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In Korean, 밥상 (bapsang) describes a traditional table setting or meal. Think rice, soup, a main dish (usually meat or fish), kimchi, and other small sides (반찬, aka banchan). An ideal bapsang presents a harmonious balance of flavor, color, texture, and seasonal ingredients. With this collection of some of our favorite Korean recipes, you can build a delicious bapsang of your own.
You’ll find comforting soups for cold days, vibrant bibimbap for summer evenings, and shareable plates meant for gathering around the table. Whether it’s the slow-braised tenderness of galbi jjim, the tangy brightness of quick cucumber kimchi, or the smoky char of ssamjang-slicked cabbage, each dish offers a delicious way to explore Korea’s rich culinary tradition — no passport required.
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Sogogi Oi Bokkeum (Korean Stir-Fried Cucumber and Beef)
Food & Wine / Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Cool, crisp cucumber meets savory, spicy ground beef in this light and satisfying stir-fry. Salting and draining the cucumbers keeps them crunchy, while a soy-sesame sauce brings balance and depth. Serve alongside kimchi fried rice or grilled short ribs for a refreshing contrast.
Korean-Style Fried Cauliflower
Food & Wine / Photo by Jacob Fox / Food Styling by Kelsey Moylan / Prop Styling by Breanna Ghazali
At Hong Kong’s Yardbird, cauliflower gets the Korean fried chicken treatment: a shatter-crisp coating, tender interior, and a sticky gochujang glaze laced with mirin, yuzu kosho, and garlic. These sweet and spicy florets are best with a cold beer.
Korean-Style Short Ribs
Chef David Shim of Cote in New York doubles up on marinade to make galbi with maximum flavor, starting with a pear-and-onion puree before a soy-mirin soak. The scored short ribs cook quickly, yielding tender, juicy meat that’s perfect with charred vegetables.
Gyeranjjim (Korean Steamed Eggs)
Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Ali Ramee
Fluffy, custardy steamed eggs come together in minutes with the help of a microwave in this recipe from 2020 F&W Best New Chef Eunjo Park. Infused with savory broth and topped with scallions, sesame, chile oil, or cod roe, they’re as good alongside rice as they are on their own.
Pajeon (Korean Scallion Pancakes)
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Golden and crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside, these scallion pancakes are quick to make and deeply satisfying. A tangy dipping sauce seals the deal — save the leftovers for dumplings or eggs.
Mul Kimchi (White Kimchi)
Greg Dupree / Prop Stylist Christina Daley / Food Stylist Chelsea Zimmer
Chef David Chang’s refreshing, lightly effervescent mul kimchi swaps traditional fermentation for lemon-lime soda, a shortcut from his mother’s kitchen. “You could use ginger ale or another soda,” says Chang, “but a lemon-lime soda like 7UP is what I grew up with my mom using, and it’s what I’d stick to.” Sweet, tangy, and crisp, this quick-to-make kimchi is an excellent cooling companion to rich or spicy dishes.
Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Base Stew)
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Born from postwar ingenuity, this hearty stew blends kimchi and Korean spices with Spam, baked beans, and ramen. Savory, spicy, and endlessly customizable, it’s a deeply comforting dish that’s often topped with a melty slice of American cheese.
Danmuji (Golden Radish and Beet Pickle)
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Chef Sunny Lee’s quick-pickled daikon and golden beets get their sunny hue from turmeric, not dye. Sweet-tart and crisp, they’re an essential gimbap filling and delightful solo as banchan.
Japchae (Korean Stir-Fried Glass Noodles)
Glossy sweet potato noodles are tossed with beef, mushrooms, spinach, and sesame in this recipe from Ann Taylor-Pittman. Each component is cooked separately for vivid color and perfect texture.
Charred Cabbage with Ssamjang Butter
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox
Chef Andrew Zimmerman transforms humble cabbage into a showstopper, charring wedges until smoky-tender, then slathering them with spicy, umami-rich ssamjang butter. Crisp shallots and nori add crunch, making this an unforgettable side for grilled meats or as a delectable main served with a heap of rice.
Kimchi Fried Rice with Spicy Shrimp-and-Sesame Sauce
Chef Roy Choi turns leftover rice into a bold, crunchy, flavor-packed meal. A briny, spicy shrimp-sesame sauce adds punch to every crispy, golden-brown bite.
Dakgangjeong (Korean Fried Chicken with Soy Sauce)
Crisp chicken wings glazed in soy, brown sugar, and fresh jalapeños stay crunchy for hours thanks to a potato starch coating. Food writer Eric Kim, writing in praise of his aunt’s dakgangjeong, says she brings them to birthday parties, church events, and funerals, where their long-lasting crunch makes them a star of the buffet.
Quick Kimchi Cucumbers
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
Chef David Chang’s speedy cucumber kimchi delivers garlicky, chile-laden heat in under an hour. Best eaten right away while the cucumbers remain juicy, it’s an easy and vibrant banchan.
Tteok (Chewy Korean Rice Cakes) and Mushrooms in Cream Sauce
Dylan + Jeni / Food Styling by Brett Long / Prop Styling by Nidia Cueva
Chewy rice cakes and earthy mushrooms luxuriate in a doenjang-spiked cream sauce from chefs Katianna and John Hong of Los Angeles’s Yangban restaurant. While the initial volume of mushrooms might surprise you, they will shrink significantly once cooking begins.
Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)
This lucky Lunar New Year staple features tender rice cakes in a clear beef broth, the whiteness of the rice cakes symbolizing purity and a fresh start. Topped with egg, nori, and scallions, it’s both comforting and celebratory.
Grilled Pork Shoulder Bo Ssam
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Priscilla Montiel
Marinated in apple, doenjang, and spices, these pork shoulder steaks grill up tender and aromatic. Wrap slices of meat in lettuce with spicy apple ssamjang for a hands-on feast. Bo ssam is traditionally served to mark the end of a household’s annual homemade kimchi-making and the beginning of winter.
Doenjang Jjigae (Soybean Paste Stew)
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Boneless ribeye and vegetables simmer in a doenjang (fermented soybean paste) and anchovy broth in this recipe from Mingoo Kang, chef and owner of Mingles in Seoul. Add the steak at the end, once the stew has been removed from the heat, to keep it tender and pink.
Quick Cucumber Kimchi
Julia Hartbeck
Chicago chef Bill Kim’s two-hour marinated cucumber kimchi keeps its crunch while delivering bold, tangy heat. It’s a quick alternative to long-fermented varieties, but it won’t last as long either.
Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew)
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
The recipe for the beloved stew comes from Seoul chef Mingoo Kang. who infuses it with aged kimchi and pork belly. Anchovy broth adds subtle umami, while pork belly, tofu, and vegetables make it as hearty as it is rich. Traditionally made with kimchi fermented for months, this version works with fresher kimchi, too.
Miss Kim’s Fried Tofu
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
At Miss Kim in Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2021 F&W Best New Chef Ji Hye Kim tosses crisp tofu cubes in a glossy glaze of soy sauce, brown sugar, gochugaru, and ginger. The result is sweet, savory, and perfectly spicy. Make the sauce and prep the tofu ahead to save time.
Summer Vegetable Bibimbap
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
This seasonal bibimbap from 2021 F&W Best New Chef Ji Hye Kim celebrates summer produce, with each vegetable salted, blanched, or sautéed separately for peak flavor. A robust yak gochujang, made with beef and chile paste, anchors the dish. Serve over hot rice with a sunny-side-up egg.
Gaji Namul (Gochujang-Marinated Eggplant)
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Chef Sunny Lee caramelizes Chinese eggplant before marinating it in a garlicky gochujang sauce. Serve this punchy, umami-packed banchan chilled or at room temperature.
Galbi Jjim
Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
Beef short ribs braise in a soy, pear, and ginger broth until tender but not falling apart. Chef Bill Kim serves his with plenty of braising liquid, making it ideal over rice. Toasted pine nuts, scallions, and chili threads add garnish and texture.
Gamja Jorim (Soy Sauce–Lacquered Potatoes)
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
In this recipe from 2021 F&W Best New Chef Angel Barreto of Anju in Washington, D.C., tiny potatoes simmer in a soy, garlic, and ginger glaze until creamy inside and glossy outside. Watch the reduction closely to avoid over-thickening. A sesame seed garnish adds a nutty finish.
Mac and Corn Cheese
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
In this recipe from Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home, food writer Eric Kim’s stovetop mac combines sweet corn, mozzarella, and jalapeño with a crunchy cheese-studded breadcrumb topping.
Kalbi (Grilled Korean-Style Short Ribs)
Marinated overnight in soy, sake, sugar, garlic, and sesame, these flanken-cut ribs from Los Angeles food writers Linda Burum and Linda Merinoff grill up juicy with a satisfying chew. Serve with kimchi, rice, and lettuce leaves for wrapping. In 2018, this was named one of Food & Wine’s 40 best recipes.
