Easy Korean Recipes with Kimchi — 9 Ways to Use Up a Jar

You bought a jar of kimchi. Maybe you've been eating it straight out of the container with rice, which is great — but at some point you're going to want to do more with it. Or maybe your kimchi has been sitting in the fridge so long it's gotten really sour and you're wondering if it's still usable. (Spoiler: it absolutely is, and it might actually be better now.)

Kimchi is one of the most versatile ingredients in Korean cooking. It works as a main flavor in stews and fried rice, a supporting player in dumplings and pancakes, and even a condiment on non-Korean dishes. Here are 9 of my favorite ways to use it up.

1. Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap)

The undisputed champion of kimchi cooking. Chop up kimchi, stir-fry it in a hot pan with oil, add day-old rice, and toss until everything is coated. Finish with sesame oil and a fried egg on top. This is a 10-minute meal that tastes like it took much longer.

The sour-er your kimchi, the better this dish tastes. Really aged kimchi brings an intensity that fresh kimchi simply can't match. Don't drain the kimchi juice — add it to the pan for extra flavor.

2. Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew)

This is the dish that aged kimchi was born to make. Kimchi jjigae is a bubbling, spicy stew built on a base of well-fermented kimchi, pork (or tuna), and tofu. It's one of the most popular home-cooked meals in Korea and one of the most satisfying things you can eat on a cold day.

The older and sourer your kimchi, the better this stew will be. Seriously — if your kimchi is so sour that you've stopped eating it as a side dish, it's at its absolute peak for jjigae. Simmer it for at least 20 minutes to let the flavors meld.

3. Budae-Jjigae (Army Stew)

Budae-jjigae is a communal hotpot stew that throws together kimchi, spam, sausage, ramen noodles, American cheese, and whatever else you want. It sounds chaotic and it is — but in the best possible way.

The kimchi provides the sour, funky backbone that ties all the disparate ingredients together. Without it, budae-jjigae is just a pot of random stuff. With it, everything makes sense.

4. Kimchi Manduguk (Kimchi Dumpling Soup)

Manduguk is a comforting dumpling soup, and adding kimchi to the dumplings gives them a tangy kick that elevates the whole dish. Chop kimchi finely, squeeze out excess liquid, and mix it into your dumpling filling along with ground pork, tofu, and scallions.

The kimchi juice you squeezed out? Add it to the soup broth. Nothing goes to waste.

5. Bindaetteok (Mung Bean Pancakes)

Bindaetteok are crispy, savory pancakes made from ground mung beans. Adding chopped kimchi to the batter gives them a sour punch that cuts through the richness of the fried pancake. They're traditionally served as a snack with makgeolli (rice wine), but they make a great side dish or appetizer too.

The kimchi should be chopped small so it distributes evenly through the pancake. Aged kimchi works best here — fresh kimchi doesn't have enough flavor to stand up to the mung bean base.

6. Kimchi Pancakes (Kimchi-Jeon)

Simpler than bindaetteok, kimchi-jeon is a thin, crispy pancake made with just flour, water, eggs, and chopped kimchi. It's one of the easiest Korean dishes to make and one of the most satisfying to eat — crispy edges, tangy kimchi, and a dipping sauce of soy sauce and vinegar.

This is a great rainy day meal in Korea. There's actually a cultural connection between rain and kimchi-jeon — the sound of the pancake sizzling in the pan is said to sound like rain. Whatever the reason, it's the perfect cozy, low-effort dish.

7. Kimchi Grilled Cheese

This isn't traditional Korean cooking, but it's too good not to include. Spread butter on bread, layer kimchi and cheese (sharp cheddar or pepper jack work great), and grill until golden and melted. The sour kimchi and melty cheese combination is one of those fusion ideas that actually works.

I drain the kimchi slightly and chop it before adding it to the sandwich so it doesn't make the bread soggy. A thin smear of mayo on the bread before grilling creates an even crispier crust.

8. Kimchi Fried Dumplings

If you have store-bought frozen dumplings, you can upgrade them instantly by pan-frying them and serving with a quick kimchi topping. Chop kimchi finely, mix with a little sesame oil and sugar, and spoon it over your crispy dumplings. The cold, tangy kimchi against the hot, crispy dumpling is a great contrast.

Alternatively, stir-fry the kimchi briefly in the same pan after removing the dumplings. A minute in the hot pan softens the kimchi and concentrates its flavor.

9. Kimchi Bokkeumbap with Spam

This is a variation on #1 but it deserves its own mention because the addition of diced, pan-fried spam takes kimchi fried rice to another level. Cube the spam, fry it until crispy on all sides, then add the kimchi and rice. The salty, crispy spam with sour kimchi and sesame oil is a combination that hits every flavor note.

This is unapologetic comfort food. Not fancy, not photogenic, but deeply satisfying. It's the kind of thing I make when nobody's watching and I want something that just tastes good.

Tips for Cooking with Kimchi

• Aged beats fresh for cooking. Sour, well-fermented kimchi performs better in every cooked dish. Save fresh kimchi for eating as a side.
• Don't waste the juice. Kimchi brine is liquid gold. Add it to stews, fried rice, marinades, or even salad dressings.
• Chop it to the right size. For fried rice and pancakes, chop kimchi into small pieces. For stews, larger pieces are fine since they'll soften during cooking.
• Squeeze before stuffing. When using kimchi in dumplings or pancakes, squeeze out excess liquid so your filling or batter isn't too wet.
• Cook on high heat. When stir-frying kimchi, use high heat to get some caramelization. The slightly charred edges of fried kimchi are the best part.

A jar of kimchi in the fridge means you're always close to a great meal. Whether it's fresh or so old you forgot when you bought it, there's a recipe on this list that will put it to perfect use.