Easy Korean Stir-Fried Kimchi (Kimchi Bokkeum)
Easy Korean Stir-Fried Kimchi (Kimchi Bokkeum) – Simple & Flavorful
👨🍳 Tysoon's Korean Kitchen / Authentic Korean Recipes Made Easy
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🇪🇸 Spanish Version:
Kimchi Coreano Salteado (Kimchi Bokkeum)
https://tysoonkorea.blogspot.com/2026/09/kimchi-coreano-salteado-kimchi-bokkeum.html
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We create authentic Korean recipes using ingredients that are easy to find outside Korea whenever possible.
Hard-to-find ingredient? We’ll suggest an easy substitute.
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What Is This Korean Dish?
Korean Stir-Fried Kimchi, known as Kimchi Bokkeum (김치볶음), is a simple Korean side dish made by stir-frying well-fermented kimchi until it becomes tender, savory, and deeply flavorful. It is especially good for using kimchi that has become slightly sour, since cooking mellows its sharp acidity and brings out a richer taste.
In Korea, stir-fried kimchi is commonly enjoyed as a side dish with steamed rice and can also accompany meat, tofu, noodles, or other everyday meals. This version uses green onion, onion, butter, sesame oil, and mild tuna sauce to build extra savory flavor while keeping the preparation easy. A little sugar balances the acidity, while Korean chili powder adds color and gentle heat. The finished kimchi is soft and juicy with a rich, slightly sweet, spicy, and savory flavor.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe?
- Simple ingredients: Made with everyday ingredients and well-fermented kimchi.
- Great for sour kimchi: Stir-frying transforms strongly fermented kimchi into a balanced, savory side dish.
- Quick and practical: The cooking process is straightforward and requires only one pan.
- Rich Korean flavor: Butter, sesame oil, green onion, and mild tuna sauce add extra depth.
- Versatile: Serve it with rice, tofu, meat, noodles, or other Korean dishes.
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Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 500g kimchi
- 4 tsp cooking oil
- 10g butter
- 80ml water
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp mild tuna sauce (tuna extract)
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp Korean chili powder (Gochugaru)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 30g green onion
- 1/2 onion (80g)
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Tips
1. Kimchi juice can stain a cutting board and may be difficult to remove. To avoid staining, place the kimchi in a bowl and cut it with kitchen scissors.
2. If the kimchi is too sour, rinse it lightly with water or add a little extra sugar to balance the acidity.
Step 1
Cut the kimchi into bite-sized pieces, finely chop the green onion, and slice the onion.
Step 2
Heat a pan with cooking oil and butter, then add the green onion to make fragrant scallion oil.
Step 3
Add the kimchi, sugar, and water, and stir-fry evenly over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes.
Step 4
Add the mild tuna sauce and sesame oil, and stir-fry lightly.
Step 5
Add the onion and Korean chili powder, and stir-fry for another 1 to 2 minutes until the onion is slightly tender.
Step 6
Transfer to a bowl and garnish with sesame seeds to finish.
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Storage
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Reheat gently in a pan or microwave before serving.
- Use a clean utensil each time you take some from the container to help maintain freshness.
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▶️ Watch how to make this recipe step by step!
Storage
Store the stir-fried kimchi in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheat gently in a pan or microwave before serving.
Ingredient Substitutions for International Readers
Mild tuna sauce → Oyster sauce
If Korean mild tuna sauce is difficult to find, oyster sauce can be used as a practical substitute. Because brands vary in saltiness, adjust carefully to taste.
Butter → Cooking oil
If you prefer not to use butter, simply replace it with cooking oil.
Korean chili powder (Gochugaru)
Gochugaru has a distinctive Korean flavor, color, and level of heat, so using Korean chili powder is recommended whenever possible. If you cannot find it locally, check Korean or Asian grocery stores or online Korean-food retailers rather than replacing it with a very different hot chili powder.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can I use very sour kimchi?
A: Yes. Rinse it lightly with water or add a little extra sugar to balance the acidity.
Q: Can I make it without butter?
A: Yes. Use cooking oil instead.
Q: Can I make it less spicy?
A: Yes. Omit the Korean chili powder (Gochugaru).
Q: What kind of kimchi works best?
A: Well-fermented, slightly sour Napa cabbage kimchi works especially well because stir-frying develops its rich flavor.
Q: What can I serve with stir-fried kimchi?
A: It is delicious with steamed rice and also pairs well with tofu, grilled meat, noodles, or other Korean side dishes.
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The History of Kimchi — My Perspective
Korea was traditionally a country with four distinct seasons, although the climate has changed considerably in recent years due to global warming.
In the past, winters were long and harsh, often lasting from early November through March. For ordinary Korean families, kimchi was much more than a side dish. It was an important way to preserve vegetables and food for the long winter months. At the same time, kimchi was not limited to ordinary households—it was also an important part of Korean food culture, including meals served at the royal court.
Before winter arrived, families would begin making large quantities of kimchi, usually around late October or early November. This tradition is known as Kimjang. Depending on the size of the family and household, people could prepare hundreds of heads of Napa cabbage and store the kimchi in large earthenware jars, traditionally buried or partially buried in the ground to help maintain a stable temperature throughout the winter.
For many ordinary families, meat and fish were not foods that could be eaten every day. They were valuable ingredients and, for some families, could be difficult to enjoy even once a month.
I believe this is one reason Koreans developed so many different ways of cooking with kimchi.
Kimchi itself also came in many forms, including Baechu-kimchi (Napa cabbage kimchi), Dongchimi (radish water kimchi), and Chonggak-kimchi (young radish kimchi), along with many regional and seasonal varieties.
As Korean life changed, the ways we cooked with kimchi continued to evolve.
Today, we have Kimchi Jjigae, pork kimchi stew, tuna kimchi stew, saury kimchi stew, braised kimchi, stir-fried kimchi, kimchi fried rice, ham kimchi fried rice, and many other variations. Stir-fried kimchi is also a popular filling in some types of Gimbap.
To me, this is one of the most interesting things about cooking.
Cooking is about making good use of the ingredients available around you.
There does not always have to be one ingredient that absolutely must be used or only one correct way to make a dish. Ingredients change depending on where we live, what is available, and what our families enjoy.
That is also the philosophy behind Tysoon’s Korean Kitchen.
Let’s use the ingredients available around us and make delicious Korean food together.
🍲 Related Korean Recipes
1. Easy Kimchi Fried Rice Recipe (Kimchi Bokkeumbap)
Enjoy your Korean cooking! 👨🍳
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