Bacon Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap)

Is your kimchi getting sour? Turn it to satisfying fried rice with crisp bacon pieces. Yes, this bacon kimchi fried rice (kimchi bokkeumbap) is so delicious it will make you rethink the meaning of “fried rice!”

Kimchi and Bacon, and turn them into a Bacon Kimchi Fried Rice (kimchi bokkeumbap)? You can’t go wrong.

I tweaked the traditional kimchi fried rice to bring out more flavor of kimchi and the crisp texture of salty bacon. This would be perhaps the best kimchi bacon fried rice you might taste if I can dare to say that. So good!

Use Very Sour Kimchi for Fried Rice

I won’t say much about this recipe.  A head of well fermented cabbage kimchi is a must for this recipe. It’s such a simple recipe that I don’t know what else I should say more. I will go straight to the recipe instructions.

How to cook Bacon Kimchi Fried Rice

As you can imagine, salty bacon is a perfect pair with kimchi.

Cook bacon pieces until crisp. You will need to reserve 1-2 tablespoon of bacon fat to fry-up the onion and kimchi.

Onion is a great companion for any fried rice. When you saute them, it becomes mellow and brings sweetness, which cuts down the acidity of sourness of kimchi.

Cook onion in the reserved bacon fat.

Add chopped kimchi to onion and saute kimchi for 5 minutes to soften. Then add a tiny bit (about 2 teaspoons) of Korean chili paste. Add some kimchi juice, too. 

Add the rice, mix them with kimchi and onion. Using the vertical edge of the spatula, try to cut through the chunks of rice to break up the rice grains without smashing them.

Continue to fry until the mixture becomes well incorporated and heated.

Sesame oil and sesame seeds are must for kimchi fried rice. So don’t skip them, please.

Make Nurungji (Scorched Rice)

This is an optional step but I urge you try it though. I like to toast the bottom side of my fried rice by heating the skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes at the end of cooking. I am basically making scorched rice. It creates crisp texture on the rice like Paella’s Socarrat. Koreans call it Nurungji (누룽지).

Crumble 1-2 sheets of roasted and seasoned seaweed  and sprinkle over your fried rice, then add the crisp bacon pieces on top.

I like my bacon to be added at last so that I can enjoy the crispness along with rice.

Here is the nuroongji part of your fried rice. Truly crusty and yummy!

Now, I think I just gave you a good instructions on how to make the ever popular bacon kimchi fried rice in a best way you can eat.

Oh, Don’t forget the fried egg on top. Without it, for me…, the fried rice looks uncompleted. But the egg part is very optional choice for you. Hope you enjoy!

More Dishes made with Sour Kimchi

• Curry Kimchi Pancakes
• Kimchi Tuna Rice Patties and Balls
• Crispy Kimchi Fried Rice with Cheese
• Kimchi Stew (Kimchi Jjigae) with Tomatoes
• Easy Kimchi Jjigae with Spam

Bacon Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap)

Holly Ford

Is your kimchi getting sour? Turn it into a satisfying kimchi fried rice with crisp bacon pieces. A hint of gochujang and the sour kimchi juice make this Korean classic even more delicious.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Course Lunch, Rice Dishes

Cuisine Korean

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 1/2 cups fermented sour cabbage kimchi chopped
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 4-6 bacon strips chopped
• 2-3 tbsp kimchi juice
• 3 cups cooked rice
• 2 tsp Korean chili paste (gochujang)
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup roasted seaweed crumbled
• 4 eggs fried to sunny side up

Instructions

 

• In a heavy skillet, cook bacon pieces until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a platter, and set aside.
• Using a paper towel, wipe off the bacon grease remained in the skillet but leave 1 tablespoonful.
• Saute onion in the reserved bacon grease until soft and tender over medium heat.
• Add the kimchi and continue to saute until kimchi is soft, about 5 minutes over medium-low heat, then add Korean chili paste and kimchi juice to the skillet and mix well to incorporate with kimchi and onion.
• Add the rice to the mixture and toss well. Try to separate the rice grains by using the vertical edge of spatula so that you don’t smash the rice much.
• Add sesame oil and sesame seeds, and toss well. Season with salt and pepper as you wish.
• Raise the heat to medium heat and let the fried rice to sear for 2-3 minutes. This will help the rice on the bottom of skillet to be crisp. Adjust the heat, if needed, so that you don’t burn it too much. Check the bottom of the fried rice to see it created desired crispness on the rice.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle with the reserved bacon pieces and crumbled roasted seaweed. To serve, add sunny side up fried eggs on top. Enjoy while hot!

Keyword bacon, cabbage kimchi, egg, gochujnag, kimchi, kimchi bokkeumbap, kimchi fried rice, kimci bacon fried rice, Korean chili paste, rice bowl, sour kimchi

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