Green Cabbage Kimchi (Yangbaechu Kimchi)
Green cabbage kimchi, or yangbaechu kimchi, is the perfect alternative to traditional napa cabbage kimchi. It’s quick, super easy to make, and the crunchy sweetness of green cabbage creates a truly delicious kimchi.
If you’re a kimchi fan but can’t get your hands on napa cabbage, green cabbage is a fantastic alternative! This green cabbage kimchi (yangbaechu kimchi, 양배추 김치) is one of the simplest Korean kimchi recipes, and it keeps its crisp texture even after fermentation.
When I returned to Buenos Aires after a summer month in the U.S., the cold winter greeted me with chilly days. After a long journey, I found myself craving my comfort food—Korean food!
Naturally, the first thing on my list was making my everyday cabbage kimchi. But to my surprise, there was no napa cabbage in my usual stores. Instead, I found some green cabbage, and thought, why not give it a try?
To my delight, green cabbage works wonderfully in kimchi! Its natural sweetness and crunchy texture make it a perfect substitute. Plus, this version of cabbage kimchi is so much easier to make than the traditional napa cabbage kimchi. Green cabbage kimchi is now one of my favorite go-to recipes when I want a quick, fresh-tasting kimchi without the fuss.
Give this Korean yangbaechu kimchi recipe a try if you’re looking for a simpler way to enjoy homemade kimchi with ingredients that are easy to find!
How to make Green Cabbage Kimchi
Cut the green cabbage into 1.5 to 2-inch pieces and place them in a large bowl. In a measuring cup, mix Korean coarse sea salt with water until the salt dissolves.
Pour the salt brine over the cabbage and toss well. Sprinkle a little extra salt on top and let it brine for about 1 hour, until it slightly wilts. Toss the cabbage once halfway through. Drain the cabbage.
Meanwhile, in a blender, combine onion, garlic, ginger, anchovy sauce, and cooked white rice (leftover rice works well). Add water and blend until very smooth.
Why add rice? Starch plays an important role in the fermentation process of kimchi by feeding the good bacteria needed for fermentation. You can use leftover short-grain rice, rice paste made with sweet rice flour, or even plain mashed potato. This technique is also used in my Quick Radish kimchi recipe.
To make the kimchi paste, add gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) and sugar to the pureed mixture and mix well. Add this paste to the drained cabbage and use your hands to toss until evenly coated.
Transfer the kimchi to an airtight container. Add 1/2 cup of water to the mixing bowl, swirl to gather any remaining kimchi paste, and pour it over the green cabbage kimchi. Seal the container and let the kimchi ferment.
Yangbaechu Kimchi Fermentation Tip
Fermenting green cabbage kimchi takes 1-2 days at room temperature or about a week in the fridge. Keep the container loosely sealed at first to allow gases to escape, then seal it tightly once it begins to ferment.
For best results, taste the kimchi daily; when it reaches your preferred level of tanginess, transfer it to the fridge to slow down further fermentation. This method gives you control over the flavor and texture, ensuring perfectly tangy, crunchy green cabbage kimchi.
This recipe was originally published in July 2015. I’ve updated it with more detailed information and improved accuracy. Please rate the recipe and share your experience in the comments below! For more delicious recipes, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter!
Easy Green Cabbage Kimchi (Yangbaechu Kimchi)
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 about 3.5 lb (1.5 kg) green cabbage
- 6 tbsp Korean coarse sea salt, divided
- 2 cup (480 ml) water
- 1/2 small onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/2 inch piece ginger, chopped
- 3 tbsp Korean anchovy sauce
- 2 tbsp cooked white rice, see note*
- 4 fresh red chili, diced, optional
- 7 tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 3 green onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) extra water
Instructions
- Cut and dice the cabbage into 1-1/2 inch pieces. Try to separate the cabbage layers. Rinse them well and place them in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix 4 tablespoons of salt with 2 cups of water until the salt dissolves. Pour it over the cabbage and toss well. Sprinkle the remaining salt on top, pressing down gently. Let the cabbage soak for 1 hour, turning it once halfway through.
- To make kimchi paste, in a blender, combine onion, garlic, ginger, anchovy sauce, cooked rice. Puree them until very smooth. Add the fresh chili and pulse a few times to finely process the chili but not pureed completely. Pour the mixture in a bowl and add the gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) and sugar; mix well.
- Once the cabbage is wilted, rinse it twice and drain well. Place it in a large mixing bowl, add the green onion and kimchi paste, and, wearing plastic kitchen gloves, toss everything together to coat the cabbage evenly with the seasoning.
- Transfer the kimchi to an airtight container. Pour 1/2 to 1 cup of water into the kimchi mixing bowl, swirl it around to collect any remaining kimchi paste, and then pour it back over the kimchi.
- Cover the kimchi with the lid and let it sit on a counter for 1 day and then, store in the refrigerator for 3-4 more days for better fermentation.
I make mine with finely chopped green cabbage into thin slivers, much like for cole slaw. I skip the rice & sugar & add the dregs of prior kimchi juice/paste & I double up on slivered red onions. I also use dried baby shrimps instead of anchovie paste. I let it ferment for 48-60 hours as I like it somewhat crunchy but fully fermented to integrate all flavors.
Delicious! I used fish sauce and shrimp sauce (you can find it on Amazon as “Korean fermented sauce”), and instead of cooked rice I made a “porridge” of glutinous rice flour, water, and sugar as the basis of the paste. Also added some grated carrot to the mix. I let the whole thing ferment for five days before refrigerating, so that the sauce had turned cloudy-looking and tangy-tasting. I think I like this even better than napa cabbage kimchee.
Two questions
1. What shrimp sauce do you use?
2. Can I can this?
I used Korean salted shrimp called saewu-jeot (https://www.beyondkimchee.com/pantry/korean-salted-shrimp-saeu-jeot/). You can find it in Korean markets. If not, omit it and increase the amount of Korean anchovy sauce instead.
Yes, you can can kimchi, but it’s not the most common method for preserving it. Kimchi is typically stored in jars and fermented in the refrigerator, where it continues to develop its flavors over time. Hope this helps. Thanks!
Hi Holly, I’m chuffed to see I can use green cabbage to make Kimchi. We’re in between harvests in New Zealand.
One question from me: does the Kimchi need to be fully covered by water?
Can’t wait to try my first batch! Thanks heaps
Arohanui from Aotearoa
Sigi
There’s no need of soaking the green cabbage in water at all. Just sprinkle some salt and let it wilt on its own. You don’t need to add any water.
Thanks for your speedy reply. I meant the Kimchi in the glass. However, the liquid has increased overnight and everything is now “under water”. Cheers
All kimchi releases some water content, depending on its prior brining. However, it shouldn’t be submerged. Did you adequately salt the cabbage? Many enjoy the kimchi liquid due to its beneficial bacteria and tangy flavor. Hope you still find it tasty!
Yes, I followed the recipe. Looks ok to me.
Cheers
Yay, it turned out really nice!
I’ve got another question. I haven’t been able to find gochugaru flakes yet. Would you suggest not to make any kimchi if I can only get the powder? I can’t afford to order anything expensive from overseas unfortunately.
Fine chili powder, used for making gochujang (chili paste), isn’t ideal for making kimchi. You can find more affordable chili flakes from China or Mexico, which are readily available in many Korean and other Asian stores.
How big of a container do we need to ferment the kimchi?
Hi Jay
About 1 gallon or 3.5 liter container will hold the amount. Or use 2-3 smaller jars if a big jar is not available. Hope this helps. Thanks!
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I have been ordering Kimchi online because I can’t find Nappa cabbage here. I have most of the ingredients in your recipe; however, I don’t have shrimp sauce and would prefer not to use shrimp sauce. It seems shellfish messes with my system. Can I use more anchovy sauce or leave out the sauce altogether?
Hi Tammy
Yes, you can omit the shrimp sauce and replace with anchovy sauce. You can also leave out the fish (or shellfish) sauce all together, but you will need something else to make up for the missing flavor. Try adding Korean soup soy sauce and add sea kelp stock or vegetable stock in place of water. See my vegan kimchi recipe post for the idea. Hope this helps. Thanks and good luck!
Good morning, I want to try this recipe but I don’t have any anchovy or shrimp sauce. All I have is fish sauce an shrimp paste can I used them instead.
You can use fish sauce instead, but use 1/2-2/3 of the amount. Don’t use shrimp paste. Hope you like this kimchi.
Can some dehydrated potato flakes such as instant mashed potatoes be used with some water as a substitution for the rice? I have red boat fish sauce and assume thats the “anchovy sauce” you mention? The only “shrimp sauce” I know is a REALLY sweet/spicy one I normally dip my spring rolls in. Are these suitable? I just finished making several jars of saurkraut so want to try something different the next time the grocery store has some cabbage heads on clearance.
Yes, you can use dried potato flakes instead of rice. If you don’t have the Korean style shrimp sauce, just omit it and increase the amount of your fish sauce. The sweet & spicy shrimp sauce is not suitable to make any kind of kimchi. Good luck with your kimchi making!
Hi Holly! Please tell me what kind of shrimp sause to buy and where! Is it like cocktail sause? Please let me know!
Fran
Shrimp sauce is fermented baby shrimps. You can find them in the refrigerator section in most Asian grocery stores that carries Korean grocery items. It is completely different than the shrimp cocktail sauce. Hope this helps.
does it have to be sea salt ? or will table salt do
Table salt will be extremely salty. Sea salt has a good amount of mineral that boosts up the flavor of cabbage once salted. If you mus tuse the tabel salt, reduce the amount by half or a little more than half.
I cant find shrimp sauce anywhere..is fish sauce a substitute
Yes. replace with fish sauce.
Is sweet rice flour the same as “rice flour”. That’s all the label on mine says!
If the package doesn’t specify “sweet rice flour”, it will be plain rice flour. You can use it for this recipe, but the stickiness is less.
How long can this recipe last in the fridge?
I would say about 1 month. After that they might get mushy and become very potent.
I cant get any type of fish sauce in my area instead can i use soya sauce alone?? waiting for your reply
regular soy sauce will make kimchi very dark and brown. If you can find Korean soy sauce for soup (gook-ganjang), that would be the best alternative. Or you can just omit the the sauce make make kimchi fish sauce free. It will still ferment.
Hi Holly,
I tried making this today and it worked, plus it’s simple enough to make often. Thank you for sharing a really good recipe. Appreciate it!!
I have 4 questions for you. Would this recipe also taste good if I 1) added raw oysters (Costco grade or from H mart) and if yes, how much should I add 2)added some slices of radish or carrots and how many cups worth would be a good amount?
About the rice — 3)how about if I took out the white rice all together just to simplify and not use mixer? 4) If have to use rice…well, we never have leftover white rice bc we eat brown rice or a mix of white+brown rice. So If I do want to use rice can I use the white + brown rice mix instead ofjust white rice?
I think this will be my main kimchi that I make again and again. I hope to hear from you soon!
Carina
Hi Carina
Fresh oyster will make kimchi tastier. However I have not tried with green cabbage, though. Koreans usually add the fresh seafood to Napa cabbage kimchi. I would definitely try with a small amount with green cabbage.
You can omit the white rice. Instead, use cooked and mashed plain potato. I usually microwave a small piece of potato to cook. You will need a form of starch to make better tasting kimchi since the starch feeds good bacteria during the fermentation. Brown rice might make the color of kimchi darker and not so appealing, so I wouldn’t recommend.
You can add radish and carrot to kimchi. Some adds cucumber slices, too, with green cabbage kimchi. For the amount, I would say, about 1 cupful each per a large head of green cabbage. It doesn’t have to be exact. You can add more or less depends on how much you like them.
Hope all these tips help. Good luck!
Thanks for getting right back to me on all my questions woth very helpful answers! Have a great week, Holly!
Holly, thank you for this recipe!
The Napa cabbage available to me is almost always old and sad so this recipe is very welcome. I used Cincalok for the shrimp sauce and Thai fish sauce (as advised on Maangchi’s site) to replace the Korean anchovy sauce. My kitchen is a bit cool at the moment and I t didn’t seem to have done much after one day, so I left it for an additional day, until it smelled right. I tasted it just now, before refrigerating. Very, very tasty! Beautifully seasoned with the perfect amount of heat,
The last commercial kimchi I bought was not good, not well seasoned and too sweet, I ended up ‘hiding’ it in cooked dishes. Now that I have your recipe which successfully uses the kind of cabbage I am most likely to find, I never again have to buy disappointing commercial kimchi.
I’m going to start another batch in a few days; so delicious I’m sure the first batch will ‘evaporate’ in the fridge:-). Again, thank you!
Hi Peggy, it is great to hear that your kimchi turned out great. No more commercial kimchi, right? ^ ^
Homemade is so much tastier and healthier compared to store bought. Hope you continue your journey with kimchi making. Thanks!
I got tired of the MSG in the store so now I make my own.
hi, is it too spicy? my problem is i can not digest chili what shoul i do?
Finally a recipe of Kimchi with Green Cabbage:-))
I have been thinking about using green cabbage since first time I read about Kimchi-recipes. The idea about making Kimchi with green cabbage is appealing, because it’s really healthy to eat the “green” one – and when you combine cabbage, spice and fermentation it’s a win-win situation. Think about spring time, when green cabbage is “lighter” both in consistency and taste, it would be perfect to make Kimchi.
Thank you!
Thanks a bunch. Any substitute to shrimp sauce? as I could find anchovies sauce only.
Just omit the shrimp sauce and increase the amount of anchovy sauce.
Adding rice is a nice trick. This really is an easy recipe — I have no excuse not to try it! Thanks!
Are the fishy sauces necessary?
Yes or no. You can use shrimp sauce only if you don’t have the anchovy sauce. But adding the anchovy sauce makes it tastier.
As a child of a Korean Mom, I could always taste fishy stuff in her kimchi. No it’s not necessary to put fish sauce or shrimp sauce in kimchi. Add a little extra salt or soy sauce, sweet rice gruel and a little bit of apple juice to enhance the fermentation process. A great way for vegetarians to enjoy kimchi. You’ll never miss the fishy taste and your kimchi will taste fantastic.
I really don’t like the fishy taste or smell in kimchi. My Korean Mom made kimchi the same as vegetarian options. The recipes suggest replacing seafood sauce with the broth from boiled black mushrooms in kimchi. It adds depth to kimchi.
I’ve been meaning to make Kimchee for a while now but have been partly too lazy and also not very motivated since it is not prime season for napa cabbage right now. Serving chicken porridge without kimchee for dinner was quite scandalous for our family today. This is perfect! I can taste the flavor and the crunch in my mouth. Thank you!!