Assorted fritters (twigim)Choose a few kinds and share the plate.
Blood sausage (sundae)Order a small plate and dip each slice in seasoned salt.
Fried seaweed rolls (gim-mari-twigim)Drag them through tteokbokki sauce while they are still crisp.
Hand-pulled dough soup (sujebi)Soft torn dough in a clear broth, for when ramyeon feels too spicy.
Knife-cut noodle soup (kal-guksu)A mild bowl to share, with the roll standing in for rice.
Pork cutletShare one cutlet between two people, with a roll each.
RamyeonDunk a slice in the hot broth, then drink what is left.
Rice cake skewers (tteok-kkochi)One skewer each, eaten hot off the stick.
Spicy chewy noodles (jjolmyeon)Cold, sweet and sharp. A plain slice of roll calms the heat.
Steamed dumplings (mandu)A small basket on the side, dipped in soy sauce.
TteokbokkiDip a slice in the red sauce, or take a bite of each in turn.
Tteokbokki with ramyeon noodles (rabokki)One pan for the table, with the roll on the side to mop up the sauce.
Pickles and dips 6
Beaten egg, for frying day-old slicesDip each slice in the egg and fry both cut sides until golden.
KimchiCut it small so a piece sits on top of a slice.
Radish kimchi (seokbakji)Big, juicy pieces. Eat one between slices of roll.
Soy sauce with hot mustardStir a dab of mustard into the soy sauce and dip small rolls end first.
Spicy squid salad (ojingeo-muchim)Spear a piece of squid and a plain rice roll on the same toothpick.
Yellow pickled radish (danmuji)A few extra slices on the side, cold and crunchy between pieces.
A cup of soup 2
Bean sprout soupClear and light. Pour it into a flask for a packed lunch.
Fish cake skewers in broth (eomuk-tang)Eat the fish cake off the skewer and sip the broth from a cup.
Small sides for a lunch box 4
Braised lotus root (yeongeun-jorim)Glossy, crunchy slices. Tuck a few beside the roll.
Seasoned dried radish stripsChewy and a little spicy. A small heap is enough.
Stir-fried fish cake (eomuk-bokkeum)Sweet and salty strips that taste good cold, straight from the box.
Stir-fried garlic scapesShort green lengths in a sweet soy glaze, good at room temperature.
For a picnic box 6
Fried tofu rice pocketsPack them in the same box. They are sweet where the roll is savory.
Korean fried chickenWrap it apart from the rolls so the crust stays crisp.
Roasted chestnutsBring a warm bag and peel them as you sit.
Sausage and vegetable stir-frySmall sausages and peppers in a sweet sauce, speared with a toothpick.
TangerinesEasy to peel on a picnic mat, and fresh after sesame oil.
Walnut cakes (hodu-gwaja)A paper bag of them to pass round when the rolls are gone.
Drinks 2
Banana milkCold from the fridge. Children like it with a roll.
Barley teaHot or over ice, in a flask.
How it works
What to eat with kimbap? Yellow pickled radish and kimchi make it a light lunch, and Korean snack bars pair it with tteokbokki or ramyeon. These 32 ideas add soups, lunch-box sides, picnic food and two drinks.
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How kimbap is eaten in Korea
Kimbap, also spelled gimbap, is often part of a packed meal for picnics and outdoor events. It is also a staple of bunsik, the inexpensive food of snack restaurants, which sell it beside rabokki, blood sausage, fish cakes and fritters. Chungmu gimbap, a thin roll with only rice inside, is served with spicy squid salad and radish kimchi.
Building a meal around the roll
For a light lunch, the roll, a pickle and a cup of soup are enough. For dinner, order one hot dish to share and dip the slices in its sauce. For a picnic, pack fruit and one fried thing.
Pack wet sides such as kimchi in their own tub so the seaweed stays dry.
Questions and answers
What side dishes go with kimbap?
Small cold ones that travel in the same box: stir-fried fish cake, braised lotus root, seasoned dried radish strips and stir-fried garlic scapes. Fried tofu rice pockets and a sausage and vegetable stir-fry fill out a picnic.
What soup goes with kimbap?
Fish cake broth, sipped from a paper cup, is what street carts hand over. At home, bean sprout soup is clear and light. Knife-cut noodle soup or hand-pulled dough soup makes the roll a full meal.
What sauce do you dip kimbap in?
None is needed, because the rice is usually seasoned with sesame oil and salt. For a dip, try the sauce from a plate of tteokbokki, or soy sauce with a little hot mustard for small plain rolls.
What can you do with leftover kimbap?
Dip the slices in beaten egg and fry both cut sides. Frying in an egg coating is a Korean way to eat kimbap that has gone stale, and it comes to the table warm.
What do you drink with kimbap?
Without alcohol: barley tea, hot or over ice, or cold banana milk, which children like.