14 Classic Korean Recipes For Beginners (2024)

FAQs

What Korean food should I try for the first time? ›

Bibimbap: A Hearty Rice Bowl

Bibimbap, a beloved Korean classic, is all about hearty satisfaction. This dish showcases a vibrant array of fresh vegetables artfully arranged on a bed of rice, topped with a perfectly fried egg. What truly sets bibimbap apart is its versatility.

A typical Korean meal consists of a bowl of rice, a bowl of soup or stew, and some side dishes as accompaniments. But within that basic structure, there is a deliciously wide variation of dishes for every season and palate.

Succulent, juicy beef, bulgogi is one of the most popular Korean dishes in the world. The marinated beef is usually grilled with onions and garlic (...that mouth-watering aroma!). You then can eat the beef with ssamjang (spicy paste) wrapped in lettuce.

Nongshim Shrimp Crackers

Everyone will agree that Nongshim Shrimp Crackers is the most famous snack in Korea. These delectable chips are created by parching shrimp-flavored chips over salt, creating a flavor that appeals to everyone, regardless of age or gender.

Breakfast looks different around the world. In South Korea breakfast may consist of soup, side dishes, and rice. Favorite breakfast soups include galbitang, kongnamul bap, kimchijjigae, or manduguk. There is also a side dish meal called baekban which consists of a small bowl of soup with many side dishes.

One popular choice for a morning meal in Korea is comforting rice porridge, such as pumpkin porridge, which offers a satisfying and flavorful start to the day. A traditional Korean breakfast typically consists of a complete set of dishes.

Most Simple Korean Meals: Rice + Soup or Stew + Noodles (dry or soup) + Kimchi Rice + Main Meat or Seafood Dish + Kimchi. Bibimbap or Rice Bowls + Kimchi. One dish meals (Kimchi fried rice , Curry rice, Kongnamul bap ) + soup (optional) + Kimchi and/or pickled radish (Danmuji)

Korean cuisine is largely based on rice, vegetables, seafood and (at least in South Korea) meats. Dairy is largely absent from the traditional Korean diet. Traditional Korean meals are named for the number of side dishes (반찬; 飯饌; banchan) that accompany steam-cooked short-grain rice.

What type of meat do Koreans eat? ›

“Pork” in Korean

Just like beef, pork has been eaten in South Korea since ancient times, with various parts of pork being cooked in various methods. It's widely used meat for when you go out for Korean BBQ, for example.

According to the survey, Korean-style chicken (29.4%) was the most frequently consumed Korean food by foreigners in the past year, followed by kimchi (28.6%) and Korean ramen (26.9%). In terms of preference, Korean-style chicken (16.5%), ramen (11.1%), and kimchi (9.8%) were the top choices.

Banchan are served in small portions, meant to be finished at each meal and replenished during the meal if not enough. Usually, the more formal the meals are, the more banchan there will be. Jeolla province is particularly famous for serving many different varieties of banchan in a single meal. Banchan.

Banchan is typically served first, before the main dishes arrive, so they're often mistaken for appetizers.

All the dishes might be spread across the table, but in Korean food culture, you must start with the soup. You can serve yourself some soup using the serving spoon in the communal bowl. In traditional Korean food culture, you don't lift the bowl off the table in a formal setting.