Kimchi Fried Rice

This kimchi fried rice is packed full of kimchi, rice, spices, and green onions. I topped it with a freshly cooked egg to bring even more flavor.

Rice is one of my favorite meals; it’s affordable, can easily feed a crowd, and is super satisfying!

This kimchi fried rice transforms your leftover rice and turns it into a savory, spicy meal that everyone will love.

Sour, spicy, crunchy kimchi, with crispy warm rice, topped with a gooey, runny egg, who wouldn’t love that? 

With only a few ingredients, and some leftovers you already have on hand, you can create a delicious meal that will keep you full for hours.

Trust me, you’ll love this easy and fast kimchi fried rice!

Ingredients for kimchi fried rice

• Kimchi – A spicy fermented Korean vegetable side dish made from cabbage, radish, green onions, flavorings, and spices. 
• Gochujang paste – Gochujang is a spicy fermented Korean red chili paste. 
• Garlic – Classic additions that will bring a subtle earthy flavor.
• Leftover white or brown rice – This is the base of our fried rice! Feel free to use your favorite white or brown variety.
• Eggs – For added protein and extra umami flavors. 

Using leftover rice

In order to make the absolute best-fried rice, you must use leftover rice. Why?

Immediately after the rice has been cooked, it still holds a lot of moisture. 

If you were to try and fry that up, the grains of rice would break down, become soggy, and stick to your pan.

Leftover rice, however, has had some time to dry out a bit and will be able to take to frying up in a pan and maintain its individual grains. 

How to properly store leftover rice to be used in fried rice dishes

Like any food, improperly cooled and improperly stored leftovers can make you sick. 

So make sure to always follow these easy and quick steps when storing leftover rice.

After you have cooked your rice, spread it out into a thin layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and immediately pop it into the refrigerator until it has completely cooled.

Because it’s spread into a thin layer, it has a lot of surface area, will cool quickly, and therefore will inhibit bacterial growth.

Once it’s cold, store the cooled rice in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 3 days.

Now you’ve got leftover rice to use in your kimchi fried rice!

What is kimchi?

Kimchi is a fermented Korean vegetable dish. 

It’s usually spicy, and recipes vary widely depending on different brands.

Some recipes will contain green onions, Korean radish, carrots, garlic, or even ginger.   

Kimchi is becoming more and more available at most major grocery stores, and of course, it’s a great idea to check out your local Asian markets for this delicious dish as well. 

More Asian inspired recipes

• Want a comforting soup? Try my Instant Pot Asian Chicken and Rice Soup.
• Looking for a breakfast idea? Try my Savory Asian Oat Bran.
• Love using your air fryer? Try my Air Fryer Beef and Broccoli.
• Craving some fresh tuna? Try my Tuna Poke Bowl.