Baek Kimchi (Korean White Kimchi)
I might actually like baek kimchi (백김치) more than regular kimchi.
Baek kimchi, or Korean white kimchi, is honestly so underrated. It’s savory, slightly sweet, super refreshing, and just so easy to eat. And as a certified broth person, I especially love that you get all that cold, flavorful fermented brine with every bite.
This is pretty much my go-to baek kimchi recipe, and it comes out so good every time. Making kimchi can feel a little intimidating, and yes, there are a few steps and some waiting involved, but it’s honestly not that bad once you get started.
I make this as a small batch with just one napa cabbage, which makes the whole process feel much more manageable. You can always scale it up if you want a bigger batch.
I especially love baek kimchi with something rich or fatty like galbi because that cold, savory, tangy brine is so refreshing between bites. It’s also delicious with duck, grilled meats, or simply served as a side with rice.
What Is Baek Kimchi?
Baek kimchi (백김치) literally means white kimchi. Baek (백) means white, and kimchi (김치) refers to the broad category of Korean fermented vegetable dishes.
Unlike the red napa cabbage kimchi many people are familiar with, baek kimchi is made without Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes). Instead, the cabbage ferments in a light, flavorful brine seasoned with ingredients like garlic, ginger, fruit, fish sauce, and kelp.
The result is mild, crisp, savory, subtly sweet, and refreshing rather than spicy. One of my favorite parts is the brine itself, which becomes lightly tangy and more flavorful as the kimchi ferments.
Why Make a Small Batch?
Traditional kimchi-making can feel like a big project, especially when you’re working with several heads of napa cabbage. This recipe uses just one large napa cabbage, which makes the process much more manageable if you’re new to making kimchi or simply don’t need a huge batch.
You still get plenty of baek kimchi to enjoy without needing a massive container or spending the whole day making kimchi. And if you want more, you can always scale the recipe up for a larger batch.
How Do I Know When the Baek Kimchi Is Ready?
Baek kimchi generally needs about 1–2 days at room temperature to begin fermenting, but the exact timing depends on the temperature of your kitchen. Warmer temperatures speed up fermentation, while cooler temperatures slow it down.
Here in Los Angeles, where it’s usually pretty warm, I typically ferment mine at room temperature for about 1–1½ days.
Rather than relying only on the clock, taste the brine. When it starts to taste pleasantly tangy and lightly fermented rather than simply salty and sweet, transfer the kimchi to the refrigerator.
The baek kimchi will continue fermenting slowly in the refrigerator, so its flavor will gradually become tangier and more developed over time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Baek kimchi has everything I love about kimchi but in a completely different way. Instead of the spicy, bold flavor you might expect from red kimchi, it’s clean, savory, subtly sweet, and incredibly refreshing.
The crisp napa cabbage and vegetables sit in a cold, flavorful fermented brine infused with pear, apple, garlic, ginger, and kelp. It’s especially good alongside rich or fatty foods because the cool, lightly tangy brine helps balance every bite.
And because this recipe uses just one napa cabbage, it’s an approachable way to try homemade kimchi without committing to a huge batch.
Baek Kimchi (Korean White Kimchi)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Salt the cabbageCut the napa cabbage lengthwise into 4 quarters, keeping the cores intact.Dissolve 1 cup coarse sea salt in about 10 cups water.Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup coarse sea salt between the cabbage leaves, focusing especially on the thicker white parts.Soak the cabbage in the salt water for 4–5 hours, flipping halfway through.The cabbage is ready when the thick white parts have softened and the leaves are flexible enough to bend without snapping.
- Make the kelp & sweet rice baseAdd the dried kelp to 4 cups water and boil for about 10 minutes, then remove the kelp.In a separate bowl, whisk the sweet rice flour with 1 cup water until smooth.Pour the sweet rice mixture into the kelp water while stirring.Once it returns to a boil, cook for about 30 seconds, stirring, then turn off the heat.Let cool completely.
- Make the aromatic mixtureBlend the Asian pear, onion, garlic, ginger, and 1 cup water until smooth.Pour through cheesecloth or a fine straining cloth and squeeze well to extract as much liquid as possible.Discard the solids.
- Make the brineCombine the cooled kelp & sweet rice base, strained aromatic liquid, 6 cups water, soju, anchovy fish sauce, coarse sea salt, and sugar.Mix until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved.
- Prepare the vegetables and fruitThinly slice the Korean radish, apple, and red chili pepper.Cut the green onions into about 2-inch pieces.
- Rinse the cabbageRinse the salted cabbage thoroughly in fresh water about 3 times, making sure to rinse between the leaves.Gently squeeze out the excess water and drain well.
- AssembleIn a clean kimchi container, layer the cabbage with the Korean radish, apple, green onions, and red chili pepper.Continue alternating until everything is packed into the container.Pour the prepared brine over everything, making sure the cabbage and vegetables are well submerged.
- FermentLeave the baek kimchi at room temperature for about 1–2 days, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.If you live somewhere warm, it may ferment more quickly. Here in Los Angeles, I usually ferment mine for about 1–1½ days.Once the brine begins to taste pleasantly tangy and lightly fermented, transfer the kimchi to the refrigerator.Serve chilled with plenty of the refreshing brine.
Notes
Difficulty
Intermediate – There are several steps and some waiting involved, but making a small batch with just one napa cabbage keeps the process manageable.Storage
Refrigerator: Once fermented to your liking, store the baek kimchi covered in its brine in the refrigerator. The flavor will continue to develop and become more sour over time. For the best quality, keep the cabbage and vegetables submerged in the brine and always use clean utensils when serving. Freezer: Not recommended.Tips
• Use coarse sea salt for salting the cabbage. Fine table salt is much more concentrated by volume and isn’t a good 1:1 substitute. • Focus the extra salt on the thick white parts of the napa cabbage, since they take longer to soften than the leafy sections. • The cabbage is ready when the thick white parts are soft and flexible rather than stiff and brittle. The exact salting time may vary depending on the size of your cabbage. • Rinse the salted cabbage thoroughly, including between the leaves, to remove excess salt. • Let the kelp & sweet rice base cool completely before combining it with the rest of the brine. • Straining the blended pear, onion, garlic, and ginger keeps the brine cleaner while still infusing it with plenty of flavor. • Fermentation time depends on the temperature of your kitchen. Warmer temperatures speed up fermentation, while cooler temperatures may require closer to 2 days. • Don’t rely only on the fermentation time. Taste the brine and refrigerate the kimchi once it develops a pleasantly tangy, fermented flavor. • Keep the cabbage and vegetables submerged in the brine as much as possible during fermentation and storage. • The red chili pepper adds color and a subtle flavor. For a completely mild version, remove the seeds or leave it out.If you liked this, you might also like:
