Spicy, savory fried rice with kimchi, aromatics, protein and a fried egg! This quick and easy kimchi fried rice is ready in 20 minutes with leftover rice! It's a great busy weeknight meal that'll save you money on takeout made with simple ingredients.
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Kimchi Fried Rice is a fried rice dish featuring cooked short grain rice stir-fried with kimchi, onions, green onions, garlic, kimchi juice, gochujang paste, sesame oil, sesame seeds and protein of choice. The dish is then topped off with a fried egg and seasoned seaweed flakes.
Kimchi fried rice is also known as "Kimchi Bokkeumbap" in Korean. It's a popular Korean food in South Korea. Many Korean restaurants serve this as a main dish and it's a favorite among locals because it uses simple pantry ingredients and it's so flavorful!
The best part about this easy kimchi fried rice recipe is that it comes together quickly in one pan! I love making this whenever I have leftover rice and kimchi in the fridge and of course a good Korean drama to watch.
The taste of the tangy kimchi over that savory fried rice with bites of runny egg and seasoned seaweed flakes is like no other! I think it could be my favorite fried rice as the flavors are so complex thanks to the well-fermented kimchi!
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Day-old Cooked Short-Grain Rice: It's recommended to use leftover rice that has been sitting in the fridge for fluffy fried rice as it has less moisture which leads to soggy fried rice. I also prefer using sushi rice or short-grain rice (aka Calrose rice) for an authentic kimchi fried rice but you can substitute with jasmine rice or long grain white rice.
- Well-fermented Kimchi: primarily made of napa cabbage. Tip: I recommend purchasing the kind packaged in the plastic bags or in larger containers since there more kimchi juice provided. The ones in the small contains don't yield as much kimchi juice.
- Spam (ideally 25% less sodium): or substitute with smoky bacon, pork belly or pork loin, hot dogs, sliced chicken thighs, steak, canned tuna or extra-firm tofu.
- Onion
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil. Avoid olive oil, coconut oil or any heavy scented oils.
- Fried egg: a cooked egg with runny yolk is recommended as the yolk covered the fried rice and makes it taste extra delicious!
- Korean Seasoned Seaweed Flakes: or substitute with crushed seaweed snack, crushed nori or gim, or even furikake. You can usually find this sold at many Korean grocery stores.
- Green onions
- Fresh garlic
- Kimchi juice: the same juice in the kimchi package or kimchi jar. Just make sure to check the package for enough kimchi juice.
- Gochujang paste: a Korean red chili paste made of red chili flakes, fermented soybean paste, glutinous rice and salt. It a thick red sweet and spicy paste that comes in a red tub sold at many Korean grocery stores in the sauce aisle. It comes in varying levels of spice from mild to hot.
- Sesame oil: for that nutty flavor. If you're allergic, omit completely.
- Sesame seeds: if you're allergic, omit completely.
Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients or check Amazon.
Can I use same day cooked rice?
You may use same day warm cooked rice but it will create clumpy fried rice due to the excess moisture. Thus to fix this: Spread out the hot rice in a thin layer on a large baking sheet. Place it in the freezer for 45-60 minutes fully exposed. Then break up the rice with a rice paddle or clean hands moistened with neutral oil to prevent it from sticking.
Expert Tips
- Small dice the spam into 1 cm pieces since this cooks it faster and browns them evenly.
- Use well fermented kimchi because this offers more flavor and more kimchi juice.
- Use clean scissors to cut the kimchi in a bowl so you don't stain your cutting board.
- Use cold day-old rice for fluffy fried rice! The excess moisture causes for soggy fried rice that clumps together. If you're making fresh rice for this recipe, you can dry out freshly cooked rice by referring the instructions above.
- If you're making fresh rice for this recipe, use a few tablespoons less water to steam the rice so the grain is sturdier.
- Break up the leftover rice with a rice paddle or clean hands to expose the separate grains! This allows for the grains to toast in the pan and become evenly seasoned.
- Prepare the ingredients in advance as the cooking process is fast!
- If you have a well-seasoned steel wok, use it for extra smoky flavor! The wok hei in a steel wok is the secret ingredient in most Asian takeout.
- Use medium-high heat for the best fried rice. This temperature toasts the rice and prevents moisture from building in the pan.
- Don't skip the fried egg or seasoned seaweed flakes! The runny yolk makes the fried rice taste even better as the yolk coats the grains. The seaweed flakes add a nice crunch and umami flavor to the fried rice.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make kimchi fried rice:
- First dice spam into small cubes, about 1 cm x 1 cm. Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Fry diced spam for 2-3 minutes or until lightly golden brown on the edges. Remove and set aside.
- Then add in garlic, onion and chopped kimchi. Stir fry until onions are translucent and kimchi has released some of its juices, about 45-60 seconds.
- Next add in day-old cooked rice, kimchi juice, gochujang, sesame oil and toss everything together until rice are colored red.
- Then toss in cooked spam, green onions and sesame seeds. Mix altogether. Remove off heat.
- Lastly serve with a fried egg and seasoned seaweed flakes.
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
- Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing kimchi fried rice as the short-grain rice will turn hard even after reheating.
Pairing Suggestions
Kimchi fried rice serves well with Korean side dishes like:
FAQ
This can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To enjoy, reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat.
The napa cabbage in the kimchi will look more reddish, less opaque or white and more translucent, tender and less sturdy. Also, there will be some kimchi juice at the bottom.
Yes, feel free to omit the egg if you're allergic.
Other recipes you may enjoy
📖 Recipe
Easy 20-min. Kimchi Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups cooked short grain rice day old (see Notes if you're making fresh rice for this recipe)
- 1 cup kimchi chopped
- 7 oz spam or bacon/pork belly/hot dogs/chicken/steak/canned tuna or tofu
- ½ cup onion finely diced
- 1 green onion finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 3 tablespoon kimchi juice (from the kimchi jar)
- 2 teaspoon gochujang
- 2-3 teaspoon sesame oil toasted
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds toasted
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 1 egg fried sunny side up or easy over
- 4 tablespoon Korean seasoned seaweed flakes or as needed
Instructions
- Dice spam into small cubes, about 1 cm x 1 cm.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Fry diced spam for 2-3 minutes or until lightly golden brown on the edges. Remove and set aside.
- Fry in garlic, onion and chopped kimchi. Stir fry until onions are translucent and kimchi has released some of its juices, about 45-60 seconds.
- Add in day-old cooked rice, kimchi juice, gochujang, sesame oil and toss everything together until rice are colored red.
- Toss in cooked spam, green onions and sesame seeds. Mix altogether. Remove off heat.
- Serve with a fried egg and seasoned seaweed flakes.
Sheffi
Everyone loved it and it was similar to what we ate in S Korea
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and so glad everyone liked it!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
I am really loving all the flavor the kimchi adds to your fried rice. What a totally tasty treat for the taste buds!!
Yun
This was super delicious, easy and has become my go to meal when I have leftover rice!
albert
I'm always looking for new ways to use kimchi! This sounds delicious.