Kimchi Spam Fried Rice
This Korean-inspired Kimchi Spam Fried Rice is full of umami-rich savory flavor! It's loaded with crispy fried Spam, tangy kimchi, and a smoky spicy sauce made from gochujang, soy sauce, and sesame oil. You won't be able to stop at just one bowl!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoon cooking oil divided
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ yellow onion diced; about ⅓ cup
- ½ (6 oz) can less sodium Spam diced into small cubes
- 1 packed cup kimchi roughly chopped and excess liquid drained; about 8oz
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ inch knob ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 3 heaping cups cooked white rice 1-3 days old recommended
- ¼ cup kimchi liquid
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Optional Garnishes
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
- Furikake
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk eggs with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper until frothy.
- Add 1 tablespoon oil to a wok or large pan over high heat. When hot, add eggs and scramble until cooked. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Clean out the pan and return to heat.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and butter to the pan. Let melt, then add onion and Spam. Sauté over high heat for 3-4 minutes until lightly charred, stirring occasionally.
- Add the chopped kimchi and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Then stir in garlic and ginger for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Create an empty well in the middle of the pan by pushing ingredients to the edges. If dry, add a splash more oil, then add gochujang into the middle. Let toast in the middle of the pan for 1 minute, constantly stirring, until dark red. Gently mix into the ingredients.
- Add rice, scrambled eggs, kimchi liquid, soy sauce, sesame oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Break up rice and stir fry all together until rice is evenly coated. Season to taste.
- Garnish with sliced green onion and furikake, if desired.
Notes
- As with all stir-fries, I strongly recommend having all your ingredients prepped and measured before cooking.
- Eggs: My favorite part of fried rice are the little bits of scrambled egg. It adds more heartiness and richness, but you could substitute with fried eggs on top as well.
- Kimchi: Older kimchi is more translucent with a tangier, more intense flavor. Save your fresh kimchi to eat on its own, as older kimchi is better for cooked dishes like this one. Each brand has a different taste so be sure to adjust the seasonings to taste.
- Kosher salt: The salt amounts listed in this recipe are for Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using Morton kosher salt, sea salt, or Himalayan pink salt, reduce by half. If using table salt, reduce the salt by ¼.
- Substitutions:
- Instead of scrambling the eggs, feel free to fry them as a topping.
- Use any type of rice you'd like (brown, short or long grain, etc).
- Substitute gochujang with Sriracha or simply leave out if you want to make Kimchi Spam Fried Rice without gochujang.
- For a vegetarian Kimchi Fried Rice, leave out the Spam and check the ingredients on your kimchi since it can contain fish sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 606kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 159mg | Sodium: 1229mg | Potassium: 464mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 447IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg