• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to footer-bottom navigation
  • Skip to privacy navigation
  • Skip to recipes navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Kimchimari

Authentic Korean recipes even YOU can cook!

Free Korean BBQ Cookbook! TAP HERE to GET IT
POPULAR: our 10 takeout favorites
Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube

Authentic Korean Recipes Anyone Can Cook

  • New to Korean cooking? Start Here
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Recipes by Alphabet
    • Latest on the Blog
  • Ingredients
    • Korean Ingredient Glossary
    • Pantry Essentials
    • Pantry – Beyond Essentials
    • Korean Ingredients in Depth
  • How To
    • Cooking Basics + Tips
    • Buy + Use
    • Meal Plan
    • Make from scratch
    • Korean Veg Garden
  • Travel
  • Videos
    • Video Recipes
    • Web Stories
  • About
    • About Me
    • Press Interviews and Mentions
  • New to Korean cooking? Start Here
  • Shop
  • Free Korean BBQ Cookbook! TAP HERE to GET IT
  • Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube
Home Salads

15 Quick and Easy Korean Salads – from Vegan to Hearty recipes

Posted:7/30/20196 Comments

15 quick and easy Korean salads to go with any meals, including vegan recipes, kimchi-like salads, hearty salads with protein or noodles, and creamy salads that kids will love.

different korean salads of cabbage, chives, tofu and lettuce
15 Quick and Easy Korean Salads
Korean salads are simple to make but are an essential part of a Korean meal – especially with BBQs to help cut the greasy taste. I am sure you are aware that Korean food is generally known to be bold in flavors and rich in meat dishes. To balance that out, a Korean meal is typically served with many mild vegetable side dishes (known as banchan) and salads.

The great thing about these Korean salads is that they are quick and easy to make. They are usually tossed in a light tangy dressing that complements other complex dishes or made with naturally sweet ingredients to go with spicy dishes. So, Korean salads are great with any meals and come in variations that are suitable for everyone, including kids. In this round-up, I’ve put together a collection of quick and easy Korean salads for you to try and keep as an easy addition to your everyday meal whenever you feel you are missing some FRESH ingredients.

Vegan Korean Salads

Green Onion Salad (Pa Muchim)

Green Onion Salad (Pa Muchim)
Green Onion Salad (Pa Muchim)

A must-have side dish to accompany Korean BBQ grilled meats, this easy green onion salad helps bring out the flavor of the meat while also cutting out the fatty taste. The recipe calls for simple ingredients, and it can be ready in less than 10 minutes. Make this your go-to salad but don’t toss it too early because they will wilt quickly.

Lettuce Salad (Sangchoo Geotjeori)

lettuce salad plated on light blue plate
Korean lettuce salad

If green onion is too pungent for your taste, here’s another easy salad that is wonderful with any protein dish. It’s a really wonderful way to eat lettuce and any other aromatic veggies you may have such as Perilla and Chrysanthemum leaves. You can use any kind of lettuce too – from green leaf, red leaf, romaine to even butter lettuce.

Quick Asian Cucumber Salad (without soy sauce)

cucumbers salad plated on white dish
Quick Asian Cucumber Salad

This crowd-friendly cucumber salad is a variation of my ever popular Korean Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim) that is made without soy sauce and any pungent ingredients like garlic or green onion. Enjoy the sweet, refreshing taste and crunch of fresh cucumber with this five-minute recipe.

Kimchi-like Salads but lighter

Fresh Kimchi Salad with Spring Cabbage (Bomdong Geotjeori)

Fresh Kimchi Salad with Spring Cabbage (Bomdong Geotjeori)
Fresh Kimchi Salad with Spring Cabbage (Bomdong Geotjeori)

How about kimchi that can be made in minutes? This kimchi salad does not require any pickling or fermentation and can be eaten right away! Keep this fresh and quick kimchi recipe handy and use any cabbage that’s in season. It’s sure to impress your Korean food-loving friends and satisfy any kimchi cravings.

Chive Salad (Buchu Muchim)

Chive Salad (Buchu Muchim)
Chive Salad (Buchu Muchim)

The garlicky punch of fresh chives in this Korean salad is complemented by a tantalizing sweet, sour, and salty soy vinegar dressing. It makes a great side dish to Korean BBQ or any heavy meat dishes.

Easy Spicy Baby Bok Choy Salad

bokchoy salad served on white dish
Easy Spicy Baby Bok Choy Salad

If you like bok choy and looking for a new way to enjoy it then this is it. This salad is best made with tender, young baby bok choy or Shanghai bok choy. The vegetable is simply tossed with a spicy, tangy, and sweet dressing that’s full of Korean flavors but not as pungent tasting as kimchi.

Hearty Korean Salads good enough to be a meal

Tofu Salad with Iceberg Lettuce

Tofu Salad with Iceberg Lettuce
Tofu Salad with Iceberg Lettuce

If you didn’t like tofu because it was too bland tasting then please try this salad. It offers a great way to enjoy fresh raw tofu, which soaks up the wonderfully sweet and tangy mustard soy honey dressing. Iceberg lettuce, corn, and daikon sprouts give the salad a great crunch. It’s cooling and refreshing.

Rib Eye Steak Salad with Soy Plum Dressing

Rib Eye Steak Salad with Soy Plum Dressing
Rib Eye Steak Salad with Soy Plum Dressing

A hearty high-protein meat salad for those days when you want a more substantial salad. The star here really is the Korean-style rib eye (deungshim) cut, which is a lot thinner than the American cut – flavorful, rich with a slight chew. And don’t forget the crispy garlic that is the ‘cherry on top‘!  🍒For convenience, you can use leftover steak to make this lovely Korean salad.

Tuna Tataki Salad (Korean Style)

Tuna Tataki Salad 
Tuna Tataki Salad

This is my interpretation of the Japanese tuna tataki salad. So yes, it’s not exactly Korean but the addition of the roasted garlic definitely gives this a Korean twist. The key to this salad is cooking the tuna right: crispy on the outside, moist and soft on the inside. It is then combined with fresh greens, crunchy roasted garlic, and a creamy zesty dressing.

Cold Jellyfish Salad (Haepari Naengchae)

jellyfish salad with cucumbers lemon shrimp served on plate with blue designs
Cold Jellyfish Salad (Haepari Naengchae)

Jellyfish is enjoyed for its unique chewy and crunchy texture, and it’s pretty amazing when combined with julienned carrot and cucumber. The sweet and zesty dressing really brings all the ingredients together. This salad can be made ahead for a party and freshly dressed right before serving time.

Soba Noodle Salad with Sesame Soy Vinaigrette

Soba Noodle Salad with Sesame Soy Vinaigrette
Soba Noodle Salad with Sesame Soy Vinaigrette

The great thing about this soba noodle salad is that it makes a great one-dish meal that can be ready in 15 minutes. It can be customized with your favorite seasonal greens, and the versatile dressing doubles up as a dipping sauce for other dishes. It’s amazingly simple to make and yet so delicious.

Buckwheat Noodle Salad (Korean Makguksu)

makguksu buckwheat noodles plated with noodles in the center and veggies placed around it
Korean Salad with Noodles – Makguksu

A bit more elaborate and filling than the simple recipe above since it calls for chicken and more variety of vegetables. Present the salad like I did above and serve the sauce on the side then have your guests serve it themselves so they can choose what they like and don’t like.  It will look beautiful on your table and really easy and quick to make too!

Creamy Korean Salads

Apple Onion Celery Salad

Apple Onion Celery tossed in creamy dressing served in dark brown bowl
Apple Onion Celery Salad

I created this salad for a Korean BBQ restaurant and I must say I am quite proud of this one. It’s great when served with any Korean BBQ meats. The contrasting taste and texture of celery, onion and apples in a creamy, slightly sweet, tangy dressing makes this a winner salad for any meal – even non-Korean foods. So I hope you try it at your next BBQ party!

Korean Potato Salad (Gamja Salad)

Korean Potato Salad (Gamja Salad)
Korean Potato Salad (Gamja Salad)

This Korean potato salad is somewhat similar to American potato salad, but it has a great crunch and freshness thanks to the addition of cubed apples and cucumbers. Everyone will love this! You can even add raisins or dried cranberries for extra sweetness. It can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 3-4days.

Sweet Kabocha Squash Salad (Danhobak Salad)

Kabocha Squash Salad Recipe (단호박 사라다 Danhobak Salad)
Kabocha Squash Salad Recipe (단호박 사라다 Danhobak Salad)

Naturally sweet with a creamy texture, kabocha squash makes a good salad to go with your BBQ meats. This salad can even be enjoyed as a snack and will be a crowd favorite at your next potluck too! Can be made ahead and served cold right from the fridge.

I hope these quick and easy Korean salads will get you and your family eating more greens and vegetables in delicious ways. Enjoy!

XOXO ❤️
JinJoo

CONNECT WITH ME on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM. Join my FACEBOOK GROUP to meet other Korean food enthusiasts just like you!

Similar Recipes

  • lettuce salad plated on light blue plate
    Korean Lettuce Salad (상추 겉절이 Sangchoo Geotjeori)
  • creamy apple onion celery salad plated in brown shallow bowl on blue cloth
    Apple Onion Celery Salad - Korean Style
  • Korean potato salad served as a scoop on red bowl with grated egg yolk on top
    Best Korean Potato Salad (Gamja Salad)
  • lettuce salad plated on light blue plate
    Korean Lettuce Salad (상추 겉절이 Sangchoo Geotjeori)
Previous Post
Next Post

Reader Interactions

Leave a Review Cancel reply

I LOVE hearing from you! Submit your question or recipe review here. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe:




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

6 Comments
  1. Lorraine says

    Posted on 27 November 2022 at 5:12 pm

    Thank you JinJoo
    Your kimchi are wonderful accompaniments to Korean bbq, bless you.

    Reply
    • JinJoo says

      Posted on 30 November 2022 at 8:04 pm

      You are most welcome Lorraine!

      Reply
  2. Olivia Aiana says

    Posted on 18 February 2021 at 10:02 pm

    I love it alott

    Reply
    • JinJoo says

      Posted on 21 February 2021 at 9:01 pm

      Awesome! Thank you!

      Reply
  3. Kenneth Easterling says

    Posted on 22 May 2020 at 6:37 am

    Hello JinJoo, Thank you so much for these recipes. They look great . I can’t wait to try them.

    Can you tell me what the best brand of Kimchi to buy is, please (other than JinJoo). Ha! I had a friend that was married to a Korean lady and she would make big batches of her Kimchi because her husband and I could eat one batch each. Ha. I’ve lost contact information for the two of them. I would purchase some but I don’t know which one is best.

    Thank you,

    Reply
    • JinJoo says

      Posted on 22 May 2020 at 4:06 pm

      Hello! So, my favorite is Jonggajip 종가집 brand. The ones in the Korean markets are directly imported from Korea so it’s a bit more expensive but it’s the best. Otherwise, most local brands will be pretty good – you just have to make sure they are ripened properly. Please read my No Crazy Kimchi post to learn. Also, you can buy them at Costco these days (if your local store sells it) in smaller jars at a reasonable price. Good luck!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

JinJoo from KimchiMari

Welcome

Hi! I'm JinJoo! Thank you for visiting my Korean Food blog where I share detailed Authentic Korean recipes that even YOU can cook!

My Story

browse by type

gf Gluten Free df Dairy Free pc Pressure Cooker Recipes vg Vegan lc low carb <30 30min or less kf Kid-Friendly ls low-salt
  • by Course
    • Drinks
    • Soup+Stew
    • Appetizers
    • Salads
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Desserts and Snacks
  • by Ingredient
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Pork
    • Seafood
    • Rice
    • Noodles
    • Tofu
    • Vegetables
    • Egg
    • Paste/Sauces
  • by Korean Basics
    • Eumryo 음료
    • Bap 밥
    • Bokkeum 볶음
    • Gui 구이
    • Guk 국
    • Hangwa 한과
    • Jang 장
    • Jeon 전
    • Jeongol 전골
    • Jjigae 찌게
    • Jjim 찜
    • Jorim 조림
    • Kimchi 김치
    • Myeon 면
    • Namul 나물
    • Tteok 떡
  • by Type
    • Easy Meals
    • 30 Minutes or Less
    • Kid-Friendly
    • Lunchboxes
    • Condiments and Sauces
    • Cooking for One
    • Street food
    • Pressure Cooker Recipes
Free Korean BBQ Favorites ebook
free recipe book!

Join to get my FREE cookbook + monthly newsletters + recipe updates!

join now!

Nutritional facts, MSG & gluten free

Nutritional Facts in my recipe cards are provided as an estimate and may not be accurate. Due to different brands of ingredients having different nutritional values, the values I provide here may be different from your preparation.
– MSG & Corn Syrup FREE – these are never used in my recipes
– Gluten Free recipe assumes you are using gluten free soy sauce (since many soy sauces contain gluten or wheat).

Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window
baked chicken on parchment paper with onions caramelized

닭고기

Chicken

소고기

Beef

Spicy Pork BBQ - Korean Pork Bulgogi

돼지고기

Pork

Garlic Scape Stir Fry with Shrimp (Maneuljjong Bokkeum 마늘쫑 볶음)

해산물

Seafood

Soondubu Jjigae or Soft Tofu Stew

두부

Tofu

곡식

Rice

READER FAVORITES

Trending Now

Mini Kimbap tray - kimbap two ways

Mini Kimbap (Mayak Kimbap) with Carrot or Cucumber

Chicken Bulgogi Rice

Easy Chicken Bulgogi (Dak Bulgogi) for Korean BBQ

After stew has boiled for 15 min with cheese melted on top

Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew)

Korean Sweet Pancake - Hotteok/Hodduck (호떡) www.kimchimari.com

Hotteok (호떡)- Korean Sweet Dessert Pancake

featured on
ny times logo
  • COOK
    • Recipe Index
    • Pantry Items
    • Videos
  • LEARN
    • Starter Guide
    • Korean How To’s
    • Travel
join the kimchimari family
Receive Free Cookbook and New Recipes by Email
join now
  • Back to Top
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled

free recipe ebook!

Join to get my FREE cookbook + monthly newsletters + recipe updates!

Thank you for subscribing!

You will receive an email shortly.

  • 168