Like many others, my love for Korean food started while watching K-dramas—those cozy kitchen scenes where kimchi appears at every meal instantly made me curious. As an Indian who enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, I wanted to recreate that experience at home, but in a way that suited my vegetarian lifestyle. That’s how this homemade vegetarian kimchi recipe came to life.
Instead of using fish sauce or shrimp paste, I make a fresh kimchi paste from scratch using garlic, ginger, Korean red chili flakes (gochugaru), and vegetables. The process felt surprisingly familiar—mixing the paste by hand reminded me of making Indian pickles, where patience and balance of flavors matter just as much. Watching the kimchi slowly ferment over a few days was incredibly rewarding, and the final result was spicy, tangy, and deeply comforting.
This vegetarian kimchi has now become a regular part of my meals—served with rice, added to noodles, or even paired with simple Indian dishes. It’s proof that food travels beyond borders, and with a few thoughtful changes, you can enjoy authentic Korean flavors at home, inspired by K-dramas and made with love in an Indian kitchen.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this vegetarian kimchi as a classic Korean side dish with steamed rice or enjoy it with dal, khichdi, or curd rice for a spicy-tangy contrast. It also works well in veg fried rice, noodles, ramen, and stir-fries. Use this homemade kimchi as a filling for wraps, sandwiches, parathas, or as a topping for dosa and uttapam for an easy fusion meal.
Vegetarian Kimchi Recipe |Easy and Authentic Korean Kimchi
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 Medium Napa Cabbage about 1–1.2 kg
- 1 Medium Daikon Radish Julienned
- 1 Medium Carrot Julienned
- 1/4 Cup Salt
Kimchi Paste
- 2 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean red chili Paste) As Per Taste
- 2-3 Tbsp Rice flour
- 1/2 Cup Water
- 1 Small Onion Peeled & Diced
- 4-5 Cloves Garlic Peeled
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Ginger Chopped
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- Salt to Taste
- 1 Tbsp Red Chilli Powder optional
- 2 Tbsp Vinegar
Instructions
Salt the Cabbage
- Cut cabbage lengthwise into quarters, then into bite-size pieces.
- Rub each piece with salt from both side and keep aside for at least 2 hours, turning every 30 minutes.
- Rinse thoroughly 2–3 times and drain well.
- Squeeze all the excess water and keep in separate bowl.
- Chop the radish and carrot and keep aside.
Kimchi Paste
- In a small saucepan, whisk the water and rice flour until the smooth. Heat over low–medium, stirring constantly.
- After 2–4 minutes, it will turn translucent and thicken to a pudding-like paste.
- Remove from heat and let it cool before mixing into kimchi paste.
- Put onion, garlic, and ginger into mixy jar and grind until smooth.
- In a large bowl, add rice paste, onion garlic paste, gochujang paste, red chili powder, salt and sugar, mix well.
Assemble
- Combine cabbage, carrot, radish, and green onions (optional) with kimchi paste.
- Massage gently until everything is evenly coated.
- Pack tightly into a clean glass jar, pressing down so vegetables are submerged in their juices and add vinegar too. Leave about 2–3 cm headspace.
- Loosely close the lid and ferment at room temperature 2–3 days.
- Once it smells pleasantly sour, refrigerate. Flavour continues to develop over 1–2 weeks.
Simply Tadka is one place where I can show my passion for cooking and photography. My blog features easy and quick vegetarian recipes that don’t demand much time and effort. I loves experimenting and substitutes some of the ingredients that are not easily available in the kitchen. For more details Check here