Kimchi Fried Rice

Who Needs Take-Out when you can make this delicious Kimchi Fried Rice at home. A delicious and nutritious rice that comes together in 15 minutes tops. Made with cooked jasmine rice, kimchi, Gochujang, carrots, essential aromatics and spices to elevate up all that flavor. Top with a fried egg for a well-rounded meal.

Kimchi Fried Rice

If you are a foodie then you probably have heard of kimchi by now. It has become another trendy food and for good reasons. Kimchi is delicious and it has a whole lot of health benefits. It’s also the base for this amazing and tasty dish.

Kimchi Fried Rice is a Korean dish consisting of using kimchi, veggies, rice and Gochujang. All of these flavors come together and make a delicious meal. Most likely you will ask for seconds because it really is that good. This fried rice does have a kick to it as some of the ingredients are spicy. Both Kimchi and Gochujang are spicy but add so much flavor this rice.

Aside from Kimchi Fried Rice being so flavorful, it also makes for a light yet filling meal. You can make it for a quick and easy dinner that tastes just like take-out. It also makes for a delicious lunch. Top it with an egg and you have a compete meal to indulge in.

You can’t have Kimchi Fried Rice without Kimchi. For the past year or so I have been obsessed with Kimchi and have it almost every day. At least 4-5 times a week you will find me eating Kimchi. I love having it for breakfast or lunch. So good!

Ingredients needed to make Kimchi Fried Rice:

• Kimchi– Any kimchi will do. Can use store bought or homemade.
• Jasmine Rice– Used leftover rice.
• Veggies/Aromatics– Yellow onion, garlic, green onions, ginger root, and carrots.
• Coconut Aminos– Adds depth to the flavor.
• Gochujang– A Korean hot sauce that gives this rice all the flavors.
• Sesame Oil– Adds a more flavor.
• Spices– Pink sea salt and black pepper.
• Avocado Oil– For cooking.
• Eggs– For serving.
• Sesame Seeds– Optional for garnish.

Equipment needed to make Kimchi Fried Rice:

• Wok– You can also use a large cast iron skillet if you don’t have a wok.

How to make Kimchi Fried Rice:

• Step 1– Start by chopping your kimchi into small pieces. Thinly dice onion, mince garlic, grate ginger and carrots, and thinly slice green onions. 
• Step 2– In a wok, heat up avocado oil on medium-high heat. Toss in garlic and onions and sauté until onions start to turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Toss in carrots and continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes. While you do this, sprinkle salt, pepper, and ginger and keep sautéing. 
• Step 3– Stir in kimchi and rice. Drizzle coconut aminos, Gochujang, sesame oil and sprinkle green onions at this point and stir again. Keep stir frying for another 5-6 minutes. 
• Step 4– Serve immediately while rice is still warm. Top with fried egg (if desired), sesame seeds and garnish with green onions.  

Tips and Substations:

1. Use leftover rice- As stated above, cold leftover rice is firm making it easier to break up and separate. Warm rice will get mushy while being stirred.
2. Use medium or long grain rice- Medium or long grain rice such as jasmine rice, are fluffy and sturdy. They don’t clump up or get mushy as short grain rice tends to do.
3. Use wok or large skillet- The secret to making a good fried rice is using a well heated large pan such as a wok or cast iron skillet. This will ensure that your ingredients won’t stick to the surface and you will have enough room to stir everything.
4. Prep all ingredients first- This is an important tip you definitely want to follow. Once you start cooking everything and stir frying, it goes by pretty quick. You want to have all your ingredients prepped so that they are ready to add to your pan as you go.
5. Substitute for coconut aminos– You can use tamari sauce to keep the sauce gluten-free.

Variations:

• Protein– Use other protein such as scallops, chicken or tofu to make vegetarian.
• Rice– You can also use brown rice. quinoa, or even cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
• Vegetables– Mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, snap peas, and green beans are all great.

Kimchi Fried Rice FAQ’s:

What is Kimchi?

So what is Kimchi? For those of you who haven’t heard of Kimchi it is a vegetable fermented dish. It is a staple in Korean cuisine and mainly uses napa cabbage, radish, onion, garlic, along with other spices. Kimchi has a kick to it so it adds a spiciness to foods or if you have it alone. As other fermented foods, Kimchi is packed with nutrients and has a lot of health benefits. Including good bacteria and probiotics that are very beneficial for your gut-health.

What type of kimchi should I buy?

For this kimchi fried rice you can use any kind of kimchi you have in hand. You can use either store bought or homemade. This fried rice is actually a great way to use up any leftover kimchi you may have. We love a good cabbage based kimchi. But again, you can use what you have.

Why use leftover rice for fried rice?

Using cold leftover rice for your fried rice will give you better results as supposed to using warm freshly made rice. As rice gets cold in the fridge overnight it firms up. This makes it easier for the rice to break up and separate. Warm rice will end up getting mushy when you mix it with all the other ingredients.

Meal Prepping it:

This fried rice is pretty easy to make and comes together in little time. However, there is some prep you can do ahead of time to allow you to cook this rice more efficiently. Grate your carrots ahead of time and dice your onions. Keep them both refrigerated in a mason jar or airtight container. Cook your rice ahead of time too and portion it out. When it comes time to make your Kimchi Fried Rice, these steps will save you some time.

Storing Kimchi Fried Rice:

• Storing– Place any leftover kimchi fried rice in an airtight container. Keep refrigerated for up to 3-5 days.
• Freezing– Allow for kimchi fried rice to completely cool-off. Portion out in increments of 1-2 cups and add to freezer bags. Keep rice frozen for up to 2-3 months. Thaw-out in the fridge overnight.
• Reheating– Reheat kimchi fried rice by placing back on stovetop on a pan or in the microwave.

Like this Kimchi Fried Rice? You may also like these other recipes:

• Easy Chicken Fried Rice
• Shrimp Fried Rice

5 from 1 vote

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Kimchi Fried Rice

Who Needs Take-Out when you can make this delicious Kimchi Fried Rice at home. A delicious and nutritious rice that comes together in 15 minutes tops. Made with cooked jasmine rice, kimchi, Gochujang, carrots, essential aromatics and spices to elevate up all that flavor. Top with a fried egg for a well-rounded meal.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Korean

Keyword Kimchi Fried Rice

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 251 kcal

Author Angelica Arias

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked white jasmine rice
• 1 yellow onion (diced)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 cup kimchi
• 1 tsp ginger root (finely chopped or grated)
• 2 carrots grated
• 2 tbsp coconut aminos
• 1 tbsp Gochujang
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 thinly sliced green onions (more for garnish)
• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 1/2 tsp pink salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 4 fried eggs
• sesame seeds to top and garnish

Instructions

1. Start by chopping your kimchi into small pieces. Thinly dice onion, mince garlic, grate ginger and carrots, and thinly slice green onions.

2. In a wok, heat up avocado oil on medium-high heat. Toss in garlic and onions and sauté until onions start to turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Toss in carrots and continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes. While you do this, sprinkle salt, pepper, and ginger and keep sautéing. 

3. Stir in kimchi and rice. Drizzle coconut aminos, Gochujang, sesame oil and sprinkle green onions at this point and stir again. Keep stir frying for another 5-6 minutes. 

4. Serve immediately while rice is still warm. Top with fried egg (if desired), sesame seeds and garnish with green onions.  

Recipe Notes

Tips and Substitutions:

1. Use leftover rice- As stated above, cold leftover rice is firm making it easier to break up and separate. Warm rice will get mushy while being stirred.
2. Use medium or long grain rice- Medium or long grain rice such as jasmine rice, are fluffy and sturdy. They don’t clump up or get mushy as short grain rice tends to do.
3. Use wok or large skillet- The secret to making a good fried rice is using a well heated large pan such as a wok or cast iron skillet. This will ensure that your ingredients won’t stick to the surface and you will have enough room to stir everything.
4. Prep all ingredients first- This is an important tip you definitely want to follow. Once you start cooking everything and stir frying, it goes by pretty quick. You want to have all your ingredients prepped so that they are ready to add to your pan as you go.
5. Substitute for coconut aminos– You can use tamari sauce to keep the sauce gluten-free.

Nutrition Facts

Kimchi Fried Rice

Amount per Serving

Calories

251

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

9

g

14

%

Saturated Fat

 

2

g

13

%

Trans Fat

 

0.02

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

2

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

5

g

Cholesterol

 

164

mg

55

%

Sodium

 

691

mg

30

%

Potassium

 

314

mg

9

%

Carbohydrates

 

33

g

11

%

Fiber

 

2

g

8

%

Sugar

 

4

g

4

%

Protein

 

9

g

18

%

Vitamin A

 

5429

IU

109

%

Vitamin C

 

6

mg

7

%

Calcium

 

68

mg

7

%

Iron

 

2

mg

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Number of total servings in estimated. Actual number of servings may vary depending on your own personal preference in portion sizes.

**Nutritional values shown are general guidelines for 1 serving using the ingredients listed above. These numbers do not reflect and may vary depending on substitutions, additions and/or different brands and/or other ingredients that may be used. 

**Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links and sponsored content. All the opinions are my own and I only recommend products I use in my own home with my own family.