Banchan are small, flavorful dishes that are an essential part of any Korean dining experience. 

Spanning a diverse range of flavors and sensations, and available in seemingly endless variations, banchan are a must-try for foodies because you can mix and match every single bite you take to your own desire.

Banchan are perfect for vegans, vegetarians, or those that prefer plant-based, since they're mostly made of vegetables, beans, and tofu - all perfectly cooked and seasoned to perfection so they're absolutely delicious!

So, aside from the utterly ubiquitous kimchi (that everyone already knows) - here are some of my favorite side dishes that are common in Korean cuisine, but may be lesser known to the whole wide world. 

Let's dig in!...

This light and fresh yet savory green dish is made of blanched spinach tosssed with a simple seasoning of sesame oil, soy sauce, minced garlic, and sesame seeds.

This tasty dish is made of cut garlic scapes (flower stalks of the garlic plant) smothered in gochujang chili paste for the perfect blend of sweet, spicy, tangy - all with a bit of crunch in every bite.

These perfect comfort food potatoes are cut into bite-size peices and then simmered in a sweet, savory, spicy sauce which turns into an enticing thick glossy glaze.

These seasoned soybean sprouts are briefly blanched so they come out slightly crunchy, allowing the nuttiness of the sprout heads to pop, and seasoned with garlic, green onions, seasme oil, and soy sauce for that umami depth. 

This dish is firm yet tender thick slices of tofu, each coated with a vibrant red braising sauce made up of chili flakes, sugar, garlic and onions, and garnished with chopped veggies and sesame seeds.

These succulent mushrooms are simmered in a flavorful savory sauce until they come out glossy, chewy, and full of that delicious deep, earthy umami.

Another win for potato lovers, this simple yet comforting dish is made up of seasoned stir-fried julienned potatoes, carrots, green bell peppers, and onions. 

This dish highlights the minty and peppery flavor of Korean perilla leaves by braising the leaves in a sweet, spicy, savory sauce, elevating these simple greens into a rich and - dare I say - rather addicting taste.

Thinly sliced Korean zucchini cut into half-moons are lightly cooked until tender then seasoned with a fresh and savory sauce, tossed with other veggies like carrots and onions.

The young leaves and stems of canola plants are blanched, retaining a slightly bitter, earthy taste, then treated to a savory, nutty garlic and sesame seasoning. 

This dish takes the young, curled fronds of a fern plant, blanched, and slightly seasoned with soy sauce, garlic, onion and sesame oil, to create a rich, chewy, satisfying, almost meaty texture. 

Sweet green chili peppers are seasoned with a spicy and savory sauce to create a delicious zesty flavor that compliments pretty much everything. 

This extraterrestrial-looking side dish is slices of lotus root that are simmered until they're almost a translucent amber color, and then covered in a sweet, savory, umami sauce that creates a thick-glaze.

This simple yet refreshing seaweed salad, commonly made with wakame, is a fun, slippery, chewy dish that's both tangy and sweet - so light that it's also a great palate cleanser. 

This dish is made from Korean mountain garlic leaves, known for thier distinct garlic and onion aroma, blanched and seasoned into a wonderfly aromatic flavor, and often ends with the slightest tang of vinegar to spark things up.

Black soybeans are simmered until they're nice and chewy and then coated in a carmelized soy sauce glaze that's equal parts sweet and savory.