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+ servings
2 plates of gochujang rice topped with a sunny side up fried egg.
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5 from 10 votes

Gochujang Fried Rice with Leftover Ham

The BEST Korean comfort food is homemade Gochujang Fried Rice with Leftover Ham. This easy Korean fried rice can be on your table in 15 minutes flat with just 6 pantry ingredients
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Mains, Sides
Cuisine: Korean
Servings: 2
Calories: 512kcal
Author: HWC Magazine

Equipment

  • Wok or large frying pan

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    reserve 1 tablespoon to fry egg
  • 1 cup kimchi roughly chopped
  • 2 teaspoons gochujang paste increase as much as desired to reach your desired heat and spice level.
  • 2 cups cooked rice (day old cold leftover rice) We used Jasmine white rice but you can use any type of cooked rice like brown, long grain, sushi, etc. Do NOT use instant rice.
  • 1 cup ham chopped (or spam) We really love the combination of our slightly sweet cranberry glazed ham with the spicy kimchi. Honey ham is also delicious.
  • salt and pepper
    to taste (white pepper)
  • 3 green onions chopped - optional
  • 2 whole eggs optional

Instructions

  • Place oil in wok/pan and heat on medium heat. Add chopped kimchi to the pan and stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes or until all of the moisture is gone. This keeps your rice crispy and makes the kimchi sweeter.
  • Next, add a little dollop of gochujang paste and stir fry. If sticking occurs, add a little extra oil. 2 teaspoons makes this recipe mild to medium. If you want it spicy, add more gochujang paste to taste.
  • Add in cold leftover rice and stir fry until well incorporated. Next, add the chopped ham, season to taste with salt and white pepper. Add the chopped green onion if desired and stir fry until all the rice is coated. If you like your rice a little crunchy stir fry for a couple of minutes longer.

How to Serve

  • You can serve the Korean fried rice as is or serve with a sunny side up egg. The fried egg is optional.
  • To make a Korean fried egg, turn your burner on to medium heat. Place a little oil in a heated pan and break open the egg into the pan. Fry the egg sunny side up for about 2.5 minutes or until the white of the egg is set but the yellow yolk is still runny.
  • Serve with or without a fried egg on top. Garnish with a few sliced green onions, if desired and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Nutritional information has been calculated with eggs and green onions.
Leftovers can be stored for up to 3 days in a covered container in the refrigerator. Freezing is not recommended.
Tips for Success
  • Always used leftover cold rice. Do not use warm freshly cooked rice or you will end up with soggy gummy rice- not nice!
  • Stir fry your kimchi until all the moisture is removed. This prevents your rice from getting soggy. In addition, it makes the sour spicy kimchi naturally sweet.
  • Adjust the amount of gochujang to your preferred spice and heat level.
  • Chop your leftover ham in small cubes. It is always nicer to eat stir fries when all the items in the dish are about the same size. We really enjoy the sweeter cranberry glazed air fryer ham or a honey ham as it is a nice flavor profile with the spicy kimchi.
  • Mix it up and add any fresh vegetables bits and bobs you have the crisper.
  • To make vegan, hold the ham and add mushrooms, fried tofu, or vegetables of choice.
  • Traditional gochujang is not gluten-free. If you have celiac or a gluten sensitivity, please try one of the gluten free options like Koko or Wegmans.
  • If you want to make this recipe vegan, hold the ham and eggs.  Instead, add stir fried vegetables, mushrooms or fried tofu. 
  • If you need a substitute for gochujang paste you can mix 1 teaspoon of miso paste to 1 tablespoon of sriracha sauce or use Thai chili paste. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 512kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 838mg | Potassium: 325mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 195IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg