Side dishes Recipes
624 recipes. Page 6 of 26
Side dishes (banchan) are the heart of Korean dining culture. A typical meal features multiple small plates - seasoned vegetables (namul), braised dishes (jorim), pickled items, and salted seafood. Classics like spinach namul, bean sprout salad, and stir-fried anchovies can be prepared in advance and enjoyed over several days.
Korean Gwangeo Yuja Ganjang Gui (Yuja Soy Grilled Flounder)
Gwangeo yuja-ganjang-gui is a Korean grilled flounder dish where fillets are brushed with a glaze of soy sauce, yuzu marmalade, minced garlic, and ginger juice, left to marinate for ten minutes, then cooked in olive oil over medium heat for three minutes per side. The yuzu marmalade introduces a bright citrus acidity that sits cleanly on top of the soy sauce depth, building a layered flavor profile over the neutral, clean-tasting flesh of the flounder. The two elements do not compete: the soy provides the savory foundation and the yuzu supplies the brightness that keeps the dish from feeling heavy or monotonous. Brushing the remaining glaze over the fish during a final two to three minutes on low heat is what creates the glossy, lacquered sheen on the surface, caramelizing slightly as the sugars in the yuzu marmalade concentrate and reduce against the hot pan. Lemon zest and thinly sliced green onion scattered over the finished fish add a final layer of fragrance that lifts the dish just before serving. Flounder is a delicate fish with thin fillets that break easily if handled carelessly, so flipping the fish only once with a wide spatula in a single, confident motion is the technique that keeps the flesh intact and the presentation clean. The combination of fermented soy and citrus suits the mild white fish without masking its natural flavor.
Korean Julienned Potato Pancake
Gamja-chae-jeon is a Korean julienned potato pancake where the potatoes are cut into thin matchsticks rather than grated, producing a texture fundamentally different from the mashed-style gamja-jeon. The intact strands create an open lattice that crisps at every exposed edge while maintaining a firm, slightly resistant bite in the center. Potato starch mixed dry into the julienned potatoes acts as a binder that holds the strands together during frying and flipping without adding moisture that would soften the crust. Adding a small amount of julienned onion contributes sweetness to the flavor, but the onion releases water as it cooks - water that will steam the pancake from underneath instead of letting it fry. Squeezing the onion dry in a kitchen towel before adding it solves this problem. The batter should be no wetter than what the potato's own natural moisture provides after the starch is mixed in, and adding no further liquid keeps the surface from turning soggy. Generous oil in the pan and constant pressing with a spatula over medium heat ensure that the entire underside maintains full contact with the cooking surface, frying the strands to an even, crackling golden crust that holds together cleanly when sliced.
Korean Soy Braised Chicken Wings
Dak-nalgae-ganjang-jorim is a Korean braised chicken wings dish slow-cooked in a seasoning mixture of soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and ginger over medium-low heat until the sauce reduces to a thick, sticky glaze. The thin skin on the wings absorbs the braising liquid as it reduces, developing a glossy brown coating that clings to each piece. Cartilage near the joints softens progressively the longer the wings cook, shifting from a firm snap to a yielding, almost gelatinous texture. Green onion is added early to neutralize any off-flavors from the chicken, while ginger contributes a subtle warmth that rounds out the overall aroma. The braising liquid is allowed to reduce almost completely so the last traces of sauce concentrate into a dense, caramelized coating rather than a loose broth. Eating the wings by hand, pulling the meat from the bone, is part of the appeal, and this hands-on quality makes the dish a regular presence on Korean drinking tables alongside beer or soju.
Korean Stuffed Bossam Kimchi
Bo-kimchi is a premium Korean stuffed kimchi where brined napa cabbage leaves are wrapped around a filling of julienned radish, water dropwort, chestnuts, jujubes, shrimp, and pine nuts, then tied into bundles and left to ferment. Each ingredient in the stuffing develops its own flavor during fermentation, building a complex, layered taste enclosed in a single neat package. Shrimp and pine nuts contribute richness and a roasted note, while chestnuts and jujubes add subtle sweetness that lifts this well above everyday kimchi. Originating in the Gaeseong region and tracing its lineage through Goryeo-era court cuisine, it is a kimchi reserved for holidays and formal occasions.
Spicy Vinegared Octopus Muchim
Muneo cho-muchim combines thinly sliced cooked octopus with cucumber, onion, and water dropwort, tossing everything in a gochujang-vinegar dressing only when it is ready to be served. Rinse 200 g cooked octopus briefly under cold water rather than soaking it, then dry the surface thoroughly with paper towels. Hold the knife at an angle and cut broad, thin bite-size slices, shortening the firm fibers so the octopus is easier to chew. Halve 100 g cucumber lengthwise and slice it diagonally. To reduce the water it releases later, salt the slices for 5 minutes and squeeze them dry before mixing. Cut 50 g onion into fine strips. Remove untidy leaves and tough ends from 30 g water dropwort and cut the stems into 4 cm lengths. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons gochujang, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic. Stir until no dense lump of paste or undissolved sugar remains, producing a dressing that will coat in a thin, even layer. Place the octopus, cucumber, onion, and water dropwort in a wide bowl, but keep the dressing separate until serving time. Add it immediately before the dish goes to the table and fold from the bottom only a few times with your fingertips or a spatula. Prolonged mixing draws liquid from the vegetables and dilutes the coating on the octopus. Transfer at once to a plate and scatter 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds evenly over the surface. Arrange the components loosely so a serving can include octopus and vegetables together, and do not hold the dressed mixture for an extended period.
Korean Seasoned Green Seaweed
Cheonggak is a branching green seaweed harvested from the tidal flats of Korea's southern coast, recognizable by its dense, tree-like fronds and a sharp, concentrated oceanic smell. Blanching it in boiling water for exactly ten seconds brightens the color to a vivid green and preserves the cartilage-like crunch that defines the texture. Even a few seconds beyond that and the seaweed begins to collapse, so a timer is worth setting. After blanching, it is rinsed in cold water, squeezed firmly to remove moisture, and cut to finger lengths. The dressing uses vinegar as its leading ingredient alongside soy sauce, gochugaru, minced garlic, and sugar - the acidity of the vinegar dispels the sharp brininess of the seaweed and gives the finished dish a clean, refreshing quality. The seasoned cheonggak must be served immediately; within a few hours the seaweed releases liquid and the texture deteriorates beyond recovery. It appears in coastal markets across Jeollanam-do from midwinter through early spring and is absent from shelves the rest of the year.
Korean Beurokolli Dubu Doenjang Bokkeum (Broccoli Tofu Doenjang Stir-fry)
Broccoli florets and firm tofu are stir-fried in a sauce made by dissolving doenjang in water, producing a Korean vegetarian side dish with layered fermented-soybean depth. Pan-searing the tofu in perilla oil until golden before combining with the other ingredients prevents crumbling during stir-frying and creates a crisp shell around a soft center. The broccoli is blanched for only 40 seconds to lock in its crunch, then added to the pan where the doenjang sauce coats each floret and suppresses any raw green bitterness, converting it into a mellow savoriness. Because doenjang carries significant salt on its own, soy sauce should be adjusted only at the very end after tasting. Toasted sesame seeds scattered over the top add a final layer of nuttiness. The dish provides plant-based protein from the tofu and dietary fiber from the broccoli in a single well-balanced plate. For a spicier variation, a small amount of gochujang stirred into the doenjang sauce deepens both the color and the heat without needing extra chili flakes. The ratio of doenjang to water also matters: too little water leaves the sauce overly salty and the broccoli unevenly coated, while too much thins the fermented depth. A starting ratio of one part doenjang to two parts water by volume gives consistent results.
Korean Seafood with Doenjang Sauce Grill
Haemul doenjang-gui is a Korean grilled seafood dish in which shrimp and squid are brushed with a paste of doenjang, a measured amount of gochujang, minced garlic, sesame oil, and sugar before being grilled or pan-fried until the coating caramelizes. The fermented soybean paste contributes a deep, earthy umami that layers over the natural brine of the seafood, producing a complexity that neither ingredient could achieve alone. The gochujang serves as a supporting element rather than a dominant one, providing a quiet background heat that amplifies the doenjang without overpowering it. Sugar in the paste is non-negotiable: without it, the protein-dense doenjang scorches on the grill before caramelization can develop. The dish is finished when the sauce darkens to a mahogany brown and releases a nutty, fragrant aroma; hold the heat too long past that point and a bitter char begins to overtake the flavor. It functions well as a side dish with rice or as a grilled snack alongside drinks.
Korean Crispy Potato Pancake
Gamja-jeon is a Korean potato pancake made by finely grating raw potatoes, letting the starch settle out of the liquid for at least ten minutes, discarding the water, and folding the settled starch back into the pulp to improve binding. Waiting long enough for full starch separation is what gives the batter enough cohesion to hold together when the pancake hits the hot pan. Spreading the batter as thinly as possible produces glass-crisp edges while the center retains a chewy, starchy bite characteristic of potato starch. The first side must cook all the way through and the underside must firm up completely before any attempt to flip, and using two spatulas simultaneously makes the turn fast enough to keep the pancake intact. Frying both sides over medium heat until evenly golden delivers a crust that is crisp on the outside while the center stays moist. A dipping sauce of soy sauce, vinegar, and minced cheongyang green chili cuts through the oily richness with sharpness and heat.
Korean Braised Chicken with Radish
This braise combines bone-in chicken pieces with Korean radish and potato in a soy-and-gochugaru sauce. The radish absorbs both the chicken stock and the spiced seasoning, turning amber on the outside while going translucent within. Potato edges break down during the long simmer, thickening the sauce into a sticky glaze. Gochugaru and black pepper build a layered heat that soy sauce and sugar round off, so the dish is assertively spicy without being harsh. Reducing the liquid until it barely coats the bottom concentrates all the flavors onto the surface of each piece.
Korean Pickled Broccoli (Blanched Soy Vinegar Brine)
Broccoli jangajji is a Korean soy-pickled broccoli dish prepared by briefly blanching florets and stems, then submerging them in a cooled brine of soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Minimizing the blanch time deliberately preserves two distinct textures: crisp, substantial stems and softer, more tender floret heads. The vinegar's acidity and the soy sauce's savory depth together lift broccoli's naturally mild, clean flavor into something more complex. Bell pepper and onion are added to the same pickling jar to contribute natural sweetness and create a vivid visual contrast of green and red. Pouring the brine only after it has cooled completely protects the broccoli's color and prevents the texture from going soft. The seasoning fully penetrates the vegetables after three to four days of refrigeration, and the jangajji keeps well for up to two weeks, making it a practical and versatile everyday banchan.
Korean Cucumber Doenjang Salad
Oi-doenjang-muchim dresses cucumber in a doenjang-based seasoning - a milder alternative to the gochugaru-forward oi-muchim, foregrounding the fermented soybean paste's savory depth over spicy heat. Cucumber is sliced into half-moons or diagonal cuts and salted for five minutes to draw out moisture; skipping this step dilutes the dressing into a watery puddle. The seasoning blends doenjang, soup soy sauce, minced garlic, sesame oil, and sesame seeds, with the doenjang quantity being the critical ratio - too much and the dish is aggressively salty, too little and the cucumber's blandness dominates. Roughly one tablespoon of doenjang to two cucumbers is the working proportion. The cucumber's cool moisture meets doenjang's deep umami to produce a combination that is refreshing yet substantial enough to anchor a rice meal, especially in summer. This banchan must be eaten promptly after assembly - over time, osmotic pressure draws water from the cucumber and collapses its crunch. Served alongside grilled meat, the doenjang's savoriness complements the char while cleansing the palate.
Cheonggyeongchae Namul Muchim
Cheonggyeongchae namul muchim blanches bok choy stalks and leaves in sequence, then coats them with doenjang, soup soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil. Cut 220 g bok choy lengthwise through the base so each half stays together. Rinse it under running water 2 to 3 times, opening the leaves enough to remove grit trapped near the stem. Add the thick stalks to boiling water first. After 30 seconds, submerge the leafy tops and continue until the total blanching time reaches 1 minute. Move the bok choy directly into cold water, then press it between both hands to remove excess moisture. Cut it into even 4 cm lengths. In a mixing bowl, stir 1 tablespoon doenjang with 0.5 tablespoon soup soy sauce, 0.5 teaspoon minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil until no paste lumps remain. Add the bok choy and 10 g chopped green onion. Work the seasoning gently into the inner stalk surfaces and folded leaves rather than leaving it only on the outside. Arrange the dressed vegetables on a plate and scatter 0.5 tablespoon sesame seeds over them. Adding stalks first and squeezing after cooling keep the two textures even and prevent the dressing from becoming watery.
Korean Beurokolli Saeu Bokkeum (Broccoli Shrimp Stir-fry)
Broccoli saeu bokkeum pairs quickly seared shrimp with briefly blanched broccoli and bell pepper in a soy and oyster sauce coating. Two hundred twenty grams medium shrimp is peeled, deveined, and dried before being seasoned for 5 minutes with 1 tablespoon cooking wine and 0.25 teaspoon black pepper. One hundred eighty grams broccoli is cut into bite-size florets, boiled for only 40 seconds, transferred directly to cold water, and drained thoroughly. Seventy grams bell pepper is cut close to the size of the shrimp, and 5 garlic cloves are sliced thinly. One tablespoon cooking oil is heated over medium, and the garlic cooks for 30 seconds until its edges turn pale gold. The heat is raised before the shrimp is stir-fried for 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes. As soon as the outside turns pink, the bell pepper is added for 1 minute. The broccoli, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon oyster sauce then go in together. A quick 1 minute 30 second toss over high heat is enough for the sauce to coat the ingredients and the shrimp to finish cooking. The short blanch followed by careful draining keeps broccoli water from thinning the sauce in the final stage.
Korean Grilled Dried Pollack
Korean grilled dried pollack begins with 150 g of hwangtae, moistened quickly with 2 tablespoons of water so its dry fibers become pliable without turning soggy. Press away only the surface moisture, then mix 1.5 tablespoons gochujang with soy sauce, oligosaccharide syrup, and minced garlic until smooth. Brush the seasoning over the fish in several thin layers instead of one heavy coat, adding a little more to the thick sections and resting it for 5 minutes. Keep the burner low and cook the first side for 3 minutes. If the edge has not dried slightly, give it up to 1 additional minute before turning, then repeat on the other side. The glaze contains both gochujang and syrup, so smoke or rapid darkening means the heat is too high. The fish is ready when the sauce clings with a glossy, sticky finish rather than a scorched crust. After turning off the heat, brush on 1 teaspoon sesame oil and cut along the grain into bite-size pieces. This method keeps the characteristic chew of dried pollack while carrying spicy, sweet, savory, and toasted flavors through each piece.
Korean Gangwon-style Potato Pancake
Gangwon-gamja-jeon is a traditional potato pancake from the mountainous Gangwon province, made by finely grating potatoes and incorporating the settled starch sediment back into the batter to achieve a uniquely chewy, mochi-like center with crisp edges. After grating, the potato liquid is left to sit until white starch settles at the bottom. The water on top is poured off and the dense starch is folded back in. Skipping this step produces a flat, crumbly pancake instead of the trademark sticky pull. Finely chopped Cheongyang chili peppers add a clean, sharp heat that cuts through the potato's natural sweetness, while minced onion reinforces that sweetness without adding excess moisture. The batter must be spread thin in a generously oiled pan and cooked patiently until the edges darken to deep golden brown. Rushing the process leaves the interior gummy and causes the pancake to fall apart when flipped. Even when the batter still looks soft and undercooked on top, waiting until the underside is fully set is what makes the flip clean. Makgeolli is the traditional pairing.
Korean Dakbong Gochujang Jorim (Gochujang-Braised Chicken Drumettes)
Dakbong gochujang jorim is chicken drumettes braised with potato in a sauce made from gochujang, soy sauce, chili flakes, and oligosaccharide syrup. The meat surrounding the small bones turns dense and pleasantly chewy as it simmers, holding onto the thick, reduced sauce at every surface. Potato pieces soften in the braising liquid until starchy and tender throughout, absorbing the chili-soy base from the outside in. The oligosaccharide syrup wraps the gochujang heat in a shiny glaze that keeps you reaching for another piece. A stalk of green onion stirred in at the very end adds a sharp, pungent aroma that lifts the finished dish.
Korean Chive Kimchi (Spicy Garlic Chive Quick Kimchi)
Buchu-kimchi is the fastest kimchi in the Korean repertoire - no salting, no fermentation, and no waiting. Garlic chives are cut to roughly five centimeters and tossed directly with gochugaru, anchovy fish sauce, minced garlic, and sugar. The fish sauce delivers the fermented, briny depth that normally takes days of lacto-fermentation to build, compressing the flavor arc into an immediate preparation. The chives' sharp, garlicky bite amplifies the red pepper heat and gives the finished kimchi an intensity that well-aged kimchi reaches through a different route. This style is particularly popular in Gyeongsang-do, where chives grow in abundance every spring. After a night in the refrigerator the seasoning permeates evenly and the flavor softens slightly, making it versatile enough to serve alongside grilled pork, noodles, or as a standard banchan.
Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad
Oi-muchim - Korean spicy cucumber salad - is one of the most frequently served vegetable banchan on summer Korean tables, tossing thinly sliced cucumber in gochugaru, garlic, vinegar, and sesame oil. Slicing the cucumber as thin as possible with a mandoline or knife is important - thin slices absorb the dressing rapidly and deliver a texture that is simultaneously crunchy and yielding. Salting for ten minutes and squeezing out the released water is the pivotal step; undrained cucumber turns the dressing into a diluted puddle. The seasoning mixes gochugaru, minced garlic, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and sesame seeds - vinegar amplifies the cucumber's natural freshness while gochugaru provides a gentle trailing heat. Assembling immediately before serving is essential, as osmotic action wilts the cucumber within thirty minutes. This banchan tops naengmyeon and bibimbap or stands alone alongside rice. When summer heat suppresses appetite, oi-muchim is often the first dish Korean diners reach for - its cool, sharp bite cuts through the lethargy.
Cheongpo Muk Muchim
Cheongpo muk muchim combines 300 g of mung bean jelly with cucumber and carrot in a soy and vinegar dressing. Blanch the jelly in strongly boiling water for only 30 seconds and remove it when the surface becomes slightly clearer. Cooling it in cold water for 1 minute stops the heat before the delicate block is drained and cut into 0.5 cm strips. Remove the watery seed section from 80 g of cucumber, cut it into 0.3 cm strips, and match 50 g of carrot to the same thickness. This preparation keeps the vegetables even and limits excess liquid in the bowl. Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon vinegar, then add 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Once the jelly and vegetables enter the dressing, lift them from the bottom about six times with chopsticks or a wide spatula. Vigorous stirring can break the slippery strips, so the limited folding motion is an important part of the method. Finish with 1 teaspoon sesame seeds and serve immediately, or refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving. The recipe gives exact cues for blanching, cooling, cutting, and tossing so the jelly remains intact while the seasoning reaches the cucumber, carrot, and muk evenly.
Korean Garlic Chive & Clam Stir-fry
Buchu baekhap bokkeum steams purged clams under a lid with rice wine, reduces their released liquid with soy and oyster sauce, and adds garlic chives only for the final 40 seconds. Five hundred grams clams is soaked in 3 percent salt water for 20 minutes, then the shells are scrubbed together under running water. One hundred twenty grams garlic chives is cut into 5 cm lengths. Five garlic cloves are sliced, and 1 red chili is seeded and cut into rounds. One tablespoon neutral oil is heated over medium before the garlic and chili cook for 40 seconds. The clams and 1 tablespoon rice wine are added, the lid is closed, and the pan stays over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Once the shells open, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon oyster sauce go in for a 1-minute stir-fry over high heat, reducing the clam liquid slightly. Any shell that remains closed is removed and discarded. The chives are then tossed over high heat for only 40 seconds before the burner is switched off. One teaspoon sesame oil completes the pan. Steaming the clams before adding the chives makes their doneness visible and keeps the brief cooking time of the greens separate from the shellfish stage.
Korean Grilled Atka Mackerel
Atka mackerel is seasoned with salt and pepper, wiped down with diluted vinegar to settle the fishiness, then pan-grilled on both sides until golden. The fish is naturally high in fat, and as it cooks the oil renders from within and permeates the flesh, building a rich, savory depth without any sauce at all. Thicker sections benefit from a brief covered rest on medium heat, which carries heat evenly to the center before the surface can scorch. A wedge of lemon at the side cuts through the rendered fat with clean brightness, making this grilled fish equally good as a rice side or a drinking snack.
Korean Stuffed Chili Pepper Pancake
Gochu-jeon is a Korean holiday pancake made by splitting mild green chili peppers in half lengthwise, removing the seeds, and stuffing them with a filling of ground pork, pressed tofu, and minced garlic that is seasoned before being spooned in. The mixture is then coated in flour and egg before being pan-fried until golden on both sides. The pepper's gentle heat wraps around the pork's savory richness and the tofu's silky interior, creating a layered contrast of flavor and texture in every bite. Squeezing all moisture out of the tofu in a cloth is essential; any remaining water causes the oil to splatter and the filling to fall apart during frying. Using cucumber peppers or shishito peppers instead of regular green chilies eliminates nearly all spiciness for those with lower heat tolerance, and filling each pepper to about seventy percent capacity prevents the shell from bursting as the filling expands with heat. This jeon has a fixed place on Seollal and Chuseok ancestral tables and everyday holiday spreads alike, and it tastes best served immediately while still hot, alongside a soy-vinegar dipping sauce that sharpens the meat filling's umami and complements the pepper's fresh aroma.
Korean Soy Braised Chicken Chunks
Dakganjang-jjim is a Korean soy-braised chicken dish where bone-in thigh pieces are combined with potatoes, carrots, and onion in a seasoned soy sauce base and simmered over low heat until the liquid reduces and the flavors concentrate. As the braising liquid cooks down, the salinity and umami of the soy sauce penetrate through the chicken skin and into the meat, seasoning it throughout rather than just coating the surface. The thigh cut is intentional - the fat and collagen in bone-in thighs keep the meat moist through the extended cooking time, preventing it from drying out the way leaner cuts would. The vegetables absorb the rendered chicken fat and soy-based cooking liquid as they soften, taking on a deep savory-sweet flavor that requires no additional seasoning. Because the dish contains no chili paste or gochugaru, it is mild in heat and broadly accessible, working equally well as a weeknight dinner main, a side dish over rice, or packed into a lunch box where the flavors continue to develop. The ratio of soy sauce to sugar in the braising liquid can be adjusted to suit individual taste - leaning toward saltier or sweeter without fundamentally changing the character of the dish.
About Side dishes
Great banchan balances seasoning with the natural flavor of each ingredient. Sesame oil, perilla oil, soy sauce, and fermented pastes work together to pack deep flavor into every small serving.