Kimchi Basics

What is kimchi and how is it different from sauerkraut?

Kimchi usually starts with napa cabbage or radish, salted first and then mixed with a seasoning paste of chile, garlic, ginger and other ingredients. Sauerkraut uses only cabbage and salt. Both rely on lactic acid bacteria, but kimchi has more ingredients that bring more variation.

That variation makes it a rewarding food to make and also one where a trusted recipe helps. Recipes from university food science programs or experienced cooks who explain method can help you learn.

Whatever recipe you choose, read it fully before shopping. Many kimchi recipes include fish sauce, shrimp paste or other ingredients, and vegetarian versions exist, so pick the style that suits your household.

What does the salting step do?

Salting draws water from the cabbage, softens it and sets up the conditions where helpful bacteria thrive. Rinsing afterward removes surface salt so the finished product is not too salty. Skipping or shortening this step can leave you with a watery, bland or poorly fermented batch.

Follow your source for how long to salt and how much salt to use, as those details depend on the cabbage and the recipe.

Cabbage varies in water content and density, so the salting time in a recipe is a guide, not a promise. A source that explains how to judge when cabbage is properly salted, by bend and taste, will serve you better than one that only gives a clock time.

• Salting softens and draws water
• Rinse to control saltiness
• Follow the recipe for amounts

What equipment and hygiene steps matter?

Use clean food-grade jars or crocks, clean hands or gloves for handling the chile paste, and clean cutting boards. Wash produce well. Keep raw and ready-to-eat foods separate, especially if your paste includes any animal-based ingredients, and be sure that each ingredient is one you are comfortable using.

Leave some headspace in jars, since kimchi bubbles as it ferments and can overflow. A tray under the jar catches spills.

Gloves protect your hands from chile, and they also keep skin bacteria out of the batch. Wash the gloves or change them if you move between raw ingredients.

• Food-grade vessels
• Clean hands and boards
• Leave room in the jar

How long should kimchi ferment, and where?

Many home cooks let kimchi sit at room temperature for a short period to start fermentation and then move it to the refrigerator, where it continues to change slowly. The exact timing depends on room warmth and your taste, so use a tested source for your starting guidance.

Taste a bit with a clean utensil. When it has developed the tang you like, refrigerate it. Kimchi keeps changing in the cold, becoming more sour with time, and some people use older kimchi for cooking.

Refrigerator space is part of the plan. A jar of active kimchi has a strong smell, so some households keep it in a sealed second container.

What should I watch for as it ferments?

Bubbling and a sour, garlicky smell are normal. Fuzzy mold, a rotten smell, slimy texture or unusual colors are not. Keep the vegetables pressed below the brine and clean the jar rim.

If you see mold on the surface, the safest rule from food safety authorities is to discard the batch. Do not scrape and eat the rest.

A little sour smell is the reward of a healthy ferment, so you do not need to worry about the strong aroma, only about the signs of spoilage listed above.

Can I can kimchi?

I am not aware of a standard tested home canning recipe for kimchi from the National Center for Home Food Preservation, and I cannot state one. Heat also changes the texture and removes the live cultures. Ask your extension office whether any tested guidance exists in your state.

Keeping kimchi in the refrigerator, or freezing it in portions for later cooking, is the common practice. Check your source for freezer guidance.

For longer storage, freezing in portions is the usual practice, and the texture is best for cooked dishes such as stews and fried rice. Check a tested freezing source for packaging.

Who should be careful with fermented foods?

Some people need to be cautious with fermented foods, including those with certain medical conditions or on particular medications, and those who must limit sodium. If that sounds like anyone in your household, ask a doctor or dietitian before making kimchi a regular food.

Children and older adults may also have different needs, so ask your health provider if you are not sure.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.