Kimchi fried rice

Kimchi-bokkeumbap 김치볶음밥

This simple, simple dish is super, super tasty. It’s just a few ingredients, but it’s a dish much loved by Koreans.

This version is simple, but you can dress it up with a bit of beef or pork. I posted a version of this recipe a few years ago that included the leftover sauce and drippings from a simple version of bulgogi, but the recipe was without a video. Eventually I made a video for more traditional bulgogi, and now I made a video for kimchi bokkeumbap too.

Many Koreans also like to put a fried egg on top, but my family prefers this simple version. When my son lived in the school dorm, visits with him were rare. I talked to him on the phone before he came and I asked:

“What food do you miss the most? I’ll make it for you when you come.”

I figured I would need some time to prepare and shop ahead of time, but he answered: “I miss kimchi bokkeumbap.”

“What? That’s it? Is there anything else?”

“Just kimchi bokkeumbap, Mom.”

As you see in this video, you don’t need to prepare much in advance for kimchi bokkeumbap if you have kimchi and rice on hand. So of course I made it for him, along with grilled beef and lots of high protein food. As soon as he came home, I was ready to stir fry. He loved it!

Ingredients

3 bowls steamed rice (3 cups)
1 cup chopped kimchi
¼ cup kimchi juice
¼ cup water
2-3 tablespoons gochujang
3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
1 sheet of kim, roasted and shredded

Directions

Heat up a pan. Add the vegetable oil.
Add the kimchi and stir fry for 1 minute.
Add rice, kimchi juice, water, and gochujang. Stir all the ingredients together for about 7 minutes with a wooden spoon.
Add sesame oil and remove from the heat.
Sprinkle with chopped green onion, roasted gim, and sesame seeds. Serve right away.

Posted on Wednesday, March 5th, 2008 at 10:03 pm. Last updated on October 5, 2014.
Tagged: 김치볶음밥, fried rice with kimchi, kimchi bokkeumbap, kimchi fried rice, kimchi stir fried rice, korean food, Korean recipes, spicy fried rice

239 Comments:

Sille Florida joined 7/16 & has 3 comments
Posted September 6th, 2016 at 6:03 pm | Log in to reply.

Hello! Thanks for the recipe. Tried it today, without gim, but it was amazing.
ashleydiemer DC joined 8/16 & has 1 comment
Posted August 15th, 2016 at 11:25 am | Log in to reply.

Hi Maangchi!
Thanks so much for the recipe! I didn’t know anything about Korean cooking, but was able to make a delicious dinner following your video. Since I don’t have a lot of experience, I was wondering if you could help me out with something. I tried to fry the rice so that it was a little crispy on the outside, but my rice kept sticking to the bottom of the pan, and when I tried to scrape it up, the soft part of the rice pulled free, leaving the layer of crisp on the pan. I was unable to achieve any level of crispiness in the final product. Does this have to do with pan heat? Oil? Type of pan? Something else?
Thanks in advance for any advice!
- acham1 Chicago joined 11/16 & has 1 comment
  Posted November 13th, 2016 at 4:54 am | Log in to reply.
  
  Oiled cast iron on medium high heat usually works the best for me, and stainless steel the worst.
Gen San Jose joined 7/16 & has 3 comments
Posted July 20th, 2016 at 12:20 am | Log in to reply.

I’ve attempted this several times before but without gochujang… I didn’t know what I was missing. Gochujang is magic.

I doubled everything in the recipe and added eggs, spam, and chinese sausage. GLORIOUS. This will last me a week (if I have self-control).

See full size image
- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 11,948 comments
  Posted July 20th, 2016 at 3:15 pm | Log in to reply.
  
  Mouthwatering! “I didn’t know what I was missing. Gochujang is magic.” You are very right! : )
  - Gen San Jose joined 7/16 & has 3 comments
    Posted August 1st, 2016 at 11:58 pm | Log in to reply.
    
    Hi Maangchi, thanks for your comment. I made this again, but with some small adjustments.
    
    1. Before cooking, I spread the newly-made steamed rice on a baking sheet and set it in front of a room fan for 5 minutes, which dried it out very quickly. This made a huge difference in the end result compared to using rice straight out of the rice cooker.
    2. I removed the kimchi from the pan after stir frying it and put the rice in the pan by itself for a couple minutes, which gave it a really nice crispy texture on the outside.
    3. I didn’t add the 1/4 cup water mentioned in recipe. I only added the kimchi juice.
    
    With these changes, the rice was less mushy and even better this time (I didn’t think that was possible).
    
    See full size image
writingsoul San Francisco, CA joined 6/16 & has 1 comment
Posted June 29th, 2016 at 9:41 pm | Log in to reply.

I just got back to the states after a short trip in Korea. I’m planning on moving to Korea after I graduate, in order to travel the world and teach. After my short trip, I had the wildest cravings and even though there are a lot of Korean restaurants where I live, I wanted to try my hand at cooking something myself. While I was away one of my favorite comfort dishes was kimchi fried rice, and after I found your recipe and this amazing website, I was easily able to make it myself! I’m really happy that you have such detailed videos and I even went out and bought your book as well, thank you for making this amazing website! :)

See full size image
- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 11,948 comments
  Posted July 7th, 2016 at 9:03 am | Log in to reply.
  
  Thanks for sharing your story! Yes, kimchi fried rice is one of the easiest and most delicious one-pot meals. When you have some old kimchi in the fridge, you can just stir fry it up with some rice and hot pepper paste. By the way, your kimchi-bokkeumbap photo looks wonderful, I’m going to Tweet it!
suleiyeeaung Bayside joined 5/16 & has 1 comment
Posted May 15th, 2016 at 11:21 am | Log in to reply.

Wow you can cook very deliciously which makes my mouthwatering. I love all of the recipes that you had directed in Korean ways. Like every receipts!! :D
mcenizal New Mexico joined 4/16 & has 2 comments
Posted April 12th, 2016 at 7:19 pm | Log in to reply.

I’ve made this 2 days in a row and I’m already thinking about making it again tomorrow! I LOVE it that much!
sarahsalo Amsterdam joined 10/14 & has 3 comments
Posted October 25th, 2015 at 9:07 am | Log in to reply.

I just made it omg its sooooooo good i still cant eat raw kimchi but fried with rice is just heaven!!!

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jamjam joined 8/15 & has 1 comment
Posted August 9th, 2015 at 11:59 pm | Log in to reply.

I want to cook this for my husband but I don’t know if how much ingredients for 2 servings .can you help me maangchi? Thankyou in advance!
karrotlover joined 5/15 & has 7 comments
Posted June 4th, 2015 at 9:33 pm | Log in to reply.

Well, I just made this whole recipe and ate all of it for dinner by myself. Oops! So much for saving it for tomorrow’s lunch!
jversteeg joined 4/15 & has 1 comment
Posted April 27th, 2015 at 5:45 pm | Log in to reply.

Hi Maangchi,

My wife and I love kimchi bokkeumbap. My wife spent a year living in South Korea about ten years ago and learned how to make a version of this recipe. We use marinated chicken breast (similar to bulgogi), and we create a well of mozzerella in the middle that can melt inside the crispy rice. We love it!
- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 11,948 comments
  Posted April 27th, 2015 at 6:25 pm | Log in to reply.
  
  Your crispy kimchi bokkeumbap sounds very delicious!
Ermin Fei Indonesia joined 2/15 & has 31 comments
Posted April 24th, 2015 at 9:37 pm | Log in to reply.

Hi Maangchi ^^ I added some beef strips and scrambled egg to this Kimchi Fried Rice.. A hearty (and sinful hehehe..) meal for breakfast on Saturday morning.. ^^ have a great weekend to you ! ^^

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sazji Istanbul, Turkey joined 1/13 & has 4 comments
Posted April 14th, 2015 at 1:39 am | Log in to reply.

I love this dish. Whenever I have some leftover bulgogi I like to add that, or chicken that I cook in more or less the same way. But really, add kimchi and gochujang to almost anything and it will be good! ;)

I also like to make it with leftover red cargo rice. Not a very Korean thing to do I guess but it comes out very substantial, chewy and delicious.
mbh2mt2d joined 4/15 & has 3 comments
Posted April 1st, 2015 at 7:41 pm | Log in to reply.

Hi Maangchi….I am slowly making my way through your recipes…I have a question.
Can I use Fresh shitaki mushrooms instead of dried? Is there a difference is taste or texture?
- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 11,948 comments
  Posted April 1st, 2015 at 8:42 pm | Log in to reply.
  
  You can use fresh shiitake mushrooms in this recipe.
  - Cookin905 Pickering, On, Canada joined 1/15 & has 3 comments
    Posted March 1st, 2016 at 8:43 am | Log in to reply.
    
    I didn’t see mushrooms listed in this recipe. Am I missing something? Would they be a good addition?
TracyLAB Austin, TX, USA joined 6/10 & has 2 comments
Posted March 9th, 2015 at 2:23 pm | Log in to reply.

I’m half Korean so this may sound crazy, but I am trying to stay away from carbs for a while to lose some weight but I am majorly craving kimchi bokkeumbap. Is there a reasonable substitute for rice? I know, crazy. Thanks! Tracy
- TracyLAB Austin, TX, USA joined 6/10 & has 2 comments
  Posted March 9th, 2015 at 2:32 pm | Log in to reply.
  
  I actually came across a recipe for cauliflower “rice”. I think I am going to try it tonight!
weavrmom California joined 12/11 & has 3 comments
Posted January 27th, 2015 at 10:02 pm | Log in to reply.

Thank you Maangchi!!! I just made this quick dish for the first time, and couldn’t believe how flavorful and satisfying it is. I served it with a store roasted chicken, and with homemade baek kimchi (also your recipe) on the side. This will become a family favorite.
- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 11,948 comments
  Posted January 28th, 2015 at 11:57 am | Log in to reply.
  
  Baek-kimchi is a perfect choice for roasted chicken and kimchi bokkeumbap! Smart cook! : )

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Kimchi fried rice
Other English name(s): Fried rice with kimchi
Korean name: 김치볶음밥
Romanized: Kimchi-bokkeumbap
Also Romanized as: kimchi bokkeumbap, kimchi bok eum bap, kimchi bokkeum bap, gimchi bokkeumbap

Categories: easy, main dish, one bowl meal, rice, spicy
Made with: green onion, hot pepper paste, kim, kimchi, rice, sesame oil, sesame seeds, vegetable oil, water,