Korean Fermented Kale Kimchi
Quick answer
- Total time
- 35 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 9
About this dish
Kale kimchi is made by wilting kale leaves in coarse salt, then tossing them with julienned radish, scallions, gochugaru, soup soy sauce, and pear puree before fermenting.
Read more
The kale's strong green flavor mellows during fermentation while its sturdy leaf structure maintains a satisfying chew, and the radish strips add a crisp counterpoint to the soft seasoning. Pear puree wraps around the chili heat with fruit sweetness, and soup soy sauce anchors the seasoning with a quiet umami depth. Made using the same technique as napa cabbage kimchi but carrying kale's distinctive slight bitterness, this version adds a layer of complexity and nutritional density to the traditional format. Kale requires less salting time than napa cabbage, and weighting it down evenly during the process ensures consistent wilting throughout the batch.
Ingredients
As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Wash 400 g kale leaf by leaf under running water, shake off excess moisture, then sprinkle with 2 tbsp coarse salt and let sit for 20 minutes.
- 2Control
Rinse the salted kale once under running water to reduce excess salt, then squeeze firmly to remove as much liquid as possible.
- 3Prep
Julienne 120 g radish and cut 40 g green onions into 3 cm lengths, then place in a bowl together with the kale.
- 4Season
Mix 5 tbsp gochugaru, 2 tbsp soup soy sauce, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 80 g pear puree, and 0.5 tsp minced ginger together to form the seasoning paste.
- 5Season
Add the seasoning paste to the kale, radish, and green onions, then massage gently by hand until the paste is evenly distributed between every leaf.
- 6Step
Transfer to an airtight container, leave at room temperature for 2 hours to begin fermenting, then refrigerate and enjoy from the next day when the kale has a satisfying crunch.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Fermentation turns kale's natural bitterness into a mellow, savory depth in Kale-kimchi.
- Finish cue
- Transfer to an airtight container, leave at room temperature for 2 hours to begin fermenting, then refrigerate and enjoy from the next day when the kale has a satisfying crunch.
- Substitution
- Apple puree can replace pear puree with similar sweetness balance.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
35min, 9 ingredients
Category median
32min, 7 ingredients
Based on 163 recipes
Use-up ingredient planner
Turn these ingredients into two more meals
The overlap excludes basic seasonings. Open the next recipe and your selected dishes will stay with you.
Korean Cubed Radish Kimchi
coarse salt, Korean radish
Korean Restaurant-Style Kkakdugi
coarse salt, Korean radish
Korean Young Radish Water Kimchi
coarse salt, Korean radish