Spicy Kimchi Fried Rice (10-min)

This 10-minute easy kimchi fried rice recipe is a must-try! Kimchi stir fried with smoky plant-based luncheon meat and spicy kimchi juice is the perfect addition to leftover rice.

I have been on a Korean food kick lately and I just had to share this classic kimchi fried rice I’ve been making for years with leftover rice! There’s just something about taste of the dish when made with leftover rice – the rice is firmer and separates easily making it the perfect ingredient for this Kimchi Fried Rice.

The sauce base is very simple – I used a mixture of gochujang, rice wine vinegar, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds as a garnish. These are staples in many Korean dishes so if you love Korean food, you can invest in these condiments. I also invested in a big tub of pre-toasted sesame seeds so that really comes in handy. Seaweed flakes are another topping that I love to use for many Asian dishes!

You can check out my other Korean Recipes that use similar condiments: Korean BBQ Popcorn Tofu Bites, Kimchi-Jjigae (Army Stew) and 15-min Korean Bibimbap.

For the meat substitute, I used unMEAT’s Plant-Based Luncheon Meat. Luncheon Meat is used in many Korean dishes too! This was the closest substitute I’ve tasted so far.

So…Kimchi Fried Rice is not vegan?

Traditional kimchi is NOT vegan as it might contain anchovies or fish sauce. Kimchi is commonly made with Korean fish sauce to quicken the fermentation process.

Remember to check for a vegan label or certification. This is the brand of kimchi I use – it’s not very spicy and has a slight sweet kick to it. It’s also allium free (no onions and garlic) so it’s friendlier recipe to those with gut sensitivities.

Gluten Free Option

Unfortunately, there is no gluten free option using gochujang as gochujang is not gluten free. However, you can substitute it with regular chili paste and replace the soy sauce with tamari for a gluten free version of this dish.

I really like the ones below by Lee Kum Kee and Kikkoman. I have also attached the images of other gluten free soy sauce alternatives like Tamari and Coconut Aminos below. You can get them at Amazon or your local Asian grocery store.