Kimchi slaw is shredded napa cabbage, carrots, and red bell pepper tossed with chopped kimchi and a vinegar-sesame dressing โ no cooking required, ready in 20 minutes. It works as a side dish or a topping for tacos, burgers, or grilled meat, and the kimchi does most of the flavor work for you.
The technique that matters
The only real skill here is cutting everything to a similar size. If your cabbage is in thick chunks and your carrots are paper-thin, the slaw eats unevenly โ some bites are all crunch, others are all dressing. Aim for thin, uniform strips across all the vegetables, roughly the width of a matchstick. The second thing worth doing is whisking the dressing until the sesame oil and rice vinegar actually combine before it hits the vegetables. Sesame oil is dense and will pool at the bottom of the bowl if you just pour everything in together, which means the bottom layer of slaw gets overdressed and the top gets almost none. Thirty seconds of whisking solves that completely. Dress it at the table โ a pre-dressed slaw goes limp fast.
If something goes sideways
- The slaw tastes flat even after dressing: Kimchi brands vary a lot in saltiness and sourness. Taste the kimchi on its own before you chop it. If itโs mild, add an extra teaspoon of rice vinegar to the dressing to compensate. If itโs very salty, hold back on the soy sauce and add it gradually at the end.
- The dressing is too sharp or too sweet: Rice vinegar and honey are easy to overdo. Add the honey in two stages โ half while whisking, then taste before adding the rest. You can always add more sweetness but you canโt take it out.
- The cabbage releases water and the bowl goes soupy: Napa cabbage has a high water content. If youโre prepping ahead, keep the cabbage separate from the kimchi until just before serving. Kimchi draws moisture out of the cabbage quickly once theyโre combined.
- The gochugaru clumps in the dressing: It wonโt dissolve the way a powder would. Whisk it in last, after the liquids are already combined, and give it an extra 20 seconds of stirring. Small clumps are fine โ they distribute when you toss the slaw.
- The slaw looks dull and pale after sitting: Red bell pepper and carrots fade once cut and exposed to air. Cut them right before assembling, not hours ahead.
Keeping it fresh
Store any undressed components in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. The shredded cabbage, carrots, and bell pepper will hold well for up to two days. Chopped kimchi is fine in a sealed container for the same period. The dressing keeps for up to five days in a small jar in the fridge โ shake it before using since the sesame oil will separate. Once the slaw is fully dressed and assembled, itโs best eaten within an hour. After that the cabbage softens noticeably and the kimchi continues to release liquid into the bowl. If youโre bringing this to a gathering, pack the dressing separately and toss everything on arrival.
Spicy Kimchi Slaw
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Chef's Knife
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Grater or food processor with shredder attachment
Ingredients
Slaw Ingredients
- 2 cups Napa cabbage shredded
- 1 cup carrots julienned or grated
- 1 cup red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 cup kimchi roughly chopped
Dressing Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon gochugaru Korean red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce low sodium preferred
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds toasted, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded Napa cabbage, julienned carrots, thinly sliced red bell pepper, and chopped kimchi. Toss gently to mix.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, sesame oil, gochugaru, soy sauce, and honey to create the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture in the large bowl. Toss until all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Transfer the spicy kimchi slaw to a serving dish. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds as garnish.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
What kind of kimchi should I buy for this?
Any store-bought napa cabbage kimchi works fine. Look for it in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores or Asian markets โ it usually comes in a jar or resealable pouch. Avoid shelf-stable kimchi in cans, which tends to be mushier and less flavorful than the refrigerated kind.
Can I make this without gochugaru if I canโt find it?
Yes, though the flavor will be slightly different. Gochugaru has a mild, smoky heat that regular chili flakes donโt quite replicate. If you substitute, use about half the amount of standard red pepper flakes since theyโre considerably hotter, and accept that the color of the dressing will be a little less vivid.
Is this recipe vegan?
It depends on your kimchi. Many commercial kimchis contain fish sauce or salted shrimp. If you need the dish to be fully vegan, check the ingredient label and choose a kimchi made without animal products โ they are widely available. Everything else in the recipe, including the honey, is plant-based.
How do I shred napa cabbage if I donโt have a food processor?
A chefโs knife works perfectly well. Halve the cabbage lengthwise, lay each half flat, and slice across it in thin strips about a quarter-inch wide. Napa cabbage is softer than green cabbage and cuts easily without much effort.
Can I use regular green cabbage instead of napa?
You can, but the texture will be noticeably firmer and the slaw will need more time to soften after dressing. If you go that route, let it sit for 10 minutes after tossing before serving so the dressing has time to work into the cabbage.