10+ Korean Food Recipes to Try at Home Today

Korean food recipes are such a fun way to shake up dinner at home. If you’re curious about new flavors or just want something different in your kitchen, there’s plenty here that’s both easy and seriously tasty.

You don’t need fancy tools or rare ingredients to get started. Most of these dishes rely on fresh veggies, bold spices, and savory sauces—stuff that’s honestly pretty easy to find.

1) Kimchi

Kimchi is a must-have in Korean food. It’s a spicy, tangy fermented dish—usually napa cabbage is the star.

Enjoy it as a side, or sneak it into soups and stews for a punch of flavor. Making kimchi at home is more straightforward than it sounds.

Start by salting the cabbage to pull out moisture. Then, mix it up with garlic, ginger, and gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes).

A bit of fish sauce or shrimp paste gives it that umami kick. Let it ferment—this is where the magic happens.

Eat it fresh, or let it get nice and sour over a few days. It’s all about what you like.

Ingredients:

• Napa cabbage
• Salt
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Sugar
• Fish sauce or shrimp paste
• Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
• Scallions

Cooking Instructions:

1. Cut and soak napa cabbage in salt water for 1-2 hours.
2. Rinse and drain well.
3. Mix garlic, ginger, sugar, fish sauce or shrimp paste, gochugaru, and scallions.
4. Coat cabbage leaves with the spice mix.
5. Pack tightly into a jar.
6. Let ferment at room temperature for 1-2 days, then refrigerate.

2) Japchae (Glass Noodle Stir-fry)

Japchae is a classic Korean dish using sweet potato glass noodles. These noodles are chewy and slippery—honestly, a little addictive.

You stir-fry them with veggies like carrots, spinach, and mushrooms. It’s a rainbow in a bowl.

Add beef or chicken if you want, or keep it vegan. The sauce is a mix of soy, garlic, and a bit of sugar.

Serve it warm or at room temp. It’s one of those dishes that’s just as good the next day.

Ingredients

• 8 oz (225 g) sweet potato glass noodles
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 5 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 oz (115 g) beef or chicken, thinly sliced (optional)
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• Sesame seeds for garnish

Cooking Instructions

1. Cook noodles by package directions, rinse with cold water, and drain.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Stir-fry garlic, carrots, mushrooms, and onions until soft.
3. Add meat if using, and cook through.
4. Toss in spinach and cook just until wilted.
5. Mix cooked noodles with soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil in the pan. Stir everything together.
6. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat.
7. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

3) Cheese Buldak (Spicy Fire Chicken)

Cheese Buldak, or Spicy Fire Chicken, is not for the faint of heart. It’s fiery chicken under a gooey blanket of melted cheese.

Marinate chicken in a sauce with gochugaru and gochujang. Cook it until it’s spicy and tender.

Top with cheese and let it melt. You get spicy, creamy, and just a little bit addictive.

If you love heat but want something cheesy to mellow it out, this is your dish. It’s surprisingly simple to make at home.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken breast or thighs, cubed
• ½ cup gochugaru
• 2-3 tbsp gochujang
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix gochugaru, gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, and garlic for the marinade.
2. Coat chicken and let it sit 30 minutes.
3. Cook chicken in a pan over medium heat until done.
4. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.
5. Cover and cook 3-5 minutes until cheese melts.
6. Serve hot and dig in.

For more, check the Cheese Buldak recipe.

4) Sundubu-jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew)

Sundubu-jjigae is a spicy, cozy stew with soft tofu. On chilly days or nights when you want comfort food, this one hits the spot.

You can toss in seafood or pork, plus kimchi or veggies for extra flavor. The tofu is silky and almost custard-like.

The broth gets its kick from Korean chili flakes and paste. It’s lively, but not so spicy that you can’t taste anything else.

Usually, it comes bubbling hot in a stone pot. Grab some rice to soak up that spicy broth.

Ingredients

• 1 pack soft or silken tofu (12 oz)
• 1/4 onion, chopped
• 1.5–2 tbsp Korean red chili flakes
• 1.5 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 cup seafood or thinly sliced pork belly
• 1 boiled egg (optional)
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups water or broth

Cooking Instructions

1. Sauté garlic and onion in a hot pot.
2. Add pork or seafood, cook until almost done.
3. Pour in water or broth, bring to a boil.
4. Add chili flakes and soy sauce, stir.
5. Gently add tofu in chunks.
6. Simmer for 5-7 minutes.
7. If you want, crack an egg into the stew and cook until set.
8. Serve bubbling hot with rice.

More details at Korean soft tofu stew recipe.

5) Yachaejeon (Korean Vegetable Pancakes)

Yachaejeon is a crispy Korean veggie pancake. Zucchini, carrots, onions—whatever veggies you’ve got work here.

The pancakes are crunchy outside, soft inside. They’re awesome as a snack or a side.

Mix up a quick batter, toss in your veggies, and fry until golden. Dip them in sauce for extra flavor.

Change up the veggies based on what’s in your fridge. Yachaejeon is a crowd-pleaser thanks to that craveable crunch.

Ingredients

• 1 cup zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup carrot, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup scallions, chopped
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cold water
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Cooking Instructions

1. Whisk flour, water, and salt into a smooth batter.
2. Add veggies, stir to coat.
3. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
4. Spoon batter into pan, spread thin.
5. Cook until golden and crispy, about 3-4 minutes per side.
6. Flip and finish cooking.
7. Drain on paper towels.

Try Maangchi’s Vegetable Pancake for more ideas.

6) Jjajangmyeon (Black Bean Noodles)

Jjajangmyeon is thick noodles smothered in a savory black bean sauce. Pork belly, onions, and maybe cabbage or zucchini go into the sauce.

Boil the noodles, rinse them, and pile on the sauce. Top with cucumber slices for a bit of crunch.

It’s a no-fuss meal that comes together fast. When you need something filling and comforting, this is a good bet.

Ingredients

• 400 g fresh thick noodles
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• ¼ cup black bean paste
• 200 g pork belly, sliced
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• ½ cup cabbage, chopped
• ½ zucchini, sliced
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced for garnish

Cooking Instructions

1. Boil noodles until soft, then drain and rinse.
2. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
3. Cook pork belly until browned.
4. Add onion, cabbage, and zucchini. Cook until soft.
5. Stir in black bean paste, simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Spoon sauce over noodles and garnish with cucumber.

7) Tteokbokki (Spicy Rice Cakes)

Tteokbokki is chewy rice cakes in a spicy-sweet sauce. It’s one of Korea’s most-loved street foods.

The sauce gets its fire from gochujang, the classic Korean chili paste. Add fish cakes, boiled eggs, or veggies to bulk it up.

Simmer the rice cakes until they’re soft and the sauce is thick. You can play with the spice level—add more gochujang or toss in gochugaru if you like it hot.

Ingredients

• Korean rice cakes (tteok)
• Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
• Soy sauce
• Sugar
• Fish cakes (optional)
• Boiled eggs (optional)
• Water

Cooking Instructions

1. Soak rice cakes in water for 10 minutes if they’re frozen.
2. In a pan, mix water, gochujang, soy sauce, and sugar.
3. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
4. Add rice cakes and fish cakes, simmer 8-10 minutes.
5. Stir often so nothing sticks.
6. Add boiled eggs if you want, cook 2 more minutes.
7. Serve hot—spicy, chewy, and totally satisfying.

8) Pajeon (Scallion Pancakes)

Pajeon is a classic Korean pancake packed with green onions, so it’s got this fresh, savory flavor that’s hard to beat. The outside turns crispy, while the inside stays soft—kind of the best of both worlds.

It works great as a snack or a side, especially when you dip it in a quick sauce made from soy sauce, vinegar, and a pinch of sugar. Honestly, it’s one of those dishes that feels like a treat but doesn’t take much effort.

Making pajeon is pretty straightforward. Just mix flour and water for the batter, then toss in a bunch of chopped scallions.

Some folks throw in an egg to help it stick together, but you don’t have to. Pour it into a hot, oiled pan and cook until both sides go golden brown.

Want to mix it up? Add seafood or extra veggies if you’re feeling adventurous.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 egg (optional)
• 1 bunch scallions (green onions), chopped
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Salt to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix flour, water, egg, and salt in a bowl to make a smooth batter.
2. Stir in the chopped scallions.
3. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat (about 350°F/175°C) and add a splash of oil.
4. Pour the batter in and spread it out evenly.
5. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes, until the edges look crispy and golden.
6. Flip with care and cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes.
7. Take it out, slice it up, and serve with your dipping sauce.

Want more tips? Check out how to make green onion pancakes here.

9) Folded Gimbap

Folded Gimbap is like the shortcut version of classic Korean rice rolls. Instead of rolling everything up tight, you just layer your favorites—eggs, spam, kimchi—on seaweed and fold it up like a sandwich.

It’s super easy to eat with your hands, so it makes a perfect quick lunch or snack. No need for a sushi mat or any fancy tools, either.

Just fold each section over the next until you end up with a neat little square. The flavors stay tucked inside, and you save a bunch of time.

There’s a lot of room to play here. Throw in tuna mayo, crunchy veggies, or whatever fillings you’re craving.

Ingredients

• Cooked short-grain rice
• Gim (seaweed sheets)
• Eggs
• Spam or cooked meat
• Kimchi
• Optional: tuna mayo, carrots, cucumber

Cooking Instructions

1. Season your cooked rice with a little salt or sesame oil.
2. Cook eggs as a thin omelet and slice them up.
3. Pan-fry spam slices until they’re nice and crispy.
4. Lay out a gim sheet and spread rice over four sections.
5. Add eggs, spam, kimchi, and any other fillings you like to each section.
6. Fold each quarter over the next, making a square.
7. Just grab it and eat—no fuss.

10) Korean Army Stew

Korean Army Stew, or Budae Jjigae, is a spicy, hearty mash-up that totally hits the spot. You toss in kimchi, spam, sausages, mushrooms, and instant ramen noodles, and let it all simmer together in a bold, rich broth.

It’s a mix of Korean and American flavors—honestly, it’s kind of wild but so good. This stew is made for sharing, especially when it’s chilly outside.

The broth gets its kick from garlic, Korean chili paste, and soy sauce. Sometimes people even melt cheese on top for a creamy finish.

Everything cooks in one pot, so cleanup’s a breeze.

Ingredients

• Kimchi
• Spam
• Sausages
• Mushrooms
• Instant ramen noodles
• Korean chili paste (gochujang)
• Garlic
• Soy sauce
• Green onions
• Cheese (optional)
• Water or broth

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix water, garlic, chili paste, and soy sauce to make the broth.

2. Toss kimchi, spam, sausages, and mushrooms into a pot.

3. Pour that broth right over everything, then crank up the heat until it boils.

4. Drop in the ramen noodles and let them cook until they’re soft—shouldn’t take long.

5. If you’re feeling it, sprinkle some cheese on top. Eat it while it’s hot.

You can find more on making Korean Army Stew here.