Kimchi fried rice
A quick, one-pan kimchi fried rice (kimchi bokkeumbap) with a runny fried egg, punchy gochujang and toasted sesame — ready in 30 minutes.
This is the kimchi fried rice everyone orders when they're short on time but want bold flavour. It’s quick, forgiving and perfect for using up day-old rice and that jar of kimchi at the back of the fridge.
The secret is cold rice and frying the kimchi until the juices reduce — that concentrates the tang and prevents soggy rice. Top with a runny fried egg and you’ve got comfort on a plate.
Ingredients
- 500 g day-old cooked jasmine rice
- 180 g kimchi — reserve about 30 ml kimchi juice if present
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 15 g unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves — finely minced
- 1 brown onion — finely chopped
- 20 g gochujang
- 15 ml soy sauce
- 5 g caster sugar
- 15 ml sesame oil
- 2 spring onions — sliced, white and green parts separated
- 2 eggs
- 5 g toasted sesame seeds
- salt — to taste
- black pepper — to taste
Instructions
Prep everything first: finely chop the brown onion, mince the garlic, slice the spring onions (keep whites and greens separate), chop the kimchi roughly if large.
Break up the day-old cooked jasmine rice with your hands or a fork so there are no large clumps. Cold, separated rice is essential for good frying.
Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and unsalted butter. When the butter stops foaming, add the brown onion and garlic and fry until softened and translucent, 3–4 minutes.
Add the kimchi and the caster sugar. Fry and toss for 3–4 minutes until the kimchi is glossy and most of the excess liquid has reduced.
Stir in the gochujang and soy sauce and cook for 1 minute to wake up the paste and combine flavours.
Tip in the day-old cooked jasmine rice. Use the back of your spoon to break any remaining clumps and toss constantly for 4–5 minutes until the rice is evenly coated, slightly toasted and piping hot.
Remove from the heat and stir through the sesame oil, most of the sliced spring onion whites (reserve greens for serving) and the toasted sesame seeds. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.
In a separate small frying pan, melt a little unsalted butter or use a splash of vegetable oil. Fry the eggs sunny-side-up or to your liking for 2–3 minutes until whites are set but yolks remain runny.
Divide the fried rice between two bowls, top each with a fried egg, scatter the reserved spring onion greens and a little extra toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Tips
- Always use cold, day-old rice for the best texture — if you only have fresh rice, spread it on a tray and chill for 30–60 minutes.
- Reduce the kimchi juices well so the rice fries instead of steams; add a spoonful back only if the pan becomes too dry.
- Adjust heat with gochujang and sugar: more gochujang for heat, a touch more sugar if the kimchi is very sharp.
- Fry the egg separately so you can get a runny yolk; cover the pan briefly or baste the yolk with hot fat to set whites without overcooking.
- Make-ahead: cook the rice mix and cool completely, then store in an airtight box in the fridge for up to 24 hours and reheat in a hot pan.
Substitutions
gochujang → 1 tsp miso paste + ½ tsp chilli flakes (mix with a little water to make a paste)
Noticeably differentunsalted butter → extra vegetable oil or light olive oil, same quantity
Stays closeeggs → silken tofu slices pan-fried and placed on top
Noticeably differentkimchi → a mix of quick-pickled cabbage and a little extra soy + chilli paste
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 660
- Calories
- 14 g
- Protein
- 75 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 1400 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use freshly cooked rice?
Yes, but it must be cooled and dried—spread on a tray and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the grains firm up. Fresh, hot rice will steam and become mushy.
My fried rice is soggy — how can I fix it?
Return to a hot pan and fry on a higher heat, breaking up clumps and letting moisture evaporate. Ensure the kimchi liquid was reduced earlier and avoid overcrowding the pan.
Is kimchi fried rice very spicy?
That depends on your kimchi and how much gochujang you use. Start with less gochujang if you're sensitive and add more to taste at the end.
Can I make this vegan?
Yes—use oil instead of butter and replace the egg with fried tofu or skip it. Check your kimchi label, as some brands include fish sauce or shrimp.
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