Kimbap is one of those foods I could eat every single day and never get tired of. Seasoned sesame rice, crispy shrimp tempura, julienned vegetables, egg, imitation crab, and pickled burdock and radish all rolled up in nori and sliced into perfect little rounds. It looks impressive, it travels well, and once you get the hang of the rolling technique it comes together faster than you’d think.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Crispy shrimp tempura — adds crunch and a satisfying bite that makes this kimbap feel elevated
• The pickled burdock and radish — these are the fillings that make kimbap taste like actual kimbap, don’t skip them
• Seasoned sesame rice — simple but the sesame oil and salt make all the difference
• Comes together quickly — especially with a few smart store-bought shortcuts

Shrimp Tempura Kimbap: The Roll I Make on Repeat

Kimbap is one of my favorite foods! It’s deeply tied to Korean food culture and childhood memories. It’s portable, satisfying, and the combination of textures and flavors in every bite is genuinely perfect. The shrimp tempura version is my favorite because the crunch of the tempura against the soft rice and the pickled vegetables is just the best combination. I use a few shortcuts for this recipe, Costco shrimp tempura for the shrimp and premade marinated burdock and radish from the Korean grocery store, both of which save a ton of time without sacrificing any flavor or authenticity.

Shrimp Tempura Kimbap Ingredients

SEASONED RICE

• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 1 cup water
• Sesame oil, to taste
• Salt, to taste

FILLINGS

• 8 shrimp tempura (I use Costco shrimp tempura)
• 4 eggs, cooked into long strips
• 8 imitation crab sticks
• 1 large cucumber, julienned
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 8 long sticks prepared marinated burdock (from Korean grocery store)
• 4 long sticks prepared pickled radish (from Korean grocery store)
• Burger lettuce leaves (for the frilly edges)

FOR ROLLING AND FINISHING

• 4 sheets nori
• Sesame oil, for rubbing the outside
• Sesame seeds, for sprinkling

The Rice

Kimbap rice is all about the seasoning. The rice itself needs to be sticky enough to hold the roll together but well seasoned enough to taste good on its own. Drizzle sesame oil and salt over freshly cooked hot rice and mix gently but thoroughly until every grain is coated.

The Shortcuts Worth Taking

Two store-bought ingredients make this recipe significantly easier without any compromise in flavor:

Costco shrimp tempura — pre-made frozen shrimp tempura that you cook according to the package instructions. Crispy, perfectly sized, and saves you from making tempura batter from scratch. This is the shrimp I always use for this kimbap.

Premade marinated burdock and pickled radish — available at almost any Korean grocery store, these come already seasoned and ready to use. The marinated burdock in particular has a distinctive sweet savory flavor that’s essential to authentic kimbap and making it from scratch is genuinely not necessary when the store-bought version is excellent. The bright yellow pickled radish adds color, crunch, and acidity that the roll needs.

Rolling Technique

The rolling technique is everything in kimbap. Lay your nori sheet shiny side down on a bamboo rolling mat or clean surface. Dampen your hands slightly with water, this prevents the rice from sticking to your hands, and spread the seasoned rice in an even layer all the way to the edges of the nori. Arrange your fillings in a line across the center of the rice, layering them so nothing is too bulky in any one spot. Then roll tightly from the bottom edge lifting the nori as you go and applying even firm pressure throughout. Seal the edge by dampening the bare nori strip with a little water and pressing firmly closed.

How To Make Shrimp Tempura Kimbap

PREPARE THE FILLINGS

1. Cook the rice: Cook rice with water in a rice cooker or on the stovetop. While still hot drizzle with sesame oil and salt and mix gently until every grain is coated and well seasoned. Taste and adjust. Keep warm until ready to use.
2. Cook the shrimp tempura: Cook shrimp tempura according to package instructions until crispy and golden. Set aside.
3. Cook the eggs: Beat eggs with a pinch of salt. Pour into a lightly oiled pan over medium-low heat and cook into a thin flat even sheet. Once set slide out and slice into long strips the length of your nori sheet. Set aside.
4. Prep the vegetables: Julienne the cucumber and carrots into long thin strips. Set aside. Have your premade marinated burdock, pickled radish, and imitation crab sticks ready.

ROLL THE KIMBAP

5. Lay the nori: Place a nori sheet shiny side down on a bamboo rolling mat or clean surface.
6. Spread the rice: Dampen your hands with water. Take a generous portion of seasoned rice and spread it in an even layer all over the nori going all the way to the edges. Leave about 1 inch of bare nori at the top edge for sealing.
7. Add the fillings: Across the center of the rice layer the fillings in this order — lettuce leaves, imitation crab sticks, egg strips, pickled radish, marinated burdock, cucumber, carrot, and shrimp tempura. Don’t pile everything on top of each other — arrange them side by side so the roll stays even and not too bulky.
8. Roll: Using the mat or your hands lift the bottom edge of the nori and roll up and over the fillings, applying firm even pressure throughout. Keep rolling tightly until you reach the bare top edge. Dampen that edge lightly with water and press firmly to seal.
9. Finish: Rub the outside of the roll with sesame oil using your hands or a brush. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
10. Slice: Using a sharp knife slice the roll into bite-sized rounds about ¾ to 1 inch thick. Wipe the blade clean between cuts for clean even slices. Serve immediately.

Storage

Kimbap is best eaten the day it’s made — ideally within 2-3 hours of rolling for the best texture and crunch from the shrimp tempura. The nori softens and the shrimp tempura loses its crunch as it sits.

If storing wrap the whole unsliced roll tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Slice just before eating. The shrimp tempura won’t be crispy anymore but the roll will still taste good.