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While Europe and North America prefer cereal, eggs, yogurt and fruit as their breakfast food, in Korea, you’ll be sold out at first sight of Kimchi rice cakes or Bibimbap. There are even more.
Koreans take great pride in making their breakfast tasty. And I know you’ll appreciate this collection of Traditional Korean breakfast recipes I’m about to show you. They’re healthier, tastier and more fun than you might have at some of the chain restaurants.
I’ve tried to include some well-known classics and some ingredients that aren’t famous yet are definitely worth your attention.
So without wasting much of your time, I present the best Korean breakfast recipes you should try today:
Easy Traditional Korean Breakfast Recipes
1. Bibimbap
Korean bibimbap is a rice dish cooked in a hot stone bowl with various ingredients.
Bibimbap is a simple dish to make at home because all you have to do is mix cooked rice with various vegetables and meat cubes in a bowl before adding hot sauce, sesame oil and soy sauce to taste.
You can also add chili flakes if you want an extra kick in your meal!
Although, this dish can be prepared in many different ways depending on the restaurant or person’s preference.
But it pairs amazingly well with pickled radish kimchi, but it is common to serve other side dishes such as boiled egg, cucumber and bean sprout.
You would want to season it with soy sauce and sesame oil.
2. Kimchi Stew
Kimchi is a traditional Korean dish made with fermented cabbage, giving it its distinctive flavor and aroma.
It’s usually served with rice, but you can also have it as a side or meal on its own.
There are many different kinds of Kimchi Stew recipes, but I’m sure this one will be a hit with all of your family members:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup chopped onion (or more if you like)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (or more if you like)
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions (or more if you want)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos sauce (or more if you want)
- tablespoon fish sauce or coconut aminos sauce (or more if you want)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (or less if you don’t want it too sweet)
To make your own Kimchi Stew recipe, you’ll need to start by chopping up the ingredients and then cooking them until they’re tender enough to eat.
You can add additional seasonings to give it more flavor and spice.
3. Korean Fried Rice
Korean Fried Rice is a straightforward and quick breakfast recipe. Although the ingredients can vary, the basic idea is to cook the rice in a nonstick pan with oil.
You can add any other meat or vegetables you like to the rice, but I prefer using chicken breast and bell pepper.
First, you must cook the rice according to your preference. I boil it for about 15 minutes until it turns soft and fluffy.
Then, I add salt, black pepper powder, soy sauce and sesame oil into the pan and stir fry them for 2-3 minutes until they become fragrant.
The next step is to add cooked chicken breast pieces into the mixture and stir fry them for about 5 minutes until they become soft and tender enough to eat with a spoon!
Finally, I add chopped bell pepper pieces to it so that my Korean Fried Rice will look colorful and delicious!
When everything is ready, serve it immediately on a plate so that you can enjoy its delicious taste without wasting any time
4. Enoki Pancake
Enoki, a type of fern traditionally used in Japanese cuisine, is considered auspicious because of its symbolic meaning—it stands for long life and prosperity.
And now, using it to make a pancake recipe is beyond words, yet it remains super simple and delicious! You’ll need:
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup cold water
- 2 stalks of fresh enoki mushrooms, washed and cut into thin slices (about 1 cup)
To make the batter: In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and egg until well combined. Add water to form a thin batter.
Add the sliced mushrooms to the batter and stir gently until evenly coated.
Let sit for 5 minutes before cooking on a hot griddle or frying pan over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side or until golden brown.
Repeat these steps with the remaining batter to have enough pancakes for two people (or more!).
The best way to enjoy your Enoki Pancake is with extra butter or honey on top!
5. Korean Sweet Potato Latte
The Korean Sweet Potato Latte is a delicious morning treat that will have you dreaming of sunshine and beaches.
They are a perfect way to start your day. The smooth, velvety texture is slightly sweet and has a hint of savory taste. The roasted sweet potato fragrance will give you a warm cozy feeling!
Funnily enough, it tastes delightful and is similar to the American dessert, ice cream, but it uses different ingredients.
- 1 small sweet potato
- 1 ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon instant coffee crystals (optional)
- ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Ground cinnamon (optional)
- Cinnamon stick (optional)
There are many ways to make this drink, depending on your preference. Some people prefer their latte with no sugar or sweetener, while others prefer theirs with more sugar or honey.
You can also add any other ingredient you like, such as chocolate syrup or lemon juice which will provide additional flavor to the drink.
6. Korean Strawberry Milk
Korean strawberry milk is a delicious drink made with strawberries and milk. It’s creamy, chunky and pretty to look at—so refreshing on hot summer days!
It is a favorite breakfast drink of all ages.
The treat has a unique texture; it is creamy and rich. Each sup tastes heavenly, but the sweetness of this dessert can vary slightly depending on how much sugar you add.
Here is what you need:
- 2 cups of milk (1% or 2%)
- 1 cup of fresh strawberries (chopped)
- 1 cup of white sugar (or brown)
Adding honey will also make it more flavorful.
7. Korean Egg Roll
Another traditional Korean breakfast recipe you would like to try is the egg roll. It consists of an egg roll with rice, kimchi, and other ingredients.
The egg roll is made by stuffing the inside with seasoned ground pork or chicken wrapped in a banana leaf and then fried.
The ground meat is often seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil.
This recipe can be served hot or cold with rice, pickled vegetables, and Kimchi (spicy Korean cabbage).
8. Kimchi Toast
Kimchi is a traditional Korean side dish served with meats, vegetables, and rice. It can be made from cabbage or radishes and has a spicy, sour flavor.
You can find it in the refrigerated section at most grocery stores or Asian markets.
To make your kimchi, you must ferment salted cabbage in water for anywhere from one day to several weeks.
(The longer it ferments, the spicier it will become.) It’s best to start with a small amount of kimchi and work your way up to larger batches if you’re new to fermenting.
9. Tteokguk
Tteokguk is a rice cake traditionally served with gochujang, red pepper paste, herbs and vegetables, and tastes great when you add some kimchi to it!
It is an authentic Korean breakfast dish similar to western oatmeal.
The only difference is that Tteokguk uses glutinous rice instead of wheat flour. The result is also a thicker porridge with higher protein and fiber content than oatmeal!
10. Mandu
Mandu is a Korean dumplings dish made with ground pork, tofu, and vegetables.
Mung bean sprouts are often added to the mixture to give it a crunchy texture. Then pan-fried rice cakes until golden brown, which also gives them a delicious crunchy texture.
You can add any vegetable or meat you like to this recipe as long as they are cut into small pieces and cooked in hot oil until they are done. This will keep your mandu moist and tender while giving it a fantastic flavor.
11. Soybean Paste Stew
You’ll love this meal as it rejuvenates your soul in the morning. It’s full of vegetables, protein and healthy fats so you can eat it daily!
Traditional Korean Soybean Paste Stews Breakfast recipe is made with soybean paste (Tteokguk), a fermented and slightly salty mixture of soybeans, water and salt.
Although it comes in two varieties: black soybean paste (Tteokguk gi) or red soybean paste (Tteokguk guk). Both are made by fermenting soybeans until they become dark brown in color and sticky.
Soybean paste is used in many traditional dishes, especially meat or seafood.
In this recipe, you’re going to make a Korean Soybean Paste Stews Breakfast dish with tofu as the protein source instead of meat or seafood.
12. Korean Street Toast
The world has always been fascinated by curries and spicy food, but nowadays, every culture has its take on spicy food.
Korean street toast is an example of this phenomenon. It is a dish that consists of grilled bread, eggs and vegetables.
It’s often a side of kimchi (fermented vegetables) or other vegetables and is often eaten as a late breakfast or brunch.
Related Posts
Traditional Korean Breakfast Recipes
Here are the best traditional Korean breakfast recipes you should try today!
Ingredients
Directions
- Pick your preferred recipe
- Get all the required ingredients
- Make your own traditional Korean recipe at home in 30 minutes or less
Conclusion
So you will find them here if you’re looking to spice up your own morning routine or if you’ve been invited to a Korean household.
The goal is to provide an authentic interpretation of what you might find at a Korean breakfast table.
There are no right and wrong ways to enjoy any of these, though it’s not uncommon to have some form of soup (perhaps kimchi jjigae or jeongol) with a few side dishes, like doenjang jjigae or gyeran jjim.
