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If you make just one of my recipes, let it be this one! This bok choy quick kimchi is crunchy, spicy, tangy, and slightly sweet. It also requires NO cooking or fermentation!
This is not a traditional Korean dish- it’s something my mom came up with many years ago and it is one of my FAVORITE recipes she has ever taught me. It still uses traditional ingredients and tastes authentically Korean.
It also isn’t really a kimchi but more like a muchim or geotjeori. Muchim means mixed with seasonings, and geotjeori is a kimchi that is lightly salted and eaten fresh without fermentation.
Is it safe to eat raw bok choy?
I get the question a lot. Have you ever tried raw bok choy? I actually prefer it raw after I learned this recipe.
Raw bok choy is pleasantly crunchy, juicy, and sweet when eaten uncooked. In my opinion, it tastes much more delicious this way.
It is perfectly safe to eat bok choy uncooked- it tastes better and you actually lose a tiny but of its nutrients when its cooked.
The only cause for concern would be eating large amounts of raw bok choy DAILY. It releases an enzyme called myrosinase, which can negatively affect thyroid function. Eating raw bok choy in moderate amounts is perfectly safe.
Ingredients:
- Bok choy- Shanghai bok choy works best for this but you can use baby bok choy too.
- Spinach- optional
- Gochugaru- Korean red pepper flakes
- Sugar- granulated white sugar
- Sesame oil- I only use Kadoya 100% pure sesame oil
- Fish sauce- Three Crabs fish sauce or soy sauce or vegan fish sauce to make it vegan
- Plum vinegar- you can find this at any Korean market. If you don’t live near one, you can use rice or white vinegar instead.
- Roasted sesame seeds- make sure your sesame seeds are not raw, and grind them into a powder using a mortar and pestle.
- Garlic- if you’re the type of person to add more garlic than a recipe calls for, don’t do that here. The garlic is raw so it is strong and it will give you major garlic breath if you add more!
Helpful Tips:
- For the best results, try to find the FRESHEST bulbs of Shanghai bok choy. In my personal experience, I’ve found that the American supermarkets have the best bok choy selection. For some reason, the ones that I find at Hmart or other Asian supermarkets just aren’t as crunchy.
- Don’t skip the crushed sesame seeds. You want some finely ground up sesame seeds in there- trust me it really elevates the dish. Sometimes you can buy it like that, but I just use my mortar and pestle to grind it down some.
- If you can’t find Shanghai bok choy, you can use baby bok choy. These are a little darker green at the top with crinkly leaves.
How long will it keep in the fridge?
I do not recommend keeping this in the fridge for longer than a one or two days, because it has sesame oil in it which will make it wilt and change the flavor.
Like I mentioned before, this isn’t really a kimchi so it will not keep over time. It’s best to make and serve right away.
This can be eaten alone like a salad, but it is best eaten as a side dish. It’s particularly good with anything that is braised or marinated in soy sauce, like galbi jjim or or bulgogi!
More kimchi recipes
If you like this bok choy kimchi, you might like some of these other kimchi recipes:
- Korean cucumber salad (oi muchim)- this spicy cucumber salad is slightly sweet, tangy, and very refreshing! A great side dish to any main course- especially soy braised meats.
- Radish kimchi (kkakdugi)- one of my favorite kinds of kimchi! This recipe is from my in-laws that used to own a seolleongtang restaurant. It’s the BEST kkakdugi ever!
Bok Choy Kimchi
Ingredients
- 3 bulbs Shanghai bok choy, or baby bok choy
- 2 oz spinach, optional
- 1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes)
- 2 tbsp plum vinegar, or rice vinegar or white vinegar
- 1.5 tbsp sugar, add more if you like it sweeter
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp fish sauce, or soy sauce or vegan fish sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Instructions
- Using a mortar and pestle, grind the roasted sesame seeds until at least half of it is in powder form.
- Cut off the stems from the bok choy and separate the leaves.
- Rinse the box choy and spinach, then shake off excess water.
- Add to a mixing bowl with the remaining ingredients and mix gently so the spinach doesn't bruise
- Serve right away or make it a couple hours ahead and store in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe is so nice and refreshing! I am trying to incorporate more raw veggies and this is just perfect! I bought a big bag of gochugaru just to continue to make this. 10/10
Didn’t know I can eat bokchoy raw until I saw this recipe on your IG. I think I eat this side dish every 2 weeks because it’s that good! So easy to make too! Thank you for such an easy fast recipe! Will definitely continue to try other recipes!
Thanks
I never knew you can make kimchi with bok choy. So when you posted this recipe, I just had to try it! It’s fresh and crunchy and perfect to eat following fatty meats to cleanse the palate. My fiancé love this too and always ask me to make it and it’s so easy as well!
I’ve been making this recipe since you posted it and it’s me and my boyfriends staple! We always double this recipe so we can have the extra sauce for rice later.
Your recipes are my go to and there are alike that I like. But the bok choy kimchi hands down are my favorite because it is so addicting delicious good. I find it so much more better the next day when it is all soak in them goodness. really appreciate all the time spend on posting it.
Always a fan
this was the first recipe I tried and it was crazy good for being so simple. Thanks for sharing
One of my fav side dishes of all time. I have made this countless of times although sometimes with whatever vegetables I have on hand (like daikon radish). It’s the perfect balance of flavors, and it pairs especially well with a rich dish like galbi jjim (also recommend Stella’s recipe)! 10/10.
I’ve made this a couple times already because it’s so easy AND delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us!!
I’ve made this a couple times already because it’s so easy AND delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us!
This has become a regular in my house—I make this at least once a week. I bring it to potlucks too. SO easy to make and ALWAYS a huge hit! Love love love this recipe so much.