Easy Vegan Kimchi Recipe

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This easy vegan kimchi recipe is packed with flavour, fibre, and live cultures that support your gut health. Made with napa (Chinese) cabbage, garlic, ginger, and Korean chili flakes, it’s the perfect fermented food to make at home (no special equipment needed). Kimchi can be made in many different ways, below is just one variation of this versatile and flavourful dish. Try it with stir-fries, noodles, or rice bowls or just eat it straight from the jar! For more inspiration, check out our full blog on how kimchi supports gut health. Want to learn more about why kimchi is so good for you? Visit our blog to read our guide on the gut health benefits of kimchi.

Prep Time: 48 mins
Serves: 28

Ingredients

  • 1 large napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage)
  • ¼ cup sea salt (non-iodised)
  • 2 tbsp grated ginger
  • 2 tbsp grated garlic
  • 2 tsp sugar (or maple syrup)
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
  • 3-4 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) adjust to taste
  • 4 spring onions, sliced
  • 1 medium carrot, julienned
  • 5-6 radishes, thinly sliced
  • Water (filtered, if possible)

Method

  1. Chop the cabbage into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Massage until it softens, then cover with water.
  2. Let it soak for 1–2 hours.
  3. Drain and rinse the cabbage well. Set aside.
  4. In a bowl, mix garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, and gochugaru to form a paste.
  5. Combine cabbage with the paste, carrots, radish, and spring onions. Mix thoroughly (Wearing gloves is a good idea here, gochugaru can irritate the skin).
  6. Pack tightly into a clean jar, pressing down to remove air pockets. Leave at least 2–3cm of headspace.
  7. Seal loosely and let ferment at room temperature (away from sunlight) for 1-2 days at room temperature or 3-5 days in a refrigerator. “Burp” daily to release gas.
  8. Once it smells tangy and pleasantly sour, move to the fridge. It’ll keep for weeks and continue developing flavour.

Gut Health Tips

Traditional kimchi recipes often use whole cabbage halves, but chopping the cabbage into bite-sized pieces makes it much easier to mix and speeds up the fermentation process ideal for beginners. Fermentation is also temperature-sensitive, so warmer environments will ferment your kimchi more quickly, while cooler temperatures slow things down. To keep your batch safe and thriving, always use clean jars and utensils to avoid unwanted bacteria. Taste your kimchi daily, and once it reaches your desired level of sourness, transfer it to the fridge to slow the fermentation. If you’re working with a particularly large cabbage, it’s a good idea to double the seasoning paste to make sure every piece is well coated, the final mix should look vibrant and generously spiced, never dry or patchy. Visit our blog to read our guide on the gut health benefits of kimchi!