Our Top-Rated Korean Recipes

Chinese steamed buns are an unexpected treat; they're squishy, slightly chewy, and all-around wonderful. Look for them in the freezer section at Asian markets; aim for the folded buns, sometimes labeled lotus buns or Chinese hamburger buns. And if you can't find them, you can stuff the meatballs into standard slider buns.

This impressive and vibrant meal comes together surprisngly quick thanks to the power of the grill and the power of spatchcocking. If you've never tried it before, spatchcocking is a technique that refers to removing the bird's back bone so that you can butterfly the whole chicken open. This technique is a guaranteed route to succulent meat, ultra-crispy skin, and a much quicker cooking time. 

L.A. Korean Short Rib Tacos image

Chef Nyesha Arrington serves these crisp-edged, gently spicy latkes for brunch at her Venice Beach restaurant, Leona. They're great with a green salad on the side.

Think of gochujang as Korean steak sauce, adding savory depth to the chicken. You can find it at many supermarkets, or substitute equal parts Sriracha and white/yellow miso (soybean paste).

Gochujang is a spicy, deeply savory sauce made from Korean chiles, fermented soybeans, and salt. It adds a mild heat to the finished dish so kids can still enjoy. Use the sauce as a marinade or baste for grilled meats, a dipping sauce for kebabs, or a stir-in for sandwich spreads. The pork mixture would also be fantastic in an East-meets-West sloppy joe: Pile on a toasted hoagie roll with a carrot and radish slaw, sliced green onions, and a squeeze of fresh lime.

The slow cooker makes a masterpiece of beef short ribs as the meat becomes buttery tender and the cooking liquid reduces to a spicy, deeply savory sauce. Sake, a dry rice wine, and mirin, a stronger, sweeter rice wine, balance each other here (the alcohol will cook off as the dish simmers). Both are available at most grocery stores. Spicy, tangy kimchi, or Korean-style fermented cabbage, adds heat and complexity to the dish.

Korean kimchi invigorates a standby weeknight dinner. Bring the pasta water to a boil while you make the meatballs.

This dish is great for a casual get-together or a weeknight meal (with leftovers). The seasoning paste is modeled after Korean ssamjang--a concentrated, salty, slightly spicy concoction. Unlike traditional versions, though, ours is made with grocery store ingredients for ease and convenience.

This is a riff on the classic rice dish bibimbap, in which various toppings are arranged over a bed of rice. Here, Korean shrimp BBQ bowl must-haves such as matchstick-cut carrot, shredded cabbage, and pan-seared shrimp top brown rice.

Here's a fun Korean spin on a classic Mediterranean appetizer. A drizzle of toasted sesame oil enhances the nuttiness of tahini (sesame seed paste) in this quick make-ahead dip, and rice vinegar stands in for the usual lemon juice. Kimchi gets blended into the hummus, where it adds a hint of savory pickled essence. It's also chopped and sprinkled on top for a burst of fermented pungency. Serve with sliced cucumbers, whole radishes, raw cauliflower florets, baby carrots, and rice crackers.

Learn how to make this traditional Korean side like a pro.

It's been a while since we had pajeon (literally translated pa=green onion/scallions and jeon=pancake, thus green onion pancake) since our California days with unlimited makgeolli (fermented rice wine). But for the sake of adding to our recipe list, we decided to make haemul pajeon (seafood pancake) for tonight while the kids spend the night at Komo's house (Auntie's). There are endless variations of this dish which can be made by adding or omitting certain ingredients according to personal preference. There are some great places in Korea that make this using fresh, whole seafood that is unbelievably delicious. I've tried to replicate it but to no avail. This dish also referred to as anju (alcohol-accompanied side dish) which is very popular in Korean restaurants and bars. The recipe below also includes a basic dipping sauce that can be made in minutes.

Paper thin slices of beef seared quickly with garlic and soy. The trick to making the beef ultra thin is to partially freeze it making it easy to slice.

Gochujang is an indispensable Korean sauce based on fermented soybeans and chiles. You'll find it in Asian markets, or seek out Annie Chun's brand, which is more widely available.

These burgers are based on bulgogi, a traditional Korean barbecue specialty of marinated sirloin. If you prefer more authentic flavor, just top with a splash of rice vinegar and kimchi, the spicy-hot pickled vegetable condiment available at Asian markets. Serve with rice crackers.