How to Use Our Kimchi

Kimchi doesn’t need much to shine. It’s great on its own, straight from the jar, or served next to a schnitzel or an omelette. Its acidity, crunch, and depth bring life to almost anything it touches. It works as a topping, a seasoning, or a base. Once you start cooking with it, you realise it belongs in far more places than you thought.

Here are a few ways to use it, not as strict recipes, but as ideas to build from.

Grilled sourdough with kimchi and cheese
Make a panini style toast with layers of kimchi, Vesterhavsost, Gammelknas, and mozzarella. The cheeses melt into a golden storm, the kimchi cuts through it with heat and crunch.

Mac and cheese with kimchi
Fold chopped kimchi through creamy mac and cheese. The bite of fermentation lifts the richness and makes it impossible to stop eating.

Honey glazed kimchi cashews
Roast cashew nuts in a glaze of honey, soy, and a spoon of kimchi brine until sticky, spicy, and caramelised. They keep well in a jar, though they rarely last that long.

Wholegrain pasta with kimchi puttanesca
Toss wholegrain or grain based pasta in a classic puttanesca of tomato, anchovy, capers, and olives, then stir in kimchi for an unexpected sharpness. It’s the kind of dish that wakes you up.

Ramen with kimchi and brine broth
Build a ramen broth from sautéed kimchi, garlic, gochujang, and its own brine. Add miso, soy, and butter, then pour it over noodles and a soft egg. The flavour sits somewhere between comfort and chaos.

Kimchi fried rice
Fry day old rice with kimchi, gochujang, soy, and butter until it crackles at the edges. Top it with a fried egg. You can’t go wrong.

Kimchi arancini
Mix leftover risotto with kimchi, form into balls around a piece of mozzarella, roll in panko, and fry until golden. Serve with kimchi mayo.

Kimchi gyoza
Fill gyoza wrappers with kimchi, tofu, and chives, then fry and steam them in one pan. Dip them in soy mixed with a spoon of minced kimchi and sesame oil.

Kimchi minestrone
Stir chopped kimchi into a warm minestrone for a punchy, acidic edge that turns a winter soup into something new.

Kimchi brine olives
Marinate olives in kimchi brine, garlic, and lemon zest for a quick snack that’s funky and bright.

Blue mussels with blue cheese and kimchi
Simmer mussels in cream with garlic, blue cheese, and a spoon of kimchi. Serve with grilled sourdough rubbed with fresh garlic to soak up every drop.

Salad with kimchi raspberry vinegar dressing
Whisk raspberry vinegar with a spoon of kimchi brine and olive oil. Toss it through crisp greens, shaved fennel, or grilled vegetables for a sharp, fruity, and fermented balance.

Coleslaw with a kimchi kick
Fold a few tablespoons of chopped kimchi into shredded cabbage, carrots, and a light mayo or yogurt dressing. The result is bright, tangy, and addictive, a coleslaw that actually wakes up the plate.

Cucumbers pickled in kimchi brine
Pour leftover kimchi brine over sliced cucumbers, add a little garlic, and leave it in the fridge for a day or two. You’ll get cold, spicy, quick pickles with a clean crunch and full kimchi aroma.

Start your own kimchi idea

This list isn’t a rulebook, it’s a starting point. Kimchi has its own rhythm. It gives acidity when food feels flat, funk when it’s too clean, and energy when you least expect it. Use the brine where you’d normally reach for vinegar. Fold the cabbage through sauces, grains, and stews. Mix it into butter or mayo. Stir it into soups, or spoon it over grilled fish. There’s no single way to use it, just start with what you’re already cooking and let kimchi do the rest.

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