Korean Soy Marinated Onion is a side dish you can whip up in 15 minutes. It’s perfect for when you’re having an impromptu KBBQ!
Yangpa Jjangachi literally means onion and pickled vegetables. For this recipe, I’ll be sharing a method that we often do in the restaurant. Our customers seem to love this that they even call it “Korean BBQ Onions”. Kakaka~ It’s not the traditional method of pickling onions, rather the “quicker” way to do it. Even then, you still get that savor and crunch that’s a perfect pair to any grilled meat.
This recipe literally takes no more than 15 minutes to do. You can easily prepare this for your homemade Korean BBQ. Or if you’re not up for a whole grilling situation, you can also pair this with Korean Spicy Chicken BBQ or Beef Bulgogi!
The Original Korean Pickled Onions Recipe
Generally, in Korea, vegetables are often pickled to preserve different harvests. The aim is to prolong shelf life, especially during the winter seasons when there is less produce and it’s harder to farm.
The original way to do pickling is actually very simple. Boil the same ratio of soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar and pour it on big chunks of onion. Garlic and chili peppers are sometimes added to the mix. It is usually stored in an airtight container and they let the onion soak in the brine for 24 hours before consuming it. As it sits, the spice from the onion diminishes and the flavor will continue to develop.
The pickling method can be done in a wide variety of vegetables like radish, cucumber, and so much more. As long as the jars are kept closed, they can stay as long as one month in the fridge. Once opened, it is recommended to finish it right away.
The Quick Pickling Method & Pickled Onion Sauce
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For my quick method, the main way to remove the spice of the onion is by soaking it in water for 10 minutes.
For the sauce ingredients:
- Soy Sauce: I know there is a wide variety of soy sauce, and it can get confusing. I recommend just using light or regular soy sauce for this recipe.
- Vinegar: I prefer to use apple cider vinegar since I like the taste. However, you can use whatever is available to you, preferably the sweet kind.
- Mirin: It will add another sharp but sweet flavor to cut through the saltiness of the soy sauce. Adding this, however, is optional.
- Water (For soaking): To kick this up a notch, you can soak the onion in dashi stock. To make dashi stock, simply soak dried kelp in water or dilute dashi powder in water.
The result of the sauce is slightly salty with a kick from the vinegar. When the sauce and fresh onion are combined, everything will be balanced out. The quick pickle method is basically just mixing the sauce in the onion right before serving. I love this method because it will retain the crunch and freshness of the onion!!
Chris, that’s way too much sauce!
Since this is a restaurant-style quick pickling method, I would recommend you only prepare onion that you will finish during the meal or party. I don’t recommend storing chopped onions in the fridge because they wouldn’t be as fresh.
For the leftover sauce, you can easily repurpose this and use it as a dip or marinade for a soft tofu side dish, marinated eggs, or kimchi pancake! Very versatile, isn’t it??
Other KBBQ side dishes you may like:
- Korean Multigrain Rice
- Spicy Cold Noodles
- Kimchi-Radish Cold Noodles
- Napa Cabbage Kimchi
- Radish Kimchi
- Korean Steamed Eggs
Make sure to leave a rating, a comment, or tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Tiktok when you chop them up! Yeobosayo!
Korean Soy Marinated Onions (Yangpa Jangajji)
Ingredients
- 1 pc Big Onion Thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
- 1/4 cup Vinegar
- 1/4 cup White Sugar
- 1/4 cup Water
- 1/6 cup Mirin Optional
- Sesame Seeds For garnish
Instructions
- Chop the onions thinly then fluff them.
- Place onions in a bowl, wash, and soak in water for 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Mix all the sauce ingredients together. Mix thoroughly until the sugar has dissolved.
- After 10 minutes, drain the onions and let sit for a while.
- To serve, in a bowl, place a handful of onions and 3-5 tablespoons of the sauce.
- Mix well, garnish with sesame seeds, and serve with Korean BBQ.
My Korean husband loved this recipe. He said it’s better than he makes it. The mirin was the secret!
Ayy!!! Yeobosayo!!!