If you love making kimchi but have no room for a shelf of jars, kimchi in a vacuum bag is a brilliant answer. The bag saves space, keeps the air out, and lets you ferment smaller batches so you can tweak the spice and saltiness to your own taste.
The method is genuinely simple, so it suits anyone making their own kimchi at home for the first time. I will walk you through packing, sealing and how to tell when it is ready.
For a jar version, see my classic Cucumber Kimchi.
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Pin itWhy You’ll Love This Kimchi
- Space-Saver: Swap bulky jars for vacuum bags and free up kitchen space.
- Just Right: Make the exact amount you want, avoiding waste.
- Easy-Peasy: A beginner-friendly method for quick and tasty Kimchi.
A Little About Kimchi
Kimchi is Korea’s most famous ferment, and there is not just one of it. Napa cabbage is the classic, but you will find versions made with radish (kkakdugi), cucumber (oi kimchi) or spring onion (pa kimchi), and a milder chilli-free white kimchi too. Every region, and really every family, has its own recipe.
The idea is an old one: long before fridges, Koreans packed vegetables away to ferment through the winter, and that same simple method is what we are doing here in the vacuum bags. It keeps beautifully and works in everything from a bowl of rice to a bubbling stew.
The Chef’s Passionate Journey with the Dish
Growing up, I relished the taste of sauerkraut and have always held it dear. I strongly believe in the vast benefits of fermented foods and constantly seek out new flavours. Once you get the hang of it, making Kimchi becomes a breeze. I’ve tried the vacuum-sealed method to save space and craft perfect batch sizes. Kimchi’s flavours captivate, offering more versatility than sauerkraut. I encourage you to give it a shot; it won’t let you down. Moreover, investing in a vacuum sealer introduces a world of culinary opportunities.
Preparation - Dry Salting or Brine, Which to Choose?
When making Kimchi, you have two primary salting techniques for cabbage: dry salting and brining. I suggest trying both to discern the flavour and preparation differences:
- In the dry salting method, you apply salt directly to the cabbage. If you use a smaller amount of salt, you can skip rinsing it off (like in my recipe). Otherwise, you’ll wash it off after salting.
- For brining, you create a brine solution with 15% salt. Then, soak the cabbage in this brine for 3-6 hours. Alternatively, you can use a milder 5-7% brine solution and soak for 12 hours.
Historically, people salted cabbage for up to nine days, shifting it to different containers with varying brine strengths daily. Many believed a longer salting duration enhanced the Kimchi’s unique taste.
Not sure how much salt to use for the brine? My fermentation brine calculator works it out for any batch size, in grams and spoons.
How to Make Kimchi in Vacuum Bags, Step by Step
Full quantities are in the recipe card below. The vacuum bag is what makes this method worth doing: nothing to burp, no brine creeping over a jar rim, and the cabbage stays under its own juices from day one.
- Salt the cabbage and leave it. Cut it into thirds, mix it thoroughly with the salt and let it sit. This pulls the water out and seasons it right through, and it is what stops the finished kimchi being watery later. Taste it before you go any further: if it is harshly salty, give it an extra rinse and drain it well, because there is no fixing salt once the paste is on.
- Mix the paste. Minced ginger and garlic, sugar, fish sauce and Korean red pepper flakes, worked into a paste. Use gochugaru rather than a generic chilli powder: it is milder and fruitier than most, and something hotter will simply burn.
- Squeeze, then combine. Wring the liquid out of the cabbage and work the paste through it. Wear gloves. Chilli paste finds every small cut on your hands and stays there for hours.
- Divide it between the bags. Equal amounts, so every bag ferments at the same rate, and press the cabbage down as you seal so it sits under its own liquid. Anything left poking up into an air pocket is the bit that spoils.
- Double-seal and leave at room temperature. Seal each bag twice, then keep them somewhere shaded in the kitchen. Fermentation makes gas, so the bags will swell: that is the sign it is working, not a fault. Kimchi ferments to your taste rather than to the clock, so open one and try a little each day.
- Move them to the fridge the moment the tang is right for you. The cold slows everything right down and the kimchi carries on developing slowly from there, getting sourer and better for weeks.
Recipe Card for Kimchi in Vacuum Bags
Kimchi in Vacuum Bags
Equipment:
Ingredients:
- 2 Napa Cabbage (Baechu), medium-sized - (Chinese Leaf Cabbage)
- 0.07 oz Sea Salt (Per 3.5oz of cabbage) - (2g per 100g of cabbage)
Kimchi Paste Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp Gochugaru (Korean Red Pepper Flakes) - or Gochujang paste (Gochujang paste is already fermented and can be used as a substitute. Skip chilli altogether for white Kimchi.)
- 8 Garlic Cloves - minced
- 2 tbsp Fresh Ginger - minced
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 3 tbsp Fish Sauce - (skip for vegetarian version)
- 10.6 oz Radish (Mu or Daikon) - (300g)
- 1 Carrot, medium size - peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 4 Scallions - (Spring onions, washed and sliced)
Optional Ingredients:
- 1 tsp Salted Shrimp (Saeujeot) - (skip for vegetarian version)
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 4 tbsp Gochujang paste - is already fermented and can be used as a substitute for Gochugaru for a different flavour profile
Instructions:
- Cut the cabbage into thirds and place them in a large container. Add the salt and mix thoroughly. Allow the cabbage to sit for approximately 3 hours, or until it becomes soft, stirring occasionally every hour.
- In a separate bowl, combine the minced ginger & garlic, sugar, fish sauce, and Korean red pepper flakes. Mix well to form a paste. Add in the sliced green onions, julienned daikon radish and carrot. Mix until all ingredients are well-combined.
- Once the cabbage is ready, squeeze the liquid out and mix it with the Kimchi paste (Wear gloves)
- Divide the Kimchi equally into vacuum sealer bags.
- Using a vacuum sealer, securely double-seal the bags. Store them in a shaded area of your kitchen at room temperature. Allow the kimchi to ferment for at least 3 days before consuming.
- After the initial fermentation, move the bags to the refrigerator. The cold will slow down the fermentation, and the kimchi will continue to develop its flavours over time.
Notes:
- Sealing for Optimal Fermentation: Ensure the bags are sealed tightly, twice, to prevent air ingress. This establishes an anaerobic environment conducive to fermentation.
- Ideal Storage Location: Position the bags in a dimly lit area of your kitchen, maintaining room temperature. Ensure they are not exposed to direct sunlight or subjected to extreme temperatures, either too hot or too cold.
- Regular Inspection for Integrity and Freshness: Inspect the bags frequently during the fermentation process to ensure there are no leaks or indications of spoilage.
- Monitoring and Adjusting Fermentation Duration: The vacuum-sealed environment can speed up the fermentation process, so it’s essential to monitor the bags closely. Adjust the fermentation time based on your taste preference.
Nutrition:
What to Serve With Kimchi
🍽 For me kimchi is happiest straight from the jar as a cold side dish next to a bowl of steaming rice, and it earns its place at any Korean-style barbecue alongside grilled meat. Once it turns properly sour it becomes a cooking ingredient in its own right, stirred into a bubbling kimchi stew, fried up with day-old rice in a fried rice, or folded into a savoury pancake batter. I also love a good spoonful piled onto fried or scrambled eggs, or tucked into a toasted cheese sandwich for a bit of tang.
FAQ for Korean Kimchi in Vacuum Bags
What if my vacuum-sealed bag inflates during fermentation?
Some gas production is normal during fermentation. If the bag inflates, it’s a sign of active fermentation. However, if it inflates too much, you might want to release some gas to prevent the bag from bursting (Never happened to me yet 🙂
How do I know if my kimchi has spoiled?
Signs of spoilage include an off or rotten smell, mould growth, or an unusually sour taste. Always inspect the bags for any leaks or indications of spoilage.
What if I don’t have a vacuum sealer?
If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, you can still make kimchi using traditional methods in jars or containers. The vacuum-sealed method offers a unique approach, but it’s not the only way to enjoy kimchi.
How long should I ferment kimchi and how do I know it’s ready?
Leave it at room temperature for roughly one to three days, then taste it and let your tongue decide. Somewhere cool, around 15-22°C, gives the cleanest flavour, while a warm kitchen can have it ready in a day. Once it tastes pleasantly tangy, move it to the fridge to slow everything right down.
How long does homemade kimchi keep in the fridge?
Kept cold and pressed down under its own brine, kimchi will happily last a couple of months, and often much longer. It never really “goes off” so much as it keeps getting more sour and soft with age. The flavour and texture shift over time, so eat the fresher batches raw and save the older, funkier kimchi for cooking.
My kimchi has gone very sour. Can I still use it?
Absolutely, sour kimchi is a gift rather than a problem. That deep, tangy funk is exactly what you want for kimchi stew, kimchi fried rice, or pancakes, where a fresh, mild batch would taste flat. The heat of cooking mellows the sharpness and turns it into something rich and savoury.
Pin itA Few Words from the Chef
I’m sure you’ll relish this unique Kimchi Bag Recipe! Did you incorporate any special ingredients or variations? Perhaps you paired it with a specific dish or topping? I would like to hear about your culinary journey with this Korean staple. If it tantalized your palate, remember to leave a star rating! Enjoy!
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Once the bag fermenting is finished, can it be canned to preserve it longer and unrefrigerated?
Thanks for the great question. Short answer – I do not recommend canning kimchi for unrefrigerated storage.
Home canning either requires water-bath times that are only safe for tested recipes at a very specific pH, or pressure canning that will destroy the probiotic benefits and usually turns the vegetables soft.
Kimchi pH and salt can vary from batch to batch, so it is not a reliable candidate for shelf-stable canning at home. A sealed, room-temperature jar is also an anaerobic environment you do not want to risk with an untested recipe.
Best practice – finish the room-temp ferment, then move the kimchi to the fridge. It will keep for months, continue to develop flavour, and stay safe. Pack it in clean jars, keep everything submerged in brine, and always use clean utensils.
If you need longer storage, you can portion and freeze for cooking uses like kimchi jjigae. It loses a little crunch but works perfectly in stews and fried rice.