16 Traditional Korean Recipes to Enrich Your Meals

Bold and richly satisfying with a whole spectrum of delightful flavours, Korean cuisine is among the yummiest foods you can cook at home. In fact, warm home-cooked family meals have become a growing trend among Koreans. With a few essential sauces and seasonings, you too, can whip up any authentic Korean dish. You should also make your own Kimchi – it’s surprisingly easy and gives your cooking that unique spicy, umami flavour. Be sure to check out our guide to Korean barbecue as well.

Korean cuisine began all the way back since prehistoric times. They were among the first people to develop fermented beans, which would eventually evolve into the savoury Doenjang and spicy Gochujang pastes – two main seasonings that define the Korean flavour besides Kimchi. As the ages passed, so too has Korean tastes evolved, took root and flourished, with an amazing plethora of favourites still enjoyed to this day.

Here are 16 delicious traditional Korean recipes for you to make and savour at home!

Kimchi Fried Rice

Spicy, umami and simple to cook, Korean-style fried rice is packed with meaty bits, enoki mushrooms, and of course, the rich flavoured Kimchi. Topped with spring onion, seaweed and roasted sesame seeds for an appetizing fragrance. Perfect for your weekday meals.

Tofu Hotpot

Get cozy with this hot, spicy and bracing soup with tofu, pork mince and seafood. Flavoured with soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil and Gochugaru chilli powder, tempered with salt. Every sip is a spicy, savoury and warming delight.

Japchae

Potato noodles are a Korean specialty, tender and chewy with a mild earthy aroma and taste. Enjoyed in the traditional Japchae stir-fry with meat and veggies. A celebration dish in all Korean festivals, as well as a street food and home-cooked treat that actually began as a royal dish. Have a yummy beef Japchae with our recipe!

Bibimbap

Bibimbap is the Korean wonder dish that combines rice, meat, veggies and egg in one glorious, flavour-packed bowl. Come learn more about its fascinating story, and have an awesome pork Bibimbap with this recipe.

Soybean Sprouts Soup with Rice

A lesser-known traditional Korean one-bowl wonder is the Kongnamul-gukbap. A hot soup with rice, eggs, dried kelp, anchovies, soybean sprouts, onion and garlic cloves. Flavoured with black pepper, sesame oil, ground sesame seeds and Gochugaru chilli powder. Zesty, bracing and filling.

Bulgogi

Bulgogi literally translates to ‘fire meat’, the Korean term for grilled meats. Thin slices of beef, pork or chicken, marinated with honey, brown sugar, ginger, black pepper, soy sauce, rice wine, and sesame seeds, with a dash of lemon juice. Grilled to a mouth-watering fragrance, and yummy sweet-savoury taste. Add this chicken Bulgogi special to your weekend barbecue! Also check out our collection of Bulgogi recipes.

Jajangmyeon

Jajangmyeon originated from a restaurant in Incheon Chinatown around 1905. After the Korean War, the dish was sold at a low price so everyone could enjoy it. Jajangmyeon became so beloved that the original restaurant was made into a museum, and remains widely popular today. Soft wheat noodles pan-fried with pork and assorted veggies, and lathered with a thick Korean black bean sauce. Deeply savoury with an earthy flavour. Try it with our recipe.

Potato Pancake

Gamjajeon is a household pancake treat – grated potato, blended and mixed with sea salt, then pan-fried to till golden brown. Simple, savoury and filling.

Pajeon

Pajun or Pajeon is a fragrant, savoury pancake, made from a batter of eggs, flour, and scallions. You can actually find pre-made Pajeon mix at Asian grocers. Whip it up with Heather Jeong’s recipe for a yummy breakfast or tea-time treat!

Jjigae

Jjigae is Korean stew, traditionally cooked and served in a Ttukbaegi earthenware bowl that keeps it hot. There’s a range of spicy and savoury Korean stews, each defined by its main ingredient and condiment, such as Pollock roe, tofu, crab, Doenjang bean paste, Gochujang chilli paste, and more. Here’s the classic Kimchi Jjigae with pork and veggies. Zesty, wholesome and delicious.

Tteokbokki

Shaped like plump pasta, Garaetteok is a type of tender chewy rice-cake, paired with Eomuk fried fish cakes, and simmered with soy sauce, corn syrup, sugar, garlic, Gochujang chilli paste and Gochugaru chilli powder – to make the spicy, umami and filling Tteokbokki. Want it less fiery? Substitute the chilli paste with tomato sauce instead.

Spicy Korean Fried Chicken

Finger-licking yummy with a spiciness that excites and lingers on your taste-buds, Korean-style fried chicken is defined by the incredible sauce-mix with Gochujang and assorted tangy, sweet and savoury seasonings. Every bite will have you salivating for more!

Gyeran-mari

Soft and savoury rolled omelette sprinkled with finely diced carrot and spring onion filling, this Korean delight takes some delicate folding to make, which makes it all the more satisfying. Try it with our recipe.

Gyeran-jjim

Gyeran means egg in Korean, and Jjim means steamed. Flavoured with a mix of fish sauce, mirin and chicken stock, plus salt to taste. Traditionally cooked in a Ttukbaegi. A warm, fluffy and umami main dish in a Korean meal set with rice. A comforting delight during cold weather.

Ox Bone Soup

Ox bone and beef, slow-cooked to bring out the fullness of their sumptuous flavours, paired with radish, green onions and seasoned with ground black pepper and a dash of sesame oil. Takes some time and effort to cook, for a deep umami taste that’s sure to please. Try it with our recipe.

Bossam

Bossam is succulent boiled pork belly flavoured with Doenjang, black pepper, ginger, garlic and assorted spices. Enjoy with Kimchi, salted shrimp sauce and spicy dipping sauce. A mouth-watering meaty indulgence!