Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap)

This is the kind of dish that proves your pantry is more powerful than your fridge. Kimchi fried rice is a Korean staple built on deep, fermented flavour — tangy, spicy, and unapologetically punchy.

It’s fast, forgiving, and designed for leftovers. Day-old rice gets revived with sizzling kimchi, gochujang, and a hit of sesame oil, creating crispy edges and rich umami in every bite. Top it with a fried egg and you’ve got one of the most satisfying meals you can make in under 20 minutes.

Servings
2
Prep Time
10
mins
Cook Time
10
mins
Ingredients
9
Total Time
20
mins

Pantry bits

  • Kimchi
  • Gochujang
  • Soy sauce
  • Sesame oil

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked jasmine rice (preferably day-old)
  • 1 cup kimchi, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp kimchi juice (from the jar)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 spring onions, sliced
  • 1 tbsp gochujang
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 eggs

Instructions

  1. Prep everything first
  2. Have all ingredients ready — this cooks fast and doesn’t wait.
  3. Fry the kimchi
  4. Heat a pan over medium-high with a little oil. Add kimchi and cook for 3–4 minutes until it starts to caramelise slightly.
  5. Add garlic and whites of spring onion
  6. Stir through and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  7. Build the flavour
  8. Add gochujang and stir into the kimchi. Let it cook briefly to deepen the flavour.
  9. Add the rice
  10. Break up the rice with your hands and add to the pan. Toss well to coat every grain.
  11. Season and crisp
  12. Add soy sauce and kimchi juice. Press the rice lightly into the pan and let it sit for a minute or two to get crispy bits.
  13. Finish with sesame oil
  14. Drizzle over sesame oil and toss through.
  15. Fry the eggs
  16. In a separate pan, fry eggs until the edges are crispy but yolks still runny.
  17. Serve
  18. Spoon rice into bowls, top with fried eggs, and finish with green parts of spring onion.

Notes

  • Day-old rice is key — fresh rice gets mushy
  • Let it sit in the pan for crispy bits (don’t stir constantly)
  • Add leftover bacon or spam if you want to level it up
  • Extra kimchi juice = extra flavour

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