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Vegetarian Kimchi Recipe |Easy and Authentic Korean Kimchi

Preeti Garg
This vegetarian kimchi recipe is made with a homemade kimchi paste using fresh vegetables, garlic, ginger, and gochugaru—without fish sauce or shrimp paste. It’s spicy, tangy, naturally fermented, and easy to make at home, making it perfect for a healthy Korean side dish.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 days
Course Condiments
Cuisine Korean
Servings 4 People

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.
Keyword Kimchi