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You are here: Home / Korean / Top 7 Vegan Korean Recipes for Beginners

Top 7 Vegan Korean Recipes for Beginners

Published: Jun 3, 2020 · Updated: Jul 2, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

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spread of vegan Korean food

No meat? No problem!  These 7 Korean recipes have enough flavor on their own without all the animal protein.  Check out how vegan friendly Korean cuisine can be with these easy, beginner recipes.

spread of vegan Korean food

You probably already now that vegan food contains no animal products.  But did you know that Korean food can easily be made vegan?

Aside from the notorious beef BBQ blowouts, the flavors that season Korean food are primarily vegan, such as Korean chili flakes, sesame oil, and soy sauce.

In addition, the techniques to cook Korean food are easy for beginner cooks too.

Try out these 7 vegan Korean recipes to get started.

#1 Easiest Ever Korean Sesame Spinach

Why is it easy?

  • A quick swish in boiling water followed by swoosh under cool water.
  • Squeeze out the excess water, and toss with simple ingredients.

Why is it tasty?

Maybe you’ve never had cold, cooked spinach before, but it has this homey, healthy feeling that raises self esteem (really!) 🙂

Easiest Ever Korean Sesame Spinach
So good, so easy, and so healthy.  Get your daily Popeye spinach allowance with the easiest recipe ever for this Korean sesame spinach side dish. 
Check out this recipe
korean sesame spinach with sesame seeds

#2 Cucumber Kimchi

Cucumber kimchi with red Korean chili flakes and sesame seeds in glass dish.

Why is it easy?

  • Regular kimchi requires a long fermentation period.  This one can be done in 30 minutes.
  • Cucumbers are so easy and fun to cut.

Why is it tasty?

It’s kind of like a quick pickle, refreshing like most cucumbers are, but with fresh garlic and Korean chili zest.

Quick, Vegan Cucumber Kimchi
Kimchi that is fast, easy, and tasty.  Just needs a few simple, vegan ingredients and less than 30 minutes to prepare.
Check out this recipe
Glass bowl of sliced cucumber kimchi with sesame seed garnish

#3 Black Bean Sauce Noodles aka “Jia Jiang Myeon”

Fork twirling vegetarian black bean sauce noodles - Korean

Why is it easy?

  • The sauce and flavor are mostly done for you with the store bought black bean paste.
  • The sauce cooks quickly, so it will be done by the time the noodles are done cooking.

Why is it tasty?

It has a deep, rich black bean flavor very unique to this dish and does not require one speck of cheese to taste good.

Vegan Korean Black Bean Sauce Noodles
While the traditional version of this dish uses pork, this vegan version uses cubes of kabocha squash, a splash of red wine, and dried porcini mushrooms for a complex and richly flavored sauce. 
Check out this recipe
Fork twirling vegetarian black bean sauce noodles - Korean

#4 Korean Bean Sprouts

korean bean sprout salad with green onion

Why is it easy?

  • A quick swish in boiling water.  These cook in about a minute.
  • Toss with some seasonings, and it can last for days in the fridge.

Why is it tasty?

It’s crunchy and juicy at the same. Really hard just to eat one sprout.

5 minute Korean Bean Sprouts
Can you boil water?  If so, you can make this easy side dish, found in nearly every Korean restaurant. 
Check out this recipe
Korean bean sprout salad in bowl

#5 Glass Noodles with Vegetables aka Jap Chae

Korean vegan sweet potato noodles and vegetables with chopsticks.

Why is it easy?

  • It may look like a lot of ingredients but still way easier than adding meat and eggs to the traditional jap chae noodle dish.
  • If you buy pre-shredded carrots, 1/3 of the hard work is done.

Why is it tasty?

Served at room temperature, it is a bit like salad with a colorful vegetable medley, but those chewy sweet potato noodles are addictive like Tiger King.  Bonus, that the noodles are gluten free too.

Vegan Japchae - Korean Glass Noodles with Vegetables
For the sake of your own sanity, please make japchae vegan.  No need to cook and slice meat and egg in this recipe, since you have enough things to do in your life already. You are enough, and the veggies are enough.
Check out this recipe
Korean vegan chap chae on blue plate with wooden chopsticks.

#6 Seaweed Salad

Korean seaweed salad in wood bowl with black chopsticks on the side.

Why is it easy?

  • You don’t have to cook anything.  Just rehydrate dried seaweed also known as wakame.
  • Toss with some sliced cucumbers like a salad.

Why is it tasty?

So refreshing, reminds you of the sea, and full of minerals and other good stuff in seaweed.

Korean Seaweed Salad
This cool Korean seaweed salad is uber healthy, quick to make, and HIGHLY ADDICTIVE. Make this all-time favorite, classic side dish quickly and easily from your pantry.
Check out this recipe
Korean seaweed salad in wood bowl with black chopsticks on the side.

#7 Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice

Kimchi Fried Rice with cheese and Seaweed strips

Why is it easy?

  • It doesn’t have that many ingredients. The vegan kimchi does most of the work.
  • It is fast, as in should take less than 15 minutes to cook.

Why is it tasty?

It’s fried rice for one.  Coupled with sour kimchi and toasted sesame seeds, this is just one more reason to love carbs.

Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice
Kimchi fried rice gets a vegan makeover.  A few additional ingredients make it just as luscious as the meat version. Serve with a vegan chocolate milk for a sweet-spicy combination.  
Check out this recipe
Kimchi Fried Rice with cheese and Seaweed strips

Want more vegan recipes?

Check out these beginner friendly ones:

Quickest, Coolest Japanese Tofu Salad

Fish Fragrant Fairy Tale Eggplant – Vegan

Vegan BBQ: 3 EASY Ideas to Pair with Crianza Rioja

 

More Asian Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes

  • Easy, Soupy, Chinese Egg & Tomato Stir-Fry
  • Japanese Mushroom Rice (Kinoko Gohan)
  • Corn Potage (3-Ingredient Cream of Corn Soup)
  • Thai Black Rice Pudding: the Superfood you’re not Eating
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