Korean 'sushi' rolls are easy and fun to make, even for those who never made sushi before. An easy snack or meal in Korea that can be adapted to suit your own tastes, Korean 'sushi' rolls will quickly become a favorite around your dinner table.
Read on for expert tips on how to make the perfect Kimbap at home!
What is Kimbap?
Kimbap is a traditional Korean dish that is often referred to as 'Korean sushi', but there are some important differences between the two. Kimbap (also spelled gimbap, 김밥). Originated centuries ago in Korea's Gija Joseon era.
Kimbap rolls are an incredibly popular snack or meal that has only grown more popular over time due to its unique and flavorful combination of ingredients. If you love sushi, than you need to try Korean 'sushi' rolls.
Today I'm going to show you how to make both easy kimbap rolls and inside out kimbap rolls.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Also known as "Korean sushi", Korean seaweed rolls are fast and easy to make. Kimbap rolls are made with cooked short-grain rice, carrots, daikon pickled radish, and other veggies or meats rolled inside roasted seaweed (gim) for the perfect combination of taste and texture.
Kimchi 'sushi' is probably one of the simplest kimbap recipes, as it is just seaweed paper rolled up with sesame oil flavored rice and kimchi. I could buy them on the street for the won equivalent of about .70 cents when I was living in Korea.
Jump to:
- What is Kimbap?
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Ingredients for Making Kimbap
- How to Make Korean 'Sushi' Rolls
- How to Make an Inside Out 'Sushi' Roll
- Serving Suggestions
- Substitutions
- Variations
- Equipment & Supplies
- Storage
- Tips for Success
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Food Safety
- Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
- Connect with Smells Like Delish!
- 📖 Recipe
Ingredients for Making Kimbap
For the Korean Kimbap rice:
- Short Grain rice - Often called Calrose rice.
- Sesame oil - Get the toasted sesame seed oil sold in the Asian food aisle.
- Salt
For the Kimbap rolls filling:
- Carrot - Peeled, trimmed, and grated or julienned (cut into thin strips).
- Cucumber - Peeled, cored and sliced paper thin, or julienned.
- Red Radish - Cut paper thin slices.
- Pickeled Daikon radish - look for the bright yellow, vacuum packed, pickled radish in the Asian food aisle or any Asian food market.
- Furikake - A dried fish, sesame seed, and salt garnish.
- Dried Nori Sheets - Gim sheets, Laver sheets, Nori sheets, or seaweed sheets - you may see these 10" square sheets of dried seaweed paper under a variety of names.
Optional Filling Ideas:
- Green Onion - Cut the green onion strands into long thin slivers.
- Egg Strips - Make an egg pancake with a beaten egg, then cut 'noodles' about ¼" wide.
- Cooked Beef Bulgogi - cut into strips about ¼" wide.
- Spam - cut into slices, then julienne.
- Cheese - The best cheese to make julienne strips from is Cream Cheese, but Velveeta can also be used.
PRO TIP: Don't try to use ALL of these fillings in a batch of Kimbap. Just pick about 3 to 4 items.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Korean 'Sushi' Rolls
Kimbap is a traditional Korean dish that is often referred to as 'Korean sushi', but there are some important differences between the two. Originating centuries ago in Korea's Gija Joseon era, kimbap is an incredibly popular snack or meal that has only grown more popular over time due to its unique and flavorful combination of ingredients.
Let's dive in and unlock the secrets behind these traditional Korean delicacies.
Prepare the Rice & Vegetables
You will want to make some short grain rice either using our stove top Steamed Rice recipe, or with a Rice cooker. Once cooked, toss the hot rice in a bowl with a drizzle of sesame seed oil and let it cool by spreading it out.
You can use whatever vegetables you have in your crisper, like green scallions cut into long slivers, grated or julienned carrots, thin slices of red radish, and cucumber sliced in thin circles, or cored and cut into strips.
Bowl of cooling, sesame oil tossed rice, Furikake garnish, and some wasabi sauce.
Julienned carrots, paper thin cucumber and radish, and thin strips of pickled yellow daikon radish.
Other ingredients typically rolled up in Korean 'sushi' rolls are: thin pieces of grilled bulgogi meat, strips of egg pancake, raw fish, and even cream cheese. If you have a jar of kimchi, you can add a little to these Korean seaweed rolls also.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Roll the Kimbap & Slice
Spread rice thinly over a sheet of seaweed. Add the vegetable filling in a straight line across the end closest to you.
Use the sushi rolling mat starting at the end closest to you. Pull the mat back as you roll the kimbap up. The vegetable end will be the center.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Roll the Kimbap mat up tight
Once you have rolled the kimbap up completely it will need to be pressed. That means you will place the roll at one end of the sushi mat and roll it back up very tight. Let it sit for a moment so it adheres. Then unroll
Kimbap rolled up tightly so that the ends adhere and hold together.
This kimbap roll is ready to slice and serve now! Serve with some Kimchi.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make an Inside Out 'Sushi' Roll
A little trickier, you will need TWO SUSHI mats. Cover the seaweed sheet with the rice just like making a regular kimbap roll. Cover the rice surface with a sheet of plastic wrap film.
Plastic wrap film is covering this rice covered seaweed sheet.
This is what the flipped seaweed sheet will look like.
Add a thin layer of rice to this newly exposed seaweed sheet surface.
Lay the vegetables in a strip on the end closes to you.
Roll Up, Garnish, and Slice
Rolling: You will use both the sushi mat and the plastic wrap to roll up the kimbap at the same time. The plastic wrap prevents the rice covered outside surface from sticking to the sushi map.
Proceed to roll just like you did with the regular kimbap roll.
When finished, roll up tightly with the sushi mat again. Unroll.
Sprinkle the Furikake garnish on a flat surface & roll the kimbap in it.
Slice the Inside Out Kimbap roll into 1" slices and serve with Kimchi.
Serving Suggestions
Kimbap is an absolute classic of the Korean kitchen – serve as a traditional snack or light meal option, or as part of a picnic or on-the-go lunch. Kimbap can be served with Kimchi, Korean Bulgogi, Edamame Cucumber Salad, our Bok Choy Soup, and much more. Try it as an appetizer also with our Korean Chicken Skewers and Foolproof Steamed Rice.
This simple yet versatile dish promises deliciousness with whatever combination you choose!
Substitutions
Kimbap can be easily adapted to a vegan diet. Stick with vegetables and ditch the egg pancake, bulgogi, and definitely the Spam!
Variations
Kimbap can be prepared in endless variations using a variety of ingredients such as roasted seaweed, pickled radish slices, egg omelet strips and cooked white rice.
Whether you opt for vegan-friendly options or try something more indulgent by adding fried egg and bacon bits to your mixture, this simple yet versatile dish promises deliciousness whatever combination you choose! Here are some favorite variations:
- Cheese Kimbap - If you love California Rolls, than you will also love Cheese Kimbap. Use Daikon pickled radish strips, the green strands of a green scallion, and slivers of cream cheese. Place down the center of the rice covered seaweed sheet and roll up using a kimbap rolling mat. Serve.
- Spam Kimbap - Spam and ham kimbap are very popular. Just make thin julienne strips and roll up with some cucumber and avocado strips.
- Tuna Kimbap - Fish is not typical with Kimbap, but there you have it, the hybrid sushi-kimbap creation. Cut the raw tuna into thin julienne strips.
- Vegan Kimbap - Just veggies. That alone is a wealth of variation. Avocado is amazing with a little bit of kimchi (made without fish sauce).
Equipment & Supplies
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. The following supplies and equipment will make this kimbap a snap to make.
- Sushi Rolling Mat - be sure and get at least two, it makes inside out rolls so much easier to make!
- Short Grain Rice
- Pickled Daikon - you will have lots of leftovers. Vacuum seal and store in your refrigerator indefinitely. Try adding slices to your olive & pickle platters.
- Furikake garnish - this is a pulverized, dried bonita and sesame seed sprinkle. It's great on salads, rice, soups, you name it! Vegan varieties are available also.
- Seaweed Sheets - Korean seaweed sheets are called 'gim'. Rice is 'bap'. Kimbap - as we call it is actually Gimbap, or Seaweed Rice! You will see the seaweed paper sheets sold under a wide range of names: Laver, Gim, Seaweed, Sushi paper, or Nori.
Storage
Korean sushi rolls will keep as rolls or sliced for up to 3 days covered if only vegetable or cooked meat based. If you use raw fish, eat them within 24 hours of making them.
Tips for Success
- Spread the rice much thinner than you think you should, as when rolled up it is compacted. This will keep your rolls more manageable when rolling up.
- Working with slightly warm rice is easier than cold rice.
- Spray your hands with non stick cooking spray, or use olive oil on your hands to prevent the rice sticking as much.
Frequently Asked Questions
Japanese Sushi features raw fish, seafood, vegetables, and rice seasoned with vinegar. Korean Kimbap rice is seasoned with sesame oil and doesn't contain raw fish. Instead, kimbap fillings include pickled daikon radish, slivers of vegetables, and sometimes meats like grilled bulgogi, cheese, kimchi, Spam slices, or eggs.
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
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📖 Recipe
Kimbap - Korean 'Sushi' Rolls
Equipment
- Sushi Rolling Mat Get two, your kids will enjoy helping!
- Pickled Daikon (cover leftovers and keep in the refrigerator indefinitly).
Ingredients
For the Rice
- 2 cups short grain rice
- 3½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt (for the rice pot)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil toasted
- 1 teaspoon salt (for tossing with sesame oil and rice)
For the Kimbap Filling
- 1 medium Carrot peeled, trimmed, and julienned.
- 1 small Cucumber peeled, cored, and julienned.
- 4 Red Radish trimmed and sliced paper thin.
- 4" chunk Pickled Daikon cut into julienne strips.
- 8 sheets Seaweed Sheets
- 3 tbps Furikake any variety, for garnish
Instructions
For Kimbap Rice
- Prepare the short grain Calrose rice ahead of time by rinsing in a sieve until the water runs clear. Shake excess water off and add to a 2 quart pot. Add the water and the salt. Bring to a boil and then cover. Lower heat to low and cook for 20 to 22 minutes.2 cups short grain rice, 3½ cups water, 1 teaspoon salt
- Toss the hot rice with the toasted sesame seed oil and the salt. Spread out in a dish to cool a bit before handling.1 tablespoon sesame seed oil, 1 teaspoon salt
For Kimbap Filling
- Prepare the vegetables while the rice is cooking. Trim and peel the carrot and cucumber. Slice the cucumber in paper thin slices, or core and julienne. Cut the carrot into julienne strips. Trim the red radishes and slice paper thin. Cut a 4" chunk of daikon off and slice into thin julienne strips.1 medium Carrot, 1 small Cucumber, 4 Red Radish, 4" chunk Pickled Daikon
Rolling Regular Kimbap
- Place a sheet of seaweed on the sushi rolling mat. Spread rice over ¾ of the seaweed surface, very thin. Leave the ¼ portion of seaweed furthest from you bare. You may see spots of seaweed still. That's ok.8 sheets Seaweed Sheets
- Make a line of filling one ingredient at a time at the end of the rice covered seaweed sheet closest to you. Start with the cucumber slices, then radish, then strips of carrot and daikon.
- Grap the end of the sushi mat closest to you and start using the mat to roll up the seaweed sheet covered in the rice and filling into a roll. Tuck the starting edge of the seaweed into the roll as you proceed. Continue rolling, pulling the mat back with each roll forward. That starting edge will be the kimbap center when finished. It's much like rolling a jelly roll!
- When finished, roll the kimbap back very tight in the sushi mat for a minute or two. Unroll and cut into 1" slices and serve!
For Inside Out Kimbap
- A little trickier, you will need TWO SUSHI mats. Cover the seaweed sheet with the rice just like making a regular kimbap roll. Cover the rice surface with a sheet of plastic wrap film.
- Lay the second sushi mat on top of the plastic wrap and carefully flip the two mats over. Once flipped, set the top sushi mat aside.
- Cover the exposed surface of seaweed with rice, just like you did the previous surface. Lay the kimbap filling in a line across the edge closest to you.
- Rolling: You will use both the sushi mat and the plastic wrap to roll up the kimbap at the same time. The plastic wrap prevents the rice covered outside surface from sticking to the sushi mat. Proceed to roll just like you did the regular kimbap roll. When finished, roll up tightly with the sushi mat to press the kimbap roll tight.
- Unroll the Inside Out kimbap roll from the sushi mat and the plastic wrap. Sprinkle the Furikake garnish on a flat surface. Roll the rice exposed surface in the Furikake garnish. Slice and serve!3 tbps Furikake
Notes
- Spread the rice much thinner than you think you should, as when rolled up it is compacted. This will keep your rolls more manageable when rolling up.
- Working with slightly warm rice is easier than cold rice.
- Spray your hands with non stick cooking spray, or use olive oil on your hands to
- prevent the rice sticking as much.
Nutrition
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