Table of Contents
Introduction
South Korean cuisine is known for its bold, complex flavors and wide range of dishes. Over the years, it has steadily gained popularity worldwide as people discover the delicious delicacies of this East Asian country. With a great balance of spicy, sweet, salty, and sour elements, South Korean food offers exciting new tastes to thrill and satisfy the palate.
South Korea’s location between China and Japan has influenced its cuisine, creating a diversity of dishes with regional variations. However, there are certain quintessential Korean foods that every visitor must try. From fiery kimchi to sizzling BBQ meats and soothing noodle dishes, there is something to suit every preference. Keep reading to learn about South Korea’s most iconic culinary creations!
Signature Dishes
Kimchi
The national dish of Korea, kimchi is a must-try. This fermented vegetable side dish, most commonly made with napa cabbage, contains a mix of seasonings like garlic, ginger, peppers, and fish sauce. It can be fresh and crunchy or stewed and soft. With hundreds of variations, kimchi is served at every Korean meal.
Bulgogi
Thin slices of marinated beef grilled on a barbecue, bulgogi literally means “fire meat.” The tender, caramelized meat is flavored with a sweet sauce of soy, garlic, sugar, and sesame. It is wrapped in lettuce leaves with white rice and other vegetables.
Bibimbap
A bowl of warm white rice topped with namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables), gochujang (chili pepper paste), soy sauce, and often a fried egg and meat. The ingredients are stirred together before eating, making every bite full of sweet, spicy and crunchy textures.
Tteokbokki
This popular street food features chewy rice cakes simmered in a spicy gochujang sauce with fish cakes and scallions. Variations include adding boiled eggs, ramyeon noodles, or dumplings. It offers the perfect balance of sweet and heat.
Kimbap
Similar to sushi rolls, kimbap consists of rice and different fillings rolled in dried laver seaweed. Fillings range from carrots, cucumber, egg, crab meat to bulgogi. It’s a fantastic snack or picnic food.
Noodle Dishes
Ramen
While ramen has Japanese origins, the Korean version tends to be spicier. Some popular varieties are kimchi ramen, with its tangy cabbage, and ramyeon, with plump wheat noodles in a fiery broth. Toppings include egg, meat, and vegetables.
Naengmyeon
These chewy buckwheat noodles served cold with a sweet vinegar dressing offer the perfect summer dish. Originating from Korea’s Pyongyang province, naengmyeon comes in mul (cold) or bibim (mixed with chili sauce) styles.
Japchae
Japchae are bouncy potato or sweet potato glass noodles stir-fried with meat and vegetables in a savory-sweet sauce. Popular versions include seafood or bulgogi. It’s a celebratory dish often served at parties and holidays.
Makguksu
A simple but tasty buckwheat noodle dish, makguksu features thin hand-cut noodles in a light, creamy broth with mushrooms, vegetables, and sometimes seafood. Topped with mustard sauce and black pepper, it makes a hearty and comforting meal.
Kongguksu
These delicate wheat flour noodles in a chilled soy milk broth are a nutritious summer meal. Paired with sesame oil, cucumber, pear, or kimchi, it provides lots of flavor and texture.
Soups and Stews
Kimchi jjigae
A staple Korean stew, kimchi jjigae features the spicy pickled cabbage simmered in a doenjang (soybean paste) broth with tofu, pork, and scallions. This soup perfectly balances the sour kimchi with the umami-rich broth.
Doenjang jjigae
Known as the “soybean paste stew,” this comforting dish is made from doenjang, veggies like potato, zucchini, and onion, and protein such as tofu, pork, or seafood. It’s salty, savory, and fills you up on chilly days.
Sundubu jjigae
With origins in the countryside, this spicy stew centers on uncurdled tofu in a red chili broth with seafood like shrimp, mussels, and clams. Often garnished with egg, scallions, and meat, the soft tofu soaks up all the flavors.
Seolleongtang
This creamy ox bone soup takes hours to prepare, giving it a milky white color and intense meat flavor. It highlights the natural sweetness of beef bones balanced with salt and scallions. Simple but deeply nourishing.
Budae jjigae
Also called “army stew,” this dish originated after the Korean war when food was scarce. A mash-up of Korean and American ingredients like kimchi, spam, hot dogs, baked beans, and ramyeon come together in a satisfying medley.
BBQ Dishes
Samgyeopsal
Thick-cut slices of pork belly meat are cooked on a grill at the table until crispy on the outside and tender inside. Dipped in ssamjang (soybean paste sauce), wrapped in lettuce or perilla leaves, it provides fatty, smoky, and savory flavors.
Galbi
These marinated short ribs, grilled over charcoal embers, exemplify Korean barbecue. Most popular is LA galbi, marinated in a sweet garlic sauce. Other varieties include chili-marinated bulgogi galbi and chamchi galbi (chicken galbi).
Dak galbi
Spicy chicken stir-fried over a hot grill with cabbage, sweet potato noodles, and onion. The zesty chili paste marinade infuses the meat and vegetables with its robust, aromatic flavors. It’s finger-licking good.
Bossam
Thinly sliced boiled pork is wrapped around kimchi, garlic, onion, and herbs and eaten in one bite. The salty pork pairs perfectly with the tangy kimchi for a mini explosion of flavors.
Street Food
Tteok
These dense, chewy rice cakes come in an array of colors and textures depending on the grains used. Popular tteok varieties are songpyeon (stuffed with fillings like honey, nuts, or sesame) and garaetteok (cylindrical cakes coated in honey and nuts).
Twigim
Twigim refers to a variety of deep-fried snacks coated in wheat flour batter. Some common items are squid, shrimp, lobster, sweet potatoes, and kimchi. Crunchy, crispy, and seriously addictive.
Hotteok
This irresistible street pancake starts with a sweet syrupy filling of brown sugar, honey, nuts, and cinnamon sandwiched between two dough disks. Once fried, the hotteok oozes with molten syrup for the ultimate sweet treat.
Eomuk
These popular fish cake snacks made of pureed white fish get their distinct, bouncy texture from added starch. Served on a stick smothered in savory soy sauce or spicy sauce, they make an ideal snack on the go.
Bungeoppang
Adorable fish-shaped pastries with sweet red bean filling inside. Made from wheat flour, these steaming hot pastries are brushed with egg wash to create that shiny golden sheen.
Beverages
Soju
Korea’s iconic liquor, soju offers a smooth, crisp flavor. Made from rice or other starches, this clear spirit ranges from 16-45% alcohol. Flavored sojus like yogurt, green grape, and lemon lime are also popular.
Makgeolli
This traditional milky rice wine has a refreshing effervescence with around 6-8% alcohol. Unfiltered makgeolli offers a richer texture and flavor. Modern versions incorporate fruits and nuts for added interest.
Sikhye
A sweet, non-alcoholic rice beverage flavored with ginger and jujube. With digestive benefits from the rice malt, sikhye offers a lightly syrupy, dessert-like accompaniment to spicy meals.
Sujeonggwa
Made from dried persimmons, cinnamon, and ginger, this punch is the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. The dried fruits give it a deep, earthy flavor reminiscent of fall.
Desserts
Patbingsu
Korea’s beloved shaved ice dessert, patbingsu, features a mound of fluffy ice topped with sweet red beans, condensed milk, and fruit like strawberries and bananas. It’s the ultimate summer refresher.
Hangwa
These traditional Korean confections are made from ingredients like fruits, seeds, nuts, and rice flour. Varieties include yakgwa (fried flower cookies), dasik (pressed dry cakes), and yeot (sticky rice treats).
Yakgwa
These flower-shaped shortbread cookies are made from wheat flour, sesame oil, honey, and cinnamon. Deep-fried until crispy and dipped in a honey glaze, they have a delightful floral aroma.
Dasik
These dry pressed rice cakes contain ingredients like honey, nuts, dried fruits, seeds, or herbs. Dasik comes in many decorative shapes and textures, from light and crumbly to dense and chewy.
Regional Specialties
Andong jjimdak
This braised chicken dish hails from the city of Andong. Marinated chicken is simmered with cellophane noodles, shiitake mushrooms, potatoes, and plenty of chili paste for a refined yet comforting dish.
Jeonju bibimbap
The signature bibimbap of Jeonju includes a heaping serving of bean sprouts with zucchini, mushrooms, and beef. Mixed with the spicy gochujang, the bean sprouts add great crunch and flavor.
Busan milmyeon
Busan’s cold wheat noodle dish features a refreshing broth made from anchovies and kelp. Topped with seafood, vegetables, and a zingy mustard vinaigrette, it’s the perfect seaside snack.
Jeju black pork
From the volcanic island of Jeju comes this delicacy of nutty, rich black pork. The pigs are fed a diet of corn and soybeans to achieve the meat’s unique taste.
Gangneung naengmyeon
The east coast city of Gangneung produces these chewy buckwheat noodles served in an icy beef broth seasoned with mustard and vinegar. Added Asian pear gives it a deliciously sweet tang.
Vegetarian Options
Temple cuisine
Buddhist temple cuisine centers around vegetables, tofu, wild greens, legumes, nuts and seeds. Highlights are grilled tofu, colorful pancakes, and leaf-wrapped rice parcels.
Tofu dishes
Tofu takes center stage in stews like doenjang jjigae and soon dubu jjigae or pan-fried until golden brown and smothered in sweet and spicy sauce. It soaks up any flavor.
Vegetable pancakes
Crispy savory pancakes called jeon combine vegetables like zucchini, mushroom, kimchi, and scallions with a flour batter then pan-fried until browned. They make fantastic snacks or side dishes.
Conclusion
With its diverse array of tastes and textures, South Korean cuisine offers an exciting culinary adventure for all. From spicy stews to sizzling meats and comforting noodle dishes, even the pickiest eaters can find something tempting to try. As Korean restaurants pop up worldwide, more people are discovering the delicious secrets that make this cuisine truly unique. Whether it’s the crunch of kimchi, the finger-licking BBQ, or the simple pleasures of street food, South Korea has delicacies to delight any palate.
FAQs
What are some key characteristics of Korean food?
Some key characteristics are bold flavors from chili pepper paste, garlic and fermented foods like kimchi; balance of spicy, sweet, sour and salty; Lots of vegetables and small portions of meat; and rice at every meal.
What are popular Korean desserts?
Popular desserts are shaved ice treats like patbingsu with fruit and sweet red bean; rice cakes such as tteok coated in honey and cinnamon; fried sweets like yakgwa; and fruit-based drinks like sujeonggwa.
What ingredients are commonly used in Korean cooking?
Common ingredients are garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, fermented foods like doenjang and gochujang, vegetables, rice, meat, seafood, noodles, and tofu.
How spicy is Korean food compared to other cuisines?
Korean cuisine can be very spicy from the common use of chili pepper pastes. Dishes range from mildly spicy to blow-your-socks off spicy for those who love heat. But many mild options are also available.
What are some good options for vegetarians?
Great veggie options are tofu stews and stir-fries, vegetable jeon pancakes, temple cuisine with seasonal produce, bibimbap without meat, glass noodle stir-fries, and kongguksu noodles in chilled broth.