Kimbap or gimbap (김밥) is a classic Korean sushi rolls. This Korean kimbap recipe is not only delicious, but also colorful. Kimbap is a healthy sushi roll with carbohydrates, vegetables and protein. Also, I like to pick colorful and healthy ingredients to make these beautiful and attractive gimbap rolls, so kids want to eat them too.
Like Korean food? Looking for more Korean dinner night ideas check out these homemade kimchi, kimchi fried rice vegan kimchi tofu soup, Korean japchae glass noodles, jajangmyeon, tteokbokki and ginseng chicken soup recipes as well.
What is kimbap (김밥) or gimbap?
Gimbap is a popular Korean style sushi roll. Gim means dried seaweed sheet (nori). Bap means cooked rice. Now, people commonly spell kimbap instead of gimbap.
When do people normally eat gimbap?
Kimbap is a popular Korean take out food. People like to eat kimbap as a packed meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Most of the time, people make gimbap for picnics, outdoors or gathering events.
What are the ingredients in Korean sushi roll kimbap (김밥) recipe?
The first time I was introduced to kimbap was when I was in elementary school when my Korean classmate bought his mother a homemade kimbap for lunch. The ingredients in gimbap usually are rice, nori, meat, vegetables, eggs, yellow pickled radish, imitation crab meat, etc.
For this Korean sushi roll kimbap recipe, I used some basic ingredients such as rice, nori and the fillings are beef, spinach, egg strips, yellow pickled radish and carrots.
Cooking tips for how to make Korean sushi roll kimbap:
Rice:
- Make sure the rice is level off and soak in the water.
- Wait until the cooked rice cools off before wrapping on a seaweed.
Spinach:
- Wash and soak the spinach very well because spinach has lots of sand.
- Boil the spinach, drain the water and rinse under cold water.
- Squeeze extra water from boiled spinach.
Wrapping and rolling Korean sushi rolls:
- Put a plastic wrap around the bamboo sushi roll mat, so it won’t get dirty and easier for cleaning.
- Lay a thin layer of rice on nori.
- Remember to leave some space at the top of nori around 1-1.5 inch.
- Put a little more filling, but not too much enough for folding and rolling.
- Brush or wipe some sesame oil on the rolls before slicing.
- Slice into bite sized pieces.
FAQS :
In fact, they are very similar. The main difference is the rice seasoning. Japanese sushi is seasoned with rice vinegar which is vinegar with salt and sugar. Korean sushi roll’s rice is seasoned with salt and sesame oil.
Normally, I use Japanese sushi rice for making sushi and kimbap. They are short and wide rice. In the states, Calrose brand rice is very popular and easy to find in most regular grocery stores and I like to use it to make sushi and gimbap Korean sushi rolls.
Yes, you can. However, I don’t recommend it because when you refrigerate it, the rice will be harder and doesn’t taste as good as fresh. The best is to consume them the same day as you make it.
Few hours at room temperature. If the weather is cooler, no more than a day. Most of the time, I wrap kimbap in tin foil or plastic wrap, so it can keep rice moist and will not dry off fast.
Instructions on how to make kimbap Korean sushi rolls:
Rice:
1.Wash and drain 3 cups of rice very well. Then, put into an instant pot pressure cooker and add 3 cups of water. Make sure the rice is level off and covered in the water.
Close the lid and vent. Push the manual button and adjust the time for 6 minutes and natural release.
After, put the cooked rice into a mixing bowl, add ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and mix them well. Set it aside and let it cool off.
Fillings:
Beef:
2. Cut 1 pound of beef round steak into strips.
After that, put the beef into a container and add ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Mix it well and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes.
Next, stir fry the beef until it changes color.
Carrots:
3. Peel and cut 2 small carrots into strips.
And, stir fry them by adding ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil and ⅛ teaspoon of salt into a pan. Cover the lid and cook the carrots until it’s soft.
Eggs:
4. Beat 3 eggs in a bowl. Then, pour ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan and turn on medium small fire to pan fry the eggs.
Then, cut the eggs into strips.
Spinach:
5. Wash and soak 1 bunch of spinach very well. Then, boil them in water.
After that, drain the water and rinse it under cold water. Remove excess water by squeezing the spinach.
Put the cooked spinach in a container, add ⅛ teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and mix them well.
6. Cut 1 piece of yellow pickled radish into long strips.
Rolling:
7. Now, kimbap filling ingredients are ready. Let’s wrap kimbap.
First, put a nori on a bamboo sushi roll mat. Second, put a thin layer of seasoned rice on nori. Remember to leave some space at the top around 1-1.5 inch.
Third, add fillings and roll the gimbap with a bamboo sushi mat. See the details in the video below the recipe card.
8. Next, brush or wipe some sesame oil around Korean sushi rolls.
9. Then, slice kimbap rolls into bite sized pieces.
Enjoy this Korean sushi roll kimbap recipe! Also, check out these steamed garlic shrimp, how to make chili oil, tonkatsu, Asian shaved ice, and red bean mochi recipes.
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Kimbap (김밥)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 piece Yellow pickled radish (big piece)
- 7 sheets Nori/ Seaweed sheets nori
- ½ teaspoon Sesame oil (Brushing the rolls before cutting)
Rice
- 3 cups Calrose rice (uncooked)
- 3 cups Water
Rice Seasoning:
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
Beef
- 1 pound Top round steak
Steak Seasoning:
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
Spinach
- 1 bunch Spinach
Spinach Seasoning:
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
Carrot
- 2 pieces Carrot (small one)
Carrots stir fried:
- ½ tablespoon Vegetable oil
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
Egg
- 3 Eggs
Eggs pan fried:
- ½ tablespoon vegetables oil
Instructions
How to make Kimbap Korean sushi rolls
- Wash and drain 3 cups of rice very well. Then, put into instant pot pressure cooker and add 3 cups of water. Make sure the rice is level off and covered in the water. Close the lid and vent. Push manual button and adjust time for 6 minutes and natural release. After that, put the cooked rice into a mixing bowl, add ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and mix them well. Set it aside and let it cool off.
- Cut 1 pound of beef round steak into strips. After that, put the beef into a container and add ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Mix it well and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes. Next, stir fry the beef until it changes color.
- Peel and cut 2 small carrots into strips and stir fry them by adding ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil and ⅛ teaspoon of salt into a pan. Cover the lid and cook the carrots until it’s soft.
- Beat 3 eggs, add ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan and turn on medium small fire to pan fry the eggs. Then, cut the eggs into strips.
- Wash and soak 1 bunch of spinach very well. Then, boil them in water. After that, drain the water and rinse it under cold water. Remove excess water by squeezing the spinach. Put the cooked spinach in a container, add ⅛ of teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and mix them well.
- Cut 1 piece of yellow pickled radish into long strips.
- Now, filling ingredients are ready. Let’s wrap kimbap. First, put a nori on a bamboo sushi roll mat. Second, put a thin layer of seasoned rice on nori. Remember to leave some space at the top around 1-1.5 inch. Third, add fillings and roll the gimbap with a bamboo sushi mat. See the details in the video.
- Brush or wipe some sesame oil around Korean sushi rolls.
- Slice kimbap rolls into bite sized pieces.
Notes
Cooking tips for how to make kimbap rolls:
Rice:
- Make sure the rice is level off and soak in the water.
- Wait until the cooked rice is cool off before wrapping on a seaweed.
Spinach:
- Wash and soak the spinach very well because spinach has lots of sand.
- Boil the spinach, drain the water and rinse under cold water.
- Squeeze extra water from boiled spinach.
Wrapping and rolling Korean sushi rolls:
- Put a plastic wrap around the bamboo sushi roll mat, so it won’t get dirty and easier for cleaning.
- Lay a thin layer of rice on nori.
- Remember to leave some space at the top of nori around 1-1.5 inch.
- Put little more filling, but not too much enough for folding and rolling.
- Brush or wipe some sesame oil on the rolls before slicing.
- Slice into bite sized pieces.
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