1. From Our Greenhouse to the Kitchen Table
In spring, we planted lettuce, crown daisy, arugula, and other leafy greens in our backyard garden. We harvested them throughout the summer for fresh wraps and everyday meals. Around the middle of August, as summer began to fade, we sowed spinach seeds in our greenhouse.
I waited to see how well the spinach would grow in Calgary's short growing season. Fortunately, the plants grew well and eventually produced enough fresh leaves for harvesting. It was a pleasure to pick our own spinach and bring it straight to the kitchen.
For home gardeners, one of the best parts of growing vegetables is enjoying the harvest at the dinner table. We get to see the entire process, from sowing tiny seeds to preparing a meal with vegetables we have grown ourselves.
This time, I used our greenhouse-grown spinach to make homemade gimbap, a Korean rice roll filled with seasoned rice, vegetables, eggs, and other ingredients. Gimbap is a good choice for a family lunch, a packed meal, or a satisfying snack.
The ingredients can vary depending on what we have at home. For this batch, I used spinach, carrots, pickled radish, braised burdock root, all-beef sausages, imitation crab sticks, and eggs. The different colors and textures make each slice look appealing.
I prepared enough ingredients to make about 10 rolls, so we could enjoy some right away and use the rest for another meal.
2. Ingredients for 10 Gimbap Rolls
This recipe makes approximately 10 rolls using 10 sheets of roasted seaweed. The rice measurement is based on a 180 ml cup.
Main Ingredients
4 cups uncooked rice
10 sheets of gimbap seaweed
About 2 bunches of fresh spinach
3 carrots
10 strips of pickled radish
Braised burdock root, as needed
5 all-beef sausages
10 imitation crab sticks
8 eggs
Seasoning for the Rice
1½ tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons ground sesame seeds
1 teaspoon salt, then adjust to taste
Seasoning for the Spinach
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon ground sesame seeds
A little salt
You will also need cooking oil for the carrots and eggs, plus water and a pinch of salt for blanching the spinach.
The key to delicious gimbap is balancing the seasoning. Pickled radish, braised burdock, and sausages already contain salt and other seasonings. Keeping the rice and spinach lightly seasoned allows all the ingredients to work together without making the finished rolls too salty.
3. Cook and Season the Rice
The rice should be tender but not too wet. Rice that is overly soft can make gimbap difficult to roll and slice neatly.
Rinse 4 cups of rice until the water runs clearer.
Add the rice, 4 cups of water, and a small piece of dried kelp to an Instant Pot.
Cook the rice according to your appliance's instructions and the type of rice you use.
Once the rice is ready, remove the kelp and transfer the rice to a wide bowl.
Add 1½ tablespoons of sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of ground sesame seeds, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Mix gently with a rice paddle, using a cutting motion rather than crushing the grains.
Taste the rice and add a little more salt if needed. Let it cool slightly before rolling.
The amount of water may need adjustment depending on the rice and appliance. Follow the recommended cooking method for your rice if the standard water ratio does not produce the texture you prefer.
In our kitchen, I prefer to spread the rice in a thin layer rather than pile it too thickly. This gives the vegetables and other fillings more room and makes each bite more balanced.
4. Blanch and Season the Fresh Spinach
The greenhouse-grown spinach is the special ingredient in this batch of gimbap. Freshly harvested spinach adds a green color and a tender texture to the rolls.
Remove any yellow leaves and trim the roots.
Wash the spinach several times to remove soil and grit.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a pinch of salt.
Add the spinach and blanch it briefly, just until the leaves and stems soften. Adjust the cooking time according to the thickness of the stems.
Transfer the spinach to cold water to stop the cooking.
Drain it well and squeeze out as much excess water as possible.
Add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, 1 teaspoon of ground sesame seeds, and a little salt.
Toss gently until the spinach is evenly seasoned.
Removing excess water is important. Wet spinach can release moisture inside the rolls, making the seaweed soft and difficult to cut.
I also keep the seasoning simple. The spinach should still taste like spinach, with a light sesame flavor that complements the other fillings.
Growing spinach in our greenhouse gives us another way to extend the harvest beyond the main summer season. Sowing seeds in mid-August worked well this year, and the plants eventually produced enough leaves for a family meal.
5. Slice and Stir-Fry the Carrots
Carrots add color, a mild sweetness, and a pleasant texture to gimbap.
Wash and peel 3 carrots.
Cut them into thin strips.
Heat a generous amount of cooking oil in a frying pan.
Add the carrots and stir-fry until they soften.
Season lightly with salt.
I like to use enough oil to coat the carrot strips evenly. They become softer and easier to bite when cooked this way.
If you prefer less oil, use a smaller amount and stir the carrots frequently. The important thing is to cook them until they are tender without turning them mushy.
Let the carrots cool slightly before assembling the rolls.
6. Prepare the Pickled Radish and Braised Burdock
Pickled Radish
Instead of buying commercial yellow pickled radish, we use homemade pickled radish in our gimbap.
It adds a crisp texture and a salty, tangy flavor that balances the rice and other fillings.
Cut the pickled radish into long strips suitable for gimbap.
Aim for pieces about 1 cm thick, adjusting the size to your preference.
If the radish contains excess liquid, drain or gently blot it before using.
The strips should be firm enough to hold their shape when the rolls are sliced.
Braised Burdock Root
Braised burdock root adds a distinctive earthy flavor and a pleasant bite. It is a familiar gimbap ingredient in Korean cooking.
Since I do not visit Korean grocery stores often, I like to prepare a large batch of braised burdock at once. I divide it into portions and freeze them for future meals.
For this recipe, I thawed a portion in the refrigerator and briefly stir-fried it in a pan before assembling the gimbap.
Freezing burdock in meal-sized portions saves preparation time. When I want to make gimbap again, I only need to take out the amount required for that batch.
7. Prepare the All-Beef Sausages and Imitation Crab Sticks
All-Beef Sausages
Korean grocery stores often carry ham made specifically for gimbap. This time, I used all-beef sausages from a local grocery store in Calgary.
Place the sausages in a pot with cold water.
Bring the water to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, if appropriate for the product.
Remove the sausages and drain them well.
Cut each sausage lengthwise in half, then cut the pieces lengthwise again to make thinner strips.
Check the package instructions and use the recommended cooking time for your particular sausages. If they are already fully cooked, follow the manufacturer's reheating guidance.
Preparing the sausages this way gives them a convenient shape for rolling. The final texture and flavor will depend on the type of sausage you choose.
Imitation Crab Sticks
You can use long crab sticks sold for gimbap at a Korean grocery store or shorter imitation crab sticks from a local supermarket.
Prepare 10 crab sticks.
Heat a frying pan over medium-low heat.
Lightly warm the crab sticks on both sides.
If the sticks are short, arrange several pieces end to end when assembling the rolls.
Avoid cooking them for too long, as they can become dry or break apart. Follow the package instructions if the product requires heating.
8. Make Thick, Soft Egg Strips
Egg adds a soft texture and a bright yellow color to the finished gimbap.
A square pan makes it easier to shape thick egg strips, but an ordinary frying pan works well too.
Crack 8 eggs into a bowl and beat them with a little salt.
Heat a pan, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
Add a small amount of cooking oil and wipe away the excess with a paper towel.
Pour in enough egg mixture to cover the bottom of the pan in a thin layer.
When the surface is mostly set but still slightly moist, fold the egg in half.
Pour a little more egg mixture into the empty space in the pan.
Once it begins to set, fold the first section over the new layer.
Repeat until the egg reaches approximately 1 cm in thickness.
Cook until the center is fully set.
Remove the egg and let it cool before cutting it into long strips about 1 cm wide.
Medium-low heat helps the egg cook evenly and reduces the chance of burning or tearing. Wiping away excess oil also helps produce a smoother surface.
Letting the egg cool before slicing makes it easier to handle and keeps the strips in better shape during rolling.
9. Roll the Gimbap Neatly
With the rice and fillings ready, assembling gimbap becomes much easier. The rolling method is similar to rolling a cinnamon roll: start at one edge and keep the filling tucked inside as you move forward.
Place a sheet of gimbap seaweed, with the rough side facing up.
Take a portion of rice about the size of a baseball, adjusting the amount to your preference.
Spread the rice in a thin, even layer over approximately two-thirds of the seaweed.
Leave the far edge of the seaweed mostly uncovered so the roll can seal.
Arrange the spinach, carrots, pickled radish, braised burdock, sausage, imitation crab, and egg in a line across the rice.
Hold the fillings gently in place with your fingers.
Lift the near edge of the mat and roll forward, keeping the fillings tucked inside.
Apply steady, gentle pressure to shape the roll without crushing it.
Place the finished roll seam-side down for a short time.
You can lightly moisten the exposed edge of the seaweed if needed. In our kitchen, we usually place the seam underneath and allow the moisture from the rice to help the seaweed stick together.
If the roll is too loose, the fillings may fall out when sliced. If you squeeze too hard, the rice and fillings can become compressed. A firm but gentle roll gives the best result.
Some people brush the outside with sesame oil for a glossy finish. We usually skip this step and enjoy the gimbap as it is.
10. Slice the Gimbap Cleanly
A good knife and a little patience help produce neat slices.
Let the rolled gimbap rest briefly so it holds its shape.
Use a sharp knife. A serrated bread knife is another option.
Wipe the blade when rice begins to stick to it.
Slice with a steady motion instead of pressing down too hard.
Arrange the slices with their colorful cut sides facing up when packing a lunch.
The green spinach, orange carrots, yellow egg, and other fillings create a colorful cross-section. Each slice shows the different ingredients packed inside.
11. Try Different Gimbap Fillings
One of the best things about gimbap is how easily the ingredients can change. You do not need to prepare every possible filling to make a satisfying meal.
Bulgogi Gimbap: Add Korean-style marinated beef for a savory filling.
Tuna Gimbap: Mix canned tuna with a sauce of your choice.
Spicy Pork Gimbap: Use stir-fried spicy pork for a stronger flavor.
Anchovy Gimbap: Add stir-fried dried anchovies for a salty, savory taste.
Cheese Gimbap: Add strips of cheese for a creamy texture.
Fried Tofu Gimbap: Use seasoned fried tofu for a slightly sweet flavor.
If you are making gimbap for the first time, start with a few basic ingredients, such as pickled radish, egg, carrots, and sausage. You can add more fillings as you become comfortable with rolling.
Gimbap seaweed is available at many Asian grocery stores and Canadian supermarkets. If Korean pickled radish is difficult to find, sweet pickles can be used as an alternative. They will give the rolls a sweeter and more tangy flavor.
Drain pickles thoroughly before adding them. Excess moisture can soften the seaweed and make the rolls difficult to slice.
12. Turn Leftover Gimbap into Egg-Dipped Gimbap
We often make a generous batch of gimbap because leftovers can become another simple meal.
One of our favorite options is egg-dipped gimbap, which is lightly fried in beaten egg.
Beat an egg or two in a shallow bowl.
Dip each gimbap slice into the egg, coating both sides.
Heat a little cooking oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat.
Fry the slices on both sides until the egg is fully cooked and lightly golden.
Serve warm.
The egg coating adds a soft texture and a mild, savory flavor. It is a useful way to enjoy refrigerated gimbap in a different form.
Food safety is important with cooked rice and egg. Refrigerate leftover gimbap promptly, within two hours of preparation, or within one hour if the room temperature is above 32°C (90°F). Keep the refrigerator at 4°C (40°F) or below and aim to eat refrigerated leftovers within one day for the best quality. Reheat thoroughly until hot throughout.
Frying does not make gimbap safe if it has been left at room temperature for too long. When in doubt, discard it.
13. Make Gimbap Fried Rice
Another option is to chop leftover gimbap into small pieces and stir-fry them.
Cut the gimbap into small chunks.
Heat a little cooking oil in a frying pan.
Add the chopped gimbap.
Stir-fry until the rice and fillings are heated thoroughly.
Finish with a little crushed seaweed or ground sesame seeds, if desired.
Gimbap already contains seasoned rice and several fillings, so additional seasoning may not be necessary. Taste it first and add extra seasoning only if needed.
As with egg-dipped gimbap, use leftovers that have been refrigerated promptly and stored safely.
14. Practical Tips for Better Homemade Gimbap
Keep the rice lightly seasoned. Pickled radish, braised burdock, and sausages already add salt and flavor.
Remove excess moisture. Squeeze the spinach well and drain pickled vegetables before assembling the rolls.
Spread the rice thinly. Too much rice makes the rolls bulky and harder to close.
Cook the egg slowly. Medium-low heat helps create thick, even egg strips without burning the outside.
Prepare the fillings ahead of time. Spinach, carrots, burdock, and other ingredients can be prepared before you start rolling. This makes the final assembly much quicker.
Use your garden harvest when available. Fresh spinach from our Calgary greenhouse gave this batch a personal touch. Other homegrown vegetables can also be used, depending on the season and the flavors you enjoy.
Homemade gimbap takes a little preparation, but the process becomes easier once the ingredients are ready. With fresh spinach from the greenhouse and a mix of familiar fillings, we made a colorful meal that works for lunch, dinner, or a packed family meal.
For us, the best part was using vegetables we had grown ourselves. The spinach began as a handful of seeds in August and ended up in a homemade meal shared around the table. It is a simple way to connect the garden with everyday Korean cooking, even during Calgary's short growing season.