Classic Napa Cabbage Kimchi
Crunchy, tangy, deeply savory Korean kimchi made with salted napa cabbage and a spicy paste of gochugaru, garlic, ginger, and fish sauce. Ferments on the counter in 1–2 days, then keeps developing flavor in the fridge.
- Prep
- 50 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Wait
- 2.1 days
- Total
- 2.1 days
- Makes
- About 2 quarts (2 liters), 16 side-dish servings
Steps
Before you start
- Wash jars, bowls and a wooden spoon with hot soapy water and rinse well; use non-reactive (glass, stainless, or food-grade plastic) containers.
- Use non-iodized salt (kosher or coarse sea salt). Iodized salt can slow fermentation. Weigh the salt, since crystal sizes vary.
- Wear disposable gloves when mixing: gochugaru stings skin and stays on hands.
- Plan the timeline: about 2 hours salting, then 1–3 days at room temperature, then fridge. Start in the morning.
Cut the cabbage
- Quarter each napa cabbage lengthwise through the core.
- Cut out the dense white core wedge from each quarter, then slice the quarters crosswise into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces.
- Place in a 6–8 quart (6–8 liter) bowl.
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Ready when: Pieces are fairly uniform, about 2 inches (5 cm).
Tip: Rinse only if visibly gritty; drain well afterward.
Salt the cabbage
- Dissolve the salt in the 2 cups (480 ml) cool water.
- Pour over the cabbage and toss with your hands.
- Let stand, tossing every 30 minutes so the top pieces get brined, for 2 hours.
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Ready when: Cabbage is limp and bends in a U shape without snapping; the thick white ribs are pliable.
Tip: If the ribs still snap, salt another 30 minutes.
Cook rice porridge
- Whisk the rice flour into 1 cup (240 ml) water in a small saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it bubbles and thickens to a thin, glue-like paste, about 3 minutes.
- Whisk in the sugar, then cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
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Ready when: Thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and translucent.
Tip: Do not mix hot porridge into the paste; it can kill the beneficial bacteria.
Rinse and drain
- Rinse the cabbage in a colander under cold water 3 times, gently tossing, to remove surface salt.
- Taste a piece: it should be pleasantly seasoned, not harshly salty.
- Drain for 15–20 minutes, shaking occasionally, and gently squeeze out excess water.
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Ready when: No water pools beneath the colander; cabbage tastes lightly salty.
Tip: If it tastes very salty, rinse once more.
Make the paste
- In a medium bowl, stir the cooled porridge with the garlic, ginger, fish sauce, gochugaru, and grated onion until a thick, evenly red paste forms.
- Let the gochugaru hydrate for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Paste is thick, spreadable, and brick red with no dry flakes.
Mix everything
- Put on gloves.
- Add the drained cabbage, scallions, carrot, and daikon (if using) to the paste.
- Toss and massage gently for 2–3 minutes until every piece is evenly coated in red paste.
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Ready when: No white patches remain; vegetables glisten red.
Tip: Don't touch your eyes or face while wearing paste-covered gloves.
Pack the jars
- Pack the kimchi into clean jars in handfuls, pressing down firmly with a spoon to remove air pockets and bring the liquid up.
- Leave at least 1.5 inches (4 cm) of headspace.
- Wipe the rims and close the lids loosely.
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Ready when: Brine rises around the pressed kimchi; headspace is at least 1.5 inches (4 cm).
Tip: Set jars on a plate to catch any bubbling overflow.
Ferment at room temp
- Keep the jars out of direct sunlight at 65–72°F (18–22°C) for 1–2 days.
- Once a day, open the lid to release gas and press the kimchi down below the brine with a clean spoon.
- Start tasting on day 1.
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Ready when: Small bubbles rise when pressed, the smell is pleasantly sour, and it tastes tangy.
Tip: In a warm kitchen (above 75°F / 24°C) check after 24 hours; it ferments faster.
Refrigerate and age
- Move the jars to the refrigerator once the kimchi tastes pleasantly tangy.
- Wait at least 2 more days before serving for balanced flavor; it keeps improving for weeks.
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Ready when: Cabbage is translucent at the edges, still crunchy, and tangy-spicy.
Tip: Discard if you see fuzzy mold (white film that is smooth is harmless yeast, but fuzzy spots mean discard).
Good to know
Tips
- Salt by weight: roughly 2–3% of the cabbage weight keeps it crunchy but not too salty.
- Keep the kimchi submerged under brine to avoid mold.
- Burp the jars daily during fermentation; gas builds up.
- Taste each day. Fermentation time depends on temperature and personal preference.
Make ahead
Kimchi is itself a make-ahead food. Salt and rinse the cabbage the day before, refrigerate it, then mix and pack the next day.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: 1–2 days while fermenting. Refrigerator: up to 3 months in a sealed jar, getting more sour over time; use older kimchi for stews and fried rice. Freezer: up to 3 months, though the texture softens; best for cooking.
Substitutions
- fish sauce → soy sauce plus 1 tablespoon of miso, or salted fermented shrimp for authenticity. For a vegan version, use 1/3 cup (80 ml) soy sauce and a little kelp broth.
- sweet (glutinous) rice flour → 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour or cooked rice blended with water. Gives similar body; flavor is slightly less sticky.
- gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes), coarse → mild paprika mixed with a little cayenne. Flavor will differ; true gochugaru is fruity and moderately hot.
- daikon radish → extra carrot or Korean radish (mu). Either adds crunch and sweetness.