Impress your friends (and yourself) with this easy Kimchi Bacon Fried Rice recipe that gives your fave Korean restaurant a run for its money! Yep, it's that good AND ready in less time than it takes to scroll through Netflix deciding what to watch. Plus, this 15-minute one-pan dinner means less clean-up! After all, you only deserve the best things in life *chef's kiss*

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🎥 Watch How to Make the Recipe

❤️ Recipe Highlights
- 15-Minute One-Pot Meal: Whip this up for a hearty breakfast or late-night craving after a night out. Served in Under 30 minutes, TRUST, it'll always hit the spot - without leaving you with a sink full of dishes!
- Secrets to Flavor Powerhouse: Every single step in this Kimchi Bacon Fried Rice is layered with INSANE flavor & gives Korean takeout a run for its money!
- Quick & Easy Ratios: The key ingredients for this Kimchi Fried Rice recipe is super simple so you can easily cook this up off the cuff - 1 part kimchi; 2 parts cooked rice; 2 slices of bacon per person.
🥘 Ingredient Tips for Kimchi Bacon Fried Rice
- Rice: Cold day-old rice is ideal for fried rice because it easily rehydrates by absorbing the liquid seasoning for extra flavorful rice! Jasmine rice or long-grain rice creates a flakier texture and is my fave kind of rice. Short or medium-grain rice creates a much stickier fried rice. You could even box up any leftover rice from takeout & save it for this kimchi rice recipe! If you're using freshly cooked rice, check the "Key Tips" below for prep instructions!
- Cabbage Kimchi is the standard for Korean kimchi fried rice, aka kimchi bokkeumbap, & ideally, aged at least 2-3 weeks old for even more flavor!
- Bacon: At our house, we like 'em thicccc. You get heartier pieces of meat throughout the dish, but of course, you're the master chef of your kitchen, so whatever you prefer! An easy ratio for this Kimchi Fried Rice recipe is 2 pieces of bacon per person/serving. If you don't have bacon, you can also use canned turn for a pantry staples version of Tuna Kimchi Fried Rice.
- Gochujang is a Korean chili paste that adds a depth of flavor that's devastatingly noticeable if skipped, so do everyone a favor & don't skip it! It's typically mild but there's a spicy gochujang variety (shoutout to my fellow spicy lovers 😉 I gotchu)
- Fish Sauce: The Squid brand is my absolute fave & what my mom always used when I was growing up because it has only 3 ingredients - no mysterious preservatives here!
- Sesame Oil: A little drizzle of sesame oil is a MUST for that iconic nutty flavor to finish off this dish.
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪 How to Make Kimchi Fried Rice
Like all stir-fried rice dishes, this easy kimchi fried rice recipe comes together SUPER quickly, so make sure you have all your ingredients ready to go! Last thing you want to do is be scrambling for ingredients and turn around into a burnt sad mess.
We're not serving sadness today - NOPE! Okay, let's get cooking!
Step 1: Cook Bacon. Heat a large skillet or pan on medium heat, then toss in the chopped bacon. Cook for a couple of minutes until it's about 80% cooked. You'll know it's ready when they're lightly golden, starting to turn crispy, & a lot of the fat has rendered out.
Step 2: Cook Aromatics & Gochujang. Increase the heat to medium-high, then toss in the onions & saute for about a minute, or until they're turning tender. Add the garlic & cook for a few more seconds until they're soft & fragrant, then add the gochujang.
Stir together & cook for about 30 seconds to a minute to allow the gochujang to caramelize.
Step 3: Caramelize Kimchi. Add the chopped kimchi & combine well. Spread the kimchi into an even layer & let it cook untouched for about a minute to let the kimchi caramelize with the rest of the ingredients.
Step 4: Add Rice & Seasonings. Add the cooked rice & break up any big chunks. Combine well with the rest of the seasonings, then pour in the kimchi juice & fish sauce. Continue to mix until all of the rice is well-coated. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil.
Optional but Recommended: Spread the rice into an even layer on the pan, then allow the rice to cook untouched for 1-3 minutes to create a crispy bottom layer! Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, crushed roasted seaweed, or thinly sliced green onions with a fried egg. Enjoy!
👩🏽🍳 Key Tips
- Easily Chop Kimchi - without the extra mess: Instead of chopping your kimchi on the cutting board & having all its juices spread on the board & countertops, place the kimchi in a bowl or large measuring cup. Then, use scissors to roughly cut the kimchi!
- Drain Kimchi Well: Before adding kimchi to the fried rice, Drain the chopped kimchi well before adding it to your fried rice so it doesn't turn soggy!
- If Using Freshly Cooked Rice, it usually has too much moisture for fried rice and tends to end up mushy. So, combat that, cook your rice with a little less water than you normally would so it comes out drier. Then, once it’s finished cooking, spread it out on a baking tray to cool completely & further dry out. You can even pop it in the fridge to help speed up the process!

💭 Recipe FAQs
Store any leftover kimchi fried rice in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Reheat it in the microwave or stir-frying again in a large pan on medium-high heat until warm.
It's tangy from the fermented kimchi with savory and umami from the soy sauce and fish sauce. You could also easily make it spicy with chili flakes or a spicy version of gochujang.
There's too much moisture somewhere in your fried rice! Cold day-old rice is best because it's drier and rehydrates by absorbing all the liquid seasonings and minimizes the chance to creating soggy or mush fried rice.
If you're using freshly cooked rice, cook the rice with a little less water than usual so it's drier then let it cool so you don't get excess moisture from steamy hot rice. You can spread it on a baking sheet & even place it in the fridge to help speed up the process!
Lastly, make sure to squeeze as much moisture as possible from your chopped kimchi, then measure out the kimchi juice to add to the fried rice. You want to fully control the liquids in your kimchi fried rice to prevent soggy or mushy rice!
Kimchi is fermented and naturally has a sour/tangy flavor, but use your senses to look for signs of spoiling! If you see mold or smell unpleasant odors coming from the kimchi, it's time to toss & restock.
Fresh kimchi is crunchier, then gets softer the longer it ferments.
🥗 What to Serve with Kimchi Fried Rice
Enjoy this Bacon Kimchi Fried Rice on its own as a One-Pot Meal or serve it with a comforting bowl of Kimchi Soup and crunchy Korean Fried Chicken for an even more filling meal with the fam! Use up more of any leftover kimchi by making Crispy Kimchi Pancakes or Rabokki filled with plump dumplings, tender spam, chewy noodles, and everything delicious hopes & dreams are made of.
Still craving more Korean food (who could blame you!)? Here are a few more ideas!
Let's Get Cooking!
For drool-worthy step-by-step videos, follow along @MikhaEats on Instagram & Tiktok - and don't forget to tag @MikhaEats for a chance to be featured!

Easy Kimchi Bacon Fried Rice Recipe
Watch How to Make It!

Ingredients
INGREDIENTS:
- 8 ounces bacon cut into 2-inch pieces
- ½ large onion finely chopped
- 7 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons gochujang
- 1 ½ cups kimchi roughly chopped
- 3 cups cooked rice packed
- ¼ cup kimchi juice
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
OPTIONAL FOR SERVING:
- 4 fried eggs
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
- Crushed seaweed
- Toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Heat a large pan or skillet on medium, then add the bacon. Cook until it’s about 80% done - the bacon is lightly golden, crispy, and the fat has rendered out.
- Increase the heat to medium-high, then add onions & saute for another minute, or until they’ve softened. Add the garlic & cook for a few more seconds until they become soft and fragrant,
- Add the gochujang, mix with the aromatics, & allow to cook for about 30 seconds, up to to a minute to allow it to caramelize. Toss in the chopped kimchi & mix well with the rest of the ingredients. Spread it into an even layer & allow to cook for about a minute to allow the kimchi to caramelize with the rest of the ingredients.
- Stir in the cooked rice, breaking up any big chunks, then pour in the kimchi juice, & fish sauce. Combine well until all of the rice is coated in the seasoning. Then, finish with sesame oil.
- Optional but recommended: Spread rice in an even layer in the pan & allow it to cook for 1-3 minutes undisturbed to create a crispy layer of rice at the bottom!
- Enjoy immediately, or if you’re feeling fancy, garnish with thinly sliced green onions, crushed roasted seaweed, toasted sesame seeds, and/or a fried egg - enjoy!
Notes
- Bacon: Thick bacon is my absolute fave for heartier pieces of meat, but use any of your fave versions.
- Kimchi: Cabbage kimchi is traditionally used. For easy chopping, place kimchi in a bowl or large measuring cup & use scissors to roughly chop the kimchi. That way you don't have to worry about kimchi juice everywhere!
- Rice: Cold leftover rice is best because it's drier & rehydrates by absorbing the liquid seasoning for SUPER flavorful rice! Jasmine or long-grain rice creates a flakey texture, compared to short or medium-grain rice that are much stickier. Freshly cooked rice works too. See "Key Tips" on how to properly prep freshly cooked rice so your fried rice doesn't turn mushy or soggy.
- Gochujang: This comes in various levels of spice, so adjust to your spice level.
- Kimchi Juice: Make sure to drain your kimchi well & separate it, so you have full control of how much liquid goes into your fried rice.
- Step-by-Step Directions: For key tips & step-by-step photos on how to perfect your kimchi fried rice, scroll through the post above!
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
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