Paleo Classic Kimchi

Total time49 hr

Prep time1 hr

Cook time0 min

A jar of this comes together with hand-torn napa cabbage, wilted and drained until it's ready to soak up a bold, fiery red paste. Garlic, fresh ginger, and gochugaru build the heat and depth, while fish sauce and salted fermented shrimp bring that deep, savory funk that makes real kimchi taste alive rather than flat. Green onions get folded in for a fresh, sharp bite that holds up through fermentation. Packed tightly into a jar and left to bubble away at room temperature for a day or two, it develops that signature tang and gentle fizz before it heads to the fridge to keep mellowing for weeks. It's a great one to have on hand for a Paleo kitchen, whether it's piled next to eggs, tucked into lettuce wraps, or eaten straight from the jar by the forkful. The flavor only gets better the longer it sits, so it's worth making a full batch.

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Ingredients

16 servings

For the salted cabbage

1 medium napa cabbage (about 2 lb), cut into 2-inch pieces
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¼ cup kosher salt
1 cup cold water

For the kimchi paste

¼ cup gochugaru (korean red pepper flakes)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp salted fermented shrimp (saeujeot)
1 tsp granulated sugar
Chef's tip
Use the same amount. Coconut sugar has a mild caramel flavor, and baked goods come out a little darker and slightly less sweet.
4 stalks green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

Instructions

1
Place the napa cabbage pieces in a large mixing bowl. Dissolve the kosher salt in the cold water, then pour over the cabbage. Toss well to coat, then let the cabbage sit for 1 to 2 hours, tossing every 30 minutes, until the leaves have wilted significantly and released a good amount of liquid.
2
Transfer the wilted cabbage to a large colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water 2 to 3 times to remove excess salt. Taste a piece — it should be pleasantly salty but not overwhelmingly so. Squeeze the cabbage firmly in handfuls to remove as much water as possible, then set aside in the colander to drain for 10 minutes.

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