Best Kimchi Fried Rice Recipe
When you're craving a little comfort but don't have more than a few minutes to spend cooking, I can't think of many dishes that are a better fit than this simple Kimchi Fried rice recipe, or Kimchi Bokkeumbap (볶음밥). It's an easy dish that's best made with aged kimchi and stale rice, but there are a few things you can do to elevate this classic Korean comfort food to the next level, and I'm going to show you how.
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Why this Recipe Works
- Fried rice should be fluffy and flaky, not dense and mushy. To achieve this, I use leftover rice that's been in the fridge for at least a day and then coat the rice with sesame oil. This not only infuses it with flavor, but it also separates the individual grains so you can stir-fry the rice.
- Good fried rice should also have some Maillard browning on each grain of rice. Since temperatures in the pan need to get above the boiling point of water to start browning the ingredients, it's essential to minimize the amount of liquid added. Since kimchi is very juicy, I squeeze the juice out of the kimchi before stir-frying it. This allows you to brown the kimchi rice before you add the juice back in at the very end to season everything.
- Putting an egg on top makes most dishes better, but for kimchi fried rice, it's a must. I like topping my kimchi rice with a sunny-side up egg with a soft yolk that percolates down into the spicy rice, but a custardy hot spring egg is another great option.
Best Kimchi for Fried Rice
If you've ever been to a Korean market, you know there are dozens of different types of Kimchi, but this dish works best with Baechu-kimchi (배추김치), which is the kind made with napa cabbage. You can get my kimchi recipe here.
As with Kimchi Jjigae, or Kimchi Stir-Fry, the secret to good Kimchi fried rice is to use a mature jar of Kimchi along with its juices. As it ages, Kimchi undergoes lactic acid fermentation, which converts the sugars in the cabbage into lactic acid. This not only makes the Kimchi taste sour, but it also increases the amount of amino acids (the compounds that create the taste of umami) as well as the depth of flavor in the Kimchi.
Kimchi Fried Rice Ingredients
- Kimchi - It's best to use ripe kimchi, which has had a chance to mature and turn sour thanks to lacto-fermentation. This is going to give your fried rice the most flavor and umami.
- Gochujang - Gochujang is a fermented chili paste that's both spicy and sweet. This adds a balancing sweetness to the rice, contrasting to the spicy kimchi and rich egg. If you want extra heat, you can also add gochugaru (korean chili pepper flakes).
- Soy Sauce - Depending on how salty your kimchi is, you may not need the soy sauce, but my kimchi recipe is relatively low in sodium, so I like to add a splash of soy sauce.
- Toasted sesame oil - Coating the rice with toasted sesame oil helps separate the individual grains while infusing them with the nutty flavor of the oil.
- Cooked rice - Kimchi fried rice is made with cooked short-grain rice. I recommend using day-old rice. This allows the starch in the rice to retrograde, which makes it much easier to flake apart. It won't have the same texture, but a long-grain rice like basmati or jasmine rice will work in a pinch.
- Protein - Topping kimchi fried rice with a fried egg not only adds a splash of color, but the rich yolk also mellows out the heat of the kimchi while providing some protein that makes this a complete meal. I generally don't add meat to this dish, but ground beef, thinly sliced pork belly, or cut up strips of bacon are all delicious options if you want to bulk it up.
- Garnish - I like to garnish my Kimchi Bokkeumbap with a scattering of chopped green onions, but toasted sesame seeds or gim (Korean nori seaweed) are both wonderful alternatives.
How to Make Kimchi Fried Rice
The ingredients for this dish are about as simple as it gets, but because Kimchi is loaded with flavor, it doesn't need much else. The trick to making a fantastic Kimchi Bokkeumbap is all in the technique.
The first thing you want to do is squeeze the juices out of your Kimchi and measure them separately. It may seem a bit unnecessary to squeeze out the juices of the Kimchi only to add them back in later, but I have two good reasons for doing this. The first is that we want to further deepen the flavors of the Kimchi by caramelizing it in a frying pan. When Kimchi is sopping wet, you won't reach the heat that you need to trigger Maillard browning. The second reason is that the amount of liquid in Kimchi is a bit unpredictable, and by measuring it out separately, we get just enough juice to flavor the rice without making it soggy.
The second trick is to drizzle some toasted sesame oil onto the rice and coat each grain with it before you throw it into the pan. This not only imparts the nutty flavor of the oil into the rice, but it also prevents the rice from clumping up and sticking together.
To make the fried rice, I always start by sautéing the squeezed Kimchi until it's well browned (think of it like onions or garlic). Then the rice goes in and gets heated through before the sauce goes over the rice.
Because the sauce is a large amount of liquid relative to the rice, it's important to continue tossing and stir-frying the rice until all of the liquid has evaporated. This includes the liquid that's been absorbed by the rice. You can tell when the rice is ready when it fluffs up and stops being sticky.
I also like to give the rice some time in the pan undisturbed, which causes it to brown, giving it a wonderful toasty flavor like the socarrat (that savory brown layer) on the bottom of a good paella.
I'm one of those guys who believes the molten yolk of a sunny-side-up egg will make just about anything taste better, and it's especially true when you're talking about a plate of spicy, umami-laden rice. If you're not a fan, you can scramble the egg into the browned Kimchi before adding the rice, or you can leave it out altogether.
Serve it With
Kimchi fried rice makes for a satisfying main dish (especially with an egg on top) and I like serving this with a nutty Namul (bean sprout salad), or spicy Smashed Cucumber Salad. If you want to make this spicy fried rice a side dish for something heartier, Korean Fried Chicken or this Gochujang Braised Pork Belly are two mouthwatering options.
Other Ways to Use Kimchi
We're just scratching the surface here if you're looking for other ways to use ripe kimchi. For a rich and creamy rice dish, try out my Kimchi Risotto. If you're craving something more noodly, my Kimchi Spaghetti is an easy weeknight pasta with a flavor punch. Kimchi Pancakes or kimchi jeon make for a delightful appetizer, and if you're in the mood to try something entirely new, how about my Kimchi Pizza with pork belly? It's the kind of dish that'll make you wonder why you didn't think of it sooner.
📖 Recipe
Units
Ingredients
- 115 grams kimchi (½ cup packed, chopped)
- ¼ cup kimchi juice
- 2 teaspoons gochujang
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 370 grams cooked short-grain rice (about 2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 scallion (finely chopped)
- 2 sunny side up eggs
Instructions
- Before you measure out the 115 grams kimchi, squeeze the juice out of it into a liquid measuring cup. This liquid is the "kimchi juice."
- Whisk the ¼ cup kimchi juice, 2 teaspoons gochujang, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce together until the gochujang is completely dissolved.
- Drizzle the 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil over the 370 grams cooked short-grain rice and use your hands to mix it so each grain of rice is coated with oil and there are no big clumps.
- Put 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a frying pan and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add the chopped kimchi and stir-fry until the kimchi is starting to brown and is very fragrant.
- Add the rice and 1 scallion, then stir-fry with a spatula, pressing down on any clumps until the rice is uniform in color.
- Pour the kimchi juice mixture over the rice and turn up the heat to high. Stir-fry, tossing the rice occasionally until the rice starts to brown and doesn't stick together quite as much.
- Since kimchi varies in saltiness, taste the kimchi bokkeumbap and season with more soy sauce or salt if needed.
- When the fried rice is done, add the scallions and then plate. Top the servings with 2 sunny side up eggs.
Nutrition Facts
FAQs
Kimchi Fried Rice (볶음밥 - Kimchi Bokkeumbap), is a fried rice dish made by stir-frying Kimchi and rice together with some seasonings. It's a classic Korean comfort food that's made in households across the country to use up leftover rice and overripe Kimchi.
If you don't top it with an egg, Kimchi fried rice can be made plant-based. The one thing you need to watch out for is the Kimchi itself, which can sometimes contain seafood products such as brine shrimp or fish sauce. If you're buying your Kimchi, be sure to read the label carefully to ensure you're buying vegan kimchi.
Like most fried rice, Kimchi Bokkeumbap can be fixed up with other ingredients. Some ideas include adding some meat or fish, chopped up sausage or bacon, or crumbled firm tofu. I often improvise based on the leftovers I need to use up in the fridge, but to be honest, I like this basic version with an egg on top the most.
Callie says
Just put rice in the fridge and planning to make this tomorrow for a little Christmas lunch. You probably won't see this till after I make it but for next time, I'm wondering how I might make it extra spicy? I'm a big fan of spicy foods, and always like to add a bit of extra heat to every recipe I make. Should I just add more gochujang? Chili flakes? Another ingredient?
Marc Matsumoto says
Merry Christmas Callie! You could add extra gochujang, but that will add additional sweetness and saltiness as well, so I would recommend going with chili flakes or something that isn't going to add much other than heat. Cayenne pepper is another option as are hot sauces that aren't too sour.
Sylv says
This is amazing! Made it just like the recipe just added some ham sauteed with onions for extra meat. The flavour was just right and the tricks were really appreciated. Off to make other kimchi recipes!!
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks, I'm happy to hear you enjoyed it! Good call on adding ham!
Anna says
Amazing, it's even better with fried bacon bits and parmesan on topping!
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm happy to hear you've been enjoying this. Great call on adding bacon and parm! So much umami!
Jeff in Houston says
Chef Marc, this is…hands-down…the BEST kimchi fried rice recipe I have found. It is now my go-to recipe.
My wife knows that when I make Mediterranean food one night, we will be having kimchi fried rice the next day.
As-is, this recipe makes a delicious batch! True Korean flavors…nothing else.
Thank you so much for sharing this goodness!
Respect,
Jeff in Houston
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jeff, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed this so much, thanks for reporting back. You might also enjoy this one: https://norecipes.com/kimchi-pasta/ 😉
Sissy Weil says
1st time trying Korean chicken with kimchi fried rice. Absolutely delicious but a little labor intensive.
Thanks for the recipe.
Marc Matsumoto says
Happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Teemun Store says
Kimchi is my favorite Korean food, i often eat it when i meat my friend in Korea! Such a amazing food!
Sue R says
This recipe sounds great. Question: I’ve always added a scrambled raw egg to the rice and mixed it in as I fried the rice and other ingredients, instead of putting a fried egg on top. Will that work with this recipe?
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Sue! Yea, you could certainly add the egg scrambled into the rice and it would work. It just won't have the runny egg on top (but maybe you're not into that).
Mindee says
Question: It says to coat each rice grain in sesame oil, so that “there are big clumps.” Did it mean so there are NO big clumps? Or do they want it yo stay in clumps?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Mindee, that was indeed a typo, sorry about that!
Stefanie Hoffmann says
So delicious! Due to a soy allergy I made it without gochujang and replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos. Nevertheless it's YUMMY Thank you for this 🙂
Marc Matsumoto says
Glad to hear you enjoyed this Stefanie! If you want a little more heat, sriracha would make a reasonable substitute for gochujang.
Rieko Cohn says
Thanks, Marc, for this wonderful recipe. It's become one of my favorite ways to enjoy my homemade kimchi.
I really appreciate that you provide ingredient quantities in grams and clear step-by-step instructions, which makes it easier to get consistent results.
I'm looking forward to trying some of your other recipes.
Marc Matsumoto says
You're welcome Rieko! I'm glad to hear you've been enjoying this, thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Becky says
I just made it for lunch and its sooo delicious!
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm so glad to hear it Becky! Thanks for stopping by to let me know!
Becky says
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! Was a hit with my partner as well. I didn’t added kimchi juice and swapped for soy sauce. Added the enoki mushrooms and also some peas for extra veg (I know not very Korean!). A super quick and easy dinner that will become a regular in our household.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Becky, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your adaptations!
DJ says
Like Becky, I'm trying to put the maximum into this dish as it has excellent kid-camouflage attributes for everything from very tiny broccoli floretes and shimeji (quickly stir-fried ahead of time with a bit of sake, then soy sauce, at the end, and aded after the dish has fully cooked) to ground beef, mini shrimp, really anything. I find fussy eaters often gravitate towards uniform color, and the kimchi juice does that so nicely, staining everything a beautiful warm red. I'm not confident to toss a friggin' pound of rice so perfectly in the air (congratulations!), so I turn the temperature down a good bit towards the end to avoid any rice burning, adding the sauce little by little (2-3 times) whilst stirring constantly. I'm able to achieve a nice Maillard effect and simultaneously light and fluffy--something I'd never been able to do properly prior to your tutelage. I may be cheating a bit by adding 1-2 tsp of sugar to the kimchi juice to get that spicy-sweet balance right, but I'm a sinner. I cover it with a lid for 5 minutes after finishing to help the moisture redistribute a bit (reheating a tad if needed). I'm actually making about double this recipe amount per week, as I find it's a great late-night snack, and even more importantly, and easy all-in-one breakfast (warmed on the pan or rice machine) for extra busy mornings. Egg is a must, though I lean towards a simple yolk (or two!) on top, furikake to keep the small ones interested and some shichimi togarashi for pepper freaks like myself. This has instantly become a 2-3 times a week dish for us as it keeps so well in the fridge (particularly with ground beef and the related fat) and is reheated so nicely in 5-10 min (enough time to sear a piece of salmon and make a quick miso soup and/or tsukemono). I just made a double batch of this today and it will definitely be gone by mid-week. Thanks once again for improving our quality of life (and nutrition)!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi DJ, good idea slowing things down, especially if you're doing a double batch. I've always kinda thought of kimchi as a grown up food, but we have a kiddo in our household that loves it too (especially in kimchi jjigae). Hope you and your family are doing well!
DJ says
We're doing wonderfully, Marc! Thanks to your recipes, we're getting more fermented foods than ever, and they are are so important for the microbiome as we're finding out (my wife is an MD and we're super interested in the topic). Another cheat I'm using: throwing the kimchi in the food processor just for a few bursts--makes separating the juice a ton easier, gets the Maillard reaction going quicker and helps with "operation kimchi camoulage." The light feel and umami undertones of this particular fried rice recipe makes it really priceless. Very best to your family as well =)
Marc Matsumoto says
That's great to hear! Japan has a long history of eating fermented foods (originally out of a need to preserve food), and today it's associated with everything from better moods to higher quality sleep. I'm also fascinated by the two-way connections between our digestive system and the other systems in our bodies, particularly with our nervous system.
Kim says
Just made this and it's fantastic! Thanks for the great recipe!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Kim, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed this. Thanks for stopping by to leave a comment 😀
Carolin says
Can I freeze the dish?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Carolin, I've never tried it, but it has a relatively low water content after it's cooked so I think it should work.
Stefanie says
Hi there, in spite of a soy allergie, I 'd like to try this recipe! I replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos, but do you have an idea for the gochujang? Thank you very much from Köln, Germany
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Stefanie, gochujang is a sweet and spicy bean paste. You won't get quite as much umami out of it, but another asian-style chili paste like sriracha or sambal oelek should work.
Doreen Elliott says
I'm going to make this with some bacon and use that oil to coat my rice. I will also add some left over bulgogi. Thanks for giving me the basic recipe. I never thought of adding the gochujang sauce. Love all of your recipes.
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Doreen! As for adding bacon and bulgogi, that sounds like a great idea! I hope you enjoy it!
Samantha says
Love this! It was my first time tasting kimchi and this was a great way to try it, especially after reading about the awesome nutrition in fermented foods. This I will make again. Thank-you so much for your great recipes!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Samantha, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it, thanks for letting me know!
Ivy Ngiam says
I made this last week. Your recipe is easy to follow yet yummy!
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Ivy, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Ronda says
This was simply amazing. I tried to make it last week but my rice was freshly cooked and it turned to mush. This time I cooked my rice a day ahead and it was perfect. Thanks !
Roses says
I'm going to make this tonight.
Chris says
Hiya,
My family doesnt like spicy food but they love kimchi fried rice.
Is there another alternative for gochujang so that the level of spiciness would be less spicy only?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Chris, the gochujang is there for heat, salt, and sweetness, so you could replace it with some other sweet fermented sauce (like hoisin sauce), or just skip it. Depending on how salty your kimchi is you may or may not need to add some extra soy sauce to compensate.
Sang Lee says
One thing to try is to use butter instead of vegetable oil. It adds a little something. I don't think it will appeal to everyone, but it works for me.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Sang Lee, that's a great idea. I always add a pat of butter to my Kimchi Jjigae at the end, and I bet it would go great with the Bokkeumbap too!
Theo says
Well-written and informative post! I've always struggled with how to get the sauce just right and how to get the clumps out of my rice more effectively, so thank you for the tips! One thing I like to do with my kimchi bokkeumbap if I don't have enough kimchi on hand is to add some extra pickled element. I often fry with the kimchi about 1/2 cup of minced pickled jalapeños, especially since good kimchi isn't cheap (anymore).
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Theo, welcome to the blog! I'm glad to hear this was helpful, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Great idea adding pickled jalapeños. Seems like a great way to up the heat without adding a ton of kimchi.
Hiu says
Thank you for your recipe!
What is your asian recipes that you have ever posted?
Marc Matsumoto says
You're welcome Hiu! I don't understand your question though, I think you may have missed a word or two.
Hiu says
Sorry for my typo! I wanted to ask what is your favorite asian recipe that you have ever posted. I am working on a cultural food project and I am focusing on asian food. While I was looking for information online, I came up to your blog and found it really well-made. Keep it up!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Hiu, that's a tough one, I have so many favorites. I do have a category called "Best" (https://norecipes.com/cuisine/best/) which highlights the best recipes I've posted. Maybe one of the ones there?
Ae3nn says
I don't care much for fresh kimchi but I really like kimchi fried rice and kimchi dumplings. However my kimchi fried rice is never as nice as what I've tasted elsewhere, so I'll give your recipe a try - I think the sesame oil might have been what I was lacking. But rather than egg, I'm going to top it with Korean seaweed (the deep-fried and salted type), which I think goes wonderfully with this dish!
Marc Matsumoto says
Good call on the gim (Korean seaweed), it's a good topping for this. I hope you enjoy it!
may says
This makes me hungry! 🙂 Thank you...amazing recipe.
Marc Matsumoto says
You're welcome May! I hope you give this a try sometime😉
Sey says
Tried this from leftover kimchi, loveeeeed it ❤❤
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Sey, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! This works best with slightly older kimchi so good call😀
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Noora, I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Noora says
Just made this and it was a hit! As a kimchi lover myself you can say I was very delighted 🙂 Thanks for sharing! Adding the sesame oil to the rice was such a good tip and I never thought to do that first! Will be making this again soon!
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks James!
James Dean says
Excellent! Many people who don't know what they're talking post fried rice recipes, but this one is on point!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Cam, glad to hear you enjoyed!
Cam says
Delicious! Be sure to taste for seasoning as advised because i always end up having to add more soy sauce. It's really delicious as written, but i typically add some vegetables and a protein so that it feels like a complete meal. I don't change any part of the actual recipe. The leftovers almost taste better than the fresh dish! Definitely don't skip the fried egg!
Shika says
Thanks for the advice, Marc. I have non-stick pans that handle other sorts of fried rice well, so I think it will be alright if I use very slightly less oil when making this again. Thank you for sharing this recipe with the world! I'm glad to have found it.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Shika, glad to hear you enjoyed it. As long as you use a non-stick pan you shouldn't have too much trouble (although the kimchi won't brown as nicely), but I wouldn't recommend reducing the oil if you pan is non-stick as the rice will stick to the pan.
Shika says
I just made this for dinner, and it was absolutely delicious! I'll definitely use this recipe again, but with a little more chopped kimchi, and a little less oil, since it was a bit oily for my taste.
Veronica P says
Just made this and is was frikkin amazing! It ,however, does take a little more time than the recipe indicates, but that might be because I'm not a fast cook haha
Judy Barrantes says
Going to make this tonight.
Mary Camara says
Made this tonight with my homeade kimchi and fresh eggs
Javed Akhter says
i will try it later
Javed Akhter says
hi me javed not yet tried but looks amazing
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Ava, it really depends on how far along the kimchi was when you bought it and how it was stored (the colder you keep it, the slower it ferments. It's better to go by taste than time. It should be sour, like sauerkraut when it's fully mature. You can of course use younger kimchi, but you won't get the same depth of flavor and the tangy taste in your soup.
Ava Martin says
Can you clarify what would "mature" Kimchee would be? Sitting 2 weeks or more in your refrigerator if you bought it from the local Korean grocery store?
Patricia Conte says
Sounds amazing! Love your tip to squeeze out the juice first - makes so much sense (I hadn't thought about)! Thanks!
Susan S. Bradley says
Sounds delicious. We have a local purveyor of kimchi at the Portland Farmers Market and this is just the incentive I need to make the leap.
Shinee says
I'm so drooling over this right now, Marc. Thanks for reminding me of this delicious comfort food. I have a huge jar of kimchi sitting in the back of the fridge for a while now. It sure is mature one, perfect for this.
Alice Choi says
Kimchi bokkeumbap is my absolute fave Korean dish!!! I love this and love the tip to squeeze out the kimchi juices!! I've never done this! and always YES to the fried egg.
Heather @girlichef says
I would have it no other way than having a molten flow of golden yolk percolating through my rice. Just sayin'. This sounds amazing, and I'd give just about anything to have a plate in front of my right now!