Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice (Easy + Healthy) - Okonomi Kitchen (2025)

This Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice is the perfect quick and easy weeknight meal. Healthy, flavour packed and ready in just 15 minutes! Gluten free option.

Say hello to your NEW go-to weeknight meal: Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice. Soups and stews are great for the colder season and I’m all for it but sometimes I’m just feeling a big ol’ bowl of rice. The heat and spice kind of gives it a ~cozy~ vibe to it and it’s sooo satisfying to eat. Plus, it’s such a great way to use any left over rice and kimchi that might have been sitting in your fridge for just a tad too long. I almost always make my own kimchi *recipe coming soon* and it makes a huge batch so I always have some kind of go a little too sour and LOVE using that for kimchi fried rice. Alright grab your woks and let’s get cooking!

Ingredients for Kimchi Fried Rice

The beauty of this dish is in it’s simplicity. Only 8-ingredients and they’re pretty much staples in my pantry. You can find these ingredients at your local asian grocery store or online!

• Smoked Tofu: not only does this tofu add flavour, it makes this kimchi fried rice extra simple because you don’t need to cook it up separately.
• Vegan Kimchi: homemade or store bought! My homemade kimchi recipe will be coming soon, but if using store bought be sure it’s fish sauce free for vegan.
• Frozen Vegetables: it’s cheap and accessible, peas and carrots are always delicious in fried rice.
• Cooked Day Old Rice: is the best rice to use for fried rice to prevent mushy fried rice.
• Dark Soy Sauce: gives more depth of flavour.
• Sesame Oil: for flavour and no… don’t skip this ingredient!
• Gochujang: adds additional spice to balance the sourness of kimchi (especially if its old kimchi).
• Scallions: onions can be used here instead, but scallions are preferred.

All topped off with some black sesame seeds and seaweed for good measure 😉

How to Make Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice

Making fried rice is incredibly easy and is done in just one wok (or large pan). Here’s how it goes down:

1. Fry the parts of onions for just a minute to cook them down. Then fry the kimchi and gochujang together.
2. Then add the day old rice, frozen vegetables and soy sauce until the rice soaks up all the juicy flavours.
3. Add the rest of the scallion and drizzle in the sesame oil. Garnish & SERVE!

Tips & Tricks to Making The Best Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice

• Use day old rice. This prevents the rice from sticking together and getting mushy. The rice will finish cooking as it’s getting fried in the wok while absorbing flavour.
• The older the kimchi, the better! Kimchi gets more sour and pungent as time goes by and adds more flavour to fried rice.
• Add the sesame oil in LAST. Sesame oil is used to bring out the flavour and add flavour to dishes, so adding it last will prevent it from burning. Do not use sesame oil as cooking oil.

Helpful Equipment to Make Kimchi Fried Rice

• Medium-Large Wok: I fry everything in a wok, I just find it easier to handle and move around the ingredients as I’m cooking vs. a traditional pan.

I hope you try this Vegan Korean Fried Rice and love it as much as I do! It might just become one of your go-to meals 😉

More Delicious Vegan Korean Recipes to Love!

• Vegan Kimchi Pancakes
• Korean Spicy Cold Noodles
• Vegan Japchae (Korean Glass Noodles)
• Korean Spinach Side Dish
• Vegan Kimbap with Tofu
• Korean BBQ Pulled Jackfruit

If you recreate this Easy Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
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