This is a list of 10 foods that go best with kimchi. When eaten with these 10 foods, gimchi creates the ultimate flavor combination that you won’t be able to stop eating. As a Korean, I will show you the essential pairings with gimchi. If you have only eaten rice and gimchi, try them with the following foods.
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What Food Goes Well with Kimchi?
Foods that are not spicy, lightly seasoned, or rich and greasy go well with kimchi. That’s why kimchi is always served as a side dish when eating meat. Some Koreans even eat gimchi with creamy pasta.
Koreans tend to enjoy spicy foods and often find rich, greasy foods heavy, so gimchi helps cleanse the palate. That’s also why many people eat gimchi jjigae with lots of gimchi after returning from a trip abroad.
Best 10 Kimchi Pairing Foods
As a Korean, I’m going to introduce the top 10 foods that Koreans love to eat with kimchi. Once you try these combinations, you might not be able to stop eating gimchi. Haha.
Bossam 보쌈
Bossam is a dish that pairs perfectly with kimchi—so much that there’s even a “bossam gimchi” on the menu. In Korea, bossam is usually made with fatty cuts of pork, cooked until tender. While the meat is soft and delicious, eating it alone can feel greasy and heavy. That’s why Koreans always eat it with gimchi. Bossam goes best with freshly made kimjang gimchi rather than sour gimchi, and sometimes a special bossam gimchi is prepared, which is sweeter than regular gimchi. On the day kimjang gimchi is made, Koreans almost always boil pork to enjoy it together with the fresh gimchi.
Ramyun 라면
When eating ramen, you don’t really need any side dishes—but kimchi is an absolute must. Kids might eat a lot of pickled radish, but in most homes, pickled radish is rarely kept unless you’re making kimbap. Gimchi refreshes the saltiness and greasiness of ramen while adding a tangy balance to the flavor. If you cook ramen with gimchi in the broth, you’ll experience a much deeper, richer, and umami-packed taste.
Kalguksu 칼국수
Kalguksu is known for its mild and comforting broth. Of course, there are spicy versions, but most are made with seafood or beef bone broth, giving a deep umami flavor without being spicy. At this point, Koreans often feel the need for something spicy and some fresh vegetables. The gimchi served with kalguksu is usually freshly made geotjeori, offering a crisp and slightly sweet cabbage flavor. To add a bit of a kick, it’s often seasoned generously with red chili powder and garlic.
Sweet Potato 고구마
A classic Korean winter snack is roasted sweet potato. Try wrapping a piece of well-cooked sweet potato with a long kimchi leaf and eat it in one bite. This became famous when Nara Smith tried it, but Koreans have been enjoying it this way since childhood. The slightly dry, sweet sweet potato paired with tangy gimchi makes it easy to swallow and refreshes your palate—truly delicious. It’s amazing that this little secret, once only known to Koreans, is now being shared!
Rice 쌀밥
If the gimchi is good, you can enjoy it simply on top of steamed white rice, and it’s incredibly delicious. The natural sweetness of the rice perfectly balances the tangy, umami-rich, and slightly spicy flavor of the gimchi. Many Koreans also like to pour water over white rice and top it with sour kkakdugi (cubed radish gimchi) for a comforting meal.
Korean BBQ Samgyeopsal (Pork Belly) 삼겹살
At Korean BBQ restaurants, gimchi is always a must. Compared to beef, pork—especially samgyeopsal—is best enjoyed with gimchi. The fatty, savory pork is delicious but can feel heavy, and gimchi perfectly balances that richness. The key is to cook the gimchi in the flavorful pork fat as the meat grills. Gimchi cooked this way is tasty on its own and becomes even more delicious when stir-fried with rice afterward.
Tofu 두부
Koreans often describe tofu as having a naturally nutty, savory flavor. While delicious on its own, it can feel a bit plain, so people dip it in soy sauce or wrap it with gimchi. The combination of bossam, tofu, and kimchi is called “samhap,” and the harmony of these three flavors is incredible—you have to eat all three together in one bite. This combination pairs perfectly with makgeolli (Korean rice wine).
Seolleongtang 설렁탕
Remember the scene in KPop Demon Hunters where Rumi eats gukbap(soup and rcie)? That dish is seolleongtang. It’s a nutritious Korean soup made by simmering ox bones for a long time. The broth is rich in umami but lacks spiciness, which is why Koreans always add gimchi. For seolleongtang, the best pairing is not napa cabbage gimchi but sour kkakdugi (cubed radish gimchi). In seolleongtang restaurants, large radish gimchi, called seokbakji, is served. You don’t eat it whole—you cut it with the tongs and scissors provided at the table.
Oyster Bossam 굴보쌈
This dish features bossam pork served with fresh oysters and freshly made kimjang kimchi. In Korea, raw oysters aren’t typically eaten in the summer due to the risk of norovirus. However, during kimjang season, oysters are extremely fresh and have no fishy smell. Wrapping a piece of tender boiled pork with a fresh oyster and kimjang gimchi creates one of the best flavor combinations imaginable.
Janchi Guksu 잔치국수
Janchi Guksu is a traditional Korean dish made with somyeon noodles in anchovy broth, topped with sautéed zucchini, carrots, and thinly sliced egg omelet. The word “janchi” means “feast” or “party,” and it was originally eaten on special occasions like weddings or birthdays. Nowadays, it’s a popular, everyday comfort food in Korean homes. Eating a bite of noodles together with tangy kimchi creates a flavor explosion in your mouth, like a little celebration.
Why Koreans Eat Kimchi with Everything
Most Koreans eat almost every meal with kimchi. Having imchi fried rice, kimchi stew, and kimchi as a side dish is nothing unusual for us. Some Koreans even enjoy kimchi with pasta. This comes from our tendency to dislike overly greasy or plain foods. When eating something mild, Koreans love to balance it with flavors that are spicy, tangy, and salty—and kimchi is the perfect match. Once you try the 10 best foods paired with kimchi, you’ll understand exactly what I mean.
FAQs about Gimchi Parings
What food goes well with kimchi? What do I eat with kimchi?
gimchi pairs especially well with mild or greasy foods. Its tangy, spicy flavor balances richness and refreshes the palate. That’s why dishes like Korean BBQ, bossam, kalguksu, and Korean ramen go perfectly with kimchi.
Can you eat kimchi with ramen?
Yes! Kimchi is the most common side dish for Korean ramen. You can also cook it directly in the broth for a deeper, umami-rich flavor.
What meat goes best with gimchi?
Pork—especially samgyeopsal (pork belly)—is the best match for gimchi. The tangy crunch of gimchi cuts through the richness of fatty meat.
Is gimchi eaten with rice only?
It can be enjoyed that way, but gimchi is usually served as one of many side dishes. Koreans eat it with rice and other dishes together, creating a balanced meal.
Why do Koreans eat kimchi with every meal?
Koreans often find mild or greasy foods overwhelming after just a few bites. gimchi’s spicy and tangy flavor balances this out perfectly. It’s also a staple side dish always found in Korean refrigerators, making it an easy go-to when there aren’t many other side dishes available.
