Eating with a diet · 채식
Vegetarian and vegan in Korea
Korea has one of the world's great vegetable cuisines, but fish sauce, salted shrimp and anchovy stock run through everyday cooking. Temple food is the fully vegan answer.
Usually safe to order
Vegetarian as usually served 21
Rice & porridge
호박죽Hobak-juk
Silky, sweet pumpkin porridge thickened with glutinous rice.
Noodles & dumplings
콩국수Kongguksu
Wheat noodles in ice-cold, creamy soy-milk broth. Summer only.
Pancakes & fritters
감자전Gamja-jeon
Grated potato pancake from Gangwon, chewy and crisp.
Kimchi & sides
동치미Dongchimi
Clear, chilled radish water kimchi with a gentle fizz.
Kimchi & sides
콩나물무침Kongnamul-muchim
Blanched soybean sprouts seasoned with sesame oil and garlic.
Kimchi & sides
시금치나물Sigeumchi-namul
Spinach blanched and dressed with sesame oil, soy and sesame seeds.
Kimchi & sides
계란말이Gyeran-mari
Rolled omelette with chopped vegetables, sliced into thick rounds.
Egg
Street food
호떡Hotteok
Griddled pancake filled with molten brown sugar, cinnamon and seeds. Mind the first bite.
Street food
붕어빵Bungeoppang
Fish-shaped waffle filled with sweet red bean. The taste of a Korean winter.
Egg
Street food
계란빵Gyeran-ppang
Sweet, fluffy bread baked with a whole egg on top.
EggDairy
Sweets, tea & drinks
팥빙수Patbingsu
Milk-snow shaved ice piled with sweet red beans and rice cakes.
Dairy
Sweets, tea & drinks
송편Songpyeon
Half-moon rice cakes steamed on pine needles for the Chuseok harvest festival.
Sweets, tea & drinks
인절미Injeolmi
Soft pounded rice cake rolled in roasted soybean powder.
Sweets, tea & drinks
약과Yakgwa
Honey-soaked fried cookies scented with ginger, a royal-court sweet back in fashion.
Sweets, tea & drinks
달고나Dalgona
Honeycomb toffee pressed with a shape you try to cut out without breaking.
Sweets, tea & drinks
호두과자Hodu-gwaja
Walnut-shaped cakes filled with red bean and walnut, Cheonan's travel snack.
EggDairy
Sweets, tea & drinks
식혜Sikhye
Sweet, cold rice drink with soft grains floating on top.
Sweets, tea & drinks
수정과Sujeonggwa
Chilled cinnamon and ginger punch with dried persimmon and pine nuts.
Sweets, tea & drinks
유자차Yuja-cha
Hot citron tea made from yuja marmalade, Korea's winter cold remedy.
Royal & temple food
사찰음식Temple food
Buddhist temple cooking: fully vegan, with no meat, fish, garlic or onion.
Royal & temple food
도토리묵Dotorimuk
Acorn jelly cut into cubes and dressed with soy, chilli and greens.
Can be made without meat or fish if you ask 33
Rice & porridge
비빔밥Bibimbap
Rice under seasoned vegetables, a fried egg and gochujang. You mix it all yourself.
BeefEgg
Rice & porridge
돌솥비빔밥Dolsot-bibimbap
Bibimbap served in a scorching stone pot, so the rice turns golden and crisp at the bottom.
BeefEgg
Rice & porridge
전주비빔밥Jeonju bibimbap
The city of Jeonju's famous bibimbap: rice cooked in beef stock, topped with up to thirty ingredients.
BeefEgg
Rice & porridge
김밥Gimbap
Rice and fillings rolled in seaweed and sliced. Korea's grab-and-go lunch.
PorkSeafoodEgg
Rice & porridge
김치볶음밥Kimchi-bokkeumbap
Rice fried with aged kimchi, finished with a fried egg on top.
PorkSeafoodEgg
Rice & porridge
쌈밥Ssambap
A spread of fresh leaves for wrapping rice, meat and ssamjang into one perfect bite.
Pork
Soups & stews
된장찌개Doenjang-jjigae
Fermented soybean paste stew with tofu and zucchini, usually built on anchovy broth.
Seafood
Soups & stews
순두부찌개Sundubu-jjigae
Silky soft tofu in a fiery red broth, with a raw egg cracked in at the table.
SeafoodEgg
Soups & stews
청국장찌개Cheonggukjang-jjigae
Stew of quick-fermented whole soybeans, pungent and deeply savoury.
Soups & stews
미역국Miyeokguk
Seaweed soup eaten on every Korean birthday.
Beef
Soups & stews
콩나물국밥Kongnamul-gukbap
Jeonju's bean-sprout soup with rice, served boiling with a soft egg on the side.
SeafoodEgg
Braises & stir-fries
안동찜닭Andong-jjimdak
Soy-braised chicken with glass noodles, potatoes and dried chillies, born in Andong's old market.
Chicken
Noodles & dumplings
비빔냉면Bibim-naengmyeon
Cold noodles tossed in sweet, spicy chilli sauce instead of broth.
Egg
Noodles & dumplings
잡채Japchae
Sweet-potato glass noodles stir-fried with vegetables, beef and sesame oil.
Beef
Noodles & dumplings
막국수Makguksu
Rustic buckwheat noodles from Gangwon, served cold with a spicy sauce or broth.
Egg
Noodles & dumplings
잔치국수Janchi-guksu
Banquet noodles: thin wheat noodles in light anchovy broth, served at weddings.
SeafoodEgg
Noodles & dumplings
라면Ramyeon
Korea's instant noodles, cooked spicy with egg and scallion. A national habit.
Egg
Noodles & dumplings
만두Mandu
Korean dumplings, steamed, boiled or pan-fried, filled with pork, tofu and kimchi or vegetables.
Pork
Noodles & dumplings
쫄면Jjolmyeon
Extra-chewy wheat noodles tossed with vegetables in a sour-spicy sauce.
Egg
Pancakes & fritters
해물파전Haemul-pajeon
Crisp scallion pancake loaded with seafood. Rainy-day food, best with makgeolli.
SeafoodEgg
Pancakes & fritters
김치전Kimchi-jeon
Pancake of chopped kimchi, crispy and tangy.
Seafood
Pancakes & fritters
빈대떡Bindaetteok
Thick mung-bean pancake, fried crisp in plenty of oil at Gwangjang Market.
Pork
Kimchi & sides
배추김치Baechu-kimchi
Fermented napa cabbage with chilli, garlic and salted seafood. Served with every meal, refills free.
Seafood
Kimchi & sides
깍두기Kkakdugi
Cubed radish kimchi, crunchy and juicy, the partner of every beef soup.
Seafood
Kimchi & sides
오이소박이Oi-sobagi
Cucumbers slit and stuffed with chives and chilli, a fresh summer kimchi.
Seafood
Kimchi & sides
계란찜Gyeran-jjim
Steamed egg that puffs up over the rim of its stone pot.
EggSeafood
Kimchi & sides
두부조림Dubu-jorim
Pan-fried tofu simmered in soy-chilli sauce.
Street food
떡볶이Tteokbokki
Chewy rice cakes in sweet-hot gochujang sauce, sold from every street cart.
Seafood
Street food
튀김Twigim
Korean tempura: squid, sweet potato, vegetables and seaweed rolls.
SeafoodEgg
Street food
핫도그Korean corn dog
Sausage or mozzarella on a stick in batter, rolled in sugar and squeezed with sauce.
PorkDairyEgg
Royal & temple food
구절판Gujeolpan
Platter of nine sections: eight fillings to wrap in thin crepes from the centre.
BeefEggSeafood
Royal & temple food
탕평채Tangpyeongchae
Mung-bean jelly salad with beef and vegetables, named for a king's policy of harmony.
BeefEgg
Royal & temple food
한정식Hanjeongsik
A full Korean table d'hôte: rice and soup surrounded by twenty or more dishes.
BeefPorkSeafoodEgg