Kimbap is a Korean seaweed rice roll filled with seasoned vegetables, egg, and protein that's rolled tight and sliced into pinwheels. It's a portable, meal-prep-friendly lunch that comes together in under 30 minutes.
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Mix warm rice with a drizzle of sesame oil and pinch of salt.
Layer vegetables and protein across seaweed. Roll tightly, brushing edge with rice water to seal.
Lightly oil a sharp knife and slice each roll into bite-sized rounds.
Wrap cooled kimbap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 1 day. Serve chilled or at room temperature; reheat briefly in a dry skillet if desired.
bamboo sushi mat (or plastic mat)
Kimbap uses cooked rice seasoned with sesame oil and salt, while sushi uses vinegar-seasoned rice. Kimbap fillings are also cooked and seasoned individually, whereas sushi often uses raw fish.
Yes. Assemble kimbap up to 6 hours ahead, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. It's best eaten the same day but stays fresh overnight.
Use gim (nori sheets) labeled for kimbap or sushi—it's thin, lightly salted, and comes in standard 8x8 inch sheets.
Pack fillings firmly in a horizontal line, roll tightly using a bamboo mat, and wet the seaweed's top edge with a few drops of water to seal it.
Short-grain white rice is traditional and sticky enough to hold rolls together. Brown rice and other grains are drier and less ideal.
