Samgak-gimbap (삼각김밥) is a popular Korean rice snack shaped into a triangle and wrapped in dried seaweed (gim). You can find freshly made samgak-gimbap at Korean and Japanese grocery stores, as well as convenience stores in Korea. Just one or two can make a quick and satisfying lunch!
Actually, samgak-gimbap is one of the easiest kinds of gimbap to make at home. All you need is a triangular rice mold and special seaweed sheets made for samgak-gimbap. You can find both at Korean grocery stores. The seaweed is wrapped in plastic that keeps it separate from the moist rice until you’re ready to eat, so it stays nice and crispy. Isn’t that clever?
There are so many delicious fillings you can use, but in this recipe I’ll show you how to make a savory filling with canned tuna, along with a simple kimchi filling. The tuna is seasoned and stir-fried with garlic, soy sauce, and a little sugar, making it especially tasty with rice.
You can also make samgak-gimbap with beef! If you’re interested, check out my bulgogi triangle gimbap recipe.
Once you have the mold and special seaweed sheets, you’ll see how easy and fun it is to make these little rice triangles. They’re perfect for lunch, a picnic, or whenever you want something simple and delicious.
Let’s make some samgak-gimbap!
Ingredients
(for 3-4 servings, or 8-9 samgak-gimbap)
4–5 cups cooked rice, still warm
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 teaspoons white sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Special seaweed sheets for samgak-gimbap
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can of tuna, drained
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, divided
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, divided
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped kimchi
1 teaspoon gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil, for stir-frying the tuna
Directions
Prepare rice:
- Mix vinegar, white sugar, and kosher salt in a small bowl until the mixture looks clear.
- In a large bowl add the warm rice and pour the clear liquid over top. Mix it and let it cool down.
Make filling:
Make the tuna filling
- Open the can of tuna and drain it well, squeezing out the excess liquid through cheesecloth.
- Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, tuna, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Stir-fry for a few minutes.
- Turn off the heat and add 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil, 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds, and the ground black pepper. Mix well.
Make the kimchi filling
- Chop the kimchi and put it in a small bowl.
- Add the gochujang, 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon of roasted sesame seeds. Mix well.
Shape the samgak-gimbap
- Fill the triangular mold about two-thirds full with seasoned rice.
- Add some tuna or kimchi filling to the center.
- Cover the filling with more rice, place the lid on the mold, and press down firmly to shape the triangle.
Wrap the samgak-gimbap
- Take a special samgak-gimbap seaweed sheet out of its package. Do not remove the plastic wrapping! The plastic keeps the seaweed separate from the rice so it stays crispy until you’re ready to eat.
- Place the sheet on your work surface with the numbered side facing down and the number 1 tab pointing away from you.
- Remove the lid from the mold. Turn the mold upside down and place it in the center of the seaweed sheet, with the pointed end of the triangle facing number 1.
- Gently release the rice triangle onto the seaweed and remove the mold.
- Fold the seaweed sheet over the rice toward number 1, then fold in the sides.
- Secure the wrapping with the sticker that came with the seaweed sheet.
Unwrap and enjoy!
- When you’re ready to eat, find the number 1 tab on the packet. Pull that tab and the plastic will peel off.
Gently pull away the plastic marked number 2, then number 3, allowing the seaweed to wrap around the rice.
- Take a bite. Crispy, isn’t it?
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I’m really excited to try this recipe for my kids lunchboxes! I think this definitely deserves an updated video!
Maangchi thank you for all of these recipes !!! Cooking these for my american friends is so much fun sometimes it is so hard to remember my mother’s recipes but you are always here to save the day!!!
Bravo! Happy cooking! : )
Hi Maangchi! I love Korean cooking and I just stumbled upon your cookbook and website. Love love love your recipes and video instructions! So easy to follow. This is my first time making samgak and it was very successful.Thank you and I look forward to trying your other recipes. ❤️ Keep cooking!
Wow, they look gorgeous! Congratulations!
Hi Maangchi,
I love your recipes, so delicious and easy to follow! I haven’t fully committed to this particular recipe, have to get all my supplies;) I buy the already made gimbap from my local Korean store, and they have a couple of flavors. If you have time, could you share other flavors recipe? They have chicken, beef and a slightly spicy-sweet tuna one that I looove.
Many thank!!! <3
If you don’t have the plastic triangle, how about making the triangular shape by bending sturdy cardboard into a triangle and the covering the cardboard with waxed paper, so rice wouldn’t stick. Just a thought.