20 Korean Vegan Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What Korean food can vegans eat? ›

Some easily available and often vegetarian dishes I ate in Korea included tteokbokki, kimbap and cold noodles. Additionally, Korea is home to lots of street food stalls selling sweet treats such as hotteok (filled pancakes) and hodugwaja (walnut pastries) which are delicious and also vegetarian.

Molinaro, who grew up in and lives in Chicago, began blogging as “The Korean Vegan” after adopting a plant-based diet in 2016.

“Look for gimbap (seaweed rice rolls), tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), and japchae,” she says, which are either animal-free already, or you can ask for modifications. “Don't hesitate to ask food vendors if they can make dishes vegan-friendly,” she adds.

In fact, it's generally considered one of the most important elements of Korean cuisine and has been around for thousands of years. Unfortunately for those following a vegan diet, kimchi is more often than not flavored with some type of fermented seafood product, such as fish sauce or salted shrimp.

The most famous vegan celebrity in Korea, Im Soo-jung started her plant-based ways when she discovered she was allergic to animal protein five years ago.

In short, absolutely! The strictness of your diet will dictate to what extent you might struggle to find food, but in general, there are many vegetarian dishes in Korean restaurants.

The no. 2 spot went to actress Kim Hyo Jin. Kim Hyo Jin has been active as a vegetarian with her husband, Yoo Ji Tae, for four years running, in order to protect the environment and animals. At the Cannes International Film Festival in May, Kim Hyo Jin said, "I′m not against meat eating.

(She has since remarried; her husband, pianist Anthony Molinaro, is another frequent topic and occasional guest, and his music often accompanies the videos.) Soon Molinaro was more than a partner in a law firm with a fun side hustle.

How hard is it to be vegan in Korea? ›

South Korea – a Vegan's Nightmare? South Korea is arguably one of the most difficult countries in the world to sustain yourself in as a vegan. There's no doubt the country has a fondness for meat and seafood, with anchovy broth being a prominent ingredient in many of the national dishes.

Depending on the restaurant's availability, request an array of vegetables—including squash and peppers—to roast instead. Season them with a dipping mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, and chili powder, and you're good to go.

You could start by removing meat or dairy one day a week and go from there. Or you could try changing one meal at a time, having vegan breakfasts during your first week, adding a vegan lunch during week two and so on.

Staple vegan foods such as oats, lentils, pasta, rice and chickpeas are among the cheapest foods and are in *a lot* of vegan recipes, so should definitely make an appearance on your list. Oh, and avoid shopping whilst hungry.

Because of the long history of Buddhism in Korea, temple cuisine (사찰음식) is deeply incorporated into traditional Korean cuisine. For these reasons, so many classic Korean dishes are naturally vegan (or vegetarian) or can easily be veganized! For more vegan side dishes, check out my 15 Korean Vegetable Side Dishes.

Number of vegans South Korea 2008-2021

As of 2021, there were around 2.5 million people in South Korea following a vegan diet.

Depending on the restaurant's availability, request an array of vegetables—including squash and peppers—to roast instead. Season them with a dipping mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, and chili powder, and you're good to go.