Making your own gochugaru-based kimchi paste from scratch is genuinely rewarding — but it’s also the single biggest reason people put off trying kimchi in the first place. If you’d rather skip straight to the fermenting and eating, a good ready-made kimchi paste lets you do exactly that: just add cabbage.
Our Pick
Mama O’s Premium Kimchi Paste (paid link) is made specifically for this purpose — it’s a ready-to-use base designed to be mixed straight into salted cabbage, not a condiment repurposed as a shortcut. It’s vegan (no fish sauce), which also makes it an easy way to try our vegan kimchi approach without sourcing separate ingredients.
How to Use It
- Salt and rinse your napa cabbage exactly as in our kimchi recipe.
- Skip the homemade paste step — massage the store-bought paste directly into the cabbage instead.
- Pack into a jar, leaving room at the top, and ferment as usual.
What You’re Trading Off
A store-bought paste won’t taste identical to one you build yourself from fresh garlic, ginger, and gochugaru — but it removes the most intimidating step for a first batch. Once you’re comfortable with the fermentation side, making your own paste is a natural next step.
FAQ
Does using a store-bought paste still count as fermenting?
Yes — the fermentation happens during the jar stage regardless of where the paste came from. The paste flavors the kimchi; the cabbage and time do the actual fermenting.
Can I adjust the spice level?
Yes — use less paste per cabbage for a milder batch, or add extra gochugaru flakes if you want more heat than the paste alone provides.
Save this on Pinterest for your next kimchi batch.
Related: Easy Kimchi Recipe · Vegan Kimchi