How to Eat Korean Barbecue as a Vegan | News | PETA Asia (2024)

FAQs

Can vegans go to Korean barbecue? ›

Reach for Some Tofu

Some places carry “tofu steak,” which is a slab of tofu that's served on a sizzling plate. Yum! Other versions include tofu sundubu, a spicy stew. Make it vegan by requesting a water-based broth, and ask for no egg in your piping-hot bowl.

The primary challenge for vegans and vegetarians is the meat-centric nature of Korean BBQ. However, the cuisine also offers a wide array of vegetable-based dishes and sides that can be the centerpiece of a plant-based Korean BBQ experience.

Su-hyeonFirst, if you ask for food without animal ingredients at restaurants, you can get vegan food most of the time. For instance, bibimbap (rice mixed with assorted vegetables or meat) often has minced meat or an egg, but you can request that both be excluded in your dish.

The bad news is that, without labels, there are very very few foods in Korea that you can bank on being vegan, no questions asked. In fact, I can only think of a few: Sweet Ricecakes or Tteok. Traditional ricecakes or “tteok” are made out of rice, salt, and water.

Obviously anything with meat, milk, or eggs is out, but sometimes those animal ingredients hide under stealthier labels that you may not know. Look out for these ingredients that render a BBQ sauce definitively not vegan: Honey. It's made by bees, so most vegans won't go near it.

Non-vegan ingredients

Honey – Some barbecue sauce is sweetened with honey, which is not vegan. Many brands will have a variety of barbecue sauces and usually at least one will be made with honey. What is this? Anchovies – Some barbecue sauce is made with anchovies, which are fish.

You don't have to worry! The traditional food in Korea is vegetarian or at least have vegetarian option and it is not hard to find it. The great thing about Korean dining is that they eat a lot of side dishes which are mostly made out of vegetable. Let's go to have a look at some of the Korean vegetarian food!

Though there are plenty of restaurants that tout a do-it-yourself attitude when it comes to KBBQ, many places will have a server cook your meat for you.

What makes kimchi NOT vegan? The most popular kimchi includes both fish sauce and shrimp paste. Some recipes also call for oysters and mussels. Vegan kimchi excludes these animal products, opting for plant-based sea flavors (like dashima).

Doubtless many new plant-based converts are taking inspiration from the small but growing number of Korean stars leading this fresh wave of “green” eating. The most famous vegan celebrity in Korea, Im Soo-jung started her plant-based ways when she discovered she was allergic to animal protein five years ago.

Is soju vegan friendly? ›

Moon Soju is Vegan Friendly - Barnivore vegan liquor guide.

United Kingdom. Compared to all the countries in the world, the UK has the most vegans.

In fact, the leading travel platform Culture Trip has even described Seoul as “one big open-air restaurant.” And in more great news for vegan visitors, while the scene is undeniably meat-heavy, you'll still find it easy to come by plant-based options while you're strolling the streets for a quick and tasty bite—if you ...

Some common plant-based foods popular at vegan BBQs include veggie burgers, grilled veggies, tofu skewers, vegan sausages, plant-based dips and spreads and fresh fruit salads. Vegan BBQs can be enjoyed by vegans, vegetarians and anyone interested in exploring new flavours and recipes.

Yes, at least most BBQ sauces are vegan. But remember that some barbecue sauce may have sugar added to it, so always make sure!

One of my staple items at Korean BBQ — besides the meat, of course — is steamed eggs.

Lee Kum Kee Cha Siu Sauce (Also known as Chinese BBQ Sauce) is a vegetarian, honey-sweet sauce, and it's the secret to the authentic Classic Chinese Barbeque Pork (also known as 'Cha Siu'). This sauce is a great marinade for many kinds of meats and ribs, and also meat-free alternatives, such as tofu.