Description
Kimchi Fried Rice is a delicious and spicy Korean-inspired dish featuring sautéed garlic, green onions, mushrooms, and carrots mixed with tangy kimchi, vegan sausages, and day-old white rice, all tossed in a flavorful gochujang-based sauce. This easy stovetop recipe is perfect for a quick and satisfying meal packed with bold flavors and a hint of charred crispiness.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 3-4 cremini mushrooms finely diced
- 1 small carrot finely diced
- 1 cup kimchi chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped vegan sausages (optional)
- 2 cups cooked white rice
Sauce
- 3 tbsp kimchi brine
- 1 tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the kimchi brine, gochujang paste, sugar, toasted sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds. Mix well and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or non-stick pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the minced garlic and chopped green onions, sautéing for 2-3 minutes while stirring regularly.
- Add the diced vegetables. Increase the heat to high, then add the diced carrots and mushrooms to the pan. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the carrots are tender but still slightly crisp.
- Add kimchi and vegan sausages. Stir in the chopped kimchi and vegan sausages if using. Cook for an additional 2 minutes to combine flavors.
- Add rice and combine. Add the cooked white rice to the pan and stir thoroughly to mix it with the vegetables and kimchi.
- Pour in the sauce. Add the prepared gochujang sauce to the rice mixture and toss well so the rice and vegetables are evenly coated.
- Stir-fry the rice. Cook the rice for another 3-5 minutes over high heat, allowing it to absorb the sauce and develop a slightly charred texture if desired.
- Serve and garnish. Remove from heat, garnish with extra chopped green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, then serve immediately.
Notes
- Use leftover rice: Day-old refrigerated rice works best to achieve the ideal texture as freshly cooked rice tends to be too moist.
- Cook on high heat: For a slightly crispy and charred flavor, stir-fry in a wok or non-stick pan over high heat.
- Avoid overcooking vegetables: Cook vegetables just until tender to maintain a pleasant crunch and avoid mushiness.
- Frozen vegetables are fine: For convenience, a mix of frozen diced vegetables can be used instead of fresh ones.
- Adjust spiciness: Omit or reduce gochujang paste if you prefer a milder dish; note it affects the color and saltiness as well.
- Add a pinch of glutamate: Optional addition of MSG or mushroom seasoning enhances umami and flavor depth, making it tastier than takeout.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
