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Kimchi Fried Rice with bacon and fried egg is an outstanding flavorful Korean stir fry recipe that is fantastic for breakfast. This dish is typically made with Spam, however, I found crisp bacon was perfect. The kimchi adds the best flavor full of tart vinegar taste with a spicy kick.
Why this recipe is so good:
Kimchi fried rice is one of the most flavorful breakfast recipes I’ve ever enjoyed, but you can eat it for lunch or dinner too!
- Simple recipe: Kimchi packs some incredible flavor, so not much else is needed to make this delicious recipe.
- Bacon flavor: Not only do crisp pieces of bacon add flavor and texture to this meal, but the bacon grease is used to make the fried rice and fry the egg.
- Quick and easy: Especially if the rice is cooked and cooled ahead of time, Kimchi Fried rice takes little time and effort to make.
Ingredients used to make this recipe:
- Kimchi: You can find it at most major grocery stores in the refrigerated section. Kimchi is a probiotic combination of fermented raw Napa Cabbage, Chili Peppers, Green Onion, Seaweed, Sesame Seeds, Sea Salt, Ginger, and Garlic.
- Cooked short grain rice: The secret to perfect fried rice is to use cooked short grain rice that has been cooled. This allows a lot of the moisture to evaporate and results in the perfect texture.
- Bacon and butter: Any kind of bacon will work, but for this recipe I used uncured apple wood smoked bacon. The fat from the bacon is also used to make the fried rice, along with a bit of butter.
- Onion and garlic: Yellow onion is diced and the garlic is minced. I love using frozen minced garlic because it’s so easy.
- Soy sauce and toasted sesame oil: You can use low sodium soy sauce if preferred.
- Eggs: Most fried rice recipes incorporate scrambled eggs, but a perfectly cooked fried egg is just incredible in this recipe.
How to make Kimchi Fried Rice:
This recipe works best when using a wok pan, however a large nonstick sauté pan will also work.
- Cook the bacon: The trick to perfectly cooked bacon is to start off with a very high heat and as the fat begins to render and bubble, gradually decrease the heat. The cooked bacon pieces are set aside and the bacon fat is reserved for the recipe.
- Cook onions and kimchi: You’ll then sauté the onions in about a tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat. To that , the kimchi, garlic, and additional kimchi juice is added to the wok pan, cooked, and then transferred to a separate plate.
- Sauté the cooked rice: Butter and toasted sesame oil are added to the hot wok pan and the cooked rice is added. Leave this mixture alone for a couple minutes so the bottom gets nice and crispy, then give it a toss to evenly heat.
- Combine: The cooked kimchi and bacon are added back to the rice and tossed with soy sauce.
- Fry the eggs: Just before serving, fry the eggs in the remaining bacon grease and serve them over the kimchi fried rice.
Cooking tips for perfect results:
- Perfect fried eggs: In order to achieve nicely cooked whites and a vibrant orange yolk without flipping the egg, there are a few easy steps to follow. Be sure the oil and pan have been fully heated through. Then, once the egg is cracked into the pan, spoon the hot oil onto the white part of the egg to cook the top. You can also place a lid on the pan because the residual heat will also help cook the top of the egg.
- Substitution: I prefer bacon in this recipe, but you can also use ham or spam. If not using bacon, you will have to replace the bacon fat in the recipe with oil or butter.
- Reheating instructions: Kimchi fried rice is easily reheated in a pan on the stove or in the microwave. I do not recommend reheating fried eggs.
- Storage: Store fried rice in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Should last at least 3-4 days.
Other great fried rice recipes:
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Kimchi Fried Rice with bacon and fried egg is an outstanding flavorful Korean stir fry recipe that is fantastic for breakfast.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 ounces uncooked bacon chopped (see note)
- ½ small onion diced
- 1 cup kimchi about 6 ounces, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons kimchi juice or to taste
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 2 cups cooked short-grain white rice cooled
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil or to taste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or to taste
- 2 eggs
- roasted seaweed and sesame seeds for garnish I used Trader Joe's Nori Komi Furikake
Instructions
Cook the bacon:
- In a large wok (recommended) or nonstick sauté pan, cook bacon pieces over medium high heat, gradually reducing the heat as the bacon cooks and the fat renders. Stir as needed to promote even cooking. When done, transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Keep about a tablespoon of the bacon fat in the pan and reserve the rest for when you fry the eggs.
Make the Kimchi Fried Rice:
- Heat the tablespoon of bacon fat in the wok pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, stir to coat, and allow to cook, stirring only to prevent burning. Once browned, add kimchi and kimchi juice, and garlic. Stir until it comes to a boil and cook until sauce is nearly dried out, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a separate plate.
- Add butter along with the sesame oil to the hot pan. Add the cold rice, smashing down into a uniform layer to maximize the amount touching the pan. Allow to cook for a few minutes to get the rice slightly browned and crispy. Use wooden spoons to break up the rice and toss it. Add cooked vegetables and bacon to the rice and stir it to incorporate. Turn heat to medium. Add soy sauce, cook and stir until everything is heated through. Taste, and adjust with more soy sauce, sesame oil or kimchi juice if desired. Turn heat down slightly, but let the rice continue to cook, untouched, to lightly brown while you cook the eggs.
Fry the eggs:
- Using a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, add the reserved bacon fat. When oil is hot, add eggs and fry to your desired doneness. In order to avoid flipping the eggs, continuously spoon hot oil over the white part of the eggs and cover pan with a lid for about a minute to help cook the top portion of the egg while leaving the yolks a vibrant orange. Serve rice topped with fried eggs, nori and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Notes
Instead of bacon, you can use Spam or leftover ham. Since those don’t need to be cooked, you would skip the step where the bacon is cooked.
Recipe makes two large servings with one egg each. Can easily make four small servings if eggs are cut in half or you can make two additional fried eggs and serve over four small servings of fried rice.
Nutrition
Calories: 842kcal, Carbohydrates: 59g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 57g, Saturated Fat: 21g, Cholesterol: 250mg, Sodium: 1131mg, Potassium: 337mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 619IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave me a comment below
As a person born and raised in Korea, you are a great chef using sesame oil and garlic to make Kimchi fried rice since that’s how we make it at home!!!
It sounds delicious. But how kimchi looks like?
Carmela
United kingdom
I’m sure you can find lots of photos if you google kimchi and search for images.