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

FAQs

Can I eat kimchi every day? ›

Participants who ate more than five servings of kimchi per day were more likely to be at a risk for obesity. That is because kimchi contains a high level of sodium, Jaelin said. “If you're eating three meals a day — maybe you're having kimchi on the side — that's great.

Make kimchi and use it to make fried rice, hot dogs, pancakes, co*cktails, braises — basically any dish — even better. As the national dish of South Korea, kimchi is a staple in kitchens around the world.

Because it's a fermented food, it boasts numerous probiotics. These healthy microorganisms may give kimchi several health benefits. It may help regulate your immune system, promote weight loss, fight inflammation, and even slow the aging process. If you enjoy cooking, you can even make kimchi at home.

Homemade kimchi must be kept refrigerated and will last for up to 1 month. Store-bought kimchi that remains unopened can be kept at room temperature for 1-3 months. If you have store-bought kimchi that's been opened, it will be good for 3-4 days at room temperature and up to 6 months when refrigerated.

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

One of those foods is kimchi, made from fermented cabbage. A major new study shows that eating up to three servings a day of kimchi could reduce your risk of developing fat around your middle.

Kimchi spoilage and over-fermentation

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

The most common reaction to fermented foods is a temporary increase in gas and bloating. This is the result of excess gas being produced after probiotics kill harmful gut bacteria and fungi. Probiotics secrete antimicrobial peptides that kill harmful pathogenic organisms like Salmonella and E. Coli.

Enjoy plain kimchi cold or warmed up.

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

Koreans love juicy, rich pork belly. In fact, they love it so much that there's even a pork belly day in Korea - March 3rd (as if we need an excuse…!). Simply BBQ the pork belly, wrap it in lettuce and serve it with a dipping sauce called ssamjang with kimchi on the side.

Does kimchi detox your body? ›

Kimchi is a healthy food because it provides beneficial bacteria. It helps balance your gastrointestinal tract by providing probiotics, cleansing digestive routes, and helping with digestion. The high-fibre content in kimchi also helps to detoxify the body.

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

Put that open jar of kimchi to delicious use with one of our recipes with kimchi. The funky fermented cabbage adds a complex flavour hit to all sorts of savoury dishes. Add a dollop to cheese toastie fillings, fold it into homemade slaw, parathas and fried rice, or stir it into hearty stews.

It is mainly served as a side dish with every meal, but also can be served as a main dish. Kimchi is mainly recognized as a spicy fermented cabbage dish globally. New variations of kimchi continue to be created, and the taste can vary depending on the region and season.

As far as timing? It's most optimal to eat enzyme rich fermented food at the beginning of the meal, so they can begin the work of helping digestion as soon as they land in the stomach.

The use of bold seasonings like gochugaru and, in some regions, salted seafood, offer additional layers of complexity to the overall taste of the kimchi. With seemingly endless options for what's in kimchi, it is an incredibly diverse dish that can be made to suit nearly any palate, preference or dietary need.