Buta Kimchi Stir – Fry Recipe

Prep ingredients

Slice pork belly into bite-size strips if not pre-sliced. Cut kimchi into 1-inch pieces. Rinse and trim bean sprouts. Thinly slice cabbage and cut chives to 1.5-inch lengths. Slice green onions on the diagonal. Measure out seasonings and combine soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and gochugaru in a small bowl.

If your kimchi is very sour and you prefer milder, briefly squeeze excess kimchi juice into a bowl (reserve juice — you can add a tablespoon later if needed).

Render pork belly

Heat a large heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat until hot. Add vegetable oil and swirl. Add sliced pork belly in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and sear until the fat renders and edges turn golden brown, about 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally so pieces cook evenly.

Build flavor with aromatics

Push pork to one side of the pan. Reduce heat to medium. Add green onions and half the garlic chives to the empty side; stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. If the pan is dry, add another 1/2 teaspoon oil.

Add kimchi

Add the chopped kimchi to the pan and stir together with the pork. Cook 3–5 minutes until kimchi softens and starts to brown at the edges — this caramelization deepens flavor. If mixture looks dry, add up to 1 tablespoon of reserved kimchi juice or 1 tablespoon water.

Add cabbage and bean sprouts

Add the sliced cabbage and bean sprouts. Stir-fry vigorously for 2–3 minutes until cabbage begins to wilt but still has some bite, and bean sprouts are tender-crisp.

Season and finish

Pour the soy sauce/mirin mixture over the stir-fry, sprinkle sugar, gochugaru (if using), salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and cook another 1–2 minutes so flavors marry. Taste and adjust salt or a splash more kimchi juice for brightness. Turn off heat and drizzle sesame oil over the dish. Fold in the remaining garlic chives and most of the toasted sesame seeds, reserving a pinch for garnish.

Transfer stir-fry to a serving plate or shallow bowl. Sprinkle reserved sesame seeds and toasted seaweed strips (if using). Serve immediately with steamed rice and/or lettuce/napa cabbage leaves for wrapping.

Leftovers refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat until hot, adding a splash of water to loosen if sticky.