Homemade Napa Cabbage Kimchi Recipe
This summer, we made kimchi using cabbages grown right in our garden. This homemade Napa cabbage kimchi starts with something you too can easily grow right in your own garden as well!
If you have never grown Napa cabbage before, you may be surprised by how easy it is. Napa cabbage grows quickly, takes up relatively little garden space, and can produce beautiful, crisp heads in a fairly short growing season. Therefore, it is a fantastic vegetable to grow when you want something productive without waiting all summer for a harvest.
This recipe is one of my favorite ways to use a little Napa cabbage harvest. The cabbage gets combined with daikon radishes, carrots, green onions, garlic, ginger, Korean gochugaru, fish sauce, and a little sugar. Every jar is packed with spicy, savory, slightly sweet flavor.
And because this recipe makes six pint jars, it is also a great recipe to make with friends. Grab a few helpers, set out the ingredients, and make a big batch together. Then, everyone can head home with a jar or two!
What Is Kimchi?
Kimchi is a traditional Korean vegetable dish that combines vegetables with Korean red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, salt, and other flavorful seasonings.
Although Napa cabbage is one of the most familiar vegetables used in kimchi, you can make kimchi with many different vegetables. However, Napa cabbage works especially well because its leaves are tender while still sturdy enough to hold up to the seasoning mixture.
Traditional kimchi is fermented. During fermentation, naturally occurring microorganisms transform the vegetables, creating the characteristic tangy, complex flavor associated with fermented kimchi.
This recipe takes a simpler refrigerator approach. Rather than leaving the finished kimchi at room temperature to ferment, you rinse the salted cabbage, mix everything together, pack it into jars, and refrigerate it.
Therefore, this recipe is a quick and convenient way to make homemade refrigerator kimchi without committing to a longer fermentation process.
Why Grow Napa Cabbage?
If you are looking for a new vegetable to add to your garden, Napa cabbage is a simple one!
Napa cabbage grows relatively quickly- in just 2 months! Depending on the variety and growing conditions, you can harvest it much sooner than many vegetables that require a long growing season.
Additionally, Napa cabbage does not require an enormous garden. You can grow several heads while still leaving room for your tomatoes, peppers, beans, and other garden favorites.
Napa cabbage also gives you plenty of options in the kitchen. You can use it for stir-fries, soups, slaws, salads, wraps, and, of course, kimchi.
Most importantly, growing your own Napa cabbage gives you a wonderful reason to make homemade kimchi. Instead of wondering what to do with a large harvest, you can turn a couple of those beautiful heads into six jars of something delicious.
Ingredients for Homemade Napa Cabbage Kimchi
For this recipe, you will need:
- 2 Napa cabbages
- ¾ cup pickling salt
- 8 cloves garlic
- 2 red pears
- 1 three-inch piece of gingerroot, peeled
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 5 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1¼ cups gochugaru
- 2 daikon radishes
- 1 bunch green onions
- 3 carrots
The combination might look like a lot of ingredients at first. However, each one adds distinct flavor and texture to the kimchi.
The Napa cabbage provides the crisp, tender vegetable base. Meanwhile, the daikon radish and carrots add crunch. The green onions bring a fresh onion flavor, while the garlic and ginger add plenty of savory bite.
Next, the red pears provide natural sweetness. Then, sugar adds another touch of sweetness to balance the spicy gochugaru and salty fish sauce.
Finally, gochugaru gives the kimchi its signature Korean chile flavor.
How to Make Napa Cabbage Kimchi
1. Prepare the Napa cabbage
Begin by washing and roughly chopping the Napa cabbages.
Place the chopped cabbage into a large mixing bowl. Then, add the pickling salt and massage it thoroughly into the cabbage.
Cover the bowl and allow the cabbage to sit at room temperature for one hour.
This salting step helps draw moisture from the cabbage and changes the texture of the leaves so they can absorb the seasoning mixture.
2. Make the kimchi seasoning
While the cabbage rests, prepare the seasoning mixture.
Add the red pears, peeled gingerroot, garlic cloves, and sugar to a blender. Blend everything on high speed until smooth.
Next, add the fish sauce and gochugaru. Blend again until everything is thoroughly combined.
At this point, you should have a thick, colorful seasoning mixture with plenty of garlic, ginger, chile, and savory flavor.
3. Rinse the cabbage
After the cabbage has rested for one hour, pour it into a colander.
Rinse away as much of the salt as possible. Then, rinse and dry the large mixing bowl before returning the cabbage to it.
Do not skip this step. The cabbage has absorbed salt during the resting period, so rinsing helps prevent the finished kimchi from becoming overwhelmingly salty.
4. Add the vegetables
Peel the daikon radishes and cut them into thin strips. Add them to the bowl with the cabbage.
Next, chop the green onions into approximately one-inch pieces and add them.
Finally, peel and grate the carrots directly into the mixing bowl.
Now comes the fun part!
5. Mix everything together
Pour the blended seasoning mixture over the vegetables.
Using clean hands or a large utensil, mix everything thoroughly. Continue stirring until the seasoning coats the cabbage, radishes, carrots, and green onions.
The goal is to distribute that spicy mixture throughout the entire batch.
6. Pack the kimchi into jars
Separate the finished kimchi between six clean pint jars.
Press the vegetables into the jars as you fill them. If liquid remains at the bottom of your mixing bowl, distribute it evenly among the jars.
Finally, wipe the jar rims with a clean, dry paper towel. Place the lids on the jars and loosely screw on the bands.
Because this recipe goes straight into the refrigerator, you do not process these jars in a water bath or pressure canner.
Place the jars in the refrigerator and allow them to chill for two days before enjoying.
How Long Does Homemade Kimchi Last?
The refrigerated kimchi can be used for up to six months.
However, refrigeration is important. Keep the jars cold and return them to the refrigerator promptly after serving.
Also, because this recipe is not processed as a shelf-stable canned food, do not store the jars in your pantry or at room temperature.
As it sits in the refrigerator, the flavor can continue to develop and change.
Always use clean utensils when removing kimchi from the jar. Furthermore, if you notice mold, an unpleasant rotten odor, unusual spoilage, or anything else that looks or smells wrong, discard the kimchi rather than tasting it to determine whether it is safe.
Is This Traditional Fermented Kimchi?
This recipe is different from traditional fermented kimchi.
Traditional kimchi is allowed to ferment before being refrigerated. During that process, beneficial microorganisms produce lactic acid, which creates the tangy flavor and changes the texture.
This recipe skips that room-temperature fermentation period. Instead, the finished kimchi goes directly into the refrigerator for a convenient refrigerator-style kimchi.
As a result, you get the wonderful combination of Napa cabbage, gochugaru, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, radish, carrots, and green onions without waiting for a fermentation process.
Health Benefits of Kimchi
Kimchi is a nutritious addition to your meals because it is made primarily from vegetables and flavorful ingredients.
Napa cabbage, carrots, daikon radish, green onions, garlic, ginger, and pears all contribute different nutrients. Additionally, vegetables provide fiber and a variety of vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds.
Fermented kimchi also contains live microorganisms associated with fermented foods.
Another benefit is that kimchi can make vegetables much more exciting to eat. The spicy, salty, savory flavor means you can add a small amount to a meal and get a tremendous amount of flavor.
Of course, kimchi is also relatively high in sodium because salt plays an important role in the preparation. Therefore, if you are watching your sodium intake, keep your portion size in mind.
Ways to Eat Homemade Kimchi
Once you have six jars of kimchi in your refrigerator, you will find plenty of ways to use it.
Serve it alongside rice and grilled meats. Add a spoonful to scrambled eggs. Put it on a rice bowl or tuck it into a sandwich.
You can also serve kimchi alongside noodles, roasted vegetables, burgers, tacos, or grilled chicken. In addition, it makes a flavorful topping for a simple bowl of rice when you need a quick lunch.
Because the flavor is bold, you do not need a huge portion. A little kimchi can completely change an otherwise simple meal.
Make a Batch and Share It!
One of the best things about this homemade Napa cabbage kimchi recipe is the yield.
Six pint jars is a lot of kimchi!
That makes this a perfect recipe to make with family or friends. If you grow your own Napa cabbage, invite someone over when your garden is producing a big harvest. Spend an afternoon chopping, mixing, and filling jars.
Then, send everyone home with a jar.
Not only does sharing make the work more enjoyable, but it also gives your friends an opportunity to try homemade kimchi without having to make an entire batch themselves.
And if you grow your own vegetables, this recipe gives you an especially satisfying way to preserve the flavor of your garden harvest in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use store-bought Napa cabbage?
Absolutely. Homegrown Napa cabbage is wonderful, but store-bought Napa cabbage works just as well.
Can I use regular cabbage instead of Napa cabbage?
You can experiment with other cabbage varieties, but Napa cabbage has a tender texture that works particularly well in this recipe.
What is gochugaru?
Gochugaru is Korean red pepper flakes or powder commonly used in Korean cooking. It provides the characteristic chile flavor and color associated with kimchi.
Can I leave out the fish sauce?
Fish sauce contributes important salty, savory flavor.
How long should I wait before eating this kimchi?
For this recipe, refrigerate the jars for two days before eating. That gives the flavors time to blend and the vegetables time to become thoroughly seasoned.
Does homemade kimchi need to be refrigerated?
Yes. This recipe should be refrigerated. It is not a shelf-stable canning recipe, so do not store the jars at room temperature.
How many jars does this recipe make?
This recipe makes six pint jars of homemade Napa cabbage kimchi.
Can I make this recipe with homegrown vegetables?
Definitely! Homegrown Napa cabbage, carrots, daikon radishes, green onions, garlic, and other garden ingredients can make this recipe especially rewarding.
Can I make kimchi less spicy?
The gochugaru provides a significant amount of the recipe’s chile flavor. You can adjust the amount if you prefer a milder kimchi, although changing the quantity will change the finished recipe.
Homemade Kimchi Is a Great Way to Use Your Garden Harvest
Growing Napa cabbage is easy, rewarding, and surprisingly productive. Then, when those beautiful heads are ready to harvest, this homemade kimchi gives you an exciting way to use them.
Furthermore, you do not need complicated equipment or a long list of hard-to-find ingredients. With Napa cabbage, gochugaru, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, daikon, carrots, green onions, pears, sugar, and salt, you can create six pint jars of spicy homemade kimchi.
So, if you have Napa cabbage growing in your garden, give this recipe a try. Make a batch, fill your refrigerator, and share a few jars with friends. After all, homemade food is always more fun when there is enough to share!
See More Homegrown Preserved Recipes
Drunken Tomatoes
Homemade Dill Pickles
Kimchi
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Napa cabbages
- 3/4 cup Pickling salt
- 8 cloves Garlic
- 2 Red pears
- 1 3 inch piece of gingerroot, peeled
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 5 tbsp Fish sauce
- 1¼ cup Gochugaru
- 2 Daikon radishes, cut into thin strips
- 1 bunch Green onions, cut into 1 inch slices
- 3 Carrots, grated
Instructions
- Wash and roughly chop the cabbages.
- Place in a large mixing bowl and add the pickling salt.
- Massage the salt into the cabbage. Cover and allow to set for one hour at room temp.
- In the blender, combine the peeled, cored red pears, gingerroot, garlic cloves, and sugar. Blend on high speed until smooth.
- Add the fish sauce and gochugaru and blend again to combine.
- Pour the cabbages into the colander and rinse as much of the salt off as possible.
- Rinse and dry the bowl and return the rinsed cabbage to it.
- Peel and cut the daikon radishes into small strips and add to the mixing bowl.
- Chop the green onions into 1 inch slices and add to the bowl.
- Peel the carrots and grate them into the mixing bowl.
- Pour the blended spice mixture into the bowl, stir to coat all of the vegetables.
- Separate the kimchi into 6 clean pint jars. Any liquid left at the bottom of the bowl can be distributed evenly among the jars.
- Wipe the tops of the jars with a clean dry paper towel, place the lids and loosely screw on the bands.
- Place the jars in a cool, dark place for 2 days.
- Tighten the lids, date, and refrigerate. Can be used for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
