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Kimchi Fried Rice is a popular Korean fried rice dish, made with kimchi (fermented cabbage), rice, and spicy, savory Korean flavors. This 20 minute recipe is my wife’s childhood favorite and one we make at home to this day! It comes together so quickly and is delicious on its own, topped with a fried egg, or alongside other Korean favorites. Keep reading for all of my key tips to making the best Kimchi Fried Rice in just 20 minutes!
Watch the Kimchi Fried Recipe Video Below!
Table of Contents
- Watch the Kimchi Fried Recipe Video Below!
- Ingredients for Kimchi Fried Rice
- Recipe Instructions for Kimchi Fried Rice
- Vegetarian Method
- Expert Tips for Kimchi Fried Rice!
- Storage and Reheating
- What to Serve with Kimchi Fried Rice
- I Love Fried Rice!
- Cooking With a Wok (Alternatives)
- Kimchi Fried Rice (Video) Recipe
Ingredients for Kimchi Fried Rice
Rice, Pork, and Kimchi
- rice – I prefer long grain white rice for Kimchi Fried Rice (and fried rice in general!) due to the lower moisture content but you can substitute with another white rice, if needed.
- Do not use freshly steamed rice! The rice should be dried out in the fridge overnight to reduce moisture in the rice. Too much moisture in the rice will make your fried rice soggy and mushy – and we don’t want that!
- pork belly thinly sliced – I buy pre-sliced pork belly at my local Korean grocery (H Mart). If you can’t find them pre-sliced, you may be able to ask the butcher to slice it for you.
- If you can’t buy it pre-sliced and want to slice it at home, I recommend you freeze the pork belly for 10 minutes before slicing. It’ll make the slicing a lot easier.
- You can also substitute with pork shoulder/butt.
- I’ve also used bacon, spam, or Chinese sausage (lap cheong).
- kimchi – Kimchi is a fermented cabbage that is a staple in Korean cuisine. This is the key ingredient for Kimchi Fried Rice! It’s become extremely popular over the last few years – I’ve seen it sold in just about every grocery store. However, if possible, I recommend buying your kimchi from a Korean market. They will have the largest and best selection.
- Traditionally, you should make Kimchi Fried Rice with “old” kimchi – aged kimchi is more fermented, which makes the kimchi softer, more sour, and there is more Kimchi “juice”.
- If you need to use “young” or fresh kimchi from the store, that’s ok!
Other Ingredients
- kimchi juice – This is the secret to a GREAT Kimchi Fried Rice! The kimchi juice is packed with flavor – it adds a depth of flavor that you won’t get if you just use kimchi. Use a spoon to get some juice out of your kimchi container. The older your kimchi is, the more juice you’ll be able to get.
- onion
- gochujang – Gochujang is a Korean pepper paste that is spicy, sweet, with a hint of umami. It has a STRONG flavor, so you only need a little to go a long way. I would adjust this to your spice preference – if you are new to the flavor or don’t enjoy spice as much, I would even start with 1/2 of what the recipe calls for!
- water
- scallion, whites and greens separated
- garlic
- sesame oil
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- msg – I like to use MSG in moderation as a flavor enhancer but this is always optional.
Optional Garnishes for Kimchi Fried Rice
- roasted sesame seeds
- nori (seaweed)
- fried egg, sunny side up
Recipe Instructions for Kimchi Fried Rice
1. Prepare Your Kimchi Fried Rice Ingredients
Mix your gochujang, water, and kimchi juice to make a sauce. Set aside. Chop your onions, kimchi, garlic, and scallions. Set aside in individual bowls.
2. Cook The Pork Belly
In a large dry pan over high heat (no oil!), fry pork belly for 2-3 minutes, or until edges are crispy and fat has been rendered. Remove pork and set aside. Leave the rendered fat in the pan. I don’t use oil here because there is enough fat in the pork belly to render out – I’ll use this to cook my vegetables in the next step!
KEY TIP
Vegetarian Method
If you are making the Kimchi Fried Rice without meat, omit step 2 and instead head straight to step 3 but use 2 tablespoons of butter as the fat to cook the vegetables.
3. Sauté Onions, Scallions and Kimchi
In the same pan with the rendered pork fat, cook your garlic for 15 seconds; add scallion whites (reserve the greens), onions, and kimchi, and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add Rice and Kimchi Sauce
Add your old rice to the vegetables in the pan. Pour the sauce over all of the ingredients and mix to combine. Continue cooking over high heat until sauce is completely absorbed and the rice is dry (about 5-6 minutes).
5. Add Back the Pork and Scallion Greens
Add back the cooked pork belly, scallion greens, and mix to combine. Drizzle 1 tbsp of sesame oil, season with salt, pepper, and MSG, and mix well one last time.
To serve, top with optional garnishes (sesame seeds, nori, and fried egg) – enjoy your Kimchi Fried Rice!
PRO TIPS
Expert Tips for Kimchi Fried Rice!
Kimchi Tips
- I recommend buying your kimchi from a Korean market. They will have the largest and best selection.
- Traditionally, you should make Kimchi Fried Rice with “old” kimchi – aged kimchi is more fermented, which makes the kimchi softer, more sour, and there is more Kimchi “juice”.
- Kimchi “juice” is the secret to a GREAT Kimchi Fried Rice! The kimchi juice adds a depth of flavor that you won’t get if you just use kimchi. Use a spoon to get some juice out of your kimchi container.
Protein is Customizable
- I usually use pre-sliced pork belly for Kimchi Fried Rice, which I buy from my local Korean grocery.
- If you’re slice pork belly yourself, I recommend you freeze it for at least 10 minutes before slicing. It’ll make the slicing a lot easier.
- You can also substitute with pork shoulder/butt.
- I’ve also used bacon, spam, or Chinese sausage (lap cheong).
Avoid Too Much Moisture in Rice
- Use long grain white rice (like jasmine or basmati) for this recipe due to the lower moisture content. I avoid short or medium grain rice when making fried rice on a home stove because the rice has a higher moisture content.
- Do not use freshly steamed rice! The rice should be dried out in the fridge overnight to reduce moisture in the rice. Too much moisture in the rice will make your fried rice soggy and mushy – and we don’t want that!
Have Everything Prepped and Ready to Go
- Prepare all of your ingredients ahead of time, BEFORE you begin cooking. Once you start cooking Kimchi Fried Rice, it will come together fast, so having your ingredients in bowls right next to your pan will ensure the dish comes together smoothly and nothing is overcooked.
Storage and Reheating
You can store leftover Kimchi Fried Rice in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
I like to reheating Kimchi Fried Rice in a hot wok or pan; this warms up each rice grain quickly, helps separate any rice that clumped together, and give the dish a nice char. You can also warm it up in the microwave.
What to Serve with Kimchi Fried Rice
Nothing goes better with Kimchi Fried Rice than Korean BBQ! My favorite to make for gatherings is my famous Korean Marinated Short Ribs (LA Galbi) Beef Bulgogi is an easy option to cook up on any weeknight! If you prefer pork (to go with the pork in your Kimchi Fried Rice), make my Spicy Pork Bulgogi!
One of the best things about Korean cuisine is all of the delicious side dishes (called “banchan”)! The refreshing and mildly spicy Korean Cucumber Salad or light Korean Broccoli Salad or Korean Spinach Side Dish would go great with Kimchi Fried Rice! If you like mung bean sprouts, definitely try Korean Bean Sprout Salad! Korean Stir-Fried Fish Cakes is always a crowd favorite, as is the cheesy and addictive Korean Cheese Corn!
I Love Fried Rice!
Fried Rice is one of those weeknight dinner MVPs (most valuable player) – it utilizes leftovers (rich), is super versatile and customizable, and comes together SO quickly! If you love a classic Chinese Takeout fried rice, try my Chicken Fried Rice or Shrimp Fried Rice. My childhood favorite was eating Spam Fried Rice at home or ordering Billionaire Fried Rice at our favorite Chinese restaurant on the weekends. Now that I’ve gotten older, I’ve even grown an appreciation for vegetarian versions, like Egg Fried Rice, Mushroom Fried Rice, and Garlic Fried Rice (Sinangag)! Of course, you can’t forget about my viral Din Tai Fung Fried Rice! Don’t forget about my Authentic Thai Fried Rice, which I learned how to make during my travels in Thailand!
Cooking With a Wok (Alternatives)
By now, you know that I LOVE cooking with my carbon steel wok! It is my #1 most recommended kitchen tool, as I believe it is perfect for high-heat cooking and results in restaurant quality Chinese food!
If it is your first time cooking with a wok, make sure to read my “How To Season a Wok” post. There is a video included that shows exactly how to season your brand new wok and how to maintain it so it lasts for years.
If you cannot or do not want to use a wok, you can use a large pan, cast iron, or even a dutch oven.
My KEY TIP would be to avoid crowding your pan – crowding can lead to your Kimchi Fried Rice not cooking thoroughly and becoming mushy. If you think your dish will be crowded, use a larger pan, cast iron, or dutch oven, OR cook in batches.
If you tried this Kimchi Fried Rice or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Kimchi Fried Rice (Video)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups rice, at least one day old
- 1/4 lb pork belly, thinly sliced, cut to 2" pieces
- 1/2 cup chopped kimchi
- 2 tbsp kimchi juice
- 1/4 onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 scallion, chopped, whites and greens separated
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 tsp msg, optional
Optional Garnishes
Instructions
- Mix gochujang, water, kimchi juice to form a sauce, then chop your onions, kimchi, garlic, and scallions and set aside.
- Over high heat, fry your pork belly for 2-3 minutes until crisp and the fat has rendered. Remove the pork and set aside leaving the reserved fat in the pan.
- In the same pan, sauté your garlic for 15 seconds followed by your scallion whites, onions, and kimchi and stir fry for 2 minutes. If making vegetarian, use 2 tbsp of butter or oil instead of reserved fat.
- Add your day old rice and kimchi sauce and mix to combine. Continue cooking over high heat until the sauce has absorbed into the ingredients and the rice is relatively dry (about 5-6 minutes).
- Add your pork belly and scallion greens and mix to combine. Add 1 tsp of sesame oil and mix, then season with salt, pepper, and msg. Top with sesame seeds, nori, and a fried egg and enjoy!
Notes
- I recommend buying your kimchi from a Korean market. They will have the largest and best selection. Look for sliced napa cabbage kimchi (rather than whole – this will be easier to chop up!)
- Traditionally, you should make Kimchi Fried Rice with “old” kimchi – aged kimchi is more fermented, which makes the kimchi softer, more sour, and there is more Kimchi “juice”.
- Kimchi “juice” is the secret to a GREAT Kimchi Fried Rice! The kimchi juice adds a depth of flavor that you won’t get if you just use kimchi. Use a spoon to get some juice out of your kimchi container.
- I usually use pre-sliced pork belly, which I buy from my local Korean grocery.
- If you’re slice pork belly yourself, I recommend you freeze it for at least 10 minutes before slicing. It’ll make the slicing a lot easier.
- You can also substitute with pork shoulder/butt.
- I’ve also used bacon, spam, or Chinese sausage (lap cheong).
- Use long grain white rice (like jasmine or basmati) for this recipe due to the lower moisture content. I avoid short or medium grain rice when making fried rice on a home stove because the rice has a higher moisture content.
- Do not use freshly steamed rice! The rice should be dried out in the fridge overnight to reduce moisture in the rice. Too much moisture in the rice will make your fried rice soggy and mushy – and we don’t want that!
- Prepare all of your ingredients ahead of time, BEFORE you begin cooking. Once you start cooking Kimchi Fried Rice, it will come together fast, so having your ingredients in bowls right next to your pan will ensure the dish comes together smoothly and nothing is overcooked.
Storage and Reheating
You can store this in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I like to reheating Kimchi Fried Rice in a hot wok or pan; this warms up each rice grain quickly, helps separate any rice that clumped together, and give the dish a nice char. You can also warm it up in the microwave.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Really easy and real legit kimchi fried rice recipe!
One of my go-to recipes after a long day! better than the other recipes ive found online
This is so easy and delicious
ig: artisangemologist
I absolutely love this kimchi fried rice and it’s so easy to make definitely one of my favorites.😊
Latinbeauty7
Great recipe!
Super simple, super delicious!
Used to use the NYT version but after trying this recipe I’ll never go back! Super simple but great balance of flavors.
This recipe really helped me elevate my kimchi fried rice!
Just made this for lunch as we had left over Kalbi from last night. I chopped up the Kalbi instead of using the pork belly. Super yummy and super easy to make as I had everything on hand already! This one’s a keeper!!