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My Aunt’s Homemade Kimchi with a Vegan Kimchi Option

January 28, 2018 by hipfoodiemom 13 Comments

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My Aunt’s homemade kimchi recipe is delicious, flavorful, refreshing and easy to make! Plus, I’m sharing a naturally sweetened vegan kimchi version, too! 

looking down into jar of homemade kimchi

This month has been a whirlwind. I can’t believe January is almost over! I promised to share this homemade kimchi recipe this month, so here it is! With my last minute trip to NYC last week, I didn’t think I’d be able to post this, but here it is! I hope you guys give this recipe a try. Oh, and if you need a vegan kimchi recipe, I’m sharing one further down in this post.

homemade kimchi in glass jar

Homemade Kimchi

My aunt has been making homemade kimchi at my parents’ restaurants and grocery stores ever since I was a little kid. This recipe is so fresh tasting and delicious and so easy to make! When I was home for Christmas, I asked my mom to ask my aunt if she would share it. Obviously, she said yes!

Where to Buy Everything You Will Need

I highly recommend exploring your local Korean or Asian market, Hmart or mom and pop shop close to you for the ingredients. If you do not have any Korean or Asian markets close by, I have linked most of what you will need, with the exception of the produce, here on Amazon. 

ingredients to make naturally sweetened vegan kimchi recipe

Does Kimchi need sugar?

Some kimchi recipes out there call for sugar, but I prefer to use fruit (Korean pear and apple) to naturally sweeten homemade kimchi. We’re also pretty particular about the brand of Korean red pepper powder (or hot pepper flakes), gochugaru that we use. They recommend buying Wang Korean gochugaru. My mom and aunt think the Wang brand is the best, and I’m not going to argue with them.

Which Gochugaru To Purchase

You definitely want to make sure you are purchasing coarse gochugaru and not the fine powder. The fine powder is used to make gochujang. Here are some brands that I recommend for gochugaru. Also, please note, I would rather you support your local Korean market or Hmart for everything, but I know some people don’t have those resources or places to shop near them, so I am linking Amazon links here:

Wang Brand, as mentioned above

Taekyung Chili Powder For Kimchi (Flake, 1LB) – Korean Gochugaru

Korean red pepper flakes in small white bowl

vegan kimchi ingredients

Can vegans eat kimchi?

This recipe uses all plant based ingredients:

  • Napa cabbage
  • garlic
  • onions
  • ginger
  • radishes
  • green onions, and more

Fish Sauce

Our homemade kimchi uses fish sauce. The brand that I use and love is Three Crabs. You can also use Korean Fish sauce. I tend to use what I already have at home. 

bottle of fish sauce

VEGAN KIMCHI

If you want to make vegan kimchi, simply purchase a vegan fish sauce, like this one. You can find several brands online simply by searching for “vegan fish sauce.”

bottle of vegan fish sauce

 

Now, this recipe is not difficult but it does take time. You start by washing and chopping your Napa cabbage. And then comes the brine: Salt in layers!! This is key! Lay down some cabbage, sprinkle on some coarse sea salt and repeat. Pour in water, press down on the cabbage and then let everything sit for 2 to 3 hours. Mix and then let sit for another 2 hours, or overnight (at room temp).

combining ingredients in a large bowl to make kimchi paste

Then, you will blend the garlic, ginger, onion, radish, apple and pears. Blend until smooth. Then, by hand, you mix in the fish sauce and Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru): 2 cups!

When the cabbage is ready, you will need to rinse and wash the cabbage at least three times, running it under cold water. Place all of the washed cabbage into a clean container. Then, you’re going to mix the cabbage, gochugaru sauce and green onions.

making a homemade kimchi recipe

Place your kimchi into a large jar or containers. Close the jar/s with a lid and leave the kimchi out overnight. You can continue to let it sit for a few days to ferment if preferred.

jars of Korean fermented cabbage

On Fermentation:

  1. The kimchi will start fermenting within a day or two at room temperature, depending on the temperature and humidity in your kitchen. The warmer and more humid it is, the faster the kimchi will ferment. Once it starts to ferment it will smell and taste sour, and pressing on the top of the kimchi with a spoon will release bubbles from the bottom.
  2. Once it starts to ferment, store the kimchi in the refrigerator to use as needed. This slows down the fermentation process, which will make the kimchi more and more sour as time goes on.

Other Kimchi Recipes to make:

  • Kimchi fried rice
  • Kimchi jjigae
  • Deviled Eggs with Kimchi
  • Korean Kimchi Scallion Pancakes
  • Kimbap
  • Kimchi Brown Rice Veggie Bowl
  • Hot Dogs with Kimchi Relish
  • Kimchi Ramen Grilled Cheese Sandwich
  • Kimchi Bruschetta

 

jar of vegan kimchi

jar of homemade kimchi
Print Recipe

Homemade Kimchi with Vegan Kimchi Option

My Aunt's homemade kimchi recipe is delicious, flavorful, refreshing and easy to make! Plus, I'm sharing a naturally sweetened vegan kimchi version, too! 
If wanting to make a small batch: use 1 large (or 2 small) Napa cabbages (5-6 lbs.). Use 1/2 cup coarse sea salt, 1 1/2 cups cold water, 5 to 10 cloves garlic (start with 5 cloves and then taste), 1 inch fresh ginger, 1/2 medium sized onion, or one small onion, 1/2 cup Korean radish, 1/4 Fuji apple, 1/4 Korean pear, 1/4 cup fish sauce, 1 cup gochugaru, 1 bunch green onions. Blend everything as noted below in the recipe card, taste and adjust anything as needed.
Prep Time6 hrs
Total Time6 hrs
Course: side
Cuisine: Korean
Keyword: homemade kimchi, vegan kimchi, vegan kimchi recipe
Servings: 4 quarts
Author: Hip Foodie Mom

Ingredients

  • 8 to 9 lbs. Napa cabbage
  • 1 1/4 cups coarse sea salt split
  • 3 cups cold water
  • 24 cloves garlic
  • 1 ½ to 2 inches fresh ginger peeled and chopped
  • 1 medium white onion peeled and quartered
  • 1 1/2 cups Korean radish cubed (1 small radish or 3/4 of a medium radish)
  • ½ Fuji apple peeled and cut into 4 pieces
  • ½ Korean pear peeled and cut into 4 pieces
  • ½ cup fish sauce plus more, if needed
  • 2 cups Korean red pepper flakes gochugaru
  • 1 to 2 bunches scallions chopped into 1 to 2 inch long pieces
  • ½ cup water if needed

Instructions

  • Thoroughly wash your Napa cabbage. Wash every single piece, discarding any bad or flimsy pieces. Chop whole cabbage leaf into square pieces and place into a large tub or bowl. Once all the cabbage is clean and chopped, get ready to brine the cabbage.
  • Using a very large tub or container, lay down a layer of cabbage. Sprinkle on some coarse sea salt. You are going to salt every layer; lay down cabbage, sprinkle on some coarse sea salt and repeat. You will use about a 1/2 to 1 cup of coarse sea salt during this process, maybe less.
  • Pour in 3 cups of cold water, press down on the cabbage and let sit for 2 hours. (You only need 3 cups of water, the cabbage should not be covered in water.) Feel free to cover with plastic wrap if desired. After 2 to 3 hours, mix your cabbage and let sit for another 2 hours, or overnight (at room temperature). If letting sit over night, check the cabbage before you go to bed and add in more cold water. You are doing this so the cabbage doesn't get too salty.
  • While the cabbage is sitting in the brine, using a food processor, blend/puree together the garlic, ginger, onion, radish, apple and pears. Blend until completely smooth. If needed, you can blend in groups; if your food processor isn't large enough to fit everything. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed, or to your taste.
  • Remove from the food processor and into a large bowl. Pour in the the fish sauce and the 2 cups of Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru) and mix together by hand (using a rubber spatula) until completely combined and somewhat smooth. Set aside.
  • When the cabbage is ready, rinse and wash the cabbage at least three times, running it under cold water. Place into to a clean container. Using your hands, mix together the cabbage, gochugaru sauce mixture and green onions.
  • Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. You can add a touch more fish sauce or salt if needed. Mix together and taste one more time. Place into a jar/s or container. To get the leftover gochugaru paste mixture that will be left at the bottom of your tub, add a ½ cup of water to the kimchi tub and a pinch of salt and pour over your kimchi into each jar. Close each jar with lid and leave kimchi out overnight. You can continue to let it sit for a few days to ferment. Enjoy!
  • This recipe yields about 4 quarts of kimchi.

Notes

Regarding fermentation:
1. The kimchi will start fermenting after a day or two at room temperature, depending on the temperature and humidity of your kitchen. The warmer and more humid it is, the faster the kimchi will ferment. Once it starts to ferment it will smell and taste sour, and pressing on the top of the kimchi with a spoon will release bubbles from beneath.
2. Once it starts to ferment, store the kimchi in the refrigerator to use as needed. This slows down the fermentation process, which will make the kimchi more and more sour as time goes on.
Read more on fermentation and the entire kimchi making process here. 

“The kimchi making process actually involves four stages: brining, seasoning, fermenting, and storing. Brining creates an environment inhospitable to harmful microorganisms, while encouraging the growth of good lactobacillus bacteria. Those friendly bacteria eventually convert the natural sugars in the vegetables into lactic acid, a preservative that is also responsible for kimchi’s distinctive tang. The salt in the brine also “opens the pores” of the vegetables to absorb the seasoning, which is applied after the brining step either by smearing the vegetables with a seasoning paste or submerging them in a highly seasoned solution. The kimchi is then left to ferment in airtight containers, to mitigate the risk of contamination by airborne microorganisms.

While the fermentation process is often begun at room temperature, it’s typically continued in a colder environment, which helps the kimchi keep for longer.”

Read more on fermentation and the entire kimchi making process here.

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Comments

  1. Kimchi John says

    January 29, 2018 at 3:16 pm

    My Gosh! I can’t wait to try it!!!!

    Reply
    • hipfoodiemom says

      January 29, 2018 at 3:23 pm

      Thank you!!

      Reply
  2. Diana Lopes says

    February 9, 2018 at 1:27 pm

    I love that there’s also a vegan option! Thank you for sharing the recipe!

    Reply
  3. Ariel says

    February 10, 2018 at 3:19 pm

    Im super excited about this recipe (I LOVE that it doesn’t use sugar and uses fruits instead). Im actually making my own kimchi NOW! Question – do you recommend glass containers for fermentation? I have a ton of plastic soup take out containers that I reuse for everything and was wondering if those would be okay to use?

    Thank you!!

    Reply
    • hipfoodiemom says

      February 10, 2018 at 4:09 pm

      Hi Ariel! As long as the containers have a really good lid and it’s sealed air tight, those are ok to use! Actually, plastic soup containers don’t sound like a good idea.. I do recommend glass jars!

      Reply
  4. Jean says

    March 12, 2018 at 6:11 am

    Love that tips. I really can’t wait to try it. Thanks there!! for your helpful post. Great blog.

    Reply
    • hipfoodiemom says

      March 12, 2018 at 7:03 am

      Thank you so much! I hope you try it!

      Reply
  5. Neli says

    January 18, 2019 at 12:41 am

    Hi, thank you for the recipe. I’ve never made kimchi before, but looking up recipes I noticed that most use a paste made from glutinous rice flour. Do the pear and apple replace the rice flour in your recipe? Or can it be added?

    Reply
    • hipfoodiemom says

      January 18, 2019 at 8:06 am

      Hello Neli! yes, I go for a more natural kimchi recipe. Try my recipe first as is (not adding anything else) and see if you like it!!!

      Reply

Trackbacks

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    October 14, 2019 at 6:15 am

    […] eat and make. This rice bowl is so easy to make ..  and next year, I’m finally going to make my own kimchi! I’m so excited! Growing up, my mom always made ours and now, I kind of like supporting the […]

    Reply
  2. Galbi Tang (Korean Short Rib Soup) Recipe - Hip Foodie Mom says:
    November 15, 2019 at 12:56 am

    […] Most Koreans add radish, green onions or scallions, and have Galbi Tang with a bowl of rice and kimchi! My kids and I add the rice into the soup and eat it that way. A lot of Korean kids enjoy this soup […]

    Reply
  3. Kimchi Grilled Cheese Sandwich • Hip Foodie Mom says:
    July 16, 2020 at 4:35 pm

    […] a kimchi fan and have never experienced the combination of creamy, salty cheese with spicy kimchi, in a warm grilled cheese sandwich, you haven’t lived. You’ve got to try this! […]

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  4. 8 Fermented Foods For a Healthy Gut - Food says:
    March 20, 2022 at 10:04 am

    […] This staple of the Korean table is packed with flavor and heat. I like to chop it up and add it to scrambled eggs, fried rice, tacos, Asian rice bowls, in Kimchi Grilled Cheese and Instant Pot Korean Beef Tacos. If you want to make your own kimchi, here’s a good place to start. […]

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Meet Alice

Alice Choi from Hip Foodie MomHello! My name is Alice. Here, at Hip Foodie Mom, you will find fresh food recipes using local, seasonal ingredients. From meat dishes to vegetarian to Asian inspired dishes, you are sure to find something you like. Thank you for stopping by!

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