Jangajji: Korean Soy Sauce Pickles Recipe and Tips

Jangajji is a Korean banchan (side dish) consisting of pickled vegetables in a soy sauce–based brine. Unlike kimchi, which consists of salted, seasoned, and fermented vegetables—often Napa cabbage—jangajji is not fermented. Instead, jangajji gets its tangy flavor from a soy sauce and vinegar marinade. These pickles are traditionally served chilled or at room temperature, with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil.

You can make jangajji with a wide range of produce. The most common blends combine equal parts crunchy vegetables like daikon radish, turnips, cucumbers, kohlrabi, or raw squash like chayote, and chile peppers, ranging from potent and spicy to mild and sweet. Alliums like onion, garlic (or garlic scapes), and scallions round out the mix.

In Korea—or the aisles of your local Asian grocery store or Korean market—jangajji features mixed veggies or single ingredients punched up with a combination of tangy and sweet flavors. These are some of the most popular varieties.

• Pickled alliums: Alliums are a staple ingredient in jangajji, thanks to their natural bite and soft sweetness. Try pickled onion (yangpa jangajji), pickled scallions (pa-jangajji), pickled garlic cloves (maneul-jangajji), or pickled garlic scapes (maneul-jong-jangajji). If they’re in season, try wild ramps—their flavor is similar to myungi, a type of wild Korean garlic (another popular pickle).
• Pickled herbs: Pickle whole perilla leaves (kkaennip-jangajji) or assorted spring herbs (bom-namul-jangajji) for a striking presentation.
• Pickled stone fruits: If you have a surplus of summer fruit and want to make something other than pie, try pickled peaches (bboksa-jangajji) and pickled plums (maesil-jangajji).
• Pickled vegetables: Vegetables are the hero of jangajji. Vegetable-based jangajji include everything from pickled hot peppers (gochu-jangajji) to pickled Korean radish (mu-jangajji), pickled eggplant (gaji-jangajji), and pickled Korean cucumber (oi-jangajji).

Few things are as simple and satisfying as making a batch of jangajji. Here’s what to know.

1. 1. Experiment with your ratios. How spicy or sweet you like your pickles is a personal preference. Try a pickling liquid with equal parts soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar, then dial up the flavors you enjoy the most. Add a dash of funky umami with ingredients like fish sauce or Worcestershire sauce.
2. 2. Cut ingredients into bite-sized pieces. With the exception of whole-pickled leaves and green onions, jangajji features bite-sized pieces of chopped vegetables or fruits, all roughly the same size. This is easier to eat, and allows the ingredients to pickle evenly.
3. 3. How to serve jangajji. There’s no wrong way to serve these soy sauce pickles: Incorporate jangajji into bibimbap; alongside other dishes from Korean cuisine, like bulgogi (barbecued beef), fried chicken, or pajeon pancakes; or use them as a simple, bright counterpoint to freshly steamed rice. Plus, you can use any leftover pickling liquid as a dipping sauce, or as an ingredient in dishes like kimchijeon.