7 Delicious Korean Foods To Try (That Are Not Kimchi)

Kimchi, bulgogi, bibimbap… these Korean dishes might already be familiar to you, but there’s so much more to Korean cuisine! My favorite part of any trip to Korea is the cheap and plentiful food – if you’re adventurous and open to trying new flavors, you can find delicious things to eat at street-corner food carts and fancier restaurants alike. On your next trip to Korea, make sure to try these lesser-known Korean dishes, ranging from full meals to sweet treats.

Spicy Fish Stew (Maeuntang)

Maeuntang is a traditional Korean spicy fish stew known for its robust flavors and hearty ingredients. The dish typically features a variety of fresh fish, often including cod or snapper, combined with vegetables such as radish, mushrooms, and bean sprouts, all simmered in a rich, spicy broth made from gochujang (red chili paste) and gochugaru (chili powder). The stew is often garnished with fresh green onions, garlic, and tofu, adding layers of flavor and texture.

I got this bowl of maeuntang at Noryangjin Fish Market in Seoul, which is an excellent place to go for fresh seafood.

To eat maeuntang, it’s customary to ladle the steaming hot stew into individual bowls. You can enjoy it with a side of rice, which helps balance the spiciness, and various banchan (Korean side dishes) that complement the meal. Maeuntang is best eaten hot, making it a popular choice for communal dining, especially during colder months.

Walnut-Shaped Cakes (Hodugwaja)

Walking through the streets of Seoul, you’ll see food vendors spooning batter and red bean paste into walnut-shaped holes in a rotating waffle iron-shaped device. They’re cooking hodugwaja, or walnut cakes, which are a beloved Korean confectionery known for their delightful combination of a soft, pancake-like exterior and a sweet filling of red bean paste and walnuts. These bite-sized treats are shaped like walnuts and baked to a golden brown, offering a perfect balance of sweetness and nutty flavor.

Beef Tartare Bowl (Yukhoe Bibimbap)

You may have heard of (or tried) bibimbap before, but have you ever eaten it raw? Yukhoe bibimbap combines the classic elements of bibimbap with the addition of yukhoe, which is Korean-style raw beef tartare. The dish features a bowl of rice topped with a variety of colorful vegetables such as julienned carrots, cucumber, spinach, bean sprouts, and mushrooms, along with a raw egg yolk and seasoned raw beef slices marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and other spices. The raw beef used in yukhoe is sourced from high-quality, fresh cuts that are handled with strict hygiene standards to minimize any risk of contamination, so it is safe to eat when prepared properly.

To eat yukhoe bibimbap, you typically drizzle a spicy gochujang-based sauce over all the ingredients, and mix everything together thoroughly, ensuring that the flavors and textures are evenly distributed. Sometimes the dish is served in a dolsot (hot stone bowl) and the meat cooks as it is stirred around the dish, but the above yukhoe bibimbap I got at the Goto Mall came in a room-temperature metal bowl and was designed to be eaten cold. Either way, it’s very tasty!

Crouffle

A crouffle is a delightful hybrid pastry that combines the flaky layers of a croissant with the crispy texture of a waffle. This innovative treat is created by pressing croissant dough in a waffle iron, resulting in a pastry that boasts the best qualities of both a croissant and a waffle. The crouffle in the picture here is dusted with injeolmi, a traditional Korean rice cake coating made from roasted soybean powder.

Injeolmi powder is often used to dust various desserts and snacks, giving them a unique and delicious twist. In the case of the crouffle, the injeolmi adds an extra layer of roasted, nutty flavor.

Korean Bakery Items

Whether you’re at a trendy cafe in a popular district like Itaewon or Hongdae, or ducking into the local GS25 convenience store, you’ll find bakery items that are a delightful fusion of traditional Korean flavors and Western baking techniques. Many pastries and bread incorporate sweet and savory elements such as red bean paste, sweet potato, matcha, and injeolmi.

Popular recommendations include the classic red bean bun (pat-bbang), a soft bread filled with sweet red bean paste, or soboro-ppang, a crumbly streusel-topped bun. The pastry in the picture above contains chewy mochi (rice cake) filling that pairs perfectly with the crunchy almonds and streusel. Make sure to order one along with an iced Americano for the true “sophisticated Korean” experience.

McDonalds

No, I’m serious! McDonalds in Korea (or the local chain, Lotteria) is a must-try because of their unique twist on the classic burger by replacing the traditional bread buns with compressed rice patties. These rice burgers are part of McDonald’s localized menu, catering to the Korean palate and integrating familiar flavors into their fast food offerings. The rice patties are typically made from sticky rice, which holds together well and offers a chewy texture that complements the savory fillings.

Popular options include the Bulgogi Rice Burger, which features a patty marinated in a sweet and savory bulgogi sauce, topped with lettuce and mayonnaise. Another favorite is the Shrimp Rice Burger, combining crispy fried shrimp with a tangy sauce, lettuce, and pickles, all sandwiched between the unique rice buns. These rice burgers provide a satisfying alternative to traditional burgers, incorporating Korean culinary elements while maintaining the convenience and appeal of fast food. Pair your burger with a hot coffee, and you have a great, quick breakfast meal when on the go.

Melted Sugar Cookies (Dalgona)

Dalgona cookies, also known as ppopgi, are a traditional Korean treat made from melted sugar and a pinch of baking soda. The mixture is heated until it caramelizes, creating a sweet, crunchy candy that is then pressed into a flat, round shape. Often, a simple shape like a star, heart, or umbrella is stamped into the center of the cookie before it hardens, giving it its distinctive look.

The children’s game associated with dalgona cookies, which gained international fame through the TV series “Squid Game,” involves carefully removing the stamped shape from the rest of the cookie without breaking it. Using a needle, toothpick, or similar tool, players must trace around the shape, requiring a steady hand and patience. If you break the shape, you lose the game!