This recipe brings the comfort food goodness of fried rice and the spicy tang of kimchi together in this Korean twist on an old classic. It’s a quick and easy way to turn your leftover rice into a stunning new meal!
Want some protein on the side? Try my Sticky Asian Chicken, another takeout classic! And if kimchi gets you excited, try it again with my Easy Kimchi Noodles!
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I was a bit late to the game in discovering kimchi, but I’m doing my best to make up for lost time. Not only does kimchi manage to pack all sorts of nutritious ingredients into one package, it brings an absolute wallop of flavour to everything!
I’ve travelled enough to know that fried rice can be made in an almost infinite number of ways. The rice acts as the basis for all sorts of creative and satisfying dishes. It is possibly the perfect leftover recipe, rescuing old rice and turning it into something truly special!
Adding kimchi to fried rice does something really special. It makes the dish come alive in surprising ways and tastes remarkably fresh and satisfying.
Kimchi Fried Rice Recipe
It’s always best to use day-old rice for fried rice. Sitting overnight in the fridge gives the grains of rice time to firm up, which allows them to separate when cooking and prevents the fried rice from becoming mush.
Basmati rice is used most often in my house but I use long grain when I am cooking fried rice. The individual grains hold up really well when fried, rather than breaking into lots of small pieces.
Before getting things going on the stovetop, prepare the vegetables and get your ingredients ready. This recipe comes together quickly so there isn’t a lot of time to find what you need once you have started.
Once everything is ready to go, heat oil in a large skillet or wok and then adding minced garlic and grated ginger. Stir fry it together for about 30 seconds to build a good foundation of flavour.
Once that is done, add the sliced mushrooms and bok choy and cook it for 5 minutes. You know it is done when the bok choy has softened. Add the kimchi and cook a bit longer until the liquid is nearly evaporated.
Add the rice, soy sauce and sesame oil and mix it together well. Let it cook until the rice is heated all the way through, then lower the temperature and leave it for a couple of minutes.
While that is cooking away, it’s time to get the egg ready. We all have our fried egg preference but I believe this recipe needs the yolk to be left runny. Fry the egg in another pan with a little vegetable oil.
Everything is ready to go! Top the rice with the fried egg, sliced green onions and sesame seeds and serve hot.
Recipe tips and notes
- This recipe comes together fast so prepare the vegetables while the pan is heating up. There won’t be enough time once you have begun adding ingredients to the wok.
- Using a wok is always a good idea when making a recipe like this one. The high sides give you the space you need to thoroughly mix up the ingredients without sending them everywhere.
- Day old rice is best because the individual grains firm up and lose some of their surface moisture. This prevents the rice from sticking together and turning to mush. While it is possible to use fresh rice, the result will not be the same.
- Long grain rice triples in size when cooked. This recipe calls for 3 cups of cooked rice, so start with 1 cup of uncooked rice.
- Using too much oil can also result in mushy rice. Be careful not to add too much to the wok.
- This may look like a recipe that is always vegetarian, that isn’t necessarily the case. Some kimchi is made with fish sauce or shrimp paste to add umami and salty flavours. If making it vegetarian or vegan is important to you, look for vegan kimchi. Spicy kimchi could also be used, with obvious changes to the taste of the dish!
- The kimchi and soy sauce will bring lots of salt to this dish. If you are not sure if it is enough for you, taste the dish when it is nearly done and add salt to taste.
Serving suggestions
One of the great things about kimchi fried rice is that it is a one pan meal. There’s no need to make things complicated because it is a satisfying meal all on its own.
But when I do want a side dish to add to the table when this fried rice is served, I reach for shrimp. Salt and Pepper Shrimp or Honey Garlic Shrimp will do nicely! Both are wonderfully quick and won’t add a lot of time to meal prep.
Storage and leftovers
Leftovers can be stored for 4-5 days in a fridge, or up to 6 months in the freezer. Keep it in an airtight container so it doesn’t absorb any other smells or flavours.
Reheat in a microwave with a splash of water to plump up the rice. Don’t reheat leftover rice more than once, as it can become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria.
More fried rice recipes
Kimchi Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp grated ginger or ginger paste
- 1-2 bok choy sliced
- 2-3 mushrooms sliced
- 180 g /1 cup kimchi
- 500 g /3 cups day old cooked long grain rice
- 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2-3 green onions
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large wok, then add the minced garlic and grated ginger and stir fry for 30 seconds, then add the sliced mushrooms and bok choy and cook for 5 minutes until the bok choy is softened. Add the kimchi and continue cooking until the liquid is nearly evaporated.
- Add the rice, soy sauce and sesame oil, mix until the rice is heated through, then lower the heat and leave it for a couple of minutes while you cook the eggs.
- Cook the eggs in 1 tbsp of vegetable oil until the egg while is set and the yolks are still runny.
- Top rice with fried eggs, sliced green onions and sesame seeds before serving.
Andrea Braga says
This was absolutely delicious! I added some fried tofu cubes and about a tablespoon of mirin for a little sweetness. Will definitely be making this again.
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
Adding tofu for protein is such a great idea, Andrea! I will definitely use it myself!!