• 40 ideas
  • Checked October 2026

What to Eat with Kimchi Jjigae

Steamed rice, roasted seaweed and cool, mild side dishes for a pot that is hot in both senses.

What to Eat with Kimchi Jjigae

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  1. Seasoned spinach (sigeumchi namul)Squeeze it dry before dressing so it does not water down the plate.
  2. Bean sprouts with sesame oil (kongnamul)Serve them cold. They stay crisp beside the hot pot.
  3. Rolled omelette (gyeran-mari)Slice it and set it near whoever finds the stew hottest.
  4. Steamed short-grain riceA bowl for each person. Spoon the stew over it, or eat them turn by turn.
  5. Roasted seaweed (gim)Wrap a square round a mouthful of rice, then take a spoonful of stew.

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All 40 ideas

Rice and seaweed 5

  • Mixed-grain rice Chewier than white rice, and it holds up under the broth.
  • Rice balls with seaweed flakes Roll them small enough to eat in one bite between spoonfuls.
  • Roasted seaweed (gim) Wrap a square round a mouthful of rice, then take a spoonful of stew.
  • Scorched rice Pour hot water over the crust from the rice pot and sip it after the stew.
  • Steamed short-grain rice A bowl for each person. Spoon the stew over it, or eat them turn by turn.

Egg, tofu and other mild side dishes 8

  • Braised tofu (dubu-jorim) Serve it cool, a slice at a time.
  • Fried egg Lay it on the rice and break the yolk before the stew goes on.
  • Korean-style potato salad Creamy and cool, so it rests the tongue.
  • Rolled omelette (gyeran-mari) Slice it and set it near whoever finds the stew hottest.
  • Soy-braised beef (jang-jorim) Shred it over the rice. A little goes a long way.
  • Steamed egg (gyeran-jjim) Soft and plain. A spoonful cools the mouth.
  • Stir-fried dried anchovies (myeolchi bokkeum) Crisp little fish. A pinch on top of the rice is enough.
  • Yellow pickled radish (danmuji) Cold and crunchy after a hot spoonful.

Vegetable side dishes 9

  • Bean sprouts with sesame oil (kongnamul) Serve them cold. They stay crisp beside the hot pot.
  • Braised potatoes in soy sauce Soft and mild. A good dish for children at the table.
  • Seasoned eggplant (gaji namul) Tear it into strips and serve it cool.
  • Seasoned spinach (sigeumchi namul) Squeeze it dry before dressing so it does not water down the plate.
  • Seaweed in sweet vinegar (miyeok muchim) A small dish, cold and sharp.
  • Stir-fried mushrooms (beoseot bokkeum) Go light on the soy sauce so they stay mild.
  • Stir-fried zucchini Cook it until just tender and leave out the chili.
  • Sweet and sour radish strips (musaengchae) Leave out the chili when the stew is already hot enough.
  • Water kimchi (dongchimi) Sip the cold brine between spoonfuls of stew.

Pancakes and pan-fried bites 5

  • Pan-fried dumplings Crisp on one side. Dip them in soy sauce, not in the stew.
  • Pan-fried fish in egg (saengseon-jeon) Small pieces, picked up with chopsticks between spoonfuls.
  • Pan-fried meat and tofu patties (donggeurang ttaeng) Fry a batch ahead and serve them warm or cool.
  • Potato pancake (gamjajeon) Fry it thin so the edges turn crisp.
  • Scallion pancake (pajeon) Cut it into squares and dip them in soy sauce with a little vinegar.

Grilled meat, fish and noodles to share 6

  • Bulgogi Grilled marinated beef in the middle of the table, the stew beside it.
  • Glass noodles with vegetables (japchae) Serve it cool, as one more dish to share.
  • Grilled mackerel Salt it, grill it until the skin blisters and pull the flesh off the bone.
  • Grilled pork belly Grill it plain and dip the slices in sesame oil and salt.
  • Grilled short ribs (galbi) Cut the meat from the bone with scissors and share it out.
  • Spicy stir-fried pork (jeyuk bokkeum) For a table that likes heat. Add an extra bowl of rice.

To add to the pot 4

  • Canned tuna Drain it, add it in one piece and stir gently.
  • Instant noodles Drop the dry noodles into what is left of the stew.
  • Sliced rice cakes Add them near the end and eat them while they are soft.
  • Soft tofu Slide in thick slices near the end so they do not break up.

Drinks 3

  • Barley tea Hot or cold, and plain.
  • Corn tea Mild, with no sugar. Pour it warm.
  • Sweet rice drink Serve it very cold, after the stew.

How it works

What to eat with kimchi stew? Rice first, then a few mild side dishes. These 40 ideas for kimchi jjigae run from roasted seaweed and a rolled omelette to grilled fish, things to add to the pot and three drinks.

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How the table is set in Korea

Kimchi jjigae is served boiling hot with rice and banchan, the small side dishes of a Korean meal. For more than two people the pot goes in the middle of the table to share, among the side dishes, and each person has a bowl of rice. A rolled omelette, served in slices, is one such side dish. Seaweed is another: toasted with sesame oil, salted and cut into squares.

Something plain beside something hot

The stew is hot and strongly seasoned, so its best partners are plain: egg, tofu, seaweed and cool vegetables. Pick two or three and keep the chili out of them. Grilled fish or meat makes the same table a bigger dinner.

  • Set out the side dishes cold or cool before the pot comes to the table.

Questions and answers

What do you eat with kimchi stew?

A bowl of steamed rice, roasted seaweed to wrap it in, and a mild side dish such as a rolled omelette or braised tofu. For a bigger meal add a scallion pancake, grilled mackerel or a plate of bulgogi.

What can you eat with kimchi stew besides rice?

Instant noodles or sliced rice cakes, cooked in the pot, take the place of rice. A potato pancake or pan-fried dumplings on the side fill the same gap.

What banchan goes with kimchi jjigae?

Mild ones: rolled omelette, steamed egg, braised tofu, soy-braised beef, stir-fried anchovies and yellow pickled radish. Add a cool vegetable dish, such as seasoned spinach, bean sprouts with sesame oil or water kimchi.

What meat goes with kimchi jjigae?

Pork is often in the stew already, so meat beside it is a second dish to share: bulgogi, grilled short ribs, grilled pork belly or spicy stir-fried pork. The fish to choose is grilled mackerel.

What do you drink with kimchi jjigae?

Without alcohol: barley tea or corn tea with the meal, hot or cold, and a sweet rice drink, served very cold, afterwards.

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