Use your leftover rice to make this spicy and tangy Kimchi Fried Rice recipe. Topped with a fried egg, sesame seeds, Korean seaweed, and scallion, a delicious dinner is done!
Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap in Korean) is quick, easy, and inexpensive to make, yet this humble meal tastes simply marvelous. Kimchi is made of fermented vegetables (napa cabbage, radish, scallion, and cucumber are used) and it’s a staple in the Korean diet. It tastes spicy and sour and has a pungent smell.
If you have never had kimchi before, or don’t like eating kimchi by itself, try this fried rice recipe because once kimchi is cooked, it loses its pungent taste and leaves just delightful spicy, refreshing, tangy flavors.
Unlike other fried rice recipes that use all kinds of ingredients, Kimchi Fried Rice can be simple; with just kimchi and rice. Kimchi is very flavorful so you won’t need any other seasonings.
Though my favorite ingredients for kimchi fried rice include Gochujang, a fried egg, and Korean seaweed (I usually put a lot because I love them, but refrained from putting too much for the photos).
Kimchi Fried Rice is a very simple dish, but the most important tip to make perfect fried rice is to use day-old rice, which is dry and not soft. Use kimchi juice from the jar to season the rice as it brings out delicious umami flavor, and drizzle with sesame oil which gives nice nutty aroma to awaken your appetite.
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Kimchi Fried Rice
Video
Ingredients
- 2 green onions/scallions
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup napa cabbage kimchi (drained; use over-fermented (sour) kimchi; or substitute fresh (non-sour) kimchi and add a bit of vinegar for a tangy flavor)
- 2 Tbsp kimchi juice (drained from jar) (if you don’t have enough juice, add salt to season the fried rice)
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil (divided)
- 2 tsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- ½ Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice (preferably day-old rice at room temperature; about 1 cup, 150 g per serving)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds
- freshly ground black pepper
For Serving
- 5 pieces Korean seaweed (shredded; optional)
- 2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) (1 fried egg per person to serve on top)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. For the cooked rice, please note that ¾ cup (150 g, 1 rice cooker cup) of uncooked Japanese short-grain rice yields 2¼ US cups (330 g) of cooked white rice. See how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe. If you just cooked the rice, transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, let the moisture evaporate, and bring it to room temperature.
- Slice the white part of 2 green onions/scallions thinly. Cut the green parts diagonally and set half aside for garnish. Also, mince 2 cloves garlic.
- Using kitchen shears, cut 1 cup napa cabbage kimchi into bite-size pieces.
- In a large wok, heat 1 Tbsp neutral oil over medium-high heat and add the white part of the scallion and the minced garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Add the kimchi and 2 Tbsp kimchi juice (drained from jar) and cook for 1 minute to combine with the scallion.
- Add 2 tsp gochujang (Korean chili paste) and ½ Tbsp soy sauce and cook stirring for 1 minute until the kimchi starts to get soft. If the kimchi starts to stick to the bottom but is not cooked through yet, add a little bit of water or more kimchi juice. You can also add more kimchi juice if you like it spicy. Make sure you cook the kimchi thoroughly before adding the rice.
- Reduce heat to low and add 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice, stirring thoroughly to combine. Cook until the rice is warmed through, about 1–2 minutes. Toss the wok to keep the ingredients from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Lastly, sprinkle in 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds, and some of the green scallion parts (save some for garnish). Add a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Toss the ingredients in the wok from time to time if they look like they might burn and stick to the pan.
- Meanwhile, in a nonstick frying pan, heat 1 Tbsp neutral oil over medium-high heat and add 2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell). Turn down the heat to low and cook until the egg white is completely cooked. The tip I learned to make a perfect sunny side up is to scoop the hot oil from the pan with a spoon and pour it over the uncooked egg white so that it will cook faster without overcooking the egg yolk.
- Serve the Kimchi Fried Rice on individual plate topped with a fried egg. Sprinkle with scallions and 5 pieces Korean seaweed (shredded).
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and in the freezer for a month.
I just made this delicious recipe and look forward to making again. Thank you!
Hi Carmen! Thank you for trying this recipe! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this dish! 🙂 Thanks for leaving your kind feedback here. xoxo
This is such an easy dish to make!! I usually make this after I’ve made a lot of bulgogi. When that starts to run low I cut up and use the extra meat in this. I also add in shredded parmesion cheese at the end. I like this dish because it’s not too spicy! If u like it really spicy, just follow her advice. So yummy
Hi Katie! I haven’t had this for a while and your additional ingredients like bulgogi and cheese made me drool… so good!!! Thank you for your kind feedback, Katie!
I want to make this tonight. I love kimchi fried rice. Would it still be good without the gochujang? Trying to skip going to the grocery store. 🙂
I ended up getting the gojuchang and made it. I added pork belly. It was really good. Thanks again for another great recipe.
Hi Mydao! I am so sorry for my late response. I usually respond sooner, but I’ve been very busy. 🙁 Hope I won’t let you down next time.
I’m glad you could purchase gochujang. I was going to say that you can make it without it, but the fermented paste has so much umami flavor that even a little bit helps to create a better dish. 🙂
What would you recommend a substitute for gochujang? Will it still taste right without it?
Hi Natasha! If you can’t get it, it’s okay to skip – it has nice umami and savory taste… so if you really enjoy the kimchi fried rice without it, then I highly recommend getting one online etc. It will elevate to next level with gochujang. 😉
I used the leftovers from your chashu pork recipe to add to this for a quick lunch and it was divine! Thank you for this web site.
Hi Chloe! Ah I can totally imagine the flavor! Thank you for trying this recipe! 🙂
This is so easy and yet so delicious! I made it tonight and the flavors are just the perfect balance! Nami, thank you for the recipe. My tummy’s very happy : )
Hi LayChin! YAY! I’m so happy to hear that. Thanks so much for writing your kind feedback! xo 😉
Dear Namiko!
I just made this tonight. It was so easy to make and the taste of the yummy kimchi shined through. It had just enough kick of spice, but not the true Korean level that brings me to tears lol!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! 🙂
Hi Alex! Thank you for trying this recipe! I’m so happy to hear you liked it! Haha, I can’t eat too spicy either (before I couldn’t eat ANY spice). Thank you for your kind feedback, Alex!
Last night I made kimchi fried rice and my family love it. They want me make it again. Thank you very much!! I love your recipe!
Hi Michelle! I’m so happy to hear you liked this recipe! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Can you use radish kimchi?
Hi Zharina! Hmmm… I’ve never used radish kimchi for this recipe. However, if you chop the radish to smaller pieces I think it’ll work – it’ll give a nice crunch in the rice. Same savory flavor from kimchi juice. Give it a try and let us know! 🙂
Made this tonight and added some pork. Couldn’t find gochujang so used Sriracha instead. Turned out great! The fried egg really makes the dish.
Hi MS! I’m so glad to hear Sriracha worked too! Thank you very much for your kind feedback. I’m happy to hear you enjoyed this dish. 🙂
I have to admit I’ve never been a kimchi fan, but after seeing this post and your video, I picked up a jar so that I can try this out. Looks delicious and we are trying to eat more fermented food so it was helpful that you said it is not so pungent when cooked.
Thank you Julie! Wonderful! I hope you enjoy this dish. My husband doesn’t like raw kimchi but he loves it when it’s cooked! Let me know what you think. 🙂
Oh, and the egg and (salty) Korean seaweed are must, if you want less “kimchi” taste. 😀
Hi Nami, just wanted to let you know I did try this and it was great. As I suspected, since I love fried rice I loved it even though I don’t like kimchi! (I used Japanese seaweed; I didn’t even know there was a Korean seaweed.)
Hi Julie! You’re not the only one who doesn’t like kimchi but enjoy this kimchi fried rice! So happy you liked this recipe! Thank you for trying this recipe!!
Korean seaweed: http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/gim-gui (you can buy one in Korean/Japanese/Asian store). 🙂
We’re having high temps this week in Norcal and decided to try your recipe. We’ve had a large jar of kimchee in our fridge for a few months. I tasted it and the cabbage still had its form so forged ahead to make the kimchee fried rice. So easy to make and delish. I didn’t have any old rice, so I had to cook my rice, but it turned out okay. Yes, I can see that a day old rice would work well for this recipe.
Hi Mae! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! I hope you enjoyed it. 🙂 Yes, a day old rice is a bit more firm/hard and less moisture, so the fried rice doesn’t get as soggy (but it depends how much kimchi juice you add etc too). Thank you so much for writing your feedback! 🙂 xo
Thanks so much! Ironically, we just came home from Hmart & I had guess what? I was telling my family I need to find a recipe for Kimchi Fried Rice & you answered
Hi Judy! I hope you enjoy making this at home and like the recipe! Thank you so much for your comment! 🙂
Honestly, Nami, I would just pour that kim chee mixture over some hot rice! Yummy!
Haha! Yes that’s the quick way! My kids think kimchi is too strong when it’s not cooked but they enjoy fried rice with kimchi.
Really liked your tip about making the perfect sunny side up! And right when I was just about to ask how you got your eggs to look so perfect. Now I’m contemplating picking up a jar of kimchi on my next HMart run… =)
Hi Kimmi! It’s always successful with this method. Egg white is set and yolk is still runny! Get a jar of kimchi! I’m going to make this as soon as I go back the the states!