Olive Kimchi (A Viral Recipe, Refined)
This is a viral olive kimchi recipe from Korea, adjusted and refined for a cleaner, more balanced flavor.
Ingredients
- 150 g Salt-cured olives drained weight
- ½ Sweet onion (70g) cut into cubes (about 1–1.5 cm, similar in size to the olives)
- 1 Green chili sliced
- 1 tbsp Gochugaru
- 1 tsp Minced garlic or 1 clove garlic
- ½ tbsp Fish sauce
- ½ tbsp White balsamic vinegar or also known as white condiment
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
Rinse the olives
- Drain the olives and rinse briefly under running water.
- (You can save the brine for cocktails, marinades, or dressings.)
Dry thoroughly
- Drain well and pat completely dry with kitchen towels.
Mix
- In a bowl, combine the olives, cubed onion, and green chili.
- Add the gochugaru, minced garlic, fish sauce, and white balsamic vinegar.
Finish with olive oil
- Drizzle in the olive oil and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
Rest & Serve
- Refrigerate for 1-2 days to allow the flavors to mingle. This will keep in the fridge up to 7-10 days.
- If the olive oil looks cloudy after refrigeration, simply let it sit at room temperature before serving. This is a natural property of extra virgin olive oil, not a flaw.
Notes
Quick Notes on Olives
Best olives: small, pitted green olives
(Castelvetrano, Manzanilla, Halkidiki) Avoid: black olives, they're too soft and too aromatic I used olives cured at around 3% salinity, so I only rinsed them briefly. If your olives are saltier, soak them in cold water for 20-30 minutes to reduce excess salt.
This lowers saltiness without diluting the olive flavor.
(Castelvetrano, Manzanilla, Halkidiki) Avoid: black olives, they're too soft and too aromatic I used olives cured at around 3% salinity, so I only rinsed them briefly. If your olives are saltier, soak them in cold water for 20-30 minutes to reduce excess salt.
This lowers saltiness without diluting the olive flavor.