Step outside of your comfort zone today to explore a different country's wonderful cuisine. Korean cuisine is full of tradition, featuring delicious soup, rice, and noodle dishes that are incredibly flavourful and so unique. Aside from the Korean BBQ you're so familiar with, we want to introduce you to 20 other amazing Korean dishes that'll have you buying a ticket immediately.
1. Bibimbap
Full of different ingredients that make this dish pop with colour and flavour, bibimbap is a staple Korean dish that's beloved across the country. It's comfort food at its finest, one that reminds you of home and your mom's cooking. The dish itself is actually quite simple too; it features a variety of delicious vegetables, a runny fried egg, and marinated meat that's mixed together with an addictively spicy sauce made from gochujang.
2. Bulgogi
For foodies who love a certain level of sweetness in their food, you'll definitely fall in love with bulgogi, marinated sliced beef that's got a sweet and savory flavour to it. It's often served with rice or lettuce wraps, but really, it can be used as a filling or protein for so many different types of foods.
3. Bossam
If you've always been a fan of pork belly, South Korea is definitely the one place you have to visit sometime in your life. That's because dishes like bossam exist there! Bossam consists of several different ingredients coming together to create the perfect bite. There's thinly sliced, boiled pork belly, fresh lettuce, and multiple side dishes like kimchi and raw garlic that all get wrapped up together to create an amazing flavour combination.
Debbie Tingzon on Wikimedia Commons
4. Japchae
If you love noodle dishes, you'll definitely appreciate this popular Korean dish called japchae. It's a rather traditional one, often served during many Korean celebrations and special occasions. It's made with glass noodles that have a unique, bouncy texture, an array of vegetables, meat, and flavoured with a simple blend of soy sauce and sesame oil. It's simple, but definitely tasty.
Image by cjoung6728 from Pixabay
5. Tteokbokki
Asia is renowned for its amazing street food offerings, and South Korea is definitely a part of all that hype. When it comes to the most popular street food in the country, there's no dish that stands out more than tteokbokki. It's a national favourite! Made with chewy rice cakes (if you've never had them, the texture might throw you off at first!), fish cakes, cabbage, and boiled eggs, it's all cooked in a spicy gochujang sauce that's surprisingly addictive.
Image by IckJin Jang from Pixabay
6. Samgyeopsal
For some of you, your knowledge of Korean food might only reach as far as Korean BBQ. It's such a social, communal, and delicious meal after all! And if you've had Korean BBQ before, there's one popular cut of meat that the Koreans are known for: samgyeopsal. Essentially slices of pork belly, it's a popular choice at any Korean BBQ restaurant thanks to its cheaper price but high quality taste.
Image by hannaone from Pixabay
7. Kimchi Jjigae
If there's one genre of food that Koreans do right, it's definitely their soups and stews. One classic stew that's commonly eaten on a daily basis is Kimchi Jigae. It's exactly the kind of food you want when you're feeling sick or under the weather! Made with kimchi, tofu, pork, and plenty of veggies, it's all simmered in a savory and tangy broth.
Image by LEE DONGHA from Pixabay
8. Haemul Pajeon
Craving some seafood? The Koreans know just the way to satisfy your seafood cravings. Haemul Pajeon is essentially a seafood pancake that's crispy on the outside, and soft and warm on the inside. It's filled with some veggies, green onions, and your seafood favourites like shrimp and squid, and paired with a delicious savory sauce that brings it together.
9. Sundubu Jjigae
Let's talk more stew! Another heartwarming, comforting, and spicy stew beloved by Koreans is Sundubu Jjigae. While you might see soups and stews as being more of an appetizer in North America, over in South Korea, stews are the main course. They're so filling, made with tofu, veggies, meat or seafood, all in a gochujang/gochugaru based broth.
by titanium22 on Wikimedia Commons
10. Gimbap
While it might look strikingly similar to sushi, don't mistake Korean gimbap as the same thing. It tastes entirely different! Yes, it is seaweed and rice rolled up into bite-sized pieces, but the filling and taste of the dish is very unique. Some fillings include egg, spinach, pickled radish, bulgogi, and burdock root!
11. Galbi
Of course, we can't make a list about iconic Korean foods and only include one cut of KBBQ meat! When it comes to juicy, well-marinated cuts of meat, there's nothing like Galbi. It's got a sweet and salty flavour to it (Koreans like calling it danjjan-danjjan) that's absolutely irresistible. Eat it in a lettuce wrap to really maximize the flavour!
12. Naengmyeon
Whenever summer comes around, there's one cool dish that's eaten frequently in Korea and that's naengmyeon aka cold noodles. While the idea of cold noodles might sound confusing and even unappealing at first, don't knock it until you try it. Served in a savory, tangy ice broth and served with egg and cucumber, it's a refreshing summer dish that'll keep you feeling cool and satisfied.
Image by manseok Kim from Pixabay
13. Dakgalbi
No, although the word Galbi is in it, it's not the same beef short ribs we've described earlier. Instead, dakgalbi is a chicken dish! It's spicy, filling, and stir-fried with plenty of delicious ingredients like vegetables and rice cakes. Each bite has so much heat and flavour to it, you'll keep going back for more.
Nagyman, a flickr user on Wikimedia Commons
14. Sundae
Here's something a little bit different. Sundae (pronounced "Soon-Day") is a unique Korean sausage that's made out of something that's not exactly meat. It's pig's intestines! Mixed with glass noodles, barley, and even some pig's blood, this is definitely for the more adventurous eaters. If you truly want to get a taste of classic, traditional Korean food, be brave and give it a shot!
ayustety (a flickr user) on Wikimedia Commons
15. Hoddeok
Time to bring a little sweetness to this list. A popular traditional sweet treat often found at many street food stands across South Korea, hoddeok are delicious sweet Korean pancakes that are slightly chewy on the inside, but nicely crispy on the outside. You can choose from a variety of fillings like brown sugar, honey, peanuts, cinnamon, and so much more!
by Sung Sook on Wikimedia Commons
16. Korean Fried Chicken
Listen, Korean fried chicken is in a completely different league of its own. KFC and Popeye's simply can't compete! Perfectly fried so that it's crispy on the outside but juicy and piping hot in the middle, Korean fried chicken is a staple late night food in Korea and comes in so many different flavours. It's most commonly enjoyed with a side of pickled radishes which serve as palette cleansers, and beer, a combination known as "chimaek" which means chicken and beer.
Image by Brandon Oh from Pixabay
17. Jajangmyeon
A unique hybrid that combines the best of Korean and Chinese cuisine together, jajangmyeon is a traditional South Korean dish that's hearty and tastes like home-cooking. It's hard to describe its flavour, but it's made with chewy noodles that are bathed in a savory black bean sauce mixed with pork and plenty of veggies.
18. Kimchi Bokkeumbap
Kimchi Bokkeumbap, or kimchi fried rice in other words, is a simple, hearty dish that makes use of your leftovers in the fridge. Just toss in some veggies of your choosing, whatever protein you have (meat or seafood), alongside your rice and kimchi, and you've got a quick but tasty meal ready to eat.
Sharon Ang, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
19. Gomtang
Instead of a spicy broth, Gomtang is completely different from the jjigaes we've listed already. Made with beef bones, this soup takes hours to finish, letting all that goodness simmer together until the flavours become deep, rich, and so hearty. Often served alongside some piping hot rice, it's the kind of dish you hope to see on the dinner table when it's a rainy day.
lazy fri13th on Wikimedia Commons
20. Seolleongtang
And to top things off, we've got another delicious soup called Seolleongtang to introduce you to. Instead of just one cut of meat, this soup is made using ox bones, brisket, and so much more! You can just imagine how meaty and rich those flavours must be!
