Kimchi fried rice is one of my family’s favorite meals. It is quick, healthy, and delicious. Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner.
Spicy kimchi perfectly compliments the rich flavor of egg-fried rice. Best of all, by serving the kimchi on top of the fried rice (rather than mixed in) offers a probiotic boost!
A Healthy Meal Ready in 10 minutes
It’s really hard to serve healthy food to my family every night. Between work and after-school activities, Brad and I don’t have much time to cook dinner.
That’s why dishes like kimchi fried rice are among our go-to recipes. It literally takes less than 15 minutes from start to finish. The secret is that most of the ingredients are prepared ahead of time. So all you really need to do is heat everything up!
Rice
To make delicious fried rice you need to have cooked then cooled rice. The resistant starch is what allows the rice to fry up crispy rather than stick together in a clumpy way.
Resistant starch is also perfect for feeding the healthy bacteria in your gut, making this dish both prebiotic and probiotic!
Either make a double batch of rice for a meal earlier in the week (plan ahead!) Or freeze cooked rice for a quick, no-planning option.
Kimchi
Obviously, kimchi is key to this kimchi fried rice. Kimchi is perfect because it is:
- full of vegetables
- packed with flavor (garlic, ginger, chili)
- a source of probiotics
You can find kimchi in most Asian markets or any grocery store with a decent Asian food selection. However, kimchi is also really easy to make. It is a perfect ferment for beginners because it doesn’t need any special tools or ingredients. The best part about homemade kimchi is that you get to choose exactly what vegetables are in it and how spicy to make it.
We always eat vegan kimchi because we have a shellfish allergy in our household. My kids usually prefer not spicy kid-friendly kimchi. We usually make both types of kimchi at the same time. And it really only takes about 30 minutes to get through all the chopping. (Isn’t that what Sunday afternoons are for?) Then I end up with enough kimchi for at least 3 meals!
Other Toppings
Feel free to take this simple egg-fried rice recipe and serve it with your favorite fried rice toppings. Here are a few suggestions that are popular and delicious:
- Toasted sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, or cashews
- Sautéed tofu cubes
- Frozen vegetables like broccoli, peas, and carrots
- 1/2 cup of thinly sliced green onions
- 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
Kimchi Fried Rice
Kimchi fried rice is a quick, healthy, and delicious meal. Filling and nutritious, all you need for this dish is a jar of kimchi, rice, and a few eggs. Ready in less than 15 minutes, it’s the perfect weeknight meal. See the section above for more details on day-old rice and kimchi.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stir-fry
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp fry oil (divided)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seed oil
- 4 cups of leftover rice (see section above for details)
- 3 cups of kimchi, drained
- Additional toppings (see suggestions above)
Instructions
- If you want to double or triple the recipe, make each batch separately. Cooking a single large batch will prevent the rice from cooking properly.
- Whisk together the eggs and salt.
- Put 1 Tbsp of fry oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the eggs and scramble until completely set. Move the eggs to a bowl and set aside.
- Put the remaining 2 Tbsp fry oil and 1 Tbsp sesame oil into the skillet. Add in the rice and coat with the oil. Fry until hot and starting to crisp. Add in the eggs and other toppings.
- Fry for 5 minutes, until everything is warm.
- If you want the probiotic benefits of raw kimchi serve it on top of the fried rice instead (like in the photographs). I don’t find this dish to need any extra salt, however, serve it with GF soy sauce so people can season to taste.
Notes
- See the section above for other ingredients that can be added to this simple egg-fried rice. It’s always good to add more protein, vegetables, or flavor!
- If you find the raw garlic, onions, and ginger in kimchi to be a bit strong, fry for an additional 5 minutes to make sure they are well cooked. I recommend making a kid-friendly no-spice kimchi for anyone with a really sensitive stomach. See the section above for details.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ~ 2 cups
- Calories: 398
- Sugar: 2.7g
- Sodium: 381mg
- Fat: 19.5g
- Carbohydrates: 43.7g
- Fiber: 2.3g
- Protein: 11.6g
Keywords: easy, 10 minutes or less, vegetarian, healthy, probiotic, gluten free, quick, weeknight, cook-ahead, kid-friendly
This is like the easiest stir fry ever to put together! Awesome thanks!
★★★★★