• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Healthy World Cuisine logo
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Health and Diet
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Health and Diet
  • Contact
  • About
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Mains » Fish and Seafood » Kimchi Salmon and Rainbow Pickles

    Kimchi Salmon and Rainbow Pickles

    Published: Apr 19, 2015 · Modified: Feb 5, 2021 by HWC Magazine · 40 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Kimchi Salmon and Rainbow Pickles is made with succulent sweet salmon infused with spicy kimchi and gently pan seared and topped with an assortment of vibrant colorful delicious quick pickles.

    Kimchi Salmon and Quick Pickles on a green plate with metal chopsticks.
    Jump to:
    • 30 Minute Dinner
    • Korean Food Week
    • Kimchi
    • Life Time Supply
    • Natural Probiotic Food
    • Turn Fish Haters into Fish Lovers
    • Recipe Substitutions
    • How to Serve?
    • Quick Pickles
    • Gochujang Mayo Sauce
    • More Delicious Korean Recipes
    • Kimchi Salmon and Rainbow Pickles

    30 Minute Dinner

    Kimchi salmon patties and quick pickles is so easy to make that I am almost embarrassed to have to call it an "actual recipe". This is a quick easy night menu and a super fun and delicious way to get dinner on your table in less than 30 minutes. Kimchi salmon and Rainbow Pickles is a delicious gluten-free, egg-free and low carb recipe.

    Kimchi Salmon and Quick Pickles / https://www.hwcmagazine.com

    Korean Food Week

    This week was a "Korean Food Week" at the local "Park n Shop" here in Hong Kong. There were great deals on delicious kimchi, Gochujang paste (savory and pungent fermented Korean condiment made from red chili, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans and salt) and lots of laver (nori seaweed snacks). Who can say no to all of that deliciousness!

    Kimchi

    Now the big question was what was I going to make with all that XL industrial sized  (lifetime supply) of kimchi.

    I headed over to the seafood section and the salmon was so pink, bright and beautiful, I just knew I had to make something with it. I stopped over to grab some vegetables to go on the side and just saw a beautiful rainbow of color. There was no gold at the end of the rainbow...I checked. However, I did come up with a brilliant idea for a super healthy, simple and easy low carb meal.

    Kimchi Salmon and Quick Pickles / https://www.hwcmagazine.com

    Life Time Supply

    Kimchi has been around for decades and it a vital  part of a Korean Diet. It is fermented cabbage but can also be fermented diakon and other vegetables. There are so many different versions but usually it is slightly sour and spicy.

    The traditional way to make kimchi is to make it as a family and then let it ferment in special containers under the ground. However, you can just buy kimchi in your local super market or Asian market in the refrigerated food section.

    I bought an extra large lifetime supply of kimchi so of course we will make Gochujang Fried Rice with Leftover Ham, Creamy Kimchi Pasta  or a blast from the past with our BiBimBap 비빔밥.

    Kimchi Salmon and Quick Pickles / https://www.hwcmagazine.com

    Natural Probiotic Food

    Eating fermented foods, like kimchi,  is good for your health as it has vitamins A, B, and C. However, the reason I love it is that it helps replace the healthy bacteria in your gut called lactobacilli. A daily dose of kimchi is like taking a probiotic as it helps with digestion but the main reason I love it as it tastes fantastic.

    A brand of kimchi that is gluten free is King's Kimchi  if you have a gluten intolerance/celiac disease. You will need to read the back of the container as some kimchi contains wheat to thicken, so please take note.

    Kimchi Salmon and Quick Pickles / https://www.hwcmagazine.com

    Turn Fish Haters into Fish Lovers

    My hubby, bless his heart, is a salmon fish hater. Can you believe this?  The nerve!!! Everyone else in our family adores salmon.

    So you know what you do to disguise your salmon? We made it into a fancy lettuce wrapped Kimchi burger and camouflaged it with lots of delicious quick pickles and a gochujang mayo dip. I guess you could really do with any fish you like, so if you have salmon haters in your family, have no fear!!!

    Kimchi Salmon and Quick Pickles / https://www.hwcmagazine.com

    Recipe Substitutions

    I wanted to keep the recipe as simple as possible and remove some of the items that cause our family dietary grief such as gluten and eggs. I made several batches experimenting with additions to the salmon patties in my food processor. The kimchi gives a delicious flavor to the salmon as it has everything in it you need; spice, savory, sour, garlic and seasonings.

    The only issue remained the binding agent. As I cannot use eggs and bread crumbs due to dietary issues, I pulverized puffed rice crackers (sometimes you hear me referring to them as cardboard...LOL)

    If you had gluten free bread crumbs at home by all means feel free to use that or even regular breadcrumbs/panko, if no gluten issues in your household.  Just a little is all you need to get the salmon patties to form tender and delicious patties.

    Kimchi Salmon and Quick Pickles / https://www.hwcmagazine.com

    How to Serve?

    In keeping with the idea to keep my dinner gluten free and low on carbs, I opted to nestle my kimchi salmon in a lettuce cup. However, these delicious kimchi patties and pickled veggies would just as delicious on a big kaiser roll, if you like.

    Quick Pickles

    Did you know that you can make quick pickles out of so many different types of vegetables? I did not have enough cucumber pickles to feed the whole family so I make a quick pickle with red cabbage, carrots, radish and a little cucumber and your could really use any vegetable you can slice thinly and have in your crisper. It is amazing what a few minutes and rice vinegar, salt, white pepper and sugar or sugar alternative can do for a vegetable.

    Gochujang Mayo Sauce

    My boys loved this quick and easy gochujang mayo dip for their kimchi salmon burgers. Even though I cannot eat eggs, I did not miss the gochujang sauce for one minute with all of those delicious pickled rainbow veggies nestled  on top of my kimchi salmon burger.

    Kimchi Salmon and Quick Pickles / https://www.hwcmagazine.com

    This would be a super fun idea to serve at a party gathering. You could let everyone assemble their own Kimchi salmon with rainbow pickles on top of their own lettuce cup. This meal is super easy to prepare in advance so that you the host or the hostess can spend some quality time with your guests.  A great welcome for a long overdue spring gathering.

    More Delicious Korean Recipes

    Low Carb Spicy Bulgogi Beef Stir Fry

    Baked Dduk Lavered with Bacon

    Yang Bae Chu Ssam 양배추쌈 and Go Chu Jeon 고추전

    Korean Beef BBQ Kalbi

    Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

    • Low Carb Spicy Bulgogi Beef Stir Fry / https://www.hwcmagazine.com
      Low Carb Spicy Bulgogi Beef Stir Fry
    • Baked Dduk Lavered with Bacon
    • Korean Beef BBQ Kalbi
    • 2 plates of gochujang rice topped with a sunny side up fried egg.
      Gochujang Fried Rice with Leftover Ham

    Kimchi Salmon and Rainbow Pickles

    Succulent sweet salmon infused with spicy kimchi and gently pan seared and topped with an assortment of vibrant colourful delicious quick pickles.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Spring Time Favorites
    Cuisine: Korean
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 795kcal
    Author: HWC Magazine

    Ingredients

    Quick Rainbow Pickles

    • ¼ cup carrot small carrot sliced thinly Julienned - I used a mandolin
    • ¼ cup cucumber -
      sliced
    • ½ cup cabbage purple
    • 10 radish
      sliced thinly
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
      or sugar alternative
    • white pepper
      to taste
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

    Kimchi Salmon Patties

    • 6 oz salmon
      (skin and bones removed)
    • ½ cup kimchi
    • ½ cup rice crackers pulverized in food processor or gluten free bread crumbs
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil

    Gochujang Mayo

    • ½ cup mayonnaise
    • 1 teaspoon Korean red pepper paste
      (gochujang)
    • 2-3 lettuce leaves
      (iceburg lettuce)
    • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds toasted - garnish (optional)
    US Customary - Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Place your thinly sliced vegetables (carrots, cucumber, cabbage and radish or whatever veggies you wish) in a bowl .(If you are using purple cabbage, keep the purple cabbage away from the rest of your vegetables or all of your vegetables will turn a purple color) Sprinkle your veggies with the salt and use your fingers to rub the salt into the vegetables. This helps bring the water out of the vegetable. Place veggies in refrigerator for about 15 minutes. Stir together rice vinegar, sugar or sugar alternative, pepper and sesame oil to make a quick pickle vinaigrette and set aside.
    • Put your boneless, skinless salmon fillets and kimchi into the food processor and process until smooth. Brush down the sides of the food processor with a spoon and add rice cracker crumbs (gluten-free breadcrumbs) just until well incorporated and your salmon mixture holds together well enough to make a patty. Make 2-3 patties out of your kimchi salmon mixture. First roll salmon mixture into a ball and then flatten the ball into a disk about ½ or so thick. (at this point, you could freeze them if you wish to make for later)
    • Remove your salted veggies from the refrigerator and gently squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Toss your vegetables with your rice vinegar, sugar, white pepper and sesame oil mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.
    • Place a little olive oil in a pan and fry for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown on both sides and flakes easily with a fork. Set aside and keep warm.
    • In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and gochujang sauce together. set aside.
    • Assemble: On a plate, place your lettuce leaves, place one deliciously cooked kimchi salmon patty into each lettuce cup, top with pickled veggies, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with gochujang mayo and enjoy!

    Notes

    Feel free to use gluten free breadcrumbs as an exchange for rice crackers. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 795kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 60g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 1746mg | Potassium: 613mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 4520IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Tag us @HWCMagazine or hastag us #HWCMagazine!

    More Fish and Seafood

    • Crab sushi bake assembled and getting topped with Japanese pickles.
      Crab Sushi Bake
    • Cooked air fryer frozen fillets on a black plate with lemon wedges.
      Air Fryer Frozen Tilapia
    • 75 Best Tasting Fish & Seafood Recipes for Picky Eaters
      Best Tasting Fish and Seafood Recipes for Picky Eaters
    • Asian Steamed Scallops with Garlic Vermicelli glass noodles in a Chinese steamer basket.
      Asian Steamed Scallops with Garlic Vermicelli 

    About HWC Magazine

    Join our Healthy World Cuisine medical editors (trained in both Western and Eastern Medicine) and learn how to EAT your way around the WORLD from the comfort of your own kitchen. Grab free health tips, recipe ideas, meal plans and gain a better understand how eating choices can affect your health. Be the healthier and happier YOU!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Dana says

      December 06, 2021 at 1:35 am

      5 stars
      So many great oriental ideas here.

      Reply
    2. Becky says

      June 22, 2021 at 2:18 am

      Everyone should make some kimchi

      Reply
      • HWC Magazine says

        June 22, 2021 at 10:50 am

        We have many Korean friends but we still have not yet made homemade kimchi. Need to get that request on the Healthy World Cuisine menu plan. Take Care

        Reply
    3. Marcela (tortadellafiglia) says

      May 01, 2015 at 2:08 pm

      It looks delicious! I love the idea of making your own pickles! Awesome!

      Reply
    4. Maggie Zhu (Omnivore's Cookbook) says

      April 26, 2015 at 10:31 pm

      I’m in love of how good the color of this recipe has. Love love the idea of making your own Pickles. Super healthy and super yummy! 🙂 Good job Bobbi!

      Reply
      • Healthy World Cuisine says

        April 27, 2015 at 5:22 pm

        Thank you Maggie! I am a huge pickle fan, are you? The market is just full of fresh vibrant veggie this week at the wet market.

        Reply
    5. healthyrecipeecstasy says

      April 24, 2015 at 10:02 pm

      What a unique combination! I would never have thought of this! My hubby is not a fish fan but he would definitely be down for this!! Especially with the pickles and spicy mayo. 🙂

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Primary Sidebar

    WELCOME

    Hi There!
    Are you ready to explore new culinary frontiers, eat healthier, and save time – Then, you have come to the right place. Join Healthy World Cuisine (HWC) Magazine and learn how to EAT your way around the WORLD from the comfort of your own kitchen. Grab free health tips, recipe ideas, meal plans and gain a better understand how eating choices can affect your health. Be the healthier and happier YOU!

    Discover more about HWC Magazine →

    POPULAR RECIPES

    • Crab Stuffed Whitefish
    • Bacon wrapped sausage stuffed pork tenderloin.
      Bacon Wrapped Sausage Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
    • Pepper Lunch Steak and Rice Sizzle / https://www.hwcmagazine.com
      Pepper Lunch Steak and Rice Sizzle
    • Hawaiian Luau Rice

    HEALTH AND DIET

    • 2 shots of Whiskey Honey Lemon Cough Syrup with a bottle of honey and whiskey and a half a lemon on a cutting board.
      Whiskey Honey Lemon Cough Syrup
    • Feed Your Spleen: Nourish your Body
    • Love your liver with 2 hands held together in the shape of a heart with self care and meal plan sign.
      Love your Liver; Self Care and Meal Plans
    • Mindful eating script for weight loss with healthy foods surrounding.
      Mindfulness Eating Script for Weight Loss

    Footer

    ↑ BACK TO TOP

    • About
    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    • Contact/Work with Us

    Copyright © 2011-2022 HEALTHY WORLD CUISINE Privacy Policy

    EXCLUSIVE MEMBER OF MEDIAVINE FOOD