Korean cooking ingredients

A directory of ingredients commonly used in Korean cooking. You can find them in Korean grocery stores in your area, or on Amazon.

Pastes (3 ingredients)

Fermented pastes are the foundation of many dishes in Korean cuisine. Rich, deep, and savory, they are are much thicker than sauces and incredibly distinctive, satisfying, and delicious.

Mountain Vegetables (9 ingredients)

Korea is a mountainous country, and has a long history of foraging herbs, plants, and vegetables that traditionally grow naturally in the mountains.

Roots (5 ingredients)

The part of a plant that's underground, including rhizomes & corms.

Meats & Bones (5 ingredients)

Korean cuisine uses meat in moderation, and always with vegetables.

Seasonings & Condiments (11 ingredients)

Seasonings improve flavour by adding salt, and condiments are used to complement dishes. Both can be added at the table by the diner, or used in cooking by the chef.

Sweeteners (2 ingredients)

Sweeteners traditionally came from fruits and syrups, rather than granulated sugar.

Fermented Seafood (3 ingredients)

Seafood preserved and fermented in salt, called jeotgal (젓갈) or jeot (젓), are used as side dishes or seasonings in Korean cuisine.

    Tofu (3 ingredients)

    Tofu is bean curd pressed into soft white blocks. It's been used in Korean cooking for more than a thousand years.

      Dairy (1 ingredients)

      Using dairy products as ingredients is a relatively recent technique in Korean cuisine.

      Yeasts (2 ingredients)

      Technically a Fungi, in Korean cuisine yeasts are traditionally used in baking, cooking, and making alcohol.