South Korea
Salted Pollock Roe
명란젓
Pollock roe salted and fermented, with a firm texture and bright orange color, eaten as banchan or used as a seasoning.
eastern-asia
South Korea
Explore 203 foods connected to South Korea, from everyday staples to rare local specialties.
203 foods12 leading categories1 Essentials guides
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South Korea Essentials
15 editor-selected foods for understanding the place through what people eat.
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Traditional foods from South Korea.
203 foods in this view. Filter by category, type, rarity, or search every recorded name.
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South Korea
Salted Shrimp
새우젓
Small shrimp salted and fermented, an essential ingredient in kimchi and a key umami source in Korean cuisine.
South Korea
Salted Squid
오징어젓
Squid salted and fermented with gochugaru and vegetables, a popular banchan and kimchi ingredient.
South Korea
Scorched Rice
누룽지
The crispy, golden crust of rice that forms at the bottom of a stone pot or iron cauldron, often served with hot water or broth as a comforting snack.
South Korea
Seafood Scallion Pancake
해물파전
A large scallion pancake loaded with assorted seafood (squid, shrimp, clams, mussels), a premium version of pajeon.
South Korea
Seasoned Bellflower Root
도라지나물
Bellflower roots salted, rinsed, and stir-fried with sesame oil and garlic, with a firm texture and a pleasant herbal bitterness.
South Korea
Seasoned Black Soybeans
콩자반
Black soybeans braised in soy sauce and sugar until soft and glossy, a sweet-savory banchan that keeps well.
South Korea
Seasoned Fernbrake
고사리나물
Rehydrated fiddlehead ferns slow-simmered in a savory broth with soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic, a classic bibimbap ingredient.
South Korea
Seasoned Mung Bean Sprouts
숙주나물
Mung bean sprouts blanched and seasoned with sesame oil and garlic, lighter and milder than soybean sprouts.
South Korea
Seasoned Soybean Sprouts
콩나물무침
Soybean sprouts blanched and seasoned with sesame oil, garlic, and salt, a crunchy, nutty banchan.
South Korea
Seasoned Spinach
시금치나물
Blanched spinach seasoned with sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce, and sesame seeds, a standard banchan and bibimbap topping.
South Korea
Seaweed Soup
미역국
A comforting soup with brown seaweed (miyeok) and beef broth, traditionally eaten on birthdays and after childbirth.
South Korea
Seonji Guk
선지국
A beef blood-cake soup, hearty and iron-rich, served at Korean soup houses.
South Korea
Short Rib Soup
갈비탕
A clear, rich soup made by boiling beef short ribs with radish for hours, with tender meat that falls off the bone.
South Korea
Sliced Boiled Meat
편육
Pork or beef boiled until tender, then pressed and sliced thinly, served with a spicy gochujang or salted shrimp dip, a classic jokbal companion.
South Korea
So-tteok-so-tteok
소떡소떡
So-tteok-so-tteok, alternating sausage and rice cake on a skewer with sweet-spicy glaze, is a named Korean market street item.
South Korea
Soft Tofu Stew
순두부찌개
A spicy stew with uncurdled soft (silken) tofu, seafood or meat, and a raw egg cracked into the bubbling pot at the table.
North Korea
Soju
소주
A clear, distilled spirit traditionally from rice, now also from wheat or sweet potatoes, typically 16-20% ABV, Korea's most popular alcohol.
Sokcho, South Korea
Sokcho Squid Sausages
속초 오징어순대
Sokcho's grilled squid sausages: squid stuffed with vegetables and egg, charred on a griddle.
South Korea
Somaek
소맥
Somaek, soju dropped or mixed into beer, is a named Korean drinking ritual with a fixed method and its own etiquette.
South Korea
Soy Garlic Chicken
간장치킨
Korean fried chicken brushed with a savory soy-garlic glaze, lighter and crispier than the spicy version.
South Korea
Soy Milk Noodles
콩국수
Cold wheat noodles in a rich, creamy broth made from freshly ground soybeans, a refreshing summer dish.
South Korea
Soy-Braised Beef
장조림
Beef brisket braised in soy sauce with garlic and whole peppers, then shredded, a savory, salty banchan often served with eggs.
North Korea
Soybean Paste Stew
된장찌개
A staple stew made with doenjang (fermented soybean paste), tofu, vegetables, and sometimes meat or seafood, served bubbling in a stone pot.
South Korea
Soybean Sprout Rice
콩나물밥
Rice cooked with soybean sprouts and ground meat, served with a spicy soybean paste sauce and raw egg mixed in at the table.
Jeonju, South Korea
Soybean Sprout Soup with Rice
콩나물국밥
A Jeonju specialty of soybean sprout soup served over rice, with a nutty, slightly spicy broth and crunchy sprouts.
South Korea
Spicy Beef Soup
육개장
A spicy soup with shredded beef brisket, fernbrake (gosari), bean sprouts, and scallions in a rich chili-based broth.
South Korea
Spicy Chewy Noodles
쫄면
Extra-chewy wheat noodles served cold with a spicy-sweet gochujang sauce, vegetables, and boiled egg.
South Korea
Spicy Octopus Salad
문어무침
Boiled octopus sliced and tossed in a spicy gochujang dressing with vegetables, a light and spicy banchan.
South Korea
Spicy Pork Bulgogi
돼지불고기
Pork marinated in a spicy gochujang and gochugaru-based sauce, grilled at the table or pan-fried, often served with rice and vegetables.
South Korea
Spicy Rice Cakes
떡볶이
Cylinder-shaped rice cakes simmered in a spicy, sweet gochujang sauce with fish cakes and scallions, Korea's most popular street food.
Chuncheon, South Korea
Spicy Stir-Fried Chicken
닭갈비
Spicy gochujang-marinated chicken stir-fried with cabbage, sweet potatoes, rice cakes, and scallions on a large iron plate at the table.
South Korea
Spicy Stir-Fried Octopus
낙지볶음
Small octopus stir-fried with vegetables in a spicy gochujang-based sauce, known for its chewy texture and bold flavor.
South Korea
Spicy Stir-Fried Squid
오징어볶음
Squid stir-fried with vegetables in a spicy gochujang sauce, a popular home-cooked dish and drinking food (anju).
South Korea
Steamed Buns
호빵
Korean steamed buns filled with red bean paste, meat, or vegetables, a popular winter convenience food and street snack.
South Korea
Steamed Egg
계란찜
Eggs beaten with broth and steamed until fluffy and custard-like, served bubbling in a stone bowl, a comforting banchan.