20 Flavor-Packed Korean Vegetarian Recipes for Healthy and Delicious Plant-Based Meals

Korean cuisine is renowned for its vibrant, bold flavors, and the good news is that many dishes are naturally vegetarian or easily adapted. From colorful mixed rice bowls to chewy rice cakes and crispy pancakes, these recipes showcase the best of plant-based Korean food. Here are expanded, detailed recipes for some of the most popular vegetarian Korean dishes, complete with step-by-step instructions.

1. Vegetarian Bibimbap (Mixed Rice Bowl)

Bibimbap is a signature Korean dish featuring rice topped with assorted vegetables, tofu, and a spicy gochujang sauce. It's nutritious, colorful, and fully customizable.

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 2 cups cooked short-grain rice
• 200g firm tofu, pressed and sliced
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1 zucchini, julienned
• 200g spinach
• 100g shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cucumber, julienned
• 4 fried eggs (optional, for non-vegan)
• 4 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Sesame seeds for garnish
• Vegetable oil for sautéing

Instructions:

1. Prepare the sauce: Mix gochujang, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and a splash of water until smooth.
2. Sauté each vegetable separately: Carrot with a pinch of salt, zucchini similarly, blanch and season spinach with sesame oil and garlic, sauté mushrooms.
3. Pan-fry tofu slices until golden on both sides.
4. Assemble: Divide rice into bowls, arrange vegetables and tofu on top in sections.
5. Add sauce and mix everything together before eating.
6. Garnish with sesame seeds.

2. Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap)

A quick and flavorful fried rice using tangy kimchi for that signature Korean kick.

Ingredients (Serves 2):

• 2 cups cooked rice (preferably day-old)
• 1 cup vegan kimchi, chopped
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp kimchi juice
• 1 tbsp gochujang
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• Tofu or mushrooms for protein (optional)

Instructions:

1. Heat sesame oil in a pan, sauté onion until translucent.
2. Add kimchi and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add rice, breaking up clumps, and mix well.
4. Stir in kimchi juice, gochujang, and soy sauce.
5. Cook until heated through, add green onions at the end.

3. Tteokbokki (Spicy Stir-Fried Rice Cakes)

Chewy cylindrical rice cakes in a sweet-spicy sauce – a popular Korean street food made vegetarian.

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 500g tteok (rice cakes)
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 3 tbsp gochujang
• 2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Green onions and sesame seeds for garnish
• Optional: cabbage, carrots

Instructions:

1. Soak rice cakes in warm water if frozen.
2. Simmer broth with gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, and garlic.
3. Add rice cakes and vegetables, cook until sauce thickens and cakes are soft (10-15 minutes).
4. Garnish and serve hot.

4. Japchae (Stir-Fried Glass Noodles)

Sweet potato glass noodles stir-fried with colorful vegetables and a savory-sweet sauce.

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 200g dangmyeon (sweet potato noodles)
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 100g spinach
• 100g mushrooms
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Garlic, sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Boil noodles until soft, rinse in cold water, toss with sesame oil.
2. Sauté each vegetable separately.
3. Mix soy sauce, sugar, garlic.
4. Combine noodles, vegetables, and sauce in a pan, stir-fry briefly.
5. Sprinkle sesame seeds.

5. Gimbap (Korean Seaweed Rice Rolls)

Similar to sushi but with seasoned rice and various veggie fillings.

Ingredients (Serves 4 rolls):

• 4 sheets nori
• 2 cups cooked rice, seasoned with sesame oil and salt
• Carrot, spinach, pickled radish, cucumber strips
• Tofu or avocado for filling

Instructions:

1. Place nori on bamboo mat, spread rice evenly.
2. Add fillings in a line.
3. Roll tightly, slice into pieces.

6. Yachaejeon (Vegetable Pancake)

Crispy pancake loaded with vegetables, perfect as a side or snack.

Ingredients (Serves 2-4):

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup water
• Mixed vegetables: scallions, carrot, zucchini, onion
• Salt, oil for frying
• Dipping sauce: soy sauce + vinegar

Instructions:

1. Mix flour and water into batter.
2. Add chopped vegetables.
3. Fry in hot oil until golden on both sides.
4. Serve with dipping sauce.

7. Sundubu Jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew) - Vegetarian Version

A spicy, comforting stew with silken tofu and vegetables.

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 2 tubes soft tofu
• Vegetable broth
• Gochujang, gochugaru
• Mushrooms, zucchini, onion
• Garlic, sesame oil

Instructions:

1. Sauté garlic and vegetables.
2. Add broth and seasonings, boil.
3. Add tofu, simmer gently.
4. Finish with sesame oil.

8. Oi Muchim (Spicy Cucumber Salad)

A refreshing, crunchy side dish with a spicy kick.

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 2 cucumbers, sliced
• 1 tbsp gochugaru
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• Garlic, sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Salt cucumbers, let sit 10 minutes, rinse.
2. Mix with seasonings.
3. Let marinate briefly.

9. Hobak Jeon (Zucchini Pancake)

Crispy pan-fried zucchini slices, a simple and delicious banchan or appetizer.

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 2 medium zucchinis, sliced into rounds
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs (or flax egg for vegan)
• Salt, pepper
• Oil for frying
• Dipping sauce: soy sauce, vinegar

Instructions:

1. Salt zucchini slices, let sit to draw out moisture.
2. Dip in flour, then egg batter.
3. Fry until golden on both sides.
4. Serve with dipping sauce.

10. Kongnamul Muchim (Seasoned Soybean Sprouts)

A crunchy, nutty side dish that's refreshing and easy to make.

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 300g soybean sprouts
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• Sesame seeds
• Salt

Instructions:

1. Blanch sprouts in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, rinse in cold water.
2. Mix with seasonings and green onion.
3. Garnish with sesame seeds.

11. Gamja Jorim (Braised Potatoes)

Glossy, sweet-savory potatoes that are addictive as a side dish.

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 500g baby potatoes
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar or corn syrup
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• Garlic, sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Boil potatoes until tender.
2. Simmer in sauce mixture until glazed.
3. Finish with sesame oil and seeds.

12. Dubu Jorim (Braised Tofu)

Spicy, savory pan-fried tofu braised in a flavorful sauce.

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 400g firm tofu, sliced
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp gochugaru
• 1 tbsp gochujang
• Garlic, green onions
• Sesame oil

Instructions:

1. Pan-fry tofu until golden.
2. Simmer in sauce until absorbed.
3. Garnish with green onions.

13. Bibim Guksu (Spicy Cold Noodles)

Refreshing somyeon noodles tossed in a spicy-sweet sauce, perfect for summer.

Ingredients (Serves 2):

• 200g somyeon noodles
• 2 tbsp gochujang
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Cucumber, carrot julienne
• Sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Cook and rinse noodles in cold water.
2. Mix sauce ingredients.
3. Toss noodles with sauce and veggies.

14. Vegetable Kimbap (Seaweed Rice Rolls)

Filled with colorful vegetables for a portable, healthy meal.

Ingredients (Serves 4 rolls):

• 4 nori sheets
• 2 cups seasoned rice
• Spinach, carrot, pickled radish, avocado

Instructions:

1. Spread rice on nori.
2. Add vegetable strips.
3. Roll and slice.

15. Doenjang Jjigae (Soybean Paste Stew) - Vegetarian

A hearty, umami-rich stew with vegetables and tofu.

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 3 tbsp doenjang
• Vegetable broth
• Tofu, zucchini, mushrooms, onion
• Gochugaru for spice

Instructions:

1. Dissolve doenjang in broth.
2. Add vegetables and tofu, simmer.
3. Adjust seasoning.

16. Pajeon (Green Onion Pancake)

Crispy pancake with green onions, great with dipping sauce.

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 1 bunch green onions
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup water
• Oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Mix batter.
2. Add green onions.
3. Fry until crispy.

17. Sigeumchi Namul (Seasoned Spinach)

A classic, garlicky spinach side dish.

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 300g spinach
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• Soy sauce, sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Blanch spinach.
2. Season with garlic, oil, soy.
3. Garnish with seeds.

18. Gaji Namul (Seasoned Eggplant)

Steamed or marinated eggplant with spicy gochujang.

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 2 eggplants
• 1 tbsp gochujang
• Soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil

Instructions:

1. Steam eggplant until soft.
2. Tear into strips, mix with sauce.

19. Sukju Namul (Mung Bean Sprout Salad)

Light, crunchy sprout side with sesame flavor.

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 300g mung bean sprouts
• Sesame oil, garlic, green onion
• Salt, sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Blanch sprouts.
2. Season and toss.

20. Miyeok Guk (Seaweed Soup) - Vegetarian

Nourishing soup traditionally for birthdays, made with seaweed.

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 30g dried miyeok
• Vegetable broth
• Garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil
• Tofu optional

Instructions:

1. Soak and rinse seaweed.
2. Sauté garlic, add seaweed and broth.
3. Simmer until tender.

These recipes capture the essence of Korean vegetarian cuisine – bold, balanced, and utterly delicious. Enjoy experimenting with these dishes!