Most traditionally made kimchi does contain fish sauce or another form of fermented seafood. Salted anchovy sauce and salted shrimp paste are the two most common additions, and they serve a specific purpose beyond flavor: they actively shape how kimchi ferments. If you’re avoiding fish for allergy, dietary, or religious reasons, you’ll need to read labels carefully or seek out specifically vegan varieties.
Why Fish Sauce Is a Standard Ingredient
In Korean cooking, fermented seafood sauces are called jeotgal. The two most popular types used in kimchi are myeolchi-jeot (salted anchovy) and saeu-jeot (salted tiny shrimp). These aren’t just for saltiness. The enzymes naturally present in the fish muscle and digestive tracts break down proteins into free amino acids, even in the high-salt environment inside a kimchi jar. Those amino acids are what give kimchi its deep, savory complexity.
Research published in Food Chemistry found that kimchi made with jeotgal had higher levels of amino acids and a compound called GABA compared to kimchi made without it. The fermented seafood also sped up the production of lactic acid and other metabolites that define kimchi’s signature tang. In other words, fish sauce doesn’t just add flavor on its own. It changes the chemistry of fermentation, producing more of the compounds that make kimchi taste like kimchi.
The seafood component also influences which bacteria dominate during fermentation. Kimchi made without jeotgal tends to be colonized by different species of lactic acid bacteria than kimchi made with anchovy or shrimp sauce. Each bacterial community produces a slightly different flavor profile, which is why fish-free kimchi often tastes noticeably different from the traditional version.
Regional Differences in Korea
Not all Korean kimchi recipes use the same amount or type of seafood. Climate and geography play a role. Northern Korean styles, influenced by colder temperatures and historically limited ingredient access, tend to use both fish sauce and shrimp paste together, creating a more layered fermented flavor despite using fewer spices overall. Southern styles vary more widely, and some regional recipes rely on different combinations of seasoning entirely. A typical northern recipe might call for one to two tablespoons of fish sauce plus a tablespoon of shrimp paste for a single batch.
A standard control recipe used in fermentation research at Korean universities gives a sense of the proportions: for about 4 kilograms of radish (roughly 9 pounds), the seasoning paste included 60 grams of anchovy sauce and 60 grams of fermented sand lance, alongside garlic, ginger, red pepper powder, and glutinous rice flour. That’s a meaningful amount of seafood product in every bite.
How to Tell if Store-Bought Kimchi Contains Fish
In the United States, fish is classified as a major food allergen under federal labeling law. Manufacturers are required to declare it clearly, either in the ingredient list with the specific fish species named (such as “anchovy”) or in a separate “Contains” statement on the package. This applies even if the fish-derived ingredient is present in trace amounts or used as a processing aid. Crustacean shellfish like shrimp falls under the same rule, so shrimp paste must also be disclosed.
When scanning a label, look for terms like anchovy sauce, fish sauce, shrimp paste, salted shrimp, fermented shrimp, or jeotgal. Some brands use the Korean names, but U.S. labeling rules require the allergen source to be identified in English. If you see a “Contains: fish” or “Contains: shrimp” statement near the ingredient list, that’s your confirmation.
Vegan Kimchi and Fish-Free Substitutes
Fish-free kimchi has deep roots. Korean Buddhist temple cuisine has excluded fish sauce for centuries, along with garlic and other pungent herbs, following religious dietary guidelines. Temple kimchi relies on plant-based seasonings to build flavor without any animal products.
Modern vegan kimchi recipes typically start with soy sauce as a fermented base, since it already contains the savory, salty depth that fish sauce provides. From there, dried kelp and dried mushrooms are common additions. Both have a naturally briny, almost fishy aroma that mimics the marine quality of anchovy sauce. Some recipes build a concentrated vegan “fishy sauce” by simmering soy sauce with kelp, mushrooms, garlic, shallots, and rice vinegar.
You can now find commercially made vegan kimchi at most grocery stores. These products are typically labeled “vegan” on the front and will have no fish or shellfish allergen declaration. The flavor tends to be a bit cleaner and less funky than traditional kimchi, partly because the bacterial communities that develop during fermentation differ without the amino acid boost from seafood. It’s still tangy and complex, just a different version of the same idea.
What This Means for Allergies and Diets
If you have a fish or shellfish allergy, never assume kimchi is safe without checking the label. The majority of kimchi sold in stores, especially brands imported from Korea, contains anchovy sauce, shrimp paste, or both. Even kimchi from a restaurant or a friend’s kitchen almost certainly includes fermented seafood unless it was specifically made without it.
For vegetarians and vegans, the same caution applies. Kimchi looks like a vegetable dish, and many people don’t realize it contains animal products. The fish sauce is mixed into the seasoning paste and invisible in the final product. Your best options are brands explicitly marketed as vegan, or making your own batch at home using the soy sauce and kelp approach. Homemade kimchi is straightforward, and going fish-free doesn’t require any special equipment or technique, just different ingredients in the paste.