Korean cuisine offers a wide array of tasty side dishes known as banchan. These small plates add variety and flavor to meals. You’ll find many veggie options that bring color and nutrition to the table.
Korean side dishes are easy to make at home with a few key ingredients. You can whip up delicious banchan using items like gochugaru (red pepper flakes), soy sauce, and sesame oil. Try making some of these sides to go with your next Korean-inspired meal.
Kimchi is the most famous Korean side dish. It’s a spicy, fermented vegetable dish usually made with napa cabbage. You’ll find it on almost every Korean table.
The cabbage is mixed with a flavorful paste of red chili flakes, garlic, ginger, and fish sauce. It’s then left to ferment, which gives it a tangy, sour taste.
Kimchi is very healthy. It’s packed with vitamins and probiotics. You can eat it as is or use it in cooking. Try adding it to stews, fried rice, or even sandwiches for a Korean twist.
Many Koreans make large batches of kimchi at home. This process is called “kimjang” and is often a family or community event.
Japchae is a popular Korean noodle dish that’s perfect as a side or main course. It features glass noodles made from sweet potato starch, stir-fried with colorful vegetables and sometimes meat.
To make japchae, you’ll cook the noodles until they’re clear and soft. Then stir-fry them with ingredients like spinach, carrots, mushrooms, and onions.
The dish gets its flavor from a savory-sweet sauce made with soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Japchae is often garnished with sesame seeds for extra crunch and nutty taste.
You can serve japchae hot or cold. It pairs well with grilled meats, kimchi, or other Korean side dishes. Japchae is versatile and can be customized with your favorite vegetables or proteins.
Pajeon are savory pancakes made with a batter of flour, water, and eggs. They’re filled with green onions and sometimes seafood or other vegetables.
To make pajeon, mix the batter ingredients in a bowl. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add green onions and pour the batter over them.
Cook the pancake for 3-4 minutes until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook the other side. The result should be crispy on the outside and chewy inside.
Serve pajeon hot with a dipping sauce made of soy sauce, vinegar, and red pepper flakes. These tasty pancakes make a great snack or side dish with your Korean meal.
Seaweed salad, or miyeok muchim, is a tasty Korean side dish. You can make it with dried seaweed that’s soaked in water.
To prepare, cut the seaweed into bite-sized pieces. Mix it with cucumber, radish, and a flavorful dressing. The dressing often includes garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and a touch of sweetness.
This salad is light and refreshing. It’s packed with minerals from the sea. You can serve it cold, making it perfect for warm days.
Try adding seaweed salad to your meal for a boost of nutrition and flavor. It pairs well with rice and other Korean dishes.
Cucumber kimchi is a refreshing Korean side dish perfect for hot summer days. To make it, you’ll need small cucumbers, salt, and a spicy filling.
Cut the cucumbers lengthwise, leaving one end intact. Sprinkle salt on them and let them sit for about an hour to remove excess water.
The filling typically includes chives, radish, garlic, ginger, and Korean chili flakes. Mix these ingredients with some water to create a paste.
Stuff the cucumbers with this spicy mixture. You can eat it right away for a crisp texture, or let it ferment for a few days to develop a tangy flavor.
Kongnamul Muchim is a tasty Korean side dish made with soybean sprouts. You’ll love its crunchy texture and savory flavor.
To make it, rinse the sprouts and boil them for about 5 minutes. Drain the water and mix the cooked sprouts with garlic, hot pepper flakes, and green onions.
Add some fish sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds for extra flavor. Mix everything well by hand.
This dish is easy to prepare and goes great with rice. It’s full of nutrients and adds a fresh taste to your Korean meal.
Gamja Jorim is a tasty Korean side dish made with potatoes. You’ll love how the potatoes soak up the spicy and sweet sauce.
To make it, cut potatoes into cubes. Fry them in oil until they start to brown. Then add soy sauce, sugar, and red pepper flakes.
Let the potatoes simmer in the sauce until they’re soft. The sauce will thicken and coat the potatoes. You can add onions or carrots for extra flavor and color.
This dish is easy to make and goes well with rice. It’s a great way to spice up your meal with Korean flavors.
Eomuk bokkeum is a tasty Korean side dish made with fish cakes. You can whip it up quickly for a flavorful addition to your meal.
To make it, you’ll stir-fry sliced fish cakes with vegetables like onions and carrots. The sauce typically includes soy sauce, sugar, and red pepper flakes for a sweet and spicy kick.
You can adjust the spice level to your liking. Mild or spicy, this dish pairs perfectly with rice. The chewy texture of the fish cakes contrasts nicely with fluffy white rice.
Eomuk bokkeum is popular in Korean lunchboxes and as a banchan (side dish) at restaurants. You can enjoy it hot or cold, making it very versatile.
Korean-style green beans are a tasty and nutritious side dish. You can easily make them at home in just a few minutes.
To prepare this dish, you’ll need fresh green beans, garlic, and sesame oil. Start by boiling the beans until they’re crisp-tender.
Next, stir-fry the beans with minced garlic in a hot pan. Add a splash of soy sauce and sesame oil for flavor. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top for extra crunch.
These green beans are perfect with rice and other Korean main dishes. They’re a great way to add some veggies to your meal.
Sigeumchi Namul is a tasty Korean spinach side dish. You can make it easily at home. First, wash the spinach well to remove any dirt.
Blanch the spinach in boiling water for about 30 seconds. Then cool it quickly in cold water. Squeeze out extra water and cut the spinach into bite-sized pieces.
Mix the spinach with soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and sesame seeds. This gives it a rich, nutty flavor. The dish is served cold or at room temperature.
Sigeumchi Namul is healthy and full of nutrients. It goes well with rice and other Korean main dishes. You can find it at many Korean restaurants or make it yourself for a quick, yummy side.
Kongjang is a flavorful Korean side dish made with soybeans. You soak dried soybeans overnight, then simmer them in a savory mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and garlic.
The beans absorb the rich flavors as they cook, becoming tender and glossy. The result is a sweet and salty dish with a meaty texture.
You can serve kongjang hot or cold. It pairs well with rice and other banchan. This protein-packed side is popular for its nutty taste and chewy bite.
Making kongjang takes time, but it’s mostly hands-off. The beans need to simmer for about an hour to fully cook and soak up the marinade.
Gaji namul is a tasty Korean side dish made with steamed eggplant. To make it, you’ll need to cut eggplants into pieces and steam them for about 3-5 minutes until tender but not mushy.
After steaming, let the eggplant cool briefly. Then tear it into bite-sized pieces. Mix the eggplant with a flavorful sauce made from garlic, green onions, soy sauce, fish sauce, and sesame oil.
This dish is simple to prepare and brings out the natural flavor of eggplant. It’s often served cold or at room temperature as part of a traditional Korean meal. The soft texture and savory taste make it a popular banchan option.
Health Benefits of Korean Side Dishes
Korean side dishes offer many health advantages. They pack nutrients and contain helpful bacteria for your gut.
Nutritional Value
Korean side dishes give you lots of vitamins and minerals. Many use veggies like cabbage, radishes, and cucumbers. These have vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants.
Seaweed dishes offer iodine and omega-3 fatty acids. Bean sprouts give you protein and vitamin K. Fermented soy products like doenjang paste have protein and B vitamins.
Garlic and ginger show up often in Korean sides. Both may help fight inflammation in your body. Sesame oil and seeds add healthy fats and calcium to many dishes.
Probiotic Advantages
Fermented foods are big in Korean cooking. These have good bacteria that can boost your gut health. Kimchi is a top example. It may help your digestion and immune system.
Other fermented sides include:
Pickled radishes
Fermented soybean paste
Salted seafood
These foods can add helpful microbes to your gut. A healthy gut helps your whole body. It may lower your chances of some health issues.
Eating fermented foods might also help you absorb more nutrients from your meals. This can boost the benefits you get from all the veggies in Korean side dishes.
Traditional Ingredients in Korean Side Dishes
Korean side dishes use many unique ingredients that give them their distinctive flavors and textures. These ingredients have been used for generations in Korean cooking.
Fermented Foods
Fermented foods play a big role in Korean side dishes. Kimchi is the most famous example. It’s made by fermenting vegetables like cabbage or radishes with salt and spices. The fermentation gives kimchi its tangy, sour taste.
Gochujang is another key fermented ingredient. It’s a red chili paste that adds heat and umami flavor to many dishes. You’ll often see it used in sauces and marinades.
Doenjang is a fermented soybean paste similar to miso. It has a salty, earthy taste that adds depth to soups and stews. Many side dishes use doenjang as a seasoning.
Unique Vegetables
Korean cuisine uses some vegetables you might not find in other cuisines. Gosari (fernbrake) is a type of fern that’s often stir-fried as a side dish. It has a slightly bitter, nutty flavor.
Mu (Korean radish) is used in many dishes. It’s crunchier and milder than other radishes. You’ll find it raw in salads or pickled as a side dish.
Perilla leaves have a minty, slightly bitter taste. They’re used fresh as wraps or cooked in stews and stir-fries.
Garlic and green onions are also very common. They add strong flavors to many Korean side dishes.
