- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 400 g
- 150 g
- 150 g
- 1 tbsp
- 1 tbsp
- 2 cloves
- 1 tbsp
- 1 tbsp
- 1 tsp
- 1 tsp
Process
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Press the tofu for 10 minutes, then cut it into 1.5 cm cubes. Pat dry with kitchen paper so it browns instead of steaming.
Break up the cold cooked rice with wet hands until no clumps remain. Set aside near the hob.
Whisk the gochujang, soy sauce, maple syrup and 2 tbsp kimchi juice in a small bowl to make a smooth sauce.
Heat the neutral oil in a wide wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the tofu cubes and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, turning, until golden on most sides. Lift out onto a plate.
Add the yellow onion and the white parts of the spring onions to the same pan. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the chopped vegan kimchi and fry for 2 minutes, pressing it against the pan, until it darkens slightly and smells sweet and sour.
Tip in the rice and toss constantly for 3 minutes, breaking up any lumps, until every grain is coated and hot.
Pour the gochujang sauce around the edge of the pan, not in the centre, then toss everything together for 1 minute. Return the tofu and fold it through.
Turn off the heat, drizzle over the toasted sesame oil and fold once. Serve topped with the spring onion greens, toasted sesame seeds and nori strips.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The single biggest mistake is using fresh, warm rice. It steams and turns gluey. Cold day-old rice, or rice spread on a tray and chilled for 30 minutes, fries into separate grains.
- Press the kimchi against the hot pan for a full 2 minutes before adding rice. This drives off moisture and caramelises the chilli paste, which is where the deep savoury flavour comes from.
- Add the sauce around the rim of the pan, not on top of the rice. It sizzles and thickens in seconds instead of soaking in and making the rice wet.
- Use a wide pan and do not crowd it. If your pan is small, fry in two batches so the rice toasts rather than stews.
Substitutions
- firm tofu→tempeh or cooked edamame
- gochujang→1 tbsp gochugaru chilli flakes mixed with 1 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp maple syrup
- maple syrup→brown sugar or agave syrup
- short-grain rice→jasmine rice or brown rice, both cooked and chilled
- toasted sesame oil→toasted perilla oil
Storage & reheating
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; cool it within 1 hour of cooking before sealing. Reheat in a covered pan over medium heat with a splash of water for 4 to 5 minutes, or in the microwave at 700 W for 2 minutes, stirring halfway. Do not freeze, as the rice and tofu turn grainy and watery on thawing.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Can I make vegan kimchi fried rice with freshly cooked rice?
You can, but spread the hot rice on a tray and chill it uncovered for at least 30 minutes first. Warm rice releases steam in the pan and clumps into a sticky mass. Cold rice fries into separate, lightly toasted grains, which is the texture this dish needs.
How do I know my kimchi is actually vegan?
Traditional kimchi often contains fish sauce, shrimp paste or anchovy extract, so check the label for those. Look for jars marked vegan or made with soy sauce or seaweed instead of fish products. If you cannot find one, use the same weight of salted napa cabbage with 1 extra tbsp gochujang and a splash of soy sauce.
Why did my fried rice turn out wet and mushy?
Too much liquid went in at once: wet tofu, un-drained kimchi or sauce poured straight onto the rice. Press the tofu dry, fry the kimchi for 2 minutes to drive off its moisture, and add the sauce around the hot rim of the pan. A wide pan over medium-high heat also helps moisture escape instead of pooling.
Can I add vegetables to this recipe?
Yes. Add 100 g of diced carrot or frozen peas with the onion so they cook through, or throw in a handful of spinach or shredded cabbage in the last minute. Avoid watery vegetables like courgette unless you salt and drain them first, or the rice will steam.
How spicy is this vegan kimchi fried rice?
It is moderately spicy, roughly a medium heat, driven by both the kimchi and the gochujang. For a milder version, use 1 tsp gochujang instead of 1 tbsp and rinse the kimchi briefly under cold water. For more heat, add 1 tsp gochugaru chilli flakes with the garlic.
Can I make this dish ahead of time?
You can cook it up to 3 days ahead and reheat it, but the tofu softens and the rice loses its toasted edge. Better: prep the rice, chopped kimchi, diced onion and sauce separately, keep them in the fridge, then fry everything in 10 minutes just before eating.
What can I use instead of gochujang?
Mix 1 tbsp gochugaru Korean chilli flakes with 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp maple syrup and 1 tsp sesame oil. It gives a similar sweet, savoury heat, though it will be a little looser. Do not substitute sriracha, which is far sharper and lacks the fermented depth.
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