All About Banchan

Banchan is an assortment of small plates meant to be served as part of the meal alongside rice and other dishes. There are many types of banchan, ranging from various proteins and vegetables to a variety of greens and fermented foods.

Banchan are traditionally served family-style, with various plates or bowls set out so that diners can use their chopsticks to enjoy directly or to transfer portions to their rice bowl as they eat. But a more modern approach is to serve everyone their own individual bowls of banchan. This makes for a lot of dishes, but it seems to be how everyone is doing it these days, coinciding with the turn of the 21st century and the rise of the internet.

Dining as a family, as few as three banchan can be filling and comforting. When guests come over, it’s typical to offer a wider variety of banchan, sometimes even numbering in the double digits. Almost any banchan can be made ahead, and can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature, or cold.

Serving a balance of namul banchan (edible greens or seasoned herbal dishes) such as toasted seaweed or seasoned spinach; non-namul vegetable banchan such as Algamja Jorim (Braised Baby Potatoes), and protein-rich banchan such as Broccoli Dubu Muchim (Broccoli Tofu) dishes creates a nice balance for the table. There are many types of banchan, each adding a harmonious element to the meal.