Kimchi Fried Rice
Kimchi fried rice has become a part of our meal rotation this year. It’s simple, super quick to prepare, nutritious, and very satisfyingly delicious.
We are no strangers to kimchi, a Korean spicy fermented mixture of cabbage, radish, scallions, garlic, and ginger. Ever since I developed my Sweet Potato Kimchi Tacos almost 4 years ago, kimchi has been a staple in our fridge. This past year my husband declared he would be trying a new recipe one night. That recipe was the New York Times’ version of Kimchi Fried Rice. Let’s just say that dinner was full of oooo’s and mmm’s. The kids even loved it, which surprised me because they don’t typically go for kimchi!
Because we have tightly embraced this simple, cultured dish, I wanted to post my own version for anyone who may be browsing and stumble upon something new and possibly out of their comfort zone. Or for the die-hard foodie or kimchi junkie who has never tried kimchi fried rice, this one is also for you. I don’t stray too far from the traditional, Korean version because the simplicity of the ingredients lets them really shine. You can definitely add your own tweaks, such as gochujang, sriracha, red pepper flakes, or whatever tickles your fancy.
Let’s talk quickly about the ingredients. The star of the show, kimchi, is widely available at most grocery stores these days. Target, Walmart, and Whole Foods carry a vegan version, because traditional kimchi does contain fish sauce or shrimp paste. I start with high-quality, grassfed butter because it just adds this RICH depth of flavor. But avocado oil or another high-heat, flavorless cooking oil works just as well. Don’t start with the sesame oil, as it has a lower smoke point, which makes it not great for “frying” the rice.
Speaking of rice, day old (or even up to 3 day old) rice works wonderfully here, but I have steamed and cooled rice hours before making this and it works just fine. Needless to say, if I’m making rice one night and know I’ll be making this another night, I just cook up more than we need and save myself some prep.
In my recipe I use coconut aminos because I’m obsessed with the sweet, salty, tangy vibes it has going on all in one sauce. You can, however, use soy sauce or tamari, but make sure to omit the salt in my recipe, tasting after adding everything and salting if needed at the end.
One last note about the kimchi: I add it last JUST to heat it through. Many recipes add it before the rice, but I want to be sure that if I’m eating kimchi I’m getting as much of the cultured lactobacillus as possible, and heating it on high for a long duration will kill those precious little microbes. SO! Heat gently.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
2 tbsp grassfed butter, or oil if vegan
1 tbsp avocado oil, optional and use only if needed. See instructions.
1/2 yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
4 cups cooked and cooled rice, 1-3 days old
1/2 tsp salt*
3 tbsp kimchi brine
2 tbsp coconut aminos*
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 1/2 cups kimchi, roughly chopped into bite-sized pieces
optional toppings:
nori flakes or other seaweed flakes
sesame seeds
green onion
sriracha
fried egg
Instructions
In a wok or very large skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir to combine. It may need an additional tbsp of oil at this point to “fry” the rice. Turn the heat up to medium high and allow to cook for about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from burning.
Add the salt, if using, kimchi brine, coconut aminos, and sesame oil and stir to combine. Continue to cooking for 2-3 minutes, and then add the roughly chopped kimchi. Stir, and heat through for about 1 minutes. Serve with preferred toppings.
Notes:
*You may use soy sauce or tamari in place of the coconut aminos, but omit the addition of salt. Soy sauce and tamari are much saltier than coconut aminos and will likely add enough saltiness to flavor the dish without the addition of more salt. However, taste the dish at the very end to be sure it meets your preferences, and add a sprinkle if desired.