Green Onion Kimchi Recipe (Pa Kimchi)

Name: Green Onion Kimchi (Pa Kimchi)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 26 min
Yield: 15 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 3 lbs green onions, roots trimmed; 1 cup fish sauce; ¼ cup glutinous rice flour (sweet rice flour); 2 tbsp white or brown sugar; 1½ cups gochugaru (Korean hot pepper flakes)

By Jiwon Kim · July 21, 2026

Green onion kimchi is called pa-kimchi (파각치) in Korean — “pa” simply means green onion. It’s aromatic, strong, spicy, and crisp, and considerably easier to make than traditional napa cabbage kimchi. You use the whole green onion, white and green parts both, and skip several ingredients cabbage kimchi needs: no garlic, ginger, radish, or chives required.

Pa-kimchi is a big deal in Korea, eaten often, with South Jeolla province particularly known for a spicy, pungent version of it.

Korean cooks generally use one of two thin green onion varieties for this kimchi: jjokpa, which has tender stalks and a slightly sweet, mild flavor and holds up well through fermentation, or silpa, which is more delicate and usually reserved for garnishing rather than kimchi-making since it doesn't hold up as well. Outside Korea, jjokpa can be hard to find, so regular thin scallions work as a substitute.

Pa kimchi pairs well with a whole spread of banchan — round it out with our mild White Kimchi or a quick batch of Bok Choy Kimchi.

Green Onion Kimchi (Pa Kimchi)

Whole green onions coated in a spicy gochugaru paste, simpler and quicker than napa cabbage kimchi.

Prep 20 min

Cook 6 min

Salting 1 hr

Ferment 2–3 wks

Cuisine Korean

Servings

Ingredients

3 lbs green onions, roots trimmed
1 cup fish sauce
¼ cup glutinous rice flour (sweet rice flour)
2 tbsp white or brown sugar
1½ cups gochugaru (Korean hot pepper flakes)

Instructions

Cut off the roots of the green onions and remove any tough outer layers. Cut into halves crosswise, wash in a couple of changes of cold water, drain, and place in a large bowl.
Mix the green onions with the fish sauce using both hands. Let stand 1 hour, turning every 20 minutes to salt evenly.
While the onions sit, combine the rice flour with 3 cups water in a saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until it begins to bubble, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the sugar, stir 1 more minute, then cool completely.
Transfer the salted green onions to a large bowl, keeping the fish sauce mixture. Scrape in the cooled porridge, add the gochugaru, and mix well. Let sit 30 minutes until the pepper flakes soak in and the paste thickens.
Add the green onions to the seasoning and gently toss to coat by hand.
Transfer to an airtight container or glass jar. Press down so it's well packed with no trapped air, then seal.
Eat right away, or let it ferment about 2 weeks in the fridge. For a faster ferment, leave at room temperature 5 to 7 days first, then refrigerate.

Notes & Variations

For a vegan or vegetarian version, substitute soup soy sauce for the fish sauce.
For a richer, more aromatic paste, some versions blend in onion, garlic, ginger, and apple or Korean pear.
Dried or half-dried squid (mareun ojingeo) is a popular optional addition for extra umami and chewy texture.
Adjust the gochugaru up or down to make it spicier or milder.

Nutrition (approx., per serving): Calories: 82 kcal · Protein: 3g · Carbs: 15g · Fat: 2g · Sodium: 1679mg · Fiber: 6g · Sugar: 2g
Estimated by a third-party nutrition calculator, not stated by the original source. Based on ~112g per serving, 15 servings.

FAQ

How do you make green onion kimchi?

Trim and wash the green onions, salt them briefly with fish sauce, coat them in a cooled rice-flour-and-gochugaru paste, then pack into an airtight container to eat fresh or ferment.

What do you eat green onion kimchi with?

It's commonly served with warm rice, and pairs well with Korean BBQ, noodle dishes, and ramen.

How long does green onion kimchi last?

It ferments over roughly 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator, developing more sourness the longer it sits. It can also be eaten fresh.

Is green onion kimchi good for you?

Like other kimchi varieties, it's a fermented food — fermentation produces probiotics that can support gut health, and kimchi tends to be low in calories while providing vitamins C and K.

What does green onion kimchi taste like?

Fresh, it's aromatic, strong, spicy, and crisp. As it ferments, the flavor develops into something more sour and tangy.

Green Onion Kimchi Recipe (Pa Kimchi)