thanks for letting me know, Lukas! That sounds delicious!!!
mo says
Oh, ok. Thanks. So, it will ferment ok without fish sauce?
The fish sauce kind of scares me fermenting. I think I want to try it without first if possible.
Rebecca says
The miso will help it ferment… but I do highly recommend the fish sauce! It doesn’t really make it ‘fishy’… it just adds that certain somethingsomething!
Rich Weston says
I believe that certain something is called umami. It used to be thought that we had 4 tastes, sweet, sour, bitter and salty. I think around 1985 a 5th taste was added, umami aka savory)
Steph says
Can i use dark miso paste instead?
Rebecca says
Hi Steph- I haven’t made it with dark miso paste, but dark miso paste tends to be saltier and more assertive in flavour. If you decide to use it, I’d reduce it by 3/4, likely.
Amy Kim (@kimchi_mom) says
Interesting…as Rebecca said it is a regional issue. In Seoul, “mak kimchi” is referred to as “mat kimchi” or 맛김치. Almost everywhere else in Korea, it is referred to as “mak kimchi” or 막김치. So “mat” or “mak”…it is the same thing.
However, Korea has recently been importing kimchi from Taiwan and China (which i can’t believe) and “the authorities” decided that all imported kimchi will be called “mat kimchi” / 맛김치.
(Thank to my mom for the info…I can’t take credit for it!)
Rebecca says
Go Amy’s Mom! That is so fascinating. Importing kimchi? What kind of crazy is that?
Amy Kim (@kimchi_mom) says
Yeah…isn’t it crazy?!
Jeng says
I don’t have korean chili powder but have regular and extra hot Indian chili powder is that alright
Rebecca says
Hi Jeng, I don’t actually know what extra hot Indian chili powder tastes like. I am going to guess that it’s different enough to warrant ordering the gochujang!
Marcel says
Gochujang is a paste; you were referring to gochugaru, the powder…
Rebecca says
Yes, for sure! That’ll teach me to multi-task while responding to comments. HAHA. You’re right. I meant gochugaru. 🙂
William Barnes says
Question? Is Korean chilli powder hot do I ad more to make it hotter or do I ad different peppers to make it hot kimchi. Thanks
Rebecca says
Hi William- I’d just up that chili powder content! You could also try to find a Korean chili powder that advertises itself as hotter! Feel free to add in a few hotter peppers on your own, just don’t upset the balance too much.
Terresa says
Is there any point at which you can go ahead and seal the jars? I can see them getting knocked over in the fridge and spilling out all over my rimmed pan. I’m the only one in my house that eats kimchi so three jars would last me quite a long time!
Rebecca says
You can screw the lids on a bit tighter once it goes into the refrigerator, but there’s no point at which I’d advise sealing it wicked tight.
Michelle says
You could also not fill your container all the way to the top to avoid spillage…just a thought…
jeri says
In NYC we have many varieties of locally made kimchi. We put it on everything: rice, baked potatoes, grilled meat and fish, scrambled eggs. sandwiches, even hot dogs in place of sauerkraut. There’s a little bahn mi sandwich shop in my neighborhood that puts it on French fries with some kind of secret sauce. Weird, but totally addicting.
Danielle says
Here’s my Korean two cents. 🙂
I believe it’s “Mak” Kimchi. That’s how it’s spelled in Korean. It can be confusing because, with the way the syllables are put together, they can sound very similar. “Mat (mott)” means “taste” in Korean. “Mak” has to do with the process of making it quick and sort of modified. It’s the “casual” kimchi, if you will. The “proper” Kimchi is to make it with whole cabbage, split lengthwise and stuffed with fillings and seasonings, which by the way tastes better because it does not get exposed to air until you slice it right before serving. It also presents better. 🙂 But mahk-kimchi is easier to serve. Oh, and the slower it ferments, the better it is. Traditionally, the fall batch of kimchi is kept in pots outside through the winter, buried underground except for the lid, to keep it insulated. It’s rare to find people doing it that way anymore, but I still remember the taste of kimchi that’s slowly fermented that way.
I’m surprised to see miso paste as an ingredient! It is non-traditional, but your kimchi looks very yummy! And I’m so impressed you make it! I’m Korean and I don’t make it at home anymore.
Gillie says
I make a lot of cheese and have heard that whey is good in kimchi too. Would I substitute that for the fruit juice?
Rebecca says
I’ve never made whey based kimchi, so I’m not sure what you’d substitute… The fruit juice lends a little sweetness, so I might be leary of eliminating that!
Patty says
GhanaGirl here ~ always asking about substitutes 🙁
I’ve been waiting for this recipe ever since you mentioned it, and was so excited to see it here today! I can order some of the odder ingredients, but I cannot order napa cabbage. Would this work with regular cabbage? Here’s to hoping!
Patty
Rebecca says
I have never tried it with regular green cabbage, Patty. I think it’d be worth giving it a shot. Obviously, the finished texture and flavour will be slightly different since Napa is a much more delicate cabbage to begin with, but I’d give it a try!
Eleankr says
I have tried eating thegreen cabbage kimchi i/s just the same but the green cabbage is crispier
Beverly says
There is a video on youtube called emergency kimchi… She used regular green cabbage in it.. <3
Julia says
My mom gave me a recipe for quick kimchi that’s similar to your recipe. Instead of juice, I process/blend 1/2 a fuji apple and a 1/4 red bell pepper. I’m definitely going to try yours though (sadly .. sans the fish sauce because my husband is kind of ridiculous about anything smelling fishy and he makes faces .. heh).
Amanda Usen says
I am so excited to try this recipe! I got my red pepper powder at the Korean food store today! Thank you!
tintar says
thank you so much for this recipe!!! it’s also quite versatile you can use just about any veg –
so far, I’ve made it 3 times – first napa cabbage + carrot, next radish (both red & white) + leek, and just today bean sprouts + baby cucumber.
the red pepper linked from amazon was perfect, thank you, it really makes it taste like kimchi from a restaurant or store. also used a ~2lb white miso package from amazon.
the first 2 batches were a couple months ago – each one was about 5lb veg total and each filled about 6 pint jars. I was initially worried to have 12 pints of kimchi but between friends wanting some and the fact it is delicious over plain rice, it disappeared in a real hurry.
today I used 4lb baby cucumber and ~1lb bean sprouts. also 3 bunches of scallions (whites into the pepper paste, greens rough chopped in later – as per recipe) and 3 small cipollini onions (also into the pepper paste) from the discount table just for fun.
oh!
the first batch, the cabbage+carrot, I could not find unsweetened pear juice for the life of me. disgrace of a supermarket. so, clever me, I got a can of pears in unsweetened juice and chucked the whole thing into the pepper paste.
the 2nd batch, the radish+leek, I had gotten a couple very ripe pineapples from the discount table. 1 pineapple went into the pepper paste and people will still not stop raving about it. I am now completely out of the original 12 pints of kimchi – what was I worrying about?!
the 3rd/current batch, I had chopped up that other pineapple from months ago and frozen it – you’re darn right it went into the cucumber+sprouts batch today.
also also, whether it is cabbage or radishes or cucumbers that have been sitting in the salt water – apparently there is a Rule? – rinse 3 times after salt.
Rebecca says
You are a kimchi making master now! That’s an amazing sounding bunch of batches!!
tintar says
we live in an area Slightly Outside America, and we can’t get things like kimchi in the stores here (good thing the mighty spamazon delivers, and serves gochugaru and miso and fish sauce and kelp)
so thank you again for the recipe you can’t even imagine.
Cindy Stewart says
i am so happy i found your page!! i love kimchi and have only made it once oh so long ago and the last few times i purchased it at a store (grocery) it was very bitter. thank you so much for sharing and to all that added the other info!! looks and sounds delish!! i posted these recipes for kimchi and others with kimchi (burger, fried cake) on g+ pin and fb! so excited! 🙂
Cindy Stewart says
oh and thanks so much for the detailed instructions too….it is very helpful! and the pics are great!
firsttimer says
I noticed you didn’t say anything about rinsing the cabbage before mixing it with the sauce. Most recipes say you should rinse it. Mine fermented fine, but seemed pretty salty. Did you leave that step out?
Rebecca says
Truth… I didn’t rinse because I like mine a bit salty… Also, though, the kind and size of the grind of salt you use will effect the overall saltiness in the end product. If you’d prefer to, you can certainly rinse it!
Dancing kitchen says
That funky kimchi river, collected and mixed with mayo makes a glorious kimchi aioli. I mix it with precut slaw mix for an awesome kimchi slaw. I crave kimchi and eggs, my favorite breakfast. I also add it to sushi bombs, nori cut into 1/4 sheets and filled by the individual with rice, lightly cooked kimchi, cooked egg, corned beef, smoked salmon, anything you would roll into sushi. Dip into wasabi soy or just pop into your mouth after gathering the corners. Make sure your nori is fresh.
V.Stoen says
I absolutely love kimchi ! Right now I have 1 1/2 gallons in my frig . I eat it every day, just can’t go without it . I crave ,crave crave it ! Your recipe is somewhat similar to the recipe I use given to me by my Korean friend of many years . When I make it I go with about 18lbs.of napa cabbage ( yes a lot ) I’am addicted to kimchi ! The time for letting the cabbage rest with kosher salt is the same but I turn the cabbage every 30 minutes , 3 times . I never add H2O while cabbage is resting only because she said you never add H2O . After 1 1/2 hours I rinse 3 times . I do use a lot more fish sauce thought 1 1/2 cups which as you know is salty but is with about 18 lbs of cabbage.. I guess if I were not to rinse I wouldn’t use that amount of fish sauce. Also I use daikon radish ,dried shrimp and grated asian pear . I was going to make cucumber kimchi but my cucs didn’t do well this year . I’am for sure going to try your kimchi recipe as soon as we get through what’s in the frig . Oh …..kimchi is great on a pizza with a strong cheese like asiago,maybe because cheese is fermented as well ,they really compliment each other. Thank you for having such a colorful and great blog to explore !
Carmen aka keenpetite says
Late husband served 3 yrs in Korea, loved authentic asian food including kimchi, I enjoy it but milder
great recipe to try soon & truly enjoy.Have glass jars ready use.
Chicken, shrimp & more.
Carrmen aka keenpetite
Linda says
Thank you for your recipe I have made it several times and love the stuff. I put dakon radish in once just for the heck of it but it isn’t needed.
Jeannie says
im not able to find Miso paste…is this a necessary ingredient? Is there s substitute?
Rebecca says
It isn’t strictly necessary, but I find it kick starts the fermentation nicely because it is a fermented product itself!
Jeanette Mitchell says
Wegmans, whole foods
Rebecca says
Fellow Wegman’s fan here!!!!
Cindi says
I’m wondering about the pancakes. Do we just stir the kimchi into the batter used to make regular pancakes. That sounds like a really delicious bread/side dish.
Rebecca says
Actually, Cindy, this is the recipe you’d want to use for the Kimchijeon (Kimchi pancakes). It really is magical! https://www.foodiewithfamily.com/kimchi-pancake-kimchijeon/
Farzana says
I am on a no sugar diet, will this recipe work without the sugar element?
Rebecca says
I’m not certain which sugar element you mean. The recipe doesn’t call for sugar at all, and the pear juice is unsweetened.
Keyee says
But when you’re on a no sugar diet, fruit is considered to be sugar. So as I recall.. Way back up in the reading, it did mention not putting the pear. All the best. Ty.
Rebecca says
Some level of sugar is desirable when you’re fermenting. It helps maintain a balance of activity and boosts fermentation.
Kimmie says
Kimchi is also good as a topping to cheese pizza! Can’t wait to try this recipe…..checking my pantry now!
doug says
I really like your recipe. I made it last week and have enjoyed it in something every day since. The flavor is complex and nicely balanced. I like it a lot; it is better than the commercial Kimchi products I’ve been buying….and that includes a few small batch local producers’ products.
thank you for this recipe!
David says
Can I use regular cabbage I can never find Napa around here?
Rebecca says
I know some folks who have subbed in green cabbage, but I might try special ordering from my local grocery store for the Napa!
Jeanette Mitchell says
Usually at international markets
cara membuat kimchi says
Thankyou for recipe
Jennifer says
This sounds delicious…my family prefers milder heat over super spicyness. I know it’s a relative scale, but just how spicy is it? Is it ok to adjust the hot chili pepper content to accommodate milder tastes?
Rebecca says
Hi Jennifer,
Because everyone’s taste buds are different, it’s tremendously difficult to quantify exactly how spicy it is. If I’m speaking from my own perspective it is mild. I tend to like spicy food, so I’m not sure what that says 😀 All that being said, you can certainly adjust the chili pepper without safety concerns.
Anita says
I make my own just to avoid MSG.
Rebecca says
Mine contains no MSG, so you’re in luck!
Kori Casey says
How can you make it less spicy? I love kimchi, but I can’t handle much spice because I’m a big pansy. I don’t mind a little bit though.
Chris clemo says
Hi Rebecca – Got a quick question for you regarding the consistency of my paste and how well it covers up the cabbage after I pack it in my mason jars. I noticed you mentioned something about using extra brine to cover up the cabbage. Does this mean I can use extra salt water to loosen things up and more importantly, cover the contents? I just want to make sure as I’m prepared to stowe these away for fermentation. Thanks for the great recipe. I’m excited to try when ready.
Chris
Rebecca says
Hey Chris! Great question. The paste should be gloppy and quite thick. You don’t really want to loosen things up because the cabbage and carrots are going to give off liquid as they sit and get tasty. The brine is basically to pour over the top in small quantities just to keep everything submerged. You can add a little more if needed as it perks down into the kimchi, but you really don’t want to add much as it will make it taste far too salty.
Chris Clemo says
OK great. I did top each jar off with very little brine just to cover the vegetables enough, but not into mixture of paste itself. It was thick when I mixed it into bulk of the batch. As for the fermentation and bubbling part . . . . I have yet to notice any major activity in regards the bubbles. The jars are sitting in a pan, packed tight with the slaw, at room temp, lids ajar. I just to make sure I’m following protocol
Thanks!
Rebecca says
I think you’re doing fine, Chris! Sometimes it takes a couple of days to let it really start perking around.
paul says
COol! Thanks for the great recipe. I was just messing around and made some with red miso paste, because I didn’t have any of those tiny fishies. It was/is pretty good. In fact, I have a few extra jars of the sauce in my garage, fermenting. I read somewhere that it starts to smell after a while. Am I going to get in trouble with my wife? Neither one of us is Korean.
THanks again. Fantastic pictures.
Tami says
thatI know Korean Red Pepper Powder is the main thing, however, I don’t have any. What I do have is a big ol’ tub of Gochu Jang, do you think that would work?
Rebecca says
I haven’t tried it that way, Tami, but I’m betting it would be tasty!
Bob callioux says
Where do I get extra sauce to top off after 72 hours
Rebecca says
You shouldn’t have to top it off, Bob. It should be creating its own juices as it ferments and bubbles. If you’re finding it is dry, you may need to have it packed more tightly into the jars. You can always use a little salt water brine to cover it, too. Create the brine from 4 cups water and 4 tablespoons kosher or sea salt!
Lidia says
What a fabulous recipe! Definitely trying this weekend. Thanks Rebecca!
Xx Lidia
Rebecca says
Thank YOU, Lidia!
Joe O says
Rebecca,
Thanks for this recipe! We love kimchi but it’s a bit pricey at the rate we go through it.
I usually don’t modify recipes the first couple of times I make them but I did and they were ALL mistakes, well intentioned as they were!
The three things I did that were problematic:
1. I cut the napa too small because in most commercial kimchi I find some of the stem pieces too big. I didn’t realized how much the brining would soften the thinner leaves. Next batch I’m going to cut the thicker stems about 1 inch square but keep the leafy part at the 2 by 3 inches you recommend.
2. I soaked the napa and carrots overnight in the brine since I read (in several other recipes, not yours) that this was a ‘sterilizing’ step to eliminate undesirable bacteria.
Perhaps I didn’t rinse the cabbage well enough but the final product is a little too salty. Perfectly edible but next time I’ll stick to your timing on the brining step.
3. I grated the carrots to save time (also from a different recipe). They are just too thin and flimsy and I would have preferred your method of match-sticking them. I make Vietnamese pickled daikon and carrot (Do Chua) all the time so I know how to do it.
Your recipe was both fast and easy and produce wonderful kimchi. Looking forward to my 2nd batch and many more!
Thanks again!
John Swanson says
Got to try it
LMM says
The recipe instructs to add more brine to the jars if the vegetables are not fully covered. It also states to drain away the brine. Is the brine supposed to be disposed of or saved?
If disposed of is there a recipe for making more brine? If so, please post or send.
Also, should the drained vegetable be rinsed after they’ve been brined?
I’m looking forward to trying out this recipe.
Rebecca says
Hi LMM,
The first brine you want to drain away. If you need to mix up a little more later, just stir 1 tablespoon of kosher salt into 1 cup of cool, unchlorinated water and pour a bit over the kimchi to cover. You do not need to rinse the vegetables after soaking! Happy Kimchi-ing!
Pchard says
I have followed your recipe twice! It’s perfect and so well explained. 1,000x better and WAY cheaper than store bought.
Rebecca says
Thank you so much for the great rating and letting me know about your successes, Pchard!
Jimmy Moore says
Just made my first run of Kimchi using your recipe. Looks great!?
Susan says
where are the quantities?
Rebecca says
Hey Susan- If you look at the printable recipe card, all the quantities and such are there!
Susan says
Got it thank you, great recipe and so much fun releasing the bubbles, my house smells amazing. I can’t wait to try the kimchi pancake,
cheers
Bunny says
I just made a half recipe. It’s my first. I tasted the paste, and I could eat that on eggs, or even as a pizza sauce. Does this paste have a name?
I have 3 days before I get to eat this! I’ve never actually had kimchi before. I can’t wait!
Rebecca says
Hi Bunny- I don’t know if there’s a word for the paste, but it IS darned good, isn’t it?
Lauren says
it is called as gochujang in korea, i do not really know the meaning, but since the korean red pepper powder is galled gochugaru, perhaps the word “gochu” means korean red pepper and the word “jang” means paste
Alexandra says
Hi! I was wondering, if I don’t have any of the paste left over what should I use as a brine to top off my jars? Just salt water?
Rebecca says
Indeedy! Salt water will do the trick!
Kris says
Could you just use cucumbers in the place of the Napa cabbage?
Rebecca says
Hi Kris- I think that would be tasty for a quick kimchi, but I don’t think it would hold up structurally as well as the Napa cabbage for long term Kimchi-ing. 🙂
Matt says
Awesome stuff! I like how thoroughly you explained some of the finer details of kimchi…I love the stuff but never knew!
A few questions: I got all gung ho about making kimchi without first looking up a recipe…
I have some fresh hot chiles, can I use those in place of the chile powder? If the chile powder is left out, will that affect the recipe other than it not being spicy? And could I use another brand/type of chile powder instead?
I’ve never before seen unsweetened apple or pear juice…is there a way to substitute for that if I can’t find it in the grocery? Would diluting some ACV be feasible?
Thanks for the help!
If I could make one suggestion, I think placing a picture of the cabbage with the core removed directly after where you write about it could be helpful. I cook enough to have and idea of how deeply/what to cut out…it could be a bit confusing/ambiguous for someone new! Thanks again!
Rebecca says
Hi Matt- Thanks so much. Let me address your questions.
1) I have never made it with fresh peppers. I believe that using the dried Korean pepper powder is considered the standard recipe.
2) Many apple juices are sold unsweetened. I think Mott’s has a no-sugar added apple juice! Just check over the labels of juices that say 100% apple juice and you’ll be fine!
3) I would not advise using ACV.
Happy Kimchi-ing!
Diana says
So do you not reserve the brine water and pour over the top once you fill the jars? I don’t see anything about that but I’ve always added the water and the cabbage mix? I did see something about topping off with brine after it’s fermented a while so I wanted to make sure!
Rebecca says
You can definitely reserve that if you wish, or make a new brine to top it off; it’s your choice.
Josh says
Hi! Are you sure about the 1/2 cup of Korean chili powder? I made this exactly according to the recipe and looks great, but one bite and my mouth is on fire and my eyes are watering. Lol
Rebecca says
I am sure, Josh! If you like it milder, adjust accordingly!
Josh says
Thanks! I must be a wimp. Haha. Look forward to making again. Looks and smells great!
Mary Hill says
I have never tried this, therefore, I would like to try it, before I try to make it. So what’s the best brand to try to get the real taste of it?
Thanks Mary
Rebecca says
Hi Mary! There are quite a few good brands in stores these days. Primarily, I’d go for any of them that are Korean brands. Make sure you get one that is a good, deep-red coloured one. There is a widely available brand named “Mother-In-Law’s Kimchi” which is pretty good flavourwise, but tends to be a little mild for me.
Anne says
I am making this now. THANK YOU! Question. You say to lob of the white parts of green onions and put “them” in the food processor. Does “them” refer to the white parts or the rest of the onion after the white is gone.
Rebecca says
Hi Anne- I hope this gets to you in time, but if it doesn’t, it isn’t a disaster. Yes, I whiz up the white bits in the food processor.
Bekki says
Goma woyo! Glad to have this recipe for Mak Kimchi. Last night, I used all the suggested ingredients but added a few yellow and red sweet peppers. Now, I’m just waiting for the bubbly action to start…LOL! Looking forward to eating this homemade kimchi in the next few days and onward. 🙂 Also, I must be Korean “at heart” because this morning the two jars (I cut the recipe in half) of spicy fermenting brew in my kitchen smells really good!
Alba says
Hi, I just had a question, because i think i made a huge mistake.
My kimchi has been almost 72h fermenting and It was perfect, except for one thing, I thought It was a little bit dry and i had the ” great” idea of putting back some of the juices that overflowed from the jar… The I realized that maybe It wasn’t a good idea, and I don’t know if I just messed up a delicious badge of wonderful kimchi.
I took the juices out, and left the kimchi to see if makes bubbles again. MY KIMCHI! I’M PANICKING.
Rebecca says
Hi Alba- I don’t think you need to panic. Just keep an eye on it. If you had added something odd to it, I might worry otherwise. 🙂
Suzanne says
This tasted amazing the first day I’m thinking I should have refrigerated after 24 because now after 48 hrs the flavor isn’t very pleasant. Would you recommend refrigerating now or at 72 hours. My hope is allowing more ferment would make more sour/ pleasant but I don’t want it to get more gross lol. The recipe is amazing btw I’m just trying to get my fermentation timing right.
Rebecca says
Hi Suzanne- Play around with it a bit. If you’re down with it, I would stash half in the refrigerator and leave half out to see which I preferred for the next go round. Because every kitchen is different, fermentation occurs at different rates everywhere. It’s an art as much as a process. If you end up with pretty powerful kimchi, you can still use it and tame it a bit by stir-frying it!
Stephanie says
I made this on the weekend and it was so salty like eating preserved vegetables. Did I do something wrong? 🙁
Rebecca says
Hi Stephanie- Can I ask what type and brand of salt you used when you first salted the cabbage and carrot mixture?
Gaye says
Hi, my husband has become allergic to capasian
So do you think it would work out try wasabi paste in place of it?
Thank you
Rebecca says
Hi Gaye- I’m afraid I have never tried wasabi in place of the red pepper flakes in kimchi, so I’m not sure what to advise you! I know there are some non-spicy white kimchis that are pretty traditional. Maybe you should try one of those!
ML says
This was THE BEST Kimchi I’ve ever tasted! I followed your recipe to a T – with one exception! I added celery and bok choy to the veggie mix. Everyone who has tasted it asks for a jar! Thanks for a wonderful recipe. We like to eat ours as a topping for ramen noodles. Delish!
Rebecca says
That sounds delicious, ML! Thanks for telling me the great additions you made to it and for the wonderful rating!
Helen says
Can this be frozen? How high is the sodium content when it is ready to eat? IS the Koriean chili powder essential? There is no market near me that carries it. Thank you.
Rebecca says
Hi Helen- There’s no need to freeze it. The fermentation helps preserve it for quite a while! I have not tested the sodium content when it is ready to eat because I’m not a registered dietician or nutritionist. And the Korean chili powder is essential to this particular version of kimchi, which is the most common variety. You can order the chile powder from Amazon via the link I provided in the post. 🙂
Mel says
Tried your Kimchi recipe yesterday and I must say WOW it is great even when just made. Had some straight away with my Asian noodle dish for dinner. I am anxious to taste it in a couple of days/weeks. Thanks for sharing.
Rebecca says
That’s just the best, Mel! Thanks for taking the time to let me know you love it! Enjoy!
Jenvive says
Can I leave out the fish sauce as I react to it?
Rebecca says
I always advise leaving things out to which you react. It will, necessarily, change the end product, but it should still be tasty.
Taylor Zibell says
What a wonderful recipe I would love to try for my first Kimchi to try. I am just curious when you say add more brine to keep the veggies submerged while in the cans, is this the liquid you make above with the fish sauce unsweetened juice and miso paste?
Rebecca says
Hey Taylor! The brine is actually just salt mixed with water. Mix about 4 tablespoons of salt to a quart of water and stir until dissolved… Use that to top off the kimchi if necessary. Happy Kimchi-ing!
Lindsey says
I’m pretty sure we’re two peas in a pod! You also did the Claussen pickle knock off recipe too, right? Can’t wait to try this recipe too! I am vegan and also have some other food restrictions so I will have to make some adjustments, but I’m sure it’s going to be great too! Now that you know my tastes, please let me know if there are any other recipes you would recommend I try. Thank you!!! ❤️
Rebecca says
I sure did, Lindsey! Thanks so much for letting me know you love the recipe. I’d highly recommend you try my Chickpea Tikka Masala (already vegan!) and pick up my cookbook. My cookbook (Not Your Mama’s Canning Book) would be up your alley and as it is a canning book, there are very few recipes in there you’d need to alter. 🙂 Plus, you can check the recipe index for my vegetarian food section. Not everything in there is vegan, but should be pretty easy to alter! (Oh hey, and you should most definitely check out this cake.)
Andrea says
Hello
How much apple juice should we add? I don’t see measurement
Rebecca says
Hi Andrea- There isn’t a hard and fast measurement, but about 1/4 cup should do it. 🙂 You’re basically looking to loosen up the paste enough to be able to smear it all over the Napa cabbage.
Cara says
Super easy to make. Can’t wait for it to ferment!!!
Chad says
Maybe I’m blind but I don’t see how much apple juice is used in the recipe?
Rebecca says
Hey Chad- There isn’t a hard and fast quantity, you’re not blind. You’re basically looking to add enough to loosen your paste up enough to spread easily on the Napa cabbage without it running off.
sue says
amazing recipe…
easy and so very tasty…
i normally try out a few recipes, when ever i try new things, but i think this is the one and only recipe I’ll need
i’ve stored mine in plastic tubs and need to release gases every other day, as the tubs will bulge dramatically
thank you for sharing
Rebecca says
Thanks so much, Sue! I’m so glad you love it. 🙂
John says
I’m not sure what proportions of salt to water to use for the brine. This is my first try. thanks, jb
Rebecca says
Hi John- Generally, the brine should be 4 tablespoons of salt to a quart of water, stirred until the salt dissolves. 🙂
Shaadi says
Do you have to add the spicey bits? I dont like spice.
Rebecca says
Hi Shaadi- I’m afraid I don’t have a recipe for making this without the hot pepper.
Suzanne says
After it ferments the 72 hours at room temp and we can put into refridgerator, can we tighten the lids to store for a few weeks or does lid have to remain loose? Also after it has been refridgerated do you still have to release air bubbles each day?
Rebecca says
Hey Suzanne- I don’t advise having it shut tight at any point if you have it in glass. I keep my kimchi jars on a little rimmed mini pan (like a 1/4 sheet pan) or a slightly raised edge plate to keep any bubbling over juices from pooling on the refrigerator shelf.
Lachlan says
Great Recipe, First time I tried it was a hit with my family and all my colleagues, now I need to make more for everyone. Hopefully the second batch turns out as good as the first. The Kimchi improves with age IMO, well it was the best its been when we finished the last of it today, around 3 months since prepared.
Rebecca says
Hey Lachlan- Thanks so much for letting me know you love it and it worked out well for you. I love the older kimchi, too, personally. I like how funky and bubbly it gets.
Gaama says
I don’t get it. 3lbs and 8lbs is a huge difference. I wanna know the exact amount of spices and other ingredients for a certain amount of cabbage. Can you tell me how many pounds of napa cabbage should I use for this recipe?
Rebecca says
Hi Gaama- You can do the same amount of paste for a range of cabbage from 3 to 8 pounds. If you do the smaller amount of cabbage, it’ll be stronger and spicier. The lesser amount of cabbage will be flavourful and delicious, but slightly less spicy. As you can see from the many comments by people who have made this, it works out. This doesn’t have to be surgically precise; that’s the beauty of fermentation.
Paula says
What else besides carrots. Can I add? Zucchini or yellow squash ok? Celery?
Gena London says
You meantion we should not increase certain ingredients because will effect the taste, but no where in this recipe does it tell me how much of each ingredient to use other than the Napa cabbage. Can I get the complete recipe?
Lukas TS says
Great recipe, easy to follow & allows for personal creativity! I probably had too much salt at first , so after adding more veggies (sliced radishes & chopped cabbage) enjoyed the reduced saltiness and varying degrees of crunchiness!
Have polished off half of the three quart batch in two weeks!
Thanks for adding to my repertoire!
Lukas
Tom says
Just a small point – the best kimchi is made using your bare hands, not using gloves. There is actually some science behind this. Take a look at the book “Never Home Alone” by Rob Dunn. He has an entire section on the microflora of kimchi and the importance the cook’s contribution to the final product. Kimchi mixed with (clean) bare hands is actually a healthier food!
Katie S. says
I just used this recipe as a basis to make my first batch ever of made from scratch kimchee. So to start-thank you! Thanks for sharing a somewhat simple way for beginners like me. My husband is a diehard kimchee fan and I wanted to learn how to make it at home for him so I could spoil him as much as he spoils me.
I didn’t have the Korean red pepper powder this time (but I fully intend on buying some on Amazon or at a local market in the very near future) so I winged it to try to make a decent substitute. I had red pepper flakes on hand, chili powder, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika which I slowly added Sambal to, to make a paste. That’s what I added to the food processor in your step with the green onions, garlic cloves and ginger. I also added a touch of rice wine vinegar to it at the end to get a flavor my husband and I both liked.
My kimchee is currently jarred and done, waiting for the beautiful fermentation process to begin and I will update you when it’s finished to let you know if my adjustments screwed it all up or not, lol!
Thanks for the amazing recipe with step by step instructions!
cathy says
I made my first batch Sunday and can’t wait to try it. I was a little afraid to leave it our at room temp so I put it in the fridge but after 2 days it still wasn’t fermenting so It is now out at room temp. I am now questioning Katies addition of rice wine vinegar. I read somewhere that anything with vinegar takes away the health benefits of eating fermented food. Does anybody know anything about this?
Ryan says
This is a great starting point to making real kimchi. I first made a small batch and didn’t have have pear or apple juice but had white grape juice. I used some celery in place of carrots and regular cabbage. I prepped it then packed it. I needed a little more abuse to cover the top that I didn’t have I put a few spoons of water in shook the mixture and replaced. I placed it on the counter . The next day she was working. I brew beer so watching it ferment was nice. It turned out great! I ate it in a week my wife even ate some and wanted more. I started a new batch today and using the carrots and a fresh apple and squeezed orange in the paste.
Jessi says
Hello. Can you please clarify in step 5: “If needed, pour in some additional brine to keep all the vegetables submerged.” Which brine you speak of? The salt water brine was disposed of in step 2: “Let the brine drain away.” If it is necessary to make new brine what are the ingredients and ratios. Thank you!
Rebecca says
Hi Jessi- Yes. This is a common question. Maybe I should update the recipe to give brine information. 🙂 Add 4 tablespoons to a quart of water and stir until the salt is dissolved. Use this to top off your veggies if they’re not submerged. 🙂
Debbi says
SOOOOOO good! My first time making kimchi & I am in love. Yum. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
Rebecca says
Hooray, Debbi! Thanks for letting me know you love it and for the great rating!
Randy says
Your web page is so chock full of ads and the page is continually jumping around while all the ads are loading and then video … I’ve overwhelmed. I never got to see the full recipe for all the trash that kept loading. I’ve told my browser if your webpage is requested to warn me first. Your recipe looked nice, too! Sorry! Gotta go elsewhere without all the ads.
Rebecca says
Hi Randy- I’m sorry you experienced crazy ad loading. The company I use for my ads is very good about listening to complaints when ads are reported. There should be an option to report ads that are intrusive right beneath each ad. Please do avail yourself of that. As for why the ads are there, in short, it’s because I spend quite a lot of time and money to run the website which I make available for free (for the low price of scrolling past ads), and the ad revenue not only helps offset it, but is also my paycheck.
Randy says
It wasn’t my intent to be offensive and clearly I’ve hit a nerve. I get this may be your “living” but that a rough way to make a dime by exposing people to that intense barrage of ads. No doubt you must be making a fortune. I really just thought you’d like to know those ads are a little heavy, but maybe not. It shouldn’t be my place to partner with your ad team to tell them when too much is too much! I’ve loaded foodiewithfamily in my browser to stop me and warn me if I accidentally click on it again. Again, my apologies if you found my comments offensive. I mistaken thought you’d want to know when you were losing viewers to excessive ads.
Rebecca says
Nope! No nerve was hit. I was just explaining myself. I understand that you’ve placed my site on a warning list in your browser. I honestly understood it before, too. I’m not offended at all, but I do believe it’s my duty to explain myself, so I did. I’m sorry that you’re offended by it. Most publications -digital or print- carry quite a few ads, and some more than others. I’ve got 5 boys to send to college, so this is where we’ll be a while. I’m sorry you won’t get the chance to try my excellent recipes. I hope some day you’ll try again, but if not, please be well!
J says
What a wanker
Zehanne says
Hi, i dont have the korean chili powder but i do have the gojuchang (korean chili paste) would that do? Tnx…
Rebecca says
I have been told it can be used, but you’ll definitely want to adjust any other salty elements you use because gochujang is already salty. 🙂 Best of luck!
Tanja De Beer says
Hi…ive scrolled up and down and cant find your paste ingredient list… It says and ‘whatnot’…
Rebecca says
Hi Tanja- Scroll down to the printable recipe card, and the ingredients are listed there. If you click “print recipe” everything you need is right there.
Bev says
Hi , can you use a substitute for napa cabbage as I can’t get it where I live? Thanks
Vanessa says
Am I missing where you tell us about the brine on top while fermenting? At first I thought I was mixing my pickling directions up with this recipe and came back just to check.
If it’s fermenting in the sauce we made, how would we add brine on top? Sorry to bug, I’m just confused.
Thanks!
Vanessa says
Annnnnnnd never mind! It was just way down there. Thanks! I can ‘t wait to try it!
Rebecca says
Hey Vanessa- The brine is only needed if you don’t have enough liquid to cover your vegetables that are fermenting. It’s just 4 tablespoons of salt to a quart of water, stirred to dissolve.
Roberta Turner says
Hi I made a batch of your kimchi after 2 days I tasted it, it seemed really hot. Next batch I will cut back on the Korean chili powder. Is there anything I can do in the meantime to tame it down? Also you said keep covered with brine so I have been adding salt water as it bubbles over is that what I should be doing and if so how much salt to water?
Rebecca says
Hi Roberta- That is exactly what you should be doing. 🙂 I’d add 4 teaspoons to a quart of water and stir to dissolve. You can keep that jar covered in the fridge and use as needed. I will say the kimchi will mellow a bit spice wise as it ages, but in the meantime, you can “cut” it a little by brining some more chopped napa cabbage and carrot in the salt water and stirring it into your kimchi before serving it.
Scott Bard says
You say “add brine” while in the jars which gives me the impression it was bottled with brine, but you drain off all the brine early on in the recipe. What’s the deal?
Scott Bard says
Never mind, I see I wasn’t the only one confused by this 😉
Rebecca says
You got there before I could. 🙂 I’m glad you found what you needed.
Sam says
How do you figure the sodium content in the Nutrition Facts for this recipe? It seems high if you are pouring the brine off. I buy high quality kimchee in the store (without vinegar or sugar) and the sodium content is significantly lower than this.
Rebecca says
Hi Sam- I agree that the count in the nutritional information is probably high. I am not a dietician, so I use a nutritional calculator for this and it doesn’t have a way to account for parts of the recipe that are used and removed. Obviously, there will be some sodium left from the brining process, but it’s definitely not ALL the salt or even a majority of it. I’m sorry if you need something more dialed in than what I’m able to provide, but I’m not qualified -nutritionally speaking- to let you know just how much sodium is left from that process. I can, however, guarantee that the final sodium count is far lower. 🙂
Lynn Evans says
Thankyou for your recipe. Your picture looks just like the jar I saw yesterday when I was introduce to it , in a kimchi Quesadilla. I shall be buying the ingredients this weekend and giving it a go.
Jordan Barntsen says
Hi Rebecca!
I found your recipe on a pseudo-journey to make foreign foods. Is there any recommendation on stuffing the jars? Would it be better to spoon it into the jars or pack it in with my hands? I’m also having a difficult time finding fish sauce in the grocery store. Would soy sauce and a touch of anchovy paste be a suitable alternative? I would sincerely appreciate your expert opinion considering that this will be my first time making kimchi.
Best Regards,
Jordan
Rebecca says
Hey Jordan! Welcome! That sounds like a very nice substitution if you can’t find it and would prefer not to order it. I’d be careful not to use an anchovy paste that has oil or additives in it, though!
Rachel says
Recipe sounds amazing! The author does an great job explaining the preparation. What a fun read!
Rebecca says
Thanks so much, Rachel! 🙂
Amy Goodrich says
Love this recipe and your website!
I took it as an inspiration to make my own version and it rocked. I left out the fish sauce…
I made a youtube video of the recipe.
Thanks for putting out this great info and amazing pictures!
Amy
Rebecca says
You’re very welcome, Amy! I’m so glad you liked it!
Bill Russell says
I disagree with one part of the recipe. The cabbage/carrots should be not just drained, but rinsed several times. This will reduce the sodium content to close to zero. Fermentation will proceed normally without the salt.
Beth says
This looks amazing. I plan to make this, because I am following a diet where I need to eat Kimchi every day. What size canning jars are you using and how many does it take for this recipe? Thanks!
Michele says
Beth, what diet is that?
Jinhee says
May I suggest some?
Im Korean and I want to tell you. We never use miso paste when making kimchi. Miso isnt korean but japanese. We use coarse sea salt, korean style fish sauce or salted shrimp to taste. If you use one of them, you can make more authentic and deliciouse kimchi.
Rebecca says
Thank you so much, Jinhee! I do understand that miso is originally Japanese, but I bought a Korean brand of miso for my kimchi because doenjang was really hard to find and found it added a lovely kickstart to the kimchi. The reason I wanted the doenjang/miso was so that if someone wanted vegan kimchi, they could swap out the fish sauce for soy sauce and call it a day. 🙂 And while mine may not be perfectly authentic, I promise it’s tasty. 🙂 I’ll try it with your substitutions sometime soon when I make it, though, because I am not vegan! 🙂
s says
Just get to the point. The mumbo-jumbo before any recipe is absolutely annoying
Rebecca says
Ooooh, I bet you are fun at parties. 🙂 The “mumbo-jumbo” has some useful information for people who are looking for it. Otherwise, feel free to scroll to the printable recipe that is available to you for the low-low price of nothing.
E says
I’m scrolling through here while my cabbage is soaking and I’m dying. ? polite food blogger clapback for the win.
E says
Also ps I love that you are a barre instructor and boy mom. Girl after my own heart. I will have to check out the rest of your blog…really impressed with the level of fermentation troubleshooting you’re offering to people. Makes me feel less trepidatious about attempting this!
Rebecca says
Thanks so much, E! I’m so glad you’re here. And I hope you love the rest of the food here, too!!
Audrey Gadson says
I love it. I want learning homemade. I am deaf hard of hearing impraid. Can u give me information where I can buy store which location I live North Carolina near high point nc Thank u Audrey Gadson
Cheryl says
Who would eat 1894 mg of sodium. A stroke waiting to happen. Need a low sodium recipe
Rebecca says
Oh goodness, you don’t actually eat all of that sodium! Most of it washes away when you drain the brined cabbage! Unfortunately, the recipe nutritional plugin I use doesn’t allow for that in calculating the sodium. 🙂 Rest assured it is substantially less than that!
Becky Z says
I’m confused about the brine. Says to drain the cabbage but then when you are cramming it into the jars does it weep and make it’s own liquid? Then if it needs extra brine are you supposed to save the original brine you drained away?
Rebecca says
Hi Becky! Yes, it weeps and makes its own liquid. If you need extra brine, you can stir 4 teaspoons of kosher salt into a quart of water and use as needed, but you shouldn’t save the original. 🙂
Eva says
I have left out the kimchi to ferment for 72 hrs and while I see it weeping the mixture onto the pan , I don’t see the kimchi bubbling like a carbonated drink. I see the bubbles some when I use a chopstick to release them .
Should I put it in the refrigerator or leave it out longer at room temp until I see the carbonation?
Rebecca says
Hi Eva- You should be fine whichever route you took, but I’d pop it into the fridge now if you haven’t already.
Jon says
Just made this. No idea how it will turn out but I made it wrong. I think the statement “Lob off the white bits of the green onions and put them into a food processor”. I put the green bit in…realised later that it was the other way around. Read it out to my wife and she also thought it referred to the green bits. Maybe you could clarify. Other than that; many thanks for this recipe. Much appreciated.
Rebecca says
Hi Jon- It should still turn out just fine. The green parts provide a nice texture in the finished kimchi, but it won’t hurt it if it was blitzed in.
Grant Ottesen says
I just made my first batch. I was in Korea in 1982 and 83 Stationed at Dong Da Chan, up buy the DMZ. The Kimchi we used to get was the kind buried in the ground over the winter. It was strong and tasty. All of the guys who had been to Korea before were saying the whole country smelled and it was due to the kimchi. They said it was gross and not to eat it. So naturally I had to try some and it was fantastic. I’m so excited right now because I have 5 Pints of it curing for 72 hours. I can’t wait.
Rebecca says
That’s amazing, Grant! I hope you love it!!
Playoutside says
How do you make additional brine if my kimchi is only half way submerged?
Step 5 in your recipe:
“If needed, pour in some additional brine to keep all the vegetables submerged.”
Rebecca says
Hi there! Add 4 tablespoons of kosher salt to a quart of cool water, shake ’til salt is dissolved, and voila! You have brine!
Jim says
I made this recipe to the letter including 20 cloves of garlic it is AMAZING I have made several different versions of Kimchi but this one is hands down the best.
My brother and I have Kimchi making contest and this recipe blew his away, thank you for posting this recipe
Rebecca says
That makes me so happy, Jim!! I’m so glad you love it.
Matt Wood says
Thanks for this recipe. I’m on my third batch, my friends and neighbors have been taxing my supply. I initially started making this after a gnarly course of antibiotics (dog bite) and now I am a full addict.
Rebecca says
I’m so glad you like it, Matt! Thanks so much for letting me know!
Tom says
I’m on my third batch. Love it on greens, love it on beans. Love it plain, or on a train. I’m making a fourth batch today, in a 5 liter crock. I’m using a more Korean pepper than the recipe calls for, just to ramp up the heat a bit.
Thanks for this terrific recipe!
John says
Awesome recipe. It is my first time making kimchi. You can’t go wrong with this. Ohh it is soo freaking good.
Elizabeth says
Tastes amazing. But a friend corrected me, you can’t use tap water (I didn’t understand that non-chlorinated water means it had to be distilled). It’s been sitting on the counter for 24 hours so far..do I need to put it in the fridge and just eat it within 2 weeks or will it possibly still ferment?
Rebecca says
You should still be okay, Elizabeth!
Elizabeth says
True story, it did ferment! I should have done more research on my own but as long as it’s bubbling and doesn’t smell strange (besides that good kimchi funk) you’re good. Maybe we don’t have a ton of chlorine in our tap water but it’s been fine. This stuff is some of the best kimchi I’ve ever had. I’m shocked, honestly. Used a whole Chinese cabbage head from our garden for it and can’t wait to try other veggies!
Rebecca says
I’m so glad it turned out great for you, Elizabeth, and that you love it!
Sarah says
Hello! Just wondering what brine we add. Salt and water? Just water?
Thank you!
Sarah
Rebecca says
Hi Sarah- whisk 4 teaspoons of kosher salt into 4 cups of cool water ’til salt is dissolved. That’s your brine. 🙂
Sherman newberry says
How much apple juice do you use?
Rebecca says
Hi Sherman- I use about 1/4 cup, or whatever I need to to loosen the paste up to the consistency I described in the recipe. 🙂
Dr Peter says
Thanks for this, especially the print option which means I can print to pdf. I’m about to try sauerkraut and will definitely try this if that works but not sure where to get Korean chilli powder. Pretty sure our local Chinese supermarket doesn’t have it. Might have to try online.
Rebecca says
It’s definitely available online, Dr. Peter! I am pretty sure I linked to where it is available on Amazon within the post.
Ashley Borgia says
Does kimchee need to be refrigerated after the 72 hours at room temperature?
Rebecca says
Hi Ashley, it does indeed!
Kathy says
Just an FYI. When I click on the white miso link it takes me to pear juice.
Gwen says
Hi. I’m wondering if you could describe “the older it gets, the stronger it becomes”? This batch tasted good at the start (thanks for the yummy recipe!), smelled good fermenting but now has a chemical taste to it? I used a true fermenting crock and did the batch as a whole. It also may have been 4 days instead of 3, I cant remember now but am wondering how the flavor changes as it ages? The only other fermented veg I’ve done is sauerkraut and have always liked its flavor as it aged. Thank you
Rebecca says
Hi Gwen- It smells gamier and funkier if that helps. Maybe a little less pleasant and more strident to the nose? And pretty sharp in flavour. When it gets that way, I like to mellow it out by stir frying it lightly!
Dee says
Where does the apple or pear juice come in?
Rebecca says
Hi Dee- You add the apple or pear juice when you’re processing the garlic and such in the food processor. You just add enough to loosen it.
Diana says
I may be confused but the list say 3 to 8 pounds of cabbage, while all the other ingredients stay the same?
Meaning I will add 20 cloves of garlic to 3 pounds or 8 pounds of cabbage?
Thank you I really want to try it.
Rebecca says
Hi Diana-
I understand the confusion, but yes, you keep those other ingredients the same. If you have the larger amount of cabbage, the resulting kimchi will be milder while if you use the smaller amount, it’ll be more concentrated. I hope you enjoy it!
Paula says
Can a fermentation weight be used to help keep the veggies under brine?
Can’t wait to try this!🤪
Rebecca says
It sure can, Paula!
J. Ivanski says
Hi,
I read through all the comments as I was curious about how to make the additional brine you mention. In some comments, you say to add 1 Tablespoon of salt per cup of water and in others it’s 1 teaspoon. Could you please clarify?
Thanks for the recipe. I just bought some kimchi yesterday and have decided to make my own which is how I stumbled on your website.
Rebecca says
Hi J- Thanks for catching that! It should be 1 tablespoon per cup of water.
Bryon says
I have a couple comments and a concern. Really liked the simplicity of your recipe from others I looked at. This is my first attempt at making Kimchi. Followed your recipe except for adding shrimp to the recipe. All went well got it packed in the big jar I wanted to store it in, and the juices from the mixture were enough to cover once I got done packing it in. It was an the counter for several hours before I went to bed and seemed to still have plenty of liquid on top. Next morning the top was dry. So I mixed up some more brine according to your 4tsp to quart of water. Added to cover by more than an inch. Now 14 hours later it is again dry on top and seems to be growing (by volume) in the jar. Just added more brine to cover. Cant really say I saw any bubbles on top, but I did notice some through the glass sides of the jar in the actual mixture. Do you think I have a problem? Is it actually fermenting ? Tried a taste as I did the second add of brine, the flavor is absolutely grand.
Bryon says
Oh No, the post just above me wasn’t visible to me until I came back to speak again. Tried the Kimchi again and it is way salty. Wish I had caught that post before I did the big add of brine. Big difference between 1 teaspoon, as compared to 1 table spoon. Note I did abbreviate my original post incorrectly. I added 4 tablespoons of salt not teaspoons.
Sheri Stewart says
After 72 hours I refrigerated my Kimchi (all in 102-Ounce jar with locking lid left ajar~not tightly fastened). Later I returned to the refrigerator to find the liquid level dropped down considerably. When it was on the counter it did overflow as per your instructions. I made a bit of brine with distilled water and kosher salt, added enough to cover vegetables and locked lid down tight. Is this okay?
Bill Graham says
Question – Can I use regular cabbage?
Rebecca says
Hi Bill- I’m not sure how that would work. Kimchi is traditionally made with Napa cabbage, so I don’t know whether regular cabbage will behave the same way during fermentation.
Consuelo Ray says
Hello kimchi maker, I’m not sure if you
Check your mail, In any event hopefully you do I want to I’m planning to try at the kimchi recipe you have on the Internet and on and on and just wanted to thank you for writing for sharing this Connie from Bakersfield California, Also I am preparing this for my son he enjoys pickled food thanks again Rebecca
Jay says
“Low in fat” ruined the credibility of this article for me.
Rebecca says
Interesting that a statement of fact would ruin the credibility of a recipe post for you. It is, in fact, low in fat at a whopping zero grams of any kind of fat whatsoever. For people who need to track that for medical reasons, that is helpful information to have.
Richard says
can this recipe be canned & how to do it.
Rebecca says
Hi Richard- I’m afraid this is not suitable for canning. The good news is that it continues getting tastier and stronger as it ferments in cold storage.
DICK FLEMING says
SUPERFRAGILISTIC!
DICK FLEMING says
SUPERFRAGILISTIC! Can I add another brined and chunked up napa cabbage to my already existng batch? It is very rich in other basic ingrdients and liquid volume. I hate to dispose of the “mother” goo if it is still functional. Thanks! any added cabbage or other ingredients would be compressed and completely immersed.
Rebecca says
Go for it, Dick! I haven’t tried it, but can’t imagine it would hurt! Let me know how it works out!
Jessica says
Can I use Gochujang paste instead of powder?
Rebecca says
Hi Jessica- I have not tried making this with gochujang in place of the gochugaru. Gochujang has some other flavours added to it like fermented soybean and glutinous rice.
Decorside says
I think this is gonna be delicious. Thanks for the recipe, Rebecca.
Rebecca says
Thanks so much!
Lisa hunt says
Is the Korean paste made here basically the same as gochujang? I went to make the paste and realized I did not have Korean chili powder. So sent my son in law down to the basement fridge for miso and he brings up the gochujang paste. I’ll thinking this looks like the same thing almost. Just wondering. That’s what I used along with garlic miso and ginger. And apple cider instead of fish sauce. Hubby can’t stand fish sauce. Eh. I’ll let you know how it came out.
Rebecca says
Hi Lisa- Gochujang starts with the same pepper as gochugaru, but it’s not exactly the same. I imagine it’ll still be tasty with your changes, though.
Todd G says
My mason jar lids are all grody. Could I just put a coffee filter over the top and secure with a rubber band? I’m not sure where I saw that, but wanted to confirm before doing so.
Rebecca says
Hi Todd- I’m not sure. I think it might lose liquid to evaporation a little more quickly that way, but I have never tried it, so that’s just an educated guess.
Sharon says
You mention adding extra brine to make sure everything is covered. Should I save what is drained off? Do you add any to the jars once the cabbage mixture in packed in?
Rebecca says
Hi Sharon- You just dissolve 4 teaspoons of kosher salt in a quart of water and use that to top off your kimchi.
Kevin says
Easy and awesome.
Rebecca says
I’m so glad you like it, Kevin! Thanks for taking the time to rate it!
Wendy says
Would it be ok to reduce the amount of the chili to make a milder version? Or does that change the probiotic properties?
Rebecca says
Hi Wendy,
I think that would be fine! You still want some in there, but I don’t think there’d be any harm in reducing the chili.
Candy says
I didn’t have jars I put in tuperwhere is that ok
Rebecca says
I think that’s fine, Candy, but you’ll likely be unable to use that particular tupperware for anything but kimchi or stuff with kimchi in it again.
Hayden says
Great recipe, made a couple of monstrously huge bowls a few days ago! Deleting coins! Thank you!
June Reith says
I followed all your instructions making the kimchi got the special powder but unfortunately I didn’t have any apple and pear juice so I just blended an apple with a yes with the Pulp iaswell and put a little bit of the brine in the in the blender I’ve made i6hours ago and there’s only one bubble in one of the 9 jjars so have I stuffed it up. —I hope not please let me know because the way you were talking it should be brimming over and it’s not
Rebecca says
Hi June- I think you’ll be fine! No worries. Give it a little more time and watch it. As long as the veggies are submerged in the liquid, you’ll be fine.
Abby says
I have yet to make this but I’m gathering up ingredients now. I am on a low sodium diet and was wondering if i can reduce any of the salt? I would love to be able to eat more than an ounce a day. Lol!
Rebecca says
Hi Abby- You really do need the salt both to help break down the cell walls in the vegetables and also to help control the bacteria in the fermentation, but please keep in mind that most of the salt is rinsed away when you drain the soaked vegetables. You could also rinse them a bit if you’d like to help remove more of the salt-water.
There is, of course, also sodium in the miso and fish sauce. Omitting either of these would definitely change the flavour profile of the finished kimchi. If you’d like, you could probably reduce those by about 1/3 so you’d still have the flavours but a little less sodium. 🙂
Kristine says
Hi! So far I’ve only had one version of Kimchi that I really liked, but I can’t remember the name of it 🙁 and I’ve tried making it twice, but it’s not quite to my taste, so I’ll try making this recipe and seeing if it fits the bill. By the way, how long do you suggest waiting until trying to make the Kimchi pancake? The idea sounds awesome, and I really want to give it a try.
Rebecca says
Hi Kristine! I like the older, funkier kimchi for the pancakes, so ideally, I’d wait a few weeks before making it. That said, it’s still delicious with young kimchi, and it’d be fun for you to compare the results of the young with the results of the old. 🙂 Let me know what you think!
Brandy says
Do I need the miso and fruit juice or can I omit those?
Rebecca says
Hi Brandy- I like them both in there for different reasons. The pear juice is nice to balance the flavours and give the fermentation some natural sugars to work on and the miso is good for both balancing flavours and giving that fermentation a little kick-start. I have not tried it without either or both, so I’m not sure what to tell you on that front. If you try it minus those ingredients, please let me know how it turns out for you.
Laurie says
I have a brand called “Mother In Law’s Gochugaru” Korean chili FLAKES. Not powder. It’s so delicious! But what amount would I use in this recipe to replace the powder with flakes? I’m assuming I’d use more? Your recipe seems perfect and I can’t wait to try it. Thanks in advance for your considered reply. 🙂
Rebecca says
Hi Laurie- I think I’m familiar with that particular brand and I think you can use it one-for-one. Korean chili powder isn’t like American chili powder. It’s definitely a bit flakier. If you like things extra hot, though, feel free to bump it up a bit. 🙂
Freeman says
Thanks for the sauce recipe. I make my own infrequently enough to not remember all the ingredients. I used “regular” cabbage, collards (a local ‘southern’ staple green), parsnips instead of carrot or diakon radish, because of it being somewhere in between the two, and green onions. Even before adding the sauce, the flavor was sublime. Thanks again for the inspiration for the sauce! Have a great day!
Rebecca says
That sounds outstanding, Freeman! Like a southern kimchi!!
Pete says
I make mine pretty much the same way, but without the carrots. The only commercial brand sold near me is King’s Kimchi and mine is like that. For those without Koreqan pepper powder that want to try it, Sriracha sauce is a pretty good substitute. I used it my first time, while waiting for the big bag of pepper powder I ordered online to show up. I have also used Bok Choy in place of Nappa, that was good too.
Judy says
Thank you so much for the detail you have gone into to deliver us the yummiest recipe ever!
My tummy thanks you for all those wonderful millions of probiotics.
Rebecca says
Thank YOU, Judy! I appreciate you taking the time to let me know!
June Reith says
Hi Rebecca was fingering through all your messages trying to find one that I left before I made it and couldn’t find it normally messages the latest messages are on the top but they’re on the bottom so it’s a bit confusing I want to say thank you …I love the kimchi recipe that you gave us I made the kimchi pancake and took it down to the dog club and they all loved it .my friends got kimchee in the cupboard and not in on the in the fridge mine starting to get a bit of mould is still in the benchtop after about the after about another three weeks so should I screw the lid on and put it in the fridge June Western Australia
Rebecca says
Hi June! Thanks so much for the kind words. If your kimchi has mold, you should not eat it, unfortunately. This is part of why you store it in the refrigerator after the initial 3 day fermentation on the counter. I wouldn’t clamp the lid down tight, though. Rather, you should put the lid loosely in place and put the jar of kimchi in a bowl or container that can get any juices that bubble over.
stephanie says
It says 3-8 lbs of cabbage, how do i measure the remainder of the ingredients if i use 8 lbs rather than 3?
Rebecca says
Hi Stephanie- There is a large range here, but the paste you make should be sufficient to work for up to 8 pounds of cabbage. 🙂
Sunni says
Hello, this looks like a wonderful recipe I cannot wait to try. Just a quick question about nutritional info and the super high sodium content. Where is that coming from? It says one serving is 79%daily intake! Is that from the fish sauce? Can I substitute something like a low sodium soy? Thanks for your time.
Sunni says
Sorry somehow missed the 1/2 cup of salt in the recipe! I am new to the making of kim chi, is this always the case? Seems to defeat the purpose of being healthy with this much sodium.
Rebecca says
Hi Sunni- Please note that this is not the total amount of sodium that ends in the final product. You are creating a brine with the water and salt, soaking the vegetables to break down the cell walls, then draining off the salt water brine. To be sure, some salt is in there, but the vast majority of it drains away before the pepper paste is added. I wouldn’t worry!
Rebecca says
In answer to this, it is because I use an automatic nutrition calculator and it does not take into account the salt water brine that is drained off when calculating the nutritionals. I’m not sure what the final sodium count is, but it is VASTLY lower than that.
Terri Sevilla says
Hi. I can’t wait to make this mak kimchi!
The photos show dark green veggie pieces, (green onion?) May I add to cabbage/carrot mixture?
Thank you for your help.
Rebecca says
Absolutely, Terri! I hope you enjoy it!
Ken Walsh says
Can you use red miso?
Rebecca says
Hey Ken! It’ll be slightly stronger tasting, but I don’t see any reason why you can’t!
Kent Barnes says
That is 3.2 grams net carbs in 1/32 of recipe equals a serving
Meg says
Hello!
I was wondering, would it matter if I cut the cabbage into smaller pieces? So it was more shredded?
Rebecca says
Hi Meg- I’m not sure, as I haven’t tried that! It might work. 🙂
Tngirl05 says
I made this yesterday morning, and we had a taste of it with dinner this evening. It is already SO good. We don’t go through a ton of kimchi usually, so I only made 1/3 of the recipe and got a good quart out of it. I didn’t have any miso paste or juice, and it is still incredible.
This will definitely be my go to kimchi recipe from now on. Much easier than another I’ve tried and super tasty.
Rebecca says
Thanks so much, Tngirl05, for taking the time to let me know you loved it and rate the recipe!
Sheetal kapoor says
I think this is gonna be delicious. Thanks for the recipe, Rebecca.
Regards
Jan says
Can I use red or yellow cooking onion instead of green?
Rebecca says
Hi Jan- I have never tried that. I suspect they would work but will likely be a much more powerful oniony taste than the green onions. Please let me know how it works out for you if you try it!
ella says
Ironically, a forkful of this kimchi every day has allowed me to stop taking IBS medication been on for years with sketchy results. Probiotics did nothing. Doc is stunned. I love this stuff anyway, go figure… just made another batch, waiting for the great kimchi river… again…
Rebecca says
Nice, Ella! I’m so glad you love it and it helps you!
Tracy says
Can’t wait to try this. Looks easy and I do love Kimchi anytime
Brandon says
I am looking forward to making this but I have a couple of questions.
1. Should I save the initial brine from step 2 in case I need to add more in those first 72 hours?
2. Is the chili paste combo wet enough to keep the cabbage submerged?
Rebecca says
Hi Brandon- I’d recommend mixing up a fresh brine to add if you need it and the chili paste combo will not be wet enough at first, but the cabbage will create its own liquids as it gets happy in the paste. If there isn’t enough liquid to submerge it after about 6 hours at room temp, please add some brine to top it off.
Brandon says
thank you! Excited to try it!
Cate says
Hi there,
Thanks so much for this recipe- we love kimchi!! I accidentally subbed out cayenne and it’s spicier than intended, but that’s ok (I was winging it and using what I had on hand!). The smell and the flavour are wonderful. We made it over a week ago, and it was on the counter for 3 days and then we put it in the fridge.
My question is, when I took it out yesterday, it doesn’t seem very liquidy, much more like a paste. Is this normal? Maybe it just needs to ferment more to let off more liquid? We had a nice little river in our pan so it was definitely doing it’s thing, I’m just concerned that it’s a bit gloopy now. Has this happened to you before?
Thanks!
Rebecca says
Whooooooeeee, Cate! That’s got to be wicked hot if you used cayenne in equal parts. 🙂 Give your kimchi a stir and see whether that gloopiness evens out. I’m not sure whether it has anything to do with the different type of pepper powder you used or whether it’s just a dry weather issue.
vincent c pitt says
I have never made Kimchi , Your recipe looks SOOO GREAT that I,m going to try it.
Thank you for your BEAUTIFUL pages on this WEB sight.
Petra Hennig says
Thanks for the recipe!
How can I make additional brine?Just salted water?
Rebecca says
You’re very welcome, Petra. I don’t remember the exact proportions right at the moment, but I know I’ve mentioned it a few times here in the comments section. If you wouldn’t mind scrolling through the comments a bit, I’m sure it’s in there! 🙂
nicole says
can you use ACV instead of unsweetened apple juice?
Rebecca says
Hi Nicole! I’m not sure I would do that. You can omit the apple juice with good results, but I don’t think I’d add vinegar. 🙂
yasmine says
This looks lovely. I want to try this over the next few days. Can I substitute miso paste with something else?
Thanks
Yasmine
Rebecca says
Hi Yasmine- If you’d like, you can omit the miso entirely. I think it adds a nice umami touch to the final kimchi, though. 🙂
Nancy says
Room temperature here in Texas can be 77 degrees is that ok?
Amy says
I’ve been making kimchi regularly for almost a year now, consulting different recipes. This recipe has become my gold standard, and the one I recommend to friends when they ask for ‘my’ recipe. It’s got a super flavor and is no-fuss, with good, non-dogmatic directions. I prefer it this way with the cabbage chopped – it makes it a lot easier to eat it straight out of the jar : ) And makes the recipe a lot faster (than rubbing the paste onto the leaves, traditional style). I do dump in a lot more fish sauce, and just a splash of juice (if I have it – if not I don’t add any). I find I always have plenty of liquid so I don’t need to make the paste consistency so thin. Also I don’t usually have miso lying around, and the recipe works okay without it. A word on fermentation – in the summer the jar is ready to pop after one night, while in the winter it takes a few days for the fermentation to really begin. Oh, and I’ve made kimchi with regular cabbage, and for me it just lacks that kimchi flavor. I don’t know why that is, but my two cents’ is to definitely stick with using Napa cabbage. Anyway, thank you for posting this recipe!
Amy says
Forgot to rate it…
Paddy Manning says
Kimichi is a health food if stomach cancer is healthy. Heavy kimichi users have a 50% raised stomach cancer rate.
Rebecca says
Okay, Paddy. You have some scientific backing for that? I mean double or triple blind studies? Otherwise, you’re just mad about a food that tastes good. 🙂
Drina says
If your jars are too dry and you need to top your jars off with brine, What do you use to top them off?
Rebecca says
In a separate container, mix together 4 teaspoons kosher salt with 4 cups of water until the salt is dissolved. Use this as needed to top off the jars. 🙂
Rebecca says
That should have been 4 teaspoons in 4 cups! 🙂
Scott says
Thank you for your devotion and dedication to your blog, the work you put into this is superb.
I have never made kimchi before, but when I do I’ll be using this. I can taste it already!
Respectfully yours,
Scott
Rebecca says
Thanks so much, Scott! I hope you get the chance to make it soon!
Mindy says
I can’t wait to make this because I am kimchi crazy. One little jar of kimchi costs five dollars if you can find it. In these times with covid 19 ingredients are hard to find especially bottled water. I ordered the fresh ingredients and hope those will all be available so I can make this recipe. I only have regular salt so I hope that will be ok. I will let you know how my “shelter in place” version turns out. Also hoping tap water will be ok since that’s all I can get. P.s. that stomachs cancer comment is ridiculous. Thank you for all your efforts and I hope you get enough money for all your boys to go to college.
Rebecca says
You’re awfully sweet, Mindy.
Sterls says
I have Gochujang on hand, how do I use this instead of Korean Chili Powder? I am having trouble finding the equivalent measurement. PLEASE HELP!!! Thx!
Rebecca says
Hi Sterls- I’m terribly sorry to say that I’m not sure what the equivalent amount is. Gochujang is slightly different in that it is a fermented chile paste, so you may have to do some experimenting.
Leticia Jones says
Hello! I’ve been buying so much kimchi from the store I’ve finally decided to give your recipe a try! I was reading through and it says to drain the brine water. Then later it says to add brine water to top it off or refill to keep the kimchi longer. Should I store the brine water in a jar or justmade regular ol’ salt water as needed? I’m sorry that part really confused me.
Rebecca says
Hi Leticia! You’ll want regular ol’ salt water to top it off with rather than the stuff you drained off in the first couple of steps. 🙂 Thanks for asking me to clarify!
Jessica says
Hi, can I purée in a fresh Apple instead of Apple juice?
Rebecca says
You betcha, Jessica! That’ll work great!
Sarah says
Hi – I’m excited to try this recipe! I have some plastic gallon containers that previously held ice cream. It looks like the plastic won’t be a problem, but I can’t get a sense of how much kimchi your recipe makes. How many quart jars do you usually fill up?
Rebecca says
Hi Sarah- It really depends on how much Napa cabbage you start with… there’s quite a range in the recipe. 🙂 If I start with the lower end of the range, I end up with close to 3 quarts, usually.
Mindy says
It’s Mindy again. I made my “shelter in place” version. I was actually able to use kosher salt thanks to amazon prim. I did have to use tap water. I was a little nervous about the ginger because of the measurement. I have never used it. I used a pear because I couldn’t find the juice. The paste turned out a little thick. I think I used more napa cabage than the recipe called for because it made four quarts. When I saw the kimchi not covered with liquid I just pressed it back down. It was at the top of the jar so there was no room to add brine. It turned out perfect !! I will have to make more in a month. It doesn’t take me long to go through it. I eat it with everything and alone too. I will definitely try your kimchi pancake recipe as well. Thank you and be safe and well during this time and always.
Rebecca says
Thanks so much for checking back in, Mindy! I’m awfully glad it turned out great for you and I appreciate that you took the time to come back and rate the recipe and let us know!
Erin says
This recipe is so good! I had never made kimchi prior to using this recipe, and I am now on my third batch. I’ve put beets and cauliflower in it as well.
I use 1/4 cup salt instead of 1/2 cup though, and it is to my preferred taste. Also, I use whatever spices I have on hand (red pepper flakes, dried chiles) and it turns out so good! Thank you for posting this.
Rebecca says
You’re very welcome, Erin! Thanks for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know it was flexible for you!
Adam says
Hi Rebecca, can any unused brine be frozen for use in another batch? Great recipe! Thanks!
Rebecca says
Hi Adam- Thanks so much for taking the time to rate the recipe. Just to clarify, are we talking about the brine that is salt stirred into water that we use to top off the kimchi? If so, I’d be inclined to just make a smaller batch and send what you don’t use down the drain. If you mean the kimchi brine, I think that sounds like a lovely idea to deepen the flavour.
Beth Taylor says
What would you recommend to make this more spicy hot?
Rebecca says
Hi Beth- You could add more Korean chile flakes or you could add some thinly sliced wickedly hot peppers like habaneros or bird chiles or something of that sort. 🙂
Onyinye says
Hello, I discovered kimchi when I watched the Korean drama called “Boys before flowers”. It looked spicy and delicious. I want to learn how to make this and your steps seem simple but I am in Nigeria and there are things I can’t get here in my country. For example pear juice, miso paste, Korean chilly power (Can I use any chilly pepper in place of this?).
I hope to hear from you soon.
Rebecca says
Hi Onyinye! You can use unsweetened apple juice, omit the miso paste, and if you can’t find Korean chile powder, you might try any of these substitutes: Cayenne pepper flakes. One of the most easily found ingredients is Cayenne pepper whether it is flakes or its ground form. …
Chipotle powder. Chipotle peppers are made with dried and smoked red jalapeno peppers. …
Aleppo pepper powder. …
Smoked Paprika. …
Chile Pasilla. …
Gochujang.
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Irene Yew says
How much pear juice or apple juice to add in? I don’t think I see the portion in your recipe.
Rebecca says
Hi Irene- I don’t give a hard and fast amount. You need to use visual queues to know how much you’re adding. You are basically loosening up the paste a bit with it. It probably won’t amount to any more than 1/4 or 1/2 cup, but that’s dependent on your veg that you’re whizzing up in the food processor.
Ben says
Looks great! I made pickled daikon carrot relish for Vietnamese food so this looks perfect to make as my next pickled Asian side dish. I hear you want distilled or spring water to allow the natural fermentation process to work correctly.
Rebecca says
I have well water, so that works beautifully. If you’re using town/treated water, you may want to go with spring water.
Mentari says
Thank you for the recipe! Love!!
Today is first day of fermentation and when I tasted it, it’s less spicy, can I add more gochugaru when it’s still fermenting?
Also the water/brine is like triple now, is that normal? Thank you..
Rebecca says
Thanks for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you love it, Mentari! xoxo I don’t see any problem with adding more gochugaru, but I’d do it sparingly after the first day. And it is totally normal for the liquid to increase like that… I am so glad you are happy with your results. 🙂
Ed says
1/ what is “white miso paste” and where there is none such, what can be substituted?
2/ is what “korean chili powder” actually “cayene powder” (which is _not_ north-american ‘chili powder’ at all.
Rebecca says
Hi Ed- Let’s see if I can help you with your questions. First, miso paste is a fermented soy paste that both helps kick start fermentation and adds some umami to the party. If you don’t want to purchase it (at Asian markets and better stocked grocery stores) or order it (Amazon and other online food retailers), you can omit it. Second, Korean chile powder is not cayenne pepper. It is coarsely ground, sun-dried chile pepper flakes with about 10,000 Scoville units. You can read about it here. It is also available very inexpensively at Asian markets, at some better stocked grocery stores, and online (Amazon and others). I have not personally used other peppers in place of it (it’s also called gochugaru), but I understand some people have.
Helen Bower says
Sounds good. Can I use Gochujang instead of Korean Chilli powder?
Rebecca says
Hi Helen- I’m sorry to say I’m not much help here because I haven’t tried that. I would mention that gochujang isn’t pure chile powder, but has additional ingredients and is fermented. That’s not to say it won’t work, I just don’t know how much you’d use and what the results would be. If you decide to play around with it, please let me know how it turns out for you!
Nancy says
This is the second time I’m making kimchi and wanted to thank you for the recipe. I got a beautiful water sealed fermentation crock for Mother’s Day and I’m obsessed with kimchi.
Thanks!
Rebecca says
I’m so glad you love it, Nancy! Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Bnkie says
I made this recipe today and canned 6 pints. The pot I used for the final mix smelled so good, I didn’t want to wash it! If this stuff tastes remotely as good as it smells, it is going to be an absolute culinary treat! Being a foodie who loves delicious flavors. I believe this recipe to be ‘out of the park’. Can’t wit for 3 days to pass soon can dig in! Ok, I confess, I did taste it and even unfermented, it was amazing! It’s going to be along 3 days! Thanks for sharing!
Rebecca says
Hey Bnkie! I’m so glad you love it and took the time to rate the recipe and let me know!
Sarah says
Once I put mine in the fridge the water got all soaked up. Should I put more water over the top??
Rebecca says
Hi Sarah- You should add a little brine to make sure it is topped off… just 4 teaspoons of kosher salt to 1 quart of cool water, stirred until it is dissolved. 🙂
Diana says
Interesting to see that your receipt use apple juice. What does apple juice do, since it’s unsweetened .. dont think it helps with the fermenting, maybe add to the flavour? I may have miss it , but how much apple juice should I use? 200 ml? Enough to cover the cabbage?
Rebecca says
Hi Diana- It adds fructose which the pear would also do… you do not need to add a specific amount. You’re just adding enough to loosen up the paste in the food processor until you hit about pancake batter thickness!
Diana says
Thanks ! I just tried making kimchi using your recipe, and I totally love it ! 🙂 I think the apple juice does make it more flavorful ! 🙂
Rebecca says
Thanks so much for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you love it, Diana! I truly appreciate it and I’m glad you love it.
Steph says
Hi! I’m I’ve got my cabbage slathered in paste Ina jar but there’s a little air between lid and kimchi. I put a cabbage leaf on top and it’s pressed down, but do I need to cover that with brine? When you mention adding extra brine where does the brine come from? How do I create that?
Thank you! I’m so excited to eat this.
Rebecca says
Hi Steph- Yes, please! Pour some brine over it. Just shake together 4 teaspoons of kosher salt and a quart of water and keep that in the fridge to top off your kimchi as needed. 🙂
Eileen Boey says
Hi, for a 3pound cabbage how much liter container would you need for the finished product?
Rebecca says
Hi Eileen- I’m not certain. I usually just keep a handful of quart jars ready to go and stuff it in tight. 🙂 Whatever I don’t need, I just pop back on the shelf…
Richard McAllister says
Can this recipe be frozen?
Rebecca says
Hi Richard- I wouldn’t freeze it. It ages and continues to get stronger (and in my opinion better) as it is stored in the refrigerator.
Lena says
Can i use green (cannonball) cabbage instead?
Rebecca says
Hi Lena- You can, but it will be different texturally!
Constance says
I just made it for the first time but I forgot carrots because not all recipes call for carrots so I have enough room in the jars to add carrots so how many days do I marinated at room temperature with a loosely screwed on top for the jar?
Rebecca says
Hi Constance- I’d skip the carrots this time vs. adding in without brining/not at the same time!
Andee says
Hi! I just want to ask this. What if I can’t find u sweetened pear/apple juice? Is there an alternative for them? thanks!
Rebecca says
Hi Andee- You could simply grate an apple or pear into a bowl and either include the pulp or squeeze the juice and use the juice only. 🙂
Kathy says
This is the 3rd time I have made this. So very easy to follow and tastes great!!!😊❤️
Rebecca says
Thank you, Kathy! I am so glad you love it and appreciate you letting me know!
Suzanne says
Hi REbecca,
Thanks for this great recipe! I’ve made it three times and loved it each time. This time, it was really bubbling along on day 1 & 2 like usual, but then it just stopped. So I put it in the fridge, but do you think it is ok? It seems it just ran out of steam!
Rebecca says
I think that’s fine, Suzanne! Was your room temperature pretty warm? If so, it may have gone the distance faster. 🙂
SUzanne says
I bet that was it! It’s pretty warm this week here. I tasted it this morning and it’s delicious as always, so thanks!!
Rebecca says
Wonderful, Suzanne! I’m so glad it all worked out!
Robert Hall says
Just made a batch today. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Rebecca says
Thanks for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you like it, Robert! I appreciate it!
Sandy says
Hello Rebecca!
I am going to try making Kimchi for the first time ever. I have googled and read through countless recipes and keep coming back to yours, so that is what I am going to use.
I have several questions for you.
1. I just harvested a dozen large beautiful green cabbage from my garden, can I use that instead of Napa?
2. Can I use Vidalia or red onion instead of green?
3. Can I use red miso instead of white or would that be too strong tasting?
4. I have no apple or pear juice, just pineapple juice, I am thinking that probably would NOT work? Can I blend up an apple instead?
With the Covid-19 going on, I am avoiding going to town so this is what I have to work with.
I just ordered the Korean chili flakes that you recommended. It will be here on Friday.
I can’t wait to try this!!
Thanks!!
Sandy
Rebecca says
H Sandy- Let’s see if I can help you out with your questions.
1. You can use it, but it won’t be a “traditional” kimchi texture or taste. Green cabbage is much sturdier than napa and ferments differently. It’ll be delicious, but different. 🙂
2. The same answer applies to the onion situation as the cabbage one. Vidalias and Red Onions tend to have much more pronounced onion flavour, so I’d go easy on them if subbing them in.
3. I have not personally used red miso in place of white. I think I’d reduce it a smidge if trying it.
4. I would definitely blend an apple and not use pineapple juice. 🙂
I look forward to seeing how you like the end result with the substitutes!
Sandy says
Thanks for your reply 🙂 Our garden is on steroids this year so I have been swimming in tomatoes, beans, cukes, beets, squash etc…. and haven’t had a chance to make this. I’m setting all those veggies and canning to the side for today and going to finally make my first batch of kimchi. I will let you know how it turns out. Oh, I have another question! I have chopped leeks that I froze from the garden last year. Would those work better than the Vidalia or red onions? Thanks!
Sandy
Rebecca says
Hi Sandy- I think leeks would be good, but I’m not sure how frozen leeks would behave! I think you’re going to have some fun playing around and finding what combination you love best. What a nice problem to have!! 🙂
Sandy says
One more follow up question! I have the cabbage and carrots soaking in the brine. Can I add sliced green bell peppers to this?
Thanks!
Rebecca says
I think I’d take a pass on the bell peppers, personally, as I’m not sure how the flavour would work in there, but if you decide to give it a try, please let me know how it works out for you!
Sandy says
Thanks again for the quick response! I am going to forget the green peppers this first time, maybe throw them in next time, that way I can compare with and without . I am going to use the leeks as I’m thinking if it is going in the blender it shouldn’t matter if they are kind of mushy. I just ate a piece and it taste fine. So we shall see! 😉
Jo says
Hello! Do you add the brining liquid to the jars or once you’ve strained it you no longer use that?
Rebecca says
Hi there! You no longer use that brining liquid. 🙂 You’ll want to whip up a fresh brine with 4 teaspoons kosher salt to a quart of water, shaken ’til salt is dissolved. 🙂
Deborah says
I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Rebecca says
I hope you love it, Deborah!
Laura says
Does the kimchi need to be in brine? The recipes said to drain it off, then said it needs to be covered in brine. Or will the fermentation process create needed liquid?
Rebecca says
Hi Laura- I usually top my jars off with a brine made of 4 teaspoons kosher salt dissolved in 1 quart water. 🙂
Lauren says
I used this recipe for my first-ever kimchi experiment and WOW it was so so so good! I omitted the carrots and used anchovy sauce instead of the fish sauce but it was still phenomenal!
Rebecca says
Thank you so much for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you loved it, Lauren!
Encar F. Abinal says
Thank for the info and idea on how to make a kimchi. I will try when I am no longer busy.
Thank you.
Megan says
Is it ok to soak the cabbage in the brine overnight?
Rebecca says
Hi Megan- I’m afraid I’ve never brined it longer than 3 or 4 hours, so I’m not sure what to say in answer to your question. 🙂
Mary E. says
You state: “If needed, pour some additional brine to keep the vegetables submerged….” However, the recipe never mentions to pour brine over the vegetables once they are in the canning jars. Is something missing here??
I crammed the veggies in the jar yesterday, and am letting them set, as you stated. They are not “submerged” in any brine right now.
Rebecca says
Hi Mary- I’m not sure what the issue is… if your vegetables aren’t submerged in their own juices, and don’t produce their own juices, you “pour some additional brine to keep the vegetables submerged…”
TD says
Hi just making your recipe. Two questions: 1) how much pear juice? 2) is miso needed?
I apologize if you answered either but did not see either question. Thanks TD
Rebecca says
Hi TD- In the recipe card, it specifies using 4 tablespoons of miso paste. 🙂 As for the pear juice, you’re really just using it to loosen up the contents of the food processor when you make the paste. Glug in a tablespoon at a time as you process until it is a looser paste. 🙂
Christine Lewis says
Hi ,
Thanks for your recipe. The first time I made it it was perfect but the second time a couple of months later it never fermented .Where did l go wrong ?
Rebecca says
Hi Christine- How? Wow. That’s a tough one to answer since I’m not in the kitchen with you. Did you do anything differently that you can think of?
priyanka says
HI,
what can i used instead of fish sauce as am vegetarian .
Rebecca says
Hi Priyanka- I’d go for a substitute of equal parts of soy sauce and rice vinegar. They do sell vegetarian “fish sauce”, though, if you’d like to get really close to the flavours!
Brian says
I made this and it’s delicious. Used the crazy korean e-Jen fermenter. I’m curious tho, it’s very dry. Whenever I make pickles or kraut there’s always a brine to push the stuff under. There was in the fermenter, sort of, but when I transferred it to jars there’s no liquid to sit under and I’m concerned it’ll go bad. I tried squishing it down but with this recipe there isn’t enough liquid when it’s done to squish down enough to stay covered. Unless I misunderstood a step that is!
Rebecca says
Hi Brian- There is a step in there that says if your mixture is too dry to top off the jar with brine. 🙂
I’m so glad you like it, too! 🙂
Tom says
This recipe is delicious and easy! One question you say to add extra brine to keep vegetables covered is the brine the water and salt brining in the beginning of the process or? Thank you
Rebecca says
Hey Tom! Did you mean to rate this recipe one star if it is delicious and easy? 🙂
You’ll want to mix up a brine of 1 quart cool water with 4 teaspoons of kosher salt and use as much of that as needed to top off your vegetables. 🙂
brown says
I know this is old post.. hope I get answer to my questions… Can I use Oyster sauce instead of fish sauce and WHY white miso? I have the yellow miso on hand.. an I find up whole (dried) Korean chiles for the powdered? or do I have to buy specific Korean Chile powder?
Thank you in advance and hope I get some answers!
Rebecca says
I still see comments, Brown 🙂 Yes to a go on yellow miso. Go for it. I’d skip oyster sauce if you can’t find fish sauce. You can certainly grind your own chile peppers as long as they’re the ones gochugaru is made of! You may end up with hotter or milder kimchi than intended, though, because the grind may be coarser or finer if you DIY it. 🙂
Sue says
I made the kimchi 24 hours ago and have not seen any bubbling yet. Is it possible I did not add enough juice? If so, can I add some more sugar at this point
Rebecca says
Hi Sue- It’s definitely possible that you need to add more brine! You can stir 4 teaspoons of kosher salt into 1 quart of cool, unchlorinated water then top your jar off. I wouldn’t add more sugar, personally. 🙂
Ciara says
Hi, this recipe looka great, thanks for sharing. I wanted to ask you, i have Gochujang paste rather than chili powder. How could I use in this recipe? Can I leave out the miso paste and pear juice, and use the Gochujang paste instead?
Thanks for your advice!
Rebecca says
Hi Ciara- You’d be in uncharted territory for this recipe doing that, but theoretically it should work. I just haven’t tried it. 🙂
Aaron says
Can’t wait to make this. Heads up though. Your Affiliate link for the white miso paste is linked to the pear juice. The others seem fine though.
Martha Campbell says
Super easy to make and delicious! My husband asked why it took me all these years to make him fresh kimchi….
DJhoan says
I saw maangachi version before yours. You use way less fish sauce. Is it because you just drain the brine instead of rinsing the napa after brining? i will definitely try your recipe next time.
Rebecca says
Hi DJhoan! While I love fish sauce, I prefer for my kimchi funk to come more from the natural fermentation of the cabbage rather than the fish sauce. 🙂 I’m not sure what Maangchi’s version is, but the amount I have in my recipe is my preferred level. 🙂
Clara says
Hello, After fermenting for 72hrs, when I put it in the fridge can I then screw on the lid or does it have to stay loose???? Thanks.
Regards Clara.
Rebecca says
Hi Clara- I’d say you can screw it on a little more tightly, but I still wouldn’t cinch it shut as tightly as possible. 🙂 I prefer to keep mine on top of a plate or small pan in the fridge, as well, just in case of bubbling!
Susan says
Saying 3 – 8 lbs of cabbage is quite a spread. Do we want something closer to 3 lbs or 8 lbs?
Susan says
OOPs – just re-read the comments and got my answer. No need to reply. Sorry. Will be making this soon!
Jeanette Mitchell says
I made it and it’s delicious! I added been sprouts because I love them. Next time I’m going to omit the carrots cause I don’t like them. I’m going to add dried shrimp if I can find the tiny ones at my international market. Glad I tried this recipe out of all the ones I reviewed. It’s quick and easier than most of the others, and I was able to easily find all of the ingredients. Thank you!
PS – I would add a picture if I could.
Rebecca says
I’m so glad you love it, Jeanette! I’d love it if you join our facebook community and added a picture there!
Rachel says
Love this recipe, making it for the second time and shared it with multiple friends. Thank you!
I liked the joke at the end “last for up to six months” 😂 not with me around it doesn’t!
Rebecca says
HA! Thank you, Rachel!
Susan Quinn says
What do you mean “If you need extra brine “. There IS no brine. Am I supposed to make a brine and add it to what’s in the jar? I don’t get it.
Rebecca says
Hi Susan- I mean if the liquid that the vegetables give off doesn’t rise to that level, you add brine. As the printable recipe says in the notes: “If you need extra brine to keep your vegetables submerged, please combine 1 quart of cool water with 4 teaspoons of kosher salt in a quart jar with a tight fitting lid and shake until the salt is dissolved. Use it to top off the vegetables as needed.”
Evelyn says
When I click the white miso paste it doesn’t go to the miso paste that you recommend. Could you tell me what you use?
Rebecca says
Sure thing! I love this one! https://amzn.to/3l2eU7g
Rosemarie says
Can regular cabbage be used as a substitute for Chinese cabbage?
Rebecca says
You betcha! It’ll be slightly different -of course- and make take slightly longer -of course- but it should be tasty!
Mia says
I have to greatly reduce my sodium intake, how much can I reduce so it will still ferment? I don’t mind salting it later so it tastes good, I am just worrying about fermentation.
Rebecca says
Hi Mia- Unfortunately, I’m not sure how much you could reduce it and ensure safe fermentation. I’m sorry!
Yvonne says
Hi I put mine in my pantry, it’s the second day and it’s not bubbling a tall, is that normal?
Thank you,Yvonne
Rebecca says
Hi Yvonne! Give it another day to see what’s going on!
Tony says
I’m actually shocked this was as good as it was. 4 days into this and it was awesome.
Rebecca says
Fantastic, Tony! Thanks so much for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you like it!
Meg A Howard says
Hi Rebecca,
I am on my second round of this amazing Kimchi recipe! I wonder why we need to stuff the jars so full that they overflow while fermenting. Could we leave the jar partly empty so the brine does not overflow?
Rebecca says
Hi Meg- Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know you love it and rate the recipe. You can certainly pack less into a jar to leave room, but you do need to pack it. Packing it to the top helps hold things in place, but you could add a weight to the jar to hold the veg down!
Allan F. Cooley says
Kim chi is delicious.., but NO fish sauce for me!
Michelle says
This is my second time using your recipe and just had to thank you for a great article and step-by-step explanation to making Kimchee! I will always follow your recipe because it came out perfect. Thank you so much!
Rebecca says
I’m so glad you love it, Michelle! Thanks for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you love it.
Kristen says
I really want to try this recipe! It sounds so simple and delicious. I adore kimchi but the price for premise at the store adds up fast. I have a few questions. I am vegan so what can I replace the fish sauce with, is the fruit juice required, and my house is very humid…. will that cause harmful bacteria to build while it sits on the counter?
Rebecca says
Hi Kristen- There are vegan “fish” sauces out there. That might be a nice choice! Or a splash of liquid aminos, maybe? I haven’t tried either of those, so you’d be trailblazing. 🙂 I would absolutely put the unsweetened fruit juice in there. It really contributes to the overall finished product. And as for humid, are we talking sauna humid or Florida humid? 🙂 I think you’ll be fine. Just watch it for bubbling action. Once it’s really rocking, move it to the fridge. Don’t base your wait on time. Happy Kimchi-ing.
Loulou022 says
Just made my 3rd batch, so easy to make. Lasts for ages in a cold room or fridge and taste just gets better and better. Had to use apple juice instead of pear juice this time, will see if the taste is different.
Rebecca says
Thanks so much for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you love it, Loulou!! I hope you love it with the apple juice, too. I think you will!!
Asia says
I really want to try this, but where I live it’s impossible to find Napa cabbage, is it fine if I use the regular green cabbage with this recipe ? 🙁
Rebecca says
Hi Asia- I’m sorry to say I haven’t personally tried it with regular green cabbage. I have tried it successfully with savoy cabbage, if that is available near you. I think I remember some other commenters may have tried it with green cabbage and weighing in with their results in the comments section. You may have some luck there. 🙂
El Bentivegna says
Green cabbage will work fine! You will definitely need at least two heads though.
Clueless White Dude says
I followed these directions and my kimchi paste is NOT pancake batter consistency haha. 😅
I put only (roughly) 4 Tbsp of pear juice into it, so its unclear if I should have “slopped” more until it was thinner. Nervous to see how “bubbly” it turns out over these next three days, but I’m cautiously optimistic.
Rebecca says
Don’t worry, Clueless. 🙂 It should still be delicious. If you find you’re having trouble getting it bubbly, you can add a little brine according to the notes in the recipe.
V. Moller says
I ” accidentally” let it ferment for nearly an additional day past 72hrs; is it still safe to put in fridge and use?
Thank you!
Rebecca says
I think it should be fine as long as it isn’t moldy!
Lusa says
Is this (3) 8lb heads of cabbage….as in 24lbs?
Rebecca says
Hi Lusa- it is not.. It is a range of weights from 3 to 8 pounds. 🙂 And yes, I know that is a huge range… it really does work for as much or little within that range as you’d like to make.
Kris says
How can kimchi ferment in cooler winter weather? What temperature is best for fermentation?
Rebecca says
Hi Kris- I make it year round in my kitchen… it ferments faster at higher temperatures and slower at lower temperatures, but because my house is never colder than 65 (I hope! HAHA) it works year round. 🙂
Elizabeth Bentivegna says
Hi! Thanks for the great recipe, trying it now. Just for clarification, in the notes it says extra brine is made with 4 teaspoons of salt, but in a comment you put 4 tablespoons. Which is correct? Thanks!
Rebecca says
Four teaspoons, Elizabeth! Thank you for asking for clarification!
Laney says
For the love of God I have never seen this many ads on one page. I am here for this kimchi recipe because it has good reviews but would never be tempted to try other recipes from this website due to how many ads you have to exit out of and muddle your way past.
Rebecca says
Hi Laney- The ads on here reimburse me for the money I pay up front for web hosting, technical help, web design, business expenses including camera equipment, ingredients, kitchen equipment, my time, and many other things. I provide it to you for the low-low cost of scrolling. If you’d prefer to pay up front, you’re welcome to purchase my cookbooks which are ad free.
My Best,
Rebecca
Steve says
Way too heavy on the ginger. It would have helped if there was a real measurement for it.
Rebecca says
Hey Steve- I’d say that for my tastes the ginger was quite good. If you have an exceptionally large piece of ginger, maybe reduce it if you’re not a fan. 🙂
Narcisa Cruz says
I made it and I love it.
Rebecca says
Thanks so much for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you love it, Narcisa!
Jintana says
Hi can I substitute pear juice or apple juice with apple cider vinegar because I’m on keto diet, thank you
Rebecca says
Hi Jintana- I’d just omit the juice. 🙂
Mark says
3-8lbs of Napa cabbage..thats between 1.5 kgs and 4kgs..is there a reason behind this method of madness?
Is the recipe ingredients for 3lbs of cabbage or is this like old people like it hotter and younger people like it mild?
Sorry but you have too many comments so I can’t read them all otherwise the cabbage will be sitting for 10 hrs also sry if this is a stupid question but 1.5 kgs is alot less than 4 kgs…
Whats the go?
Rebecca says
Hi Mark- The idea is that this recipe can accommodate anything from 3 to 8 pounds and all points in between. And yes- it’ll be a bit punchier if made with the smaller amount of napa cabbage, but all of it is delicious.
Chris says
3-8 lbnappa cabbage? Help. First time here. How much nappa cabbage should I use??
Rebecca says
Hi Chris! How much kimchi can you eat? 🙂 But for real, the higher end will yield a more “standard” spice level kimchi, while the lower end will yield a more potent kimchi!
Mark says
Thanks for the info and ingredients. I will try this at home
Rebecca says
You’re very welcome! Enjoy!
Steve says
What gives it the red color?
Rebecca says
Hi Steve- The vibrant red colour comes from the ground Korean chili pepper. That’s it!
Becky says
Hi, my husband is allergic to seafood. Is there anything I can use to replace the fish sauce that will give it vegetarian umami?
Rebecca says
Hi Becky- Thankfully, much of kimchi’s umami comes from the fermentation process. You can sub in a naturally fermented soy sauce if you’d like, or omit it altogether. 🙂
Paula says
LOVE this recipe. Make it all the time so I never run out!!😋
Rebecca says
Thanks so much for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you love it, Paula!! xoxoxo
Emily says
Hello! Could the Korean chili powder be substituted with gochujang paste?
Rebecca says
Hi Emily- I hate to say I don’t know, but I don’t really know. 🙂 Theoretically, you could probably do it, but I am not sure what quantities we’d be talking here. 🙂
Tracey says
I would love to make this because I used to date a Korean man and his mother used to make this. I just love the taste and want to learn to make it.
Barbara Patitucci says
OMG!!!! I can’t get enough of this. Even though the recipe made 3 quarts it doesn’t last long enough. This time I am adding a daikon radish.
Rebecca says
Hi Barbara- Thanks so much for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you love it!
Vivie says
I’m a newcomer to your site and I’ve already made this recipe, as is, twice. It’s really very good, flavours are well balanced, and am appreciating the probiotics. Thank you so much!
Rebecca says
Hi Vivie- Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know you love it! Welcome!
Gretchen says
I live in Ecuador and I am dying to make kimchi,I don’t have the miso or the korean chili powder, are there any alternatives that I could try?
Rebecca says
Hi Gretchen! The miso can be skipped easily, but the chili powder is tricky to replace. It’s a very mild chile pepper and not roasted like the guajillos, pasillas, chipotles, etc… Indian kashmiri peppers might be your closest bet (according to my research), but I really think maybe mail ordering the gochugaru might be your best bet!
Hitch says
Hi there, what can I use in place of the white miso paste? Thanks!
Rebecca says
Hi Hitch- You can omit this if you’d like. 🙂 Or use red miso. Either is fine.
Janice says
I made this over the weekend, it was so easy but does take time. DEFINITELY put the jars in a baking pan right away, they were slopping over the top within hours. What I loved the most about this recipe was all the little tips as you go along the process, very helpful. The tip to use a chopstick to release the air was bonus. A chopstick is long and can make it to the bottom of the quart jars I used, the knife would have been messy. I am going to try some of your recipes that use Kimchi next, cannot wait. SO EXCITED that I found your website! Kimchi is expensive where we live and it is so much more economical and healthy to make your own. Never buying in canned in the store again. Thank you!
Rebecca says
Oh, Janice! You’ve made my day. Thank you so much for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you love it!
Homecookingmama says
Hi! Do I need to fill jars to the top or can I leave room? The paste tastes so good. I’m excited!
Rebecca says
I’d leave a wee bit of room. 🙂 It’s going to bubble, bubble, toil, and trouble. HAHA
Homecookingmama says
Thanks! I am so excited to try it! It’s day 2. Any advice on how to keep the smell from overtaking the home… and fridge???
Rebecca says
Hi Homecookingmama! I’m afraid there may be a bit of the smell overtaking the home while it’s active. 🙂 If you’re super concerned about everything taking on the eau de kimchi and you eat a lot of it, you may want to keep it in a separate dorm fridge type set up. 🙂
Homecookingmama says
Thanks so much for this recipe and responding to my questions. It’s so delicious! I found a way to lessen the scent while it ferments by putting some ground coffee in a container next to the jars. Helped a lot pre and while in the fridge.
The kimchi was a hit with my family this weekend. Thanks for sharing this recipe! It’s the first time I tried it and definitely will not be my last!
I did not have kosher salt so I used sea salt and used half the amount. I also about doubled the fish sauce after tasting the paste because I like it more salty! So YUM!
Rebecca says
Thanks so much for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you love it, Homecookingmama! xoxo
Alla K says
I am using this recipe for years, this was my first one and it always works- excellent! Thanks a lot for sharing.
Rebecca says
Thanks so much, Alla! I appreciate you taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you love it!