Rice dishes

Kimchi Fried Rice

kimchi-bokkeum-bap

Day-old rice stir-fried with kimchi — the ultimate fridge-cleanout meal.

Easy15 min2 servings🌶️🌶️★ 88Contains soyContains sesameContains egg

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History & culture

Kimchi fried rice is often linked to home kitchens using well-fermented, aged kimchi at the edge of preservation. Tradition holds that stir-frying sour kimchi with rice and oil was a frugal way to finish jars before they turned too strong. The dish spread across regions with different spice levels and add-ins such as pork or tuna. It remains a widely cited weeknight meal and a symbol of Korea’s fermentation culture entering modern comfort food.

Servings

KCook

Ingredients & steps

Cook mode

Ingredients

Kimchi (napa cabbage)
Substitutestore-bought kimchi works
1 cup chopped (+ 2 tbsp liquid if juicy)
Neutral cooking oil
2 tbsp
Egg
1
Green onionOptional
Substitutescallion or spring onion
1 stalk
Cooked rice
2 bowls (day-old)

Seasonings

Toasted sesame oil
Substitutea small amount of olive oil (flavor differs)
1 tsp

Steps

1Medium heat2 min
Scramble the egg in a little oil over medium heat, then set aside.
- Egg
- Neutral cooking oil
2High heat3 min
Pat pork dry if using. Stir-fry kimchi and pork 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
- Kimchi (napa cabbage)
- Thinly sliced pork
3High heat3 min
Add rice. Fry on high, pressing and tossing, until grains separate.
- Cooked rice
4Medium heat
Mix in the egg, drizzle sesame oil, and top with green onion and sesame seeds.
- Toasted sesame oil
- Green onion
- Toasted sesame seeds

KCook

Equipment

Large frying pan or wok

Storage & reheating

Eat fresh. Refrigerate 1 day; re-fry in a hot pan to revive texture.

Troubleshooting

⚠️ Rice sticks in clumps
→ Use cold day-old rice and break clumps with your hands before frying.
⚠️ Too sour
→ Add a little sugar or use less kimchi liquid.