Vegetables

How to make Radish Kimchi

Name: Radish Kimchi
Total time: 2 d
Ingredients: 1000 g Korean radish; 15 g Coarse sea salt; 10 g Sugar; 30 g Gochugaru; 20 ml Fish sauce; 4 cloves Garlic; 8 g Fresh ginger; 3 stalks Spring onions

Cubed Korean radish tossed with salt and a spicy gochugaru paste, then briefly fermented into a crunchy, tangy banchan. Plan on about 30 minutes of active prep and 1-3 days to reach the flavour you want before refrigerating.

Quick answer

Cube the radish, toss it with salt and sugar, and let it release moisture before draining. Mix the seasoning paste, add the spring onions, and coat every cube thoroughly. Pack the radish tightly into a clean jar and leave headspace so the first stage can ferment safely at room temperature. After 2 days, release built-up gas, taste the radish, and refrigerate it once the flavour is where you want it.

Difficulty: Beginner
Total time: 2 days
Ingredients: 8
Steps: 4

Safety

• Start with a clean bowl, knife, and jar so the kimchi ferments with as little contamination risk as possible.
• Open the jar slowly over a sink because radish kimchi can build pressure quickly at room temperature.
• Keep the cubes pressed below the liquid after every taste or check.
• A strong sulphurous, tangy smell is normal for radish. A rotten smell or fuzzy mold means the batch should be discarded.

Ingredients

• 1000 g Korean radish Or daikon, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
• 15 g Coarse sea salt Non-iodized, for drawing out moisture
• 10 g Sugar Helps draw out juice and feed early fermentation
• 30 g Gochugaru Korean chili flakes -- adjust for heat tolerance
• 20 ml Fish sauce Sub equal amount of soy sauce for vegan
• 4 cloves Garlic Minced or pressed
• 8 g Fresh ginger Grated
• 3 stalks Spring onions Cut into 3 cm sections

Equipment

Large bowl Use it for salting the radish and mixing in the seasoning paste.
Chef's knife and board Needed for cubing the radish and cutting the spring onions evenly.
Colander For draining the salted radish before seasoning.
Kitchen scale Helps keep the salt and seasoning balanced.
Gloves Recommended when mixing in the chili paste.
1-1.5 L jar Leave a few centimeters of headspace so expanding liquid has room.

Step-by-step

Day 0

Step 1: Prepare radish

Cube the radish, toss it with salt and sugar, and let it release moisture before draining.

Set up clean equipment Wash the bowl, knife, board, and fermentation jar before you start.
Cut radish Peel the radish and cut it into even cubes about 2 cm across.
Salt and sweeten Toss the cubes with the salt and sugar and rest them for about 30 minutes.
Drain radish Drain off most of the released liquid, keeping a few spoonfuls to help form the brine.

Day 0

Step 2: Make paste and season

Mix the seasoning paste, add the spring onions, and coat every cube thoroughly.

Mix paste Combine the chili flakes, fish sauce, garlic, and ginger into a thick paste.
Add aromatics Fold the spring onions through the paste so they are evenly distributed.
Coat the radish Add the drained radish and turn it through the paste until every cube is evenly coated.

Day 0

Step 3: Pack and ferment

Pack the radish tightly into a clean jar and leave headspace so the first stage can ferment safely at room temperature.

Pack jar Transfer the radish into a clean jar, press it down firmly, and leave 3-4 cm of headspace.
Start fermentation Leave the jar covered but not airtight at 18-22C so the first sourness can develop.

Day 2

Step 4: Taste and refrigerate

Release built-up gas, taste the radish, and refrigerate it once the flavour is where you want it.

Release pressure Open the lid slowly to release pressure, then press the radish back below the liquid.
Taste and decide Taste a cube and decide whether to refrigerate now or leave it out another day or two.
Refrigerate jar Seal the jar and refrigerate to slow the fermentation and hold the radish at its current stage.

What to look for

• After salting: The cubes flex slightly instead of snapping and a pool of liquid collects in the bowl. That means the radish has released enough moisture to drain, season, and pack.
• Day 1-2: You see a few bubbles, the liquid rises and turns red, and the jar smells tangy. Those signs confirm active fermentation and explain why the jar may have built pressure.
• Before refrigeration: A cube tastes lightly sour and still has a firm crunch. That is the point where many people refrigerate it, though you can leave it out longer for more tartness.

Troubleshooting

The radish kimchi is too salty. Too much liquid was reserved or the radish was not drained enough. Drain more thoroughly next time. For this batch, let it mellow in the fridge and eat it with plain rice or other unsalted foods.
The cubes float above the liquid. The jar was not packed tightly enough or was disturbed often. Press everything down firmly with a clean spoon every time you check it.
The radish turns soft and loses its crunch. The cubes were cut too small or fermented too warm for too long. Cut larger cubes next time, refrigerate sooner, and keep the jar out of warm spots.
It gets too sour. It stayed warm too long before refrigeration or kept aging in the fridge. Use it in fried rice, pancakes, or stews and refrigerate earlier next time.

Storage

Seal the jar and refrigerate once the radish tastes balanced to you, keeping the cubes below the liquid. It will continue to mature slowly in the cold.

Shelf life: about 1-3 months refrigerated

Serving suggestions

• Serve it as a crunchy banchan beside rice and grilled meats.
• Add it to fried rice, noodle bowls, or savoury pancakes.
• Use more sour batches in stews and soups.

See the full recipe — free

Enter your email to unlock every step, the full timeline, and the troubleshooting guide. Unlocks all 47 recipes.

Frequently asked questions

What is Radish Kimchi?

How long does it take to make Radish Kimchi?

Most batches of Radish Kimchi are ready in about 2 days, though exact timing depends on temperature and how the ferment tastes along the way.

Is Radish Kimchi hard to make?

Radish Kimchi is a great beginner project — no special skills required, just clean equipment and a little patience.

What do you need to make Radish Kimchi?

You'll need Korean radish, Coarse sea salt, Sugar, Gochugaru, Fish sauce, Garlic, Fresh ginger, Spring onions.

How do I know when Radish Kimchi is ready?

Watch for these cues: After salting: The cubes flex slightly instead of snapping and a pool of liquid collects in the bowl.; Day 1-2: You see a few bubbles, the liquid rises and turns red, and the jar smells tangy.; Before refrigeration: A cube tastes lightly sour and still has a firm crunch..

How do I store Radish Kimchi?

Seal the jar and refrigerate once the radish tastes balanced to you, keeping the cubes below the liquid. It will continue to mature slowly in the cold. Shelf life: about 1-3 months refrigerated.

Related fermentation recipes

Vegetables

Classic Sauerkraut

Traditional lacto-fermented cabbage. Three weeks of hands-off fermentation, guided by clear daily checkpoints.

21 days · Beginner · 2 ingredients

Vegetables

Curtido

A tangy Salvadoran slaw of cabbage, carrot, and onion, lightly fermented with salt and oregano. Expect about 30 minutes of active prep, then 3-5 days of fermentation, with a taste check to decide when it is tart enough to refrigerate.

5 days · Beginner · 6 ingredients

Vegetables

Dilly Beans

Green beans fermented with dill and garlic into a crunchy, tangy snack. Expect about 15 minutes of active prep, then 7-14 days of fermentation, with a taste check to decide when to refrigerate.

14 days · Beginner · 6 ingredients