Let’s talk about kimchi fried rice, a meal that’s anything but boring. If you’re tired of the same old rice dishes, it’s time to level up with this spicy, tangy, and downright addictive recipe.
This isn’t just rice with kimchi thrown in; it’s a flavor-packed meal that brings juicy pork, veggies, and perfectly fried eggs together in one amazing dish.
Forget the chopsticks…dive right into that kimchi fried rice with your fork!
Easy Kimchi Fried Rice
Ready to elevate your dinner game with minimal effort? Enter easy kimchi fried rice. It’s a recipe that turns your plain rice into a tangy, spicy masterpiece.
Kimchi with rice will transform a simple meal into something extraordinary. Get ready to upgrade your weeknight dinners with maximum flavor
If you love making good use out of leftovers, as much as we do, check out our Instant Pot pork fried rice or our pineapple shrimp fried rice.
Here is Why This Fried Rice with Kimchi Recipe Works
Leftover’s Rule: Got leftover rice and kimchi lurking in the fridge? This recipe gives them a delicious second life.
Quick and Easy: Ready in under 30 minutes, because who has time to spend hours in the kitchen?
Egg-cellent Either Way: The fried egg on top is sooo good; runny yolk lovers get extra sauce, but it’s still fantastic with a fully cooked yolk.
The Ingredients
- Meat: Boneless pork chop
- Produce: Kimchi, onion, garlic, fresh ginger, green onion
- Pantry: Rice, vegetable oil, Gochujang, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil
- Other: Eggs
You can use store-bought kimchi or homemade. To make your own kimchi is not a difficult process but it does take a little time for the fermenting process. Check out our kimchee recipe and find out how to make easy, great-tasting kimchee.
You can substitute the sauce ingredients for 5 to 6 tablespoons of our pre-made sauce for fried rice.
Variations
Vegetarian Kimchi Fried Rice: Ditch the meat and toss in 1 cup of diced tofu and mix in 1/2 cup of frozen veggies (thawed).
Chicken and Mushroom Mix: Use diced chicken breast and 1 cup of sliced enoki mushrooms. Top with sliced green onions.
Beef and Broccoli Korean Rice: Saute 1 cup of thinly sliced beef and toss in 1 cup of small broccoli.
Here are some more ideas for the protein: pork belly, shrimp, or spam. Top with crumbled nori and sesame seeds. With the extra protein, this makes a full meal but you can add side dishes if you want.
Tips for Success
Use Day-Old Rice: Freshly cooked rice can be too moist. Day-old grains, which are drier, work better for achieving that perfect fried texture.
Prep Everything Before Cooking: Have all your ingredients chopped, measured, and ready to go. Once you start cooking, things move quickly!
Squeeze the Kimchi: Make sure to squeeze out the kimchi to avoid excess moisture, which can make the dish soggy.
Adjust the Spice Level: If you prefer milder flavors, reduce the amount of gochujang. For more heat, pile on an extra spoonful.
Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: If you’re making a large batch, cook in smaller portions to avoid steaming the ingredients instead of frying them.
Customize: Feel free to swap the meat for shrimp, chicken, tofu, or even just throw in more veggies to suit yourself.
Storage
Kimchi fried rice can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat the leftovers in a skillet over medium-high heat, adding a splash of water or broth if it is dry. You can also zap it in the microwave but make sure to stir frequently.
This recipe is your ticket to a quick, delicious dinner that’s perfect for using up leftovers. And when all these bold flavors come together, the result is absolutely mouthwatering.
Some Other Recipes You Will Love:
This vibrant Kimchee Slaw is crisp and refreshing. The bright veggies get mixed with kimchee, then seasoned with a sweet and sour vinaigrette.
Ground pork, fresh chives, bean sprouts, and kimchee were used to make these kimchee pancakes. They make a fabulous appetizer or main course.
With only 10 minutes of your time, you can prepare simple pork fried rice. It’s a favorite dinner that makes great use of leftovers.
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Kimchi Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup kimchi squeezed and chopped
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 1 (4 ounce) raw boneless pork chop diced
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- ⅓ cup kimchi juice
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 4 cups cooked rice
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
- 4 fried eggs
Instructions
- Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and add some of the kimchee. Squeeze the juice from the kimchee to get 1 cup of squeezed kimchee. Reserve the kimchee juice. Chop the kimchee.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil to a medium size skillet set over medium high heat, when it is hot add the chopped kimchi and cook, stirring until the kimchee starts to brown and is very fragrant. Remove from the heat, transfer to a dish and reserve.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and add the diced pork. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the pork is a little brown, then add the onions, garlic and ginger. Sauté until onions are soft and the mixture is fragrant.
- While the pork is cooking, add the gochujang paste and the soy sauce to a dish with the ⅓ cup of the reserved kimchee juice. Whisk the mixture until completely dissolved, then reserve.
- Add the rice to the skillet with the pork and vegetables, drizzle with the sesame oil. Stir-fry to heat the rice thoroughly, breaking up any rice clumps. Pour the reserved kimchi juice mixture over the rice and stir in the reserved cooked kimchee. Increase the heat to high and stir-fry, tossing the rice until it starts to brown and becomes a little dryer.
- Taste it and add additional soy sauce if needed. Plate the kimchee fried rice, garnish each serving with the chopped scallions and a fried egg. Serve with a dish of kimchi.
Notes
- Day old rice has time for the moisture to evaporate and to dry out causing the grains to be loose and separate.
- If you do make your rice fresh then spread it out on a baking sheet and set a fan to blow over it and dry it out for about an hour.
- When the rice is cold from the refrigerator it will be a hard lump so it needs to be broken up with a fork first.
