Guides
Korean pantry starter list한식 기본 장보기
Stocking a Korean pantry for holiday cooking, Kimchi Day or every day? These ten cover most home recipes. Each links to our page with the label facts, allergens and storage.
- Gochujang 고추장
Chili paste for stews, tteokbokki, bibimbap sauce and marinades.
Label facts and how to use it · Amazon (US) Affiliate link
- Doenjang 된장
Fermented soybean paste for doenjang-jjigae and dipping sauces.
Label facts and how to use it · Amazon (US) Affiliate link
- Gochugaru 고춧가루
Korean chili flakes: coarse for kimchi, fine for making gochujang.
Label facts and how to use it · Amazon (US) Affiliate link
- Korean soy sauce 간장
Jin-ganjang for everyday cooking; guk-ganjang (soup soy sauce) for clear soups.
Label facts and how to use it · Amazon (US) Affiliate link
- Toasted sesame oil 참기름
A few drops to finish namul, bibimbap and soups. Check the bottle: some are blends.
Label facts and how to use it · Amazon (US) Affiliate link
- Ssamjang 쌈장
Dipping paste for lettuce wraps and grilled meat. The labels we found list peanut.
Label facts and how to use it · Amazon (US) Affiliate link
- Microwave rice bowls 즉석밥
Cooked rice in about 90 seconds in a 1000 W microwave, for nights you don’t make a pot.
Label facts and how to use it · Amazon (US) Affiliate link
- Kimchi 김치
Eat it fresh as a side, or let it sour for stews and fried rice.
- Instant ramyeon 라면
The pantry standby; add an egg and green onion.
Label facts and how to use it · Amazon (US) Affiliate link
- Frozen mandu 만두
Dumplings to pan-fry, steam or drop into soup, straight from the freezer.
Storage, in short
Gochujang and doenjang labels say to keep them in the fridge once opened, and opened gochugaru goes in the fridge or freezer, sealed. Each product page quotes what its label says.
Amazon links open a search on Amazon.com and are affiliate links: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. They don’t change what we write. We don’t list prices, because they change daily.