Korean vegetarian dishes are a healthy choice for your diet. With a vast variety of vegetables considered the staple food in the country, it’s easy to find meals that are all plant-based and full of flavour. With a myriad of unique and delicious ingredients, Korean vegetarian dishes will surely satisfy your palette no matter what type of dietary restrictions you have.
Most Korean dishes are colourful and include a mix of fruit, vegetables and mushrooms so they're packed with vitamins and minerals too! Whether you're looking for vegetables in noodle bowls or soups or want something on the lighter side; these recipes have got you covered.
What makes Korean Veg Dishes Special
Korean dishes are known to be medicinal. Their recipes feature a 'yin-yang' balance of various ingredients that help maintain a healthy digestive system. The carefully thought out combination of vegetables, mushrooms and fruits also helps you to stay full longer because they're high in fibre and low in fat.
The majority of Korean vegetarian dishes contain veggies, making them a tasty way to survive your vegan diet! Korean cuisine has varying degrees of influence depending on what ingredient or technique is being used.
Some Amazing Korean Veg Dishes Are:
1. Bibimbap
A traditional rice bowl dish that is usually served with steamed vegetables, namul or kimchi and gochujang, soy sauce, or doenjang sauce. It can also be served in a hot stone bowl which allows it to cook with the rice making it delicious.
2. Vegan Korean Bbq Skewers
This is a popular way to get your vegetables! Skewered grilled vegetables are often cooked on an open flame to ensure they're nice and juicy. They are great for barbecues and picnics because you can cook them as needed and they're made up entirely of fresh ingredients.
3. Beoseot-deulkkae-tang (Mushroom Soup)
As the name suggests this soup is made up of mushrooms and broth just like a Western style of mushroom soup. This soup is made with mushrooms which are high in protein and low in fat.
4. Pajun (Korean Spinach Pancakes)
These pancakes are a tasty way to get your spinach intake up, they're made of spinach, onion and sesame seed flour! This pancake can be served hot or cold depending on the preference of the eater. You can serve it with lemon soy sauce.
5. Oi Muchim (Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad)
An insanely popular dish that can be found at Korean restaurants everywhere. Crunchy Cucumbers are combined with vegetables and seasoning. These delicious spicy cucumber salads are served in bite-sized portions that pack a lot of flavour into a small package.
6. Kimchi Pancakes
Kimchi pancakes are a great way to use your kimchi that is getting a little old in the fridge. They're made using fresh, crunchy kimchi with the addition of vegetables and flour. The result is a delicious savoury pancake that can be served for breakfast, or dinner or snacked on as an afternoon snack.
7. Kimchi Jjigae
One of the most famous Korean veg dishes. Kimchi jjigae is a stew made up of cabbage, and tofu with lots of other secret veggie ingredients. Although it's entirely vegetarian, it still has enough vegetable ingredients to make it tasty and healthy.
8. Korean BBQ Tofu
This sounds like a classic Korean recipe, but in Korea, tofu is often cooked on a BBQ as well! It tastes great with the marinade and can be used in bibimbap or just sliced onto some rice.
9. Tofu Soup
Tofu soup is made up of tofu, vegetables and noodles with either broth or soy sauce as a base. It's really easy to make and is high in protein so it makes a great lunch or dinner.
10. Gamja Jorim (Korean Braised Potatoes)
A recipe that combines traditional ingredients from multiple countries. Korean braised potatoes are made with the typically Korean ingredient gochujang, which has a sweet, spicy flavour and potatoes along with vegetables. It's topped with basil.
11. Tofu Gimbap
A one-pot meal that is simple to make and great to eat! This dish contains tofu and veggies cooked on a sizzling platter. When it's done it sizzles just like the name suggests.
12. Gaji Mari (Eggplant Rolls)
This Korean dish is made using eggplant and vegetables. It's a sweet, savoury and nutritious dish with a very satisfying texture. This is one of the best Korean dishes you can make at home. It can also be served with hot mustard sauce.
13. Kale Kimchi
Great for lunch or dinner, this dish combines kale, kimchi and vegetables to create a delicious side dish for your meal. The original recipe calls for salt but the Kalimpong version uses sugar to give it a sweeter taste. Try both versions and see which you prefer!
14. Korean Coleslaw
Korea's traditional coleslaw is made with colourful cabbage, carrots and onions in a sweet soy sauce to create a delicious side dish. This can be served either as a side dish or as part of your main meal.
15. Korean Soy Wrap
This 'wrapped' recipe uses finely sliced tofu to make an amazing dumpling that is used in several ways! It's great for spring/summertime because it can be eaten from the tofu wrapper on the go. It's also tasty with lettuce, radish and sprouts.
16. Beoseot Gangjeon (Korean Crispy Mushrooms)
This recipe uses a simple method to make a delicious side dish. The crunchy texture and tangy taste of the mushrooms are perfectly complemented by the soy sauce in this recipe.
17. Hobak Bokkeum (Korean Fried Zucchini)
This veggie recipe is a great way to get your zucchini into rotation in your meal times. Its crunchy zucchini slices are coated in a light and crispy batter that makes this dish practically irresistible.
18. Hobakjuk (Pumpkin Stew)
This stew is the perfect spicy vegan dish for autumn! It combines some of Korea's most popular flavours, gochujang and kimchi, to produce a creamy and spicy stew that warms you up on cool evenings.
19. Korean Broccoli Banchan (Sesame Broccoli)
This recipe combines broccoli and tofu in a very unique and tasty way! The sesame oil in the sauce both flavours and moisturises the tofu rather than dissolving it as a typical oil would. This dish is great for lunch or dinner as a starter or side dish.
20. Tteokbokki ( Korean Rice Cake)
For those who love Korean food but don't have time for a full meal, these veggie cakes are similar to Japanese-style rice cakes but with a Korean touch inside.
They're usually served with gochujang, spicy red chilli sauce or soy sauce to add flavour.
Korean culture has been influenced by Chinese, Japanese and Russian cultures as well as traditional Indian culture.
Conclusion
This list is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Korean vegetarian dishes but hopefully, it's managed to give you some ideas and inspiration. We hope that this extensive list will be able to draw out your appetite and inspire you to try out some of the very tasty and exquisite meals which you are sure to enjoy and always go back for more.
FAQs
Where can I find Korean ingredients?
It depends on where you live, but it's becoming easier to find Korean ingredients all over the world. Asian supermarkets are your best bet and if you live near an area with a large Asian population then even better.
Your local supermarket may also have a small selection of Korean ingredients in stock so it's worth checking first before going to an Asian grocer. If you can't find Korean ingredients near you there are plenty of websites that ship abroad, although they may take up to a week to arrive.
Are Korean foods healthy?
Yes, they are very healthy and beneficial to the human body