Kimchi – All You Need to Know | Instacart’s Guide to Groceries

What is kimchi?

Kimchi is a Korean food made with cabbage, garlic, chile peppers, and other ingredients, depending on the type of kimchi you’re making. This dish is also used to flavor noodles, fried rice, stir-fry dishes, sandwiches, and sometimes even pizza. It’s often made spicy, so it’s not for the faint of heart (or palate).

Kimchi is made up of salted, fermented vegetables. Usually, those vegetables consist of a blend of the following:

• Cabbage
• Radish
• Cucumber
• Carrot
• Eggplant
• Celery
• Beets
• Spinach
• Bamboo shoots
• Scallions

It also has the following seasonings:

• Salt
• Chili peppers
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Onions
• Sugar

Seven of the most popular kinds of kimchi include:

1. Oisobaegi: Stuffed cucumber kimchi
2. Tongbaechu: Whole cabbage kimchi (most common style; made with Chinese cabbage)
3. Kkakdugi: Made with large white radishes
4. Yeolmu: Young radish water kimchi
5. Dongchimi: Fermented ginger, garlic, and brined radishes
6. Nabak: Sliced radish and cabbage kimchi
7. Chonggak: Made with radishes with their top knots still on

Where did kimchi originate from?

Kimchi is North Korea’s national dish, and the earliest known kimchi was made as part of a survival technique during the harsh northeast Asian winters. The earliest Koreans ate vegetables with salt to help digest their grains (because grains back then were millet and barley).

Though modern kimchis are made with peppers, there weren’t any red peppers in the earlier versions of this dish. Cabbage wasn’t even used, and most kimchis were salted in brine or dipped in paste.

But in Korean culture, kimchi is served with almost every meal—even breakfast! It can be eaten by itself or as a side dish. It can also just be an ingredient in a variety of dishes.

How is kimchi made?

Traditional kimchi—Tongbaechu, also known as Baechu-kimchi—is made by fermenting vegetables of your choice (typically cabbage and other veggies).

It used to be made in a huge earthenware vat and buried in soil, but these days it’s more commonly made in mason jars and fermented at room temperature (or somewhat below it).

What is the shelf life of kimchi?

Kimchi can be stored for quite a while when stored properly. Kimchi will last between 6 to 12 months or by the jar’s “best-buy” or “use-by” date.

You can buy kimchi at most grocery stores. It’s typically hanging out in the refrigerated produce section or near the sauerkraut and refrigerated pickles.

If you can’t find it at your local grocery store, try a specialty Asian market or restaurant. You might even be able to score some at a sushi bar if you’re lucky since a lot of restaurants sell it on the side or make it fresh daily.

How do you pick kimchi at the grocery store?

You might find kimchi in the health section in your grocery store. It might be in a jar if you’re buying pre-made. If not, you’ll have to shop for the individual ingredients.

If you’re looking to have your groceries delivered, you can easily shop for kimchi via Instacart. After adding a product to your cart, use the “Instructions” option to notify your Instacart shopper about any preferences or specific directions on how to choose the best products. Shop for kimchi.

How to store kimchi 

You can store kimchi in the fridge for a few months. It’ll still be safe to eat, but you might not enjoy the flavor as much. The veggies might not also be as crisp as when it was fresh.

How to tell if kimchi is bad

Technically, kimchi doesn’t go bad—it just ripens. But you’ll have a few months before that happens if you store it correctly. 

If you buy it in the store, use it by the best-before date or use-by date. If you made it yourself (and depending on the ingredients), it could last at least 8 months to a year.

What can I substitute for kimchi?

Don’t have the ingredients for kimchi in your pantry? Don’t worry. You can substitute most of the ingredients in this Korean condiment. For example, if you don’t have cabbage, you can use carrots, radish, kale, cucumber, brussels sprouts, or green beans. Or, if you don’t have spinach, you can use:

• Kale
• Escarole
• Iceberg lettuce
• Romaine lettuce
• Collard greens
• Arugula
• Watercress
• Curly endive

Ready to get some kimchi of your own?

Kimchi is a unique-tasting food that can instantly add some Asian flair to whatever you’re eating. Ready to try some kimchi? Get these fermented veggies just in time for dinner with same-day delivery or pickup, all thanks to Instacart.

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