Gimbap Recipe: Easy Korean Seaweed Rice Rolls at Home 2026

Gimbap (also spelled kimbap) is Korea's beloved seaweed rice roll, and unlike sushi it skips raw fish and rice vinegar entirely. Instead, cooked rice is seasoned with sesame oil and salt, then wrapped around cooked fillings like tuna, carrot, spinach and egg. The result is mild, lightly sweet and endlessly adaptable.

This version keeps things simple with pantry-friendly ingredients and no bamboo mat required, just a sheet of plastic film. It is a nutritious, portable main dish that is ideal for lunchboxes, picnics or a light dinner, and it comes together in about 40 minutes.

Traditional gimbap often includes yellow pickled radish (danmuji), and some versions add meat or ham, so feel free to adapt the fillings to your taste or dietary needs. Making it at home means you control every layer, and the sesame-oil rice gives it a softer, gentler flavor than vinegared sushi rice.

Ingredients for Gimbap

Makes 2 servings

• 125 g short-grain or sushi rice
• 30 ml sesame oil
• Salt
• 1 large carrot
• 100 g fresh spinach
• 2 eggs
• 100 g canned tuna in water
• 2 sheets nori seaweed
• Sesame seeds

How to Make Gimbap Step by Step

1. Cook and season the rice

Cook 125 g of short-grain or sushi rice according to the package instructions (about 14 minutes in our case). It is important that the rice turns out sticky so the rolls hold together easily. Once done, let it cool slightly, then mix in 15 ml of sesame oil and a pinch of salt, and set it aside at room temperature.

2. Sauté the carrot

Cut 1 carrot into thin strips and sauté them in a skillet with 5 ml of sesame oil for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Add a pinch of salt and set aside.

3. Blanch the spinach

Blanch 100 g of fresh spinach in boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain well. Squeeze it with your hands to remove excess water, and season with 5 ml of sesame oil and a pinch of salt.

4. Make the egg strips

Beat 2 eggs with a pinch of salt and cook a thin French omelet in a nonstick skillet. Once cooked, cut it into long, thin strips.

5. Season the tuna

Drain 100 g of canned tuna in water well and place it in a bowl. Season with 5 ml of sesame oil and a pinch of salt, mixing gently so it does not break up too much.

6. Place the nori on film

On a flat surface, place 1 sheet of nori on a piece of plastic film (or a bamboo mat if you have one), with the shiny side facing down.

7. Spread the rice

With your hands dampened in water, spread a thin layer of rice over the nori, leaving a 2 to 3 cm margin at the top so you can seal the roll.

8. Add the fillings

In the center of the rice, place a strip of carrot, a few spinach leaves, some egg strips and the tuna.

9. Roll the gimbap

Using the mat or the plastic film itself, begin rolling the gimbap from the bottom, pressing firmly as you go so the fillings stay compact. When you reach the edge, lightly moisten the top of the nori with water to seal the roll.

10. Repeat and brush with oil

Repeat all the steps with the second sheet of nori. Once both rolls are formed, lightly brush their surface with a little sesame oil for shine and flavor.

11. Slice the rolls

With a sharp, damp knife, cut each roll into 1 to 2 cm thick slices. It is a good idea to wipe the knife between cuts for a cleaner slice.

12. Garnish and serve

Decorate with toasted sesame seeds and serve with soy sauce, or simply enjoy the original flavor of the gimbap.

Tips for the Best Gimbap

Keep the rice sticky

Sticky rice is what holds the roll together, so cook it fully and season it while still slightly warm so the sesame oil and salt distribute evenly. Let it cool to room temperature before spreading so the nori does not soften too quickly.

Adapt the fillings

Traditional gimbap often includes yellow pickled radish (danmuji), and some versions add meat, tuna or cooked ham. Feel free to adjust the fillings to your taste or dietary needs without changing the rolling method.

Roll tightly and slice cleanly

Press firmly as you roll so the fillings stay compact, and moisten the top edge of the nori to seal it. Use a sharp, damp knife and wipe it between cuts for neat, clean slices.

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