Kimchi and Bacon Fried Rice
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Transform leftover rice into a salty, spicy, mouthwatering dinner with just a few added ingredients that pack a flavorful punch.
Ingredients
For the Rice
- 6 oz (170 g) thick-cut bacon, diced
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) kimchi, chopped
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 2 cups (480 ml) thinly sliced greens, such as bok choy or swiss chard
- 2 cups (480 ml) cooked white or brown rice (preferably leftover from day before*)
- 1 bunch scallions, chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
For the Eggs
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil, butter, or bacon drippings
- 4 eggs
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until golden brown and fat is rendered. Remove bacon and all but 2 tbsp of the bacon drippings (keep rest of drippings to fry the eggs if desired). Add kimchi and gochujang, and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add greens and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Raise heat to high and add rice and cook for 1-2 minutes, until hot, stirring frequently. Add scallions and soy sauce, and cook until greens are fully wilted, stirring frequently. Taste and add a little more soy sauce if needed.
- Meanwhile, in a separate large nonstick fry pan or skillet, heat two tbsp of oil, butter, or bacon drippings over medium-low heat. Crack open eggs and add them, one at a time, into the heated skillet. Season with salt and pepper and cover with a lid. This will help the tops of the whites to set before overcooking the bottom of the eggs. The eggs are done cooking once the whites are just set (the yolk will still be runny).
- Divide the fried rice among four bowls and top each with a fried egg.
- Note: some rice may stick to bottom of the pan while cooking and that’s totally okay. Just keep going. To easily remove stuck on rice from the skillet when cleaning up, boil some water in the pan and scrape rice up with wooden spoon.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 430
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the recipe recommend using leftover rice from the day before?
The ingredients list specifically flags day-old leftover rice as preferable. Rice that has been refrigerated overnight dries out slightly, which means it fries up with better texture — individual grains rather than a clumpy, gummy mass — when it hits the high-heat skillet in step 1.
What is gochujang and how much heat does it add?
Gochujang is a Korean fermented chili paste with a deep, complex heat and a slightly sweet, savoury flavour. The recipe uses 1 tbsp alongside 3/4 cup of chopped kimchi — together they provide substantial spice, but the 6 oz of bacon and soy sauce round out and moderate the heat.
What’s the best way to fry the eggs so the yolk stays runny?
The recipe instructs you to crack the eggs into a separate nonstick pan with 2 tbsp of oil, butter, or bacon drippings over medium-low heat, then cover with a lid. The lid traps steam to set the tops of the whites without overcooking the yolk — the eggs are done once the whites are just set but the yolk is still runny. 
I made this last night, It was awesome with leftover brown rice. I also added some cubed tofu sauteed in a light lemongrass wok oil and a pinch of curry powder. I mixed them all together, and the runny yolk of the egg mad it all amazing.
Thank you for the Kimchi & Fried Rice recipe. I will try it over the weekend.
If wine were to be served with this dish, what would be compatible?
Thank you again.
Hi Rosalind. With kimchi, you would probably be best off pairing it with a cold lager. If you really want to drink wine with kimchi, a glass of Gruner might be a decent pairing. But I would stick with beer.