How to make kimchi at home?
Kimchi is one of the most searched fermented foods, rich in probiotics and flavor. Traditional recipes look intimidating but the process is surprisingly straightforward once you understand the basics.
- Make traditional napa cabbage kimchi (baechu-kimchi)5
Quarter 1 large napa cabbage, salt generously between leaves with 1/2 cup coarse sea salt, and let sit 2 hours (flip halfway). Rinse 3 times and squeeze dry. Make a paste: blend 1/4 cup gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), 3 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, 4 minced garlic cloves, and 1 tsp grated…
📌 diy📌 traditional3/23/2026, 2:39:14 AM
🛠️ Large bowl, glass jar or fermenting crock, knife, cutting board
- Make a quick vegan kimchi without fish sauce4
Follow the same salting and paste process but replace fish sauce with 2 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp miso paste. The miso adds the umami depth that fish sauce normally provides. Some traditional recipes use salted shrimp paste — miso is the best plant-based substitute.
📌 diy📌 organic📌 traditional3/23/2026, 2:39:19 AM
🛠️ Large bowl, glass jar, knife, cutting board
- Try a simple radish kimchi (kkakdugi) for beginners4
Cut 1 lb Korean radish (or daikon) into 3/4-inch cubes. Toss with 1 tbsp salt and 1 tsp sugar, let sit 30 minutes. Mix with a paste of 2 tbsp gochugaru, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1/2 tsp grated ginger. Add sliced scallions. Pack into a jar and ferment 2-3 days at room…
📌 diy📌 traditional📌 low cost3/23/2026, 2:39:26 AM
🛠️ Bowl, glass jar, knife
- Use a fermentation crock for larger batches4
For serious kimchi making, invest in a traditional Korean onggi pot ($30-60) or a German-style water-seal fermentation crock ($40-80). These vessels maintain an anaerobic environment that produces more consistent, deeper-flavored kimchi than simple jars.
📌 commercial📌 traditional3/23/2026, 2:39:39 AM
🛠️ Fermentation crock or onggi pot
- Buy a kimchi-making kit for a guided first batch3
Companies like Mother In Law's, Ozuke, and various Amazon sellers offer kimchi kits that include pre-measured gochugaru, fish sauce, and seasonings with step-by-step instructions. You supply the fresh cabbage and vegetables.
📌 commercial3/23/2026, 2:39:33 AM
🛠️ Glass jar, knife, cutting board