Kimchi Fried Rice
intro
Savory, tangy Korean comfort food made with fermented kimchi, chewy chilled rice, and crispy bacon, topped with a runny egg for a fast, umami-rich, satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep all ingredients
Chop 225g ripe kimchi into 1cm pieces, reserving 2 tablespoons of its brine; dice 120g bacon, finely dice 100g yellow onion, separate sliced scallion whites and greens, and break up 680g chilled day-old rice with clean hands to remove all clumps. Arrange all prepped items within arm’s reach of the stovetop; this prep takes roughly 5 minutes with no heat applied.
Sear bacon and aromatics
Place the wok or deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat (375°F/190°C), add 1 tablespoon (15ml) canola oil, then toss in the diced bacon. Stir-fry for 3 minutes until bacon edges turn golden and render 2-3 tablespoons of fat, then add diced onion and scallion whites, sautéing for 2 additional minutes until onion is soft and translucent.
Sauté kimchi for depth
Add the chopped kimchi and 1 teaspoon (3g) gochugaru to the wok, stirring continuously to coat all ingredients in the rendered bacon fat. Cook for 2 minutes over medium-high heat until the kimchi softens slightly, deepens to a rich ruby red, and releases its bright, tangy fermented aroma.
Stir-fry the rice
Add all clump-free chilled rice to the wok, pour in 1 tablespoon (15ml) soy sauce and the reserved 2 tablespoons kimchi brine. Use a flat wooden spatula to press and toss the rice continuously for 4 minutes over medium heat (350°F/175°C), breaking any remaining small clumps, until every grain is evenly coated in red sauce, slightly toasty, and no dry unseasoned white rice patches remain.
Fry the sunny eggs
Push the finished fried rice to one half of the wok, add the remaining 1 tablespoon (15ml) canola oil to the empty half, and crack 4 eggs directly onto the oiled surface. Fry for 2 minutes over medium heat until egg whites are fully set and opaque, but yolks remain bright golden and runny; add a tiny pinch of salt to egg whites if desired.
Garnish and serve hot
Turn off the stovetop heat, drizzle 1 teaspoon (5ml) toasted sesame oil over the rice, and toss lightly to combine. Portion the fried rice onto 4 warm plates, top each portion with one fried egg, sprinkle evenly with sliced scallion greens and 1 teaspoon total toasted sesame seeds, and serve immediately while piping hot.
Tips
2.Opt for fully ripe, sour kimchi (fermented for 2+ weeks in the refrigerator) for the most authentic, tangy flavor; freshly made, mild kimchi will taste flat and lack the signature deep umami of classic kimchi fried rice.
3.Resist the urge to stir the rice constantly once coated in sauce: let it rest undisturbed for 10-15 seconds between tosses to allow small bits of rice to crisp up on the hot wok surface, adding welcome textural contrast.
OMG this kimchi fried rice is a total weeknight game changer! I threw it together in 18 minutes flat after my kid’s soccer practice, used that overripe kimchi I had in the back of the fridge, and even my super picky 8-year-old asked for seconds. Added a fried egg on top like the recipe suggested, *chef’s kiss*.
SO good and cheap to make! I’m a broke college student living in a tiny dorm with just a hot plate, and I pulled this off without any fancy tools. Used leftover rice from the takeout I got last night, a jar of kimchi from the campus market, and a little spam I had stashed. 10/10 will be adding this to my weekly meal prep rotation.
Made this for our family potluck last weekend and everyone was begging for the recipe! I doubled the batch, added a handful of frozen corn and diced carrots to sneak in some veggies, and it was gone in 10 minutes. Even my sister who swears she hates kimchi went back for a third helping. No notes, this is a new staple!
Made this last week and it was so tasty! Giving it 4 stars only because I wish there was a note on vegan swaps— I want to make it for my partner who’s dairy free and vegan, but I’m not sure if I need to swap anything out besides the butter? Thinking of adding crispy marinated tofu for protein too.
Took this to my buddy’s football watch party yesterday and it was a massive hit. I added a little crumbled bacon on top for extra savoriness, and a drizzle of sriracha mayo for anyone who wanted a little kick. Cook time was exactly what the recipe said, super straightforward even for someone like me who burns toast half the time lmao.
I make a big batch of this every Sunday for my work lunches and it holds up so well all week! The flavor gets even better after a day or two in the fridge, honestly. I portion it out into 5 containers, top each with a pre-fried egg when I’m ready to eat, and it saves me so much money on takeout during the week. Cannot recommend enough.
First time ever cooking with kimchi and this recipe made me look like a pro! I was worried it would be too spicy for my taste, but the balance of the rice, a little sesame oil, and the runny yolk from the egg mellowed it out perfectly. Only thing I did wrong was use fresh rice instead of day-old, so it was a tiny bit mushy, but still delicious.
Made this for brunch today with my roommates and we are all obsessed! We added a little diced avocado on top, a sprinkle of furikake, and paired it with iced matcha lattes. It’s way easier than the fancy brunch spot downtown that charges $18 for a tiny plate of kimchi fried rice, and tastes 10x better. Will be making this every weekend from now on.