Kimchi Fried Rice
Day-old rice fried with kimchi until smoky and tangy — a fast, gut-friendly dinner built on a fermented hero.
Ingredients
- 300 g Rice
- 200 g Kimchi
- 1 tbsp Soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Neutral oil
- 2 Egg (optional)
- 3 Scallions (optional)
- 1 tbsp Gochujang (optional)
- 1 tsp Toasted sesame oil (optional)
- 1 tbsp Sesame seeds (optional)
Method
- Roughly chop the kimchi and slice the scallions, keeping whites and greens apart.
- Fry the scallion whites and kimchi in the oil over high heat until caramelized at the edges, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the gochujang for 30 seconds, then add the cold rice and toss with the soy until hot and coated.
- Fry the eggs in a separate pan until the whites set and the yolks stay runny.
- Top the rice with the egg, drizzle the sesame oil, and scatter the scallion greens and sesame seeds over.
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About Kimchi Fried Rice
This kimchi fried rice is a leaner, faster take on the Korean classic, built to put the fermented kimchi front and center as its gut-friendly hero. Day-old rice is fried with sour kimchi until smoky and tangy, seasoned with gochujang and a splash of soy, and finished with sesame oil, sesame seeds, and a runny-yolked fried egg. The flavor is bright and pungent from the kimchi, with a savory depth from the soy and a gentle chili warmth from the gochujang. It comes together in about fifteen minutes and works just as well as a quick bite as it does a light dinner.
A small technique gives it more finesse than most rushed fried rices: the scallions are split into whites and greens, with the whites fried alongside the kimchi to build a savory base and the greens scattered raw at the end for freshness and color. Caramelizing the kimchi at high heat before the rice joins is what develops that toasty, sweet-sour edge, and the cold rice keeps the grains loose. The runny yolk acts as a built-in sauce once broken and stirred through. Naturally vegetarian and leaning on fermented cabbage for its character, it makes a satisfying, low-effort meal that feels a little virtuous without trying too hard.
Kimchi Fried Rice: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Kimchi Fried Rice?
A serving has about 461 calories — 13.4g protein, 52.8g carbs, 22.1g fat, 3.6g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Kimchi Fried Rice gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Gochujang, Soy sauce. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for those ingredients to make it gluten-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Kimchi Fried Rice?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out egg, scallions, gochujang — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Kimchi Fried Rice make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.