Annyeong! If you are hoping to try making Korean food from home, here are 25 of the most famous Korean Recipes of all time! From various main entrees, rice bowls, and drinks, we’ve got it all for you.
Have you ever wondered how watching Korean drama series often leads to a food craving and taste curiosity?
Why do you feel thirsty after watching them drink the famous “Soju.”
Have you ever thought about how beautiful and colorful their side dishes look?
Was there a time you asked a friend what that fried meat was called or how it should be served?
Well, you’re not alone!
Koreans are famous for their keen preference for taste balance, temperature, texture, color, and how it should be presented.
Korean food is well known not only for its unique flavors but also for its gorgeous and delicious food presentations.
Koreans are also best at preserving food.
So fermented, salted, and pickled dishes are typical in every household.
For example, Kimchi is always served with every meal; breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
They are so dedicated to their culture, and a huge part of it is their unique food menu.
My absolute favorite Korean dishes are the Tteokbokki, Korean Fried Chicken, and Galbi Jjim.
#22 is surely interesting.
And oh! Our friend, Tabitha, is a huge fan of our Korean desserts and side dishes—so make sure to check them out too after scrolling through this compilation!
1. Japchae
A Korean feast won’t be complete without Japchae.
These are Korean glass noodles that are stir-fried with mixed vegetables in a pan with sesame oil.
It has thinly sliced strips of vegetables and beef seasoned with sugar and soy sauce.
Japchae’s transformation from a traditional vegetable dish into a popular modern dish of noodles with beef indicates how traditions can adapt to everyday ingredients to fill in taste preferences.
2. Kimchi
Kimchi is a traditional and popular food staple in every Korean home.
It’s remarkable because of its tangy taste and stinging aroma.
A large selection of seasoning is being used in fermenting the cabbage that is mainly used in this recipe.
Spring onions, ginger, and garlic are the most common.
You can also make stews and soups out of this incredible side dish.
3. Jjampong
Nothing beats the comfort that a big bowl of Jjampong gives.
This recipe is a traditional noodle soup with spicy seafood or pork broth.
The spicy broth blends well with the seafood and noodles.
You can use clams, onions, mushrooms, and gochugaru ( Korean chili pepper flakes ) that give an extra kick of spiciness to your dish.
4. Bulgogi
The flavor of bulgogi is sweet, refined, and salty.
Bulgogi is commonly made with thin slices of beef.
You can also enjoy this with some perilla or lettuce leaves, then wrap your bulgogi and dip it into barbeque sauce.
Give it a shot, and it’ll feel like you’re in Korea after one spoonful!
5. Gimbap
Also known as Seaweed Rice Rolls, this recipe is a famous on-the-go food for Koreans.
Though it’s not just for Koreans, anyone who has a hectic day ahead might want to try this as an energizer.
Feel free to choose any filling you love to put inside your rice rolls.
Given the versatility of kimchi, who would’ve thought that it could be made into fried rice?
It’s a fried rice dish made from rice and kimchi, stir-fried together with seasonings.
It’s a portion of classic comfort food you can try to prepare if you have stacks of kimchi in the fridge.
Tteokbokki might be the most well-known street food in Korea.
These tiny cut rice cakes are so chewy.
They are poached in a delicious mix of thick, spicy, sweet, and savory sauce.
The great thing about tteokbokki is that it’s so fun and simple to make.
There are readily available tteokbokki in the specialty section at grocery stores.
Completely delicious!
Preparing this dish is so cool!
You can cook your pork belly on a tabletop griller with your friends and family.
The grilled pork bellies are wrapped in lettuce with so many side dishes to choose from; you’ll be hooked from this.
While enjoying the chats with your pals, with a perfect samgyeopsal on the side?
It’s priceless!
10. Bingsu
Bingsu is a shaved ice dessert in various flavors, such as fruit and tea flavors.
It can be fun to do with your loved ones and kids alike.
If you want a cooling snack to relieve your hot days, this one is perfect for you!
11. Bibimbap
Perhaps, you might have heard of this super-popular Korean dish.
It’s made from a bowl of sauteed rice with vegetables, pepper paste, and beef.
Bibimbap means “mixed rice,” so remember to mix well in your bowl before eating them to get the full burst of flavors.
A quick tip: Slim down the calories by using extra lean ground beef or use cauliflower rice as the base if you want to cut some carbs.
Musangchae is one of the most common and simple side dishes to prepare.
Mix all your ingredients in a bowl and season with sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and gochugaru.
The key to this salad recipe is the freshness of the radish you’ll be using.
Better to look for good quality and firm one; it will give a sweet and juicy taste to your salad.
Put in a serving plate with rice, enjoy!
It is packed with ramen noodles, spam, sausages, and kimchi.
You can also add mushrooms and oysters if you like.
It’s one of the most popular hot pot recipes in Korea.
Try these and see for yourself how good it is.
14. Kimchi Stew
Still, got that kimchi in the fridge?
Here’s another great recipe from the famous kimchi!
This Kimchi Stew recipe is a must if you have a lot of fermented kimchi that you want to use.
The mixed tastes in this stew bring out every flavor in the pork and kimchi combination.
A random day could be memorable with a special sweet drink.
Say hello to this beautiful drink made from fresh strawberries, strawberry jam, and milk.
This Korean-style fresh sweet drink will excite your taste buds and refresh you.
If you love a delicious fruity drink, you can have it for just a couple of minutes.
16. Gilgeori Toast
This savory-sweet egg sandwich uses milk bread slices toasted in butter, then filled with ham, cabbage omelet, cheese, and topped with mayo or ketchup.
If you prefer to use sausage or spam, it’s totally fine!
You can have this treat as brunch for your active day ahead.
In South Korea, fried chicken is eaten as an appetizer, main dish, or just paired with a cold drink or beer.
What makes Korean Fried Chicken stand out is using potato starch in its batter and double frying.
Who would’ve said no to this crunchy and juicy fried chicken?
Make a batch for your family movie night!
Soups are not just for old ones; because of the sweet taste of this pumpkin soup, it’s great for kids too!
Boil your pumpkins and place them into the mixer to achieve the right soup consistency and transfer them into a pot.
Put some salt and pepper and continuously stir.
Korean Pumpkin Porridge is best served with toast and eggs.
Make your breakfast a good start by trying this recipe.
Fish Cakes are frequently sold as popular street food.
You can also find them in supermarkets and convenience stores.
This can be eaten as a snack or side dish any day!
Seems familiar? These omelets are classic.
This omelet recipe is rolled into a hot pan and sliced into pieces that reveal the inside. You can stuff it with anything you like.
Often present on every Korean breakfast table, and you can make these too!
You’ll get enough of these delightful stuffed sweet pancakes.
It’s filled with a sweet syrup surprise made from honey, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
Your sweet tooth honestly couldn’t ask for more.
Hotteok can be served as a snack, breakfast, or dessert.
22. Dalgona Candy
Almost all Koreans had this candy during their childhood.
Moreover, Dalgona Candy also became worldwide famous because of the hit Korean TV series “Squid Game.”
It’s made from melted sugar and baking soda that can be shaped in anything you want.
It’s sold in a cart, located in various parks and streets in Korea.
Galbi Jjim is a braised beef short rib dish commonly served on traditional occasions and holidays in Korea.
Remember to choose good-quality short ribs for this dish, perhaps with lots of meat attached to the ribs to enrich the authentic flavor.
You can have it too in a spicy way!
In just 10 minutes, you can make this delicious and easy-to-make Korean side dish.
Most Korean side dishes are pickled and spicy, but not this one, so kids will love it too!
Blanch your soybean sprouts and season with garlic, sesame oil, and seeds.
Voila! Your very own Kongnamul is ready to be served.
Just like in other Asian countries, tofu is a staple in Korea.
You can make many dishes by using tofu, and one of these is the Dubu Jorim or Braised Tofu.
To prepare Dubu Jorim, pan-fry the sliced tofu until lightly golden, then braise them in a simple soy sauce-based seasoning.
The bottom line
In general, Korean cuisine is undoubtedly unique.
We’ve listed all these recipes to boost your confidence in experimenting with different types of cuisine, especially Korean food.
We hope this article helps you a lot and gives an idea for your next food indulgence.
Keep experimenting and you will surely land on your new favorite dish.
Share with us which one?
Let’s hear you out!
25 Best Korean Foods
We've listed the best Korean Recipes to boost your confidence in experimenting with different types of cuisine, you will not be disappointed!
Ingredients
- Japchae
- Kimchi
- Jjampong
- Bulgogi
- Gimbap
- Kimchi Fried Rice
- Tteokbokki (Spicy Rice Cake)
- Samgyeopsal (Grilled Pork Belly)
- Soondae (Blood Sausage)
- Bingsu
- Bibimbap
- Musangchae (Radish Salad)
- Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew)
- Kimchi Stew
- Korean Strawberry Milk
- Gilgeori Toast
- Korean Fried Chicken
- Korean Pumpkin Porridge
- Korean Odeng (Fish Cake)
- Gyeran Mari (Rolled Omelette)
- Hotteok (Korean Sweet Pancakes)
- Dalgona Candy
- Galbi Jjim (Braised Beef Short Ribs)
- Kongnamul (Korean Soybean Sprout)
- Dubu Jorim (Braised Tofu)
Instructions
- Check out our list of Korean Recipes for your next recipe!
- Gather the ingredients.
- Start cooking your new favorite dish!
- Enjoy and share your insights on our FacebooFacebook page page!