• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Sound of Cooking logo

  • about
  • recipes
  • say hello
  • faq
  • work with me
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • about
  • recipes
  • say hello
  • work with me
  • subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • about
    • recipes
    • say hello
    • work with me
    • subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • ×

    home » vegetarian » colorful vegetarian kimchi fried rice

    colorful vegetarian kimchi fried rice

    published: Feb 19, 2019 by cindy chou · updated: Jan 21, 2023

    • share10
    • email it
    jump to recipe jump to video
    A small pink bowl filled with colorful vegetarian kimchi fried rice.

    This is the ultimate fried rice packed with flavor and vegetables. That means tons of savory umami goodness that makes your mouth water. Perfectly cooked rice that is still slightly chewy with a tender bite (not soggy) and vegetables that give a nice crunch are the foundations to this versatile dish. This is where kimchi and celery can really shine!

    Vegetarian kimchi fried rice topped with 3 fried eggs and served on a round white plate.
    jump to:
    • 📋 main ingredients
    • 🎥 cooking video
    • 🍲 cooking equipment and pantry items you may need
    • 🔪 instructions
    • 📖 substitutions
    • colorful vegetarian kimchi fried rice
    • 📖 more vegetarian recipes

    I had my first taste of fried rice with celery at age 9 and it was a mind-blowing experience. I wondered why celery wasn't used in all fried rice.

    Even though I wasn't a big eater back then, I was perfectly content sitting alone and eating 3 bowls of this stuff while my mom spent hours catching up with her friend.

    Not to mention, fried rice is quite versatile. I’m often inspired to make it when I can’t decide on what vegetables to eat, when I’m in need of a fridge produce clean out, or simply because I’m craving something satisfying with a lot of flavor and texture.

    The addition of kimchi (also spelled "kimchee" sometimes) makes me crave this recipe even more. Just saying the word kimchi makes my mouth water.

    📋 main ingredients

    Top down view of kimchi fried rice ingredients: a bunch of celery, white medium grain rice in a glass container, a jar of vegetarian kimchi, fresh shiitake mushrooms, rainbow carrots, and half a head of red cabbage.

     

    INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED FOR THIS RECIPE

     

    • 6 cups cooked medium grain white rice, chilled OR 3 cups medium grain white rice, uncooked
    • 8 shiitake mushrooms
    • 3 medium carrots
    • 3 stalks celery
    • ¼ small head of red cabbage
    • 1 inch piece of ginger
    • 1 medium shallot
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 2 cups vegetarian kimchi: check the ingredients list if using store bought kimchi (anchovy, oyster, or salted shrimp are commonly used in traditional kimchi)
    • a neutral cooking oil (canola, avocado, or grapeseed)
    • low sodium soy sauce: Yamasa's low sodium soy sauce is my favorite all purpose soy sauce that's preservative free (click the image under the pantry items section to find it on Amazon)
    • ground black pepper
    • rice cooking wine: cooking sake or rice cooking wine preferred, but water will work too
    • sesame oil
    • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
    • 3 large eggs, optional

    🎥 cooking video

    Turn the volume on to hear the sounds of cooking. Cooking can be meditative and is a great opportunity to slow down, relax, and engage in your senses. Read more on our about page.

    🍲 cooking equipment and pantry items you may need

    Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means we do make a small profit from your purchases (your price is not affected by this commission). We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. If you click on an affiliate link, you consent to a cookie being placed on your browser for purposes of tracking commissions.

    Top down view of a large wood cutting board.
    large cutting board
    buy
    Top down view of a chefs knife.
    chefs knife
    buy
    A blue Kuhn Rikon Swiss peeler.
    swiss peeler
    buy
    Top down view of a stack of glass mixing bowls.
    glass mixing bowls
    buy
    measuring spoons<br/><strong>buy</strong>
    measuring spoons
    buy
    strainer<br/><strong>buy</strong>
    strainer
    buy
    A side view of a small saucepan over a white background.
    small sauce pan
    buy
    rice spatula<br/><strong>buy</strong>
    rice spatula
    buy
    Top down view of a quarter sheet tray with parchment paper.
    quarter sheet tray with parchment paper
    buy
    measuring cups<br/><strong>buy</strong>
    measuring cups
    buy
    measuring cups
    large rubber spatula<br/><strong>buy</strong>
    large rubber spatula
    buy
    large non-stick pan<br/><strong>buy</strong>
    large non-stick pan
    buy
    medium grain rice<br/><strong>buy</strong>
    medium grain rice
    buy
    A glass bottle of canola oil.
    canola oil
    buy
    taiwan rice cooking wine<br/><strong>buy</strong>
    taiwan rice cooking wine
    buy
    A bottle of low sodium soy sauce over a white background.
    yamasa low sodium soy sauce
    buy
    A small glass jar of black peppercorns over a white background.
    black pepper
    buy
    toasted sesame oil<br/><strong>buy</strong>
    toasted sesame oil
    buy

    🔪 instructions

    jump to cooking video

    This is a quick recipe if you already have leftover medium-grain white or brown rice. Move on to the vegetable prep if that's the case.

    If not, don't worry. Cooking and chilling rice should only add about 10 minutes to your total time since you can get most of the vegetable prep done simultaneously while the rice is cooking.

    By the time the rice is chilled, you'll be ready to start cooking the fried rice. I show you a useful technique to chill the rice quicker (watch the video at the 6:45 mark).

    how to cook medium grain white rice

    Rinse 3 cups of rice with cold water until the water runs clear (about 3 times) and strain.

    In a medium pot, add the rinsed rice and smooth down the top surface. Place your palm down on the rice and fill with cold water until the water level covers your fingers, right below the knuckles (about 4 cups cold water).

    Stir and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then immediately cover and turn down to simmer over low heat. Simmer for 18 minutes, remove from the heat source and allow to sit covered for 5 minutes.

    While the rice is simmering, wash your produce and begin your vegetable prep.

    What about the mushrooms? That's up to you (read more about it below or jump straight to the vegetable prep section), though I do find the process of wiping mushrooms with a damp towel relaxing and meditative.

    should you wash the mushrooms too?

    There has been a bit of debate on this topic, and while I was taught to NEVER EVER wash mushrooms, I think that advice has been debunked (at least for certain mushrooms like cremini / button mushrooms).

    It all comes down to protecting flavor. Feel free to jump ahead to the process photos if you're not interested in this topic.

    I was taught that mushrooms will absorb a lot of water if rinsed or soaked and washing may take away flavor producing amino acids.

    It turns out mushrooms are 80-90% water, so they have a limited ability to soak up more water and according to Harold McGee, most of the amino acids are inside the cells.

    Though I haven't tested it myself yet, I do think excess external moisture will require longer cooking time to brown the mushrooms. That's where you get amazing flavors from the Maillard reaction.

    It may be debunked, but I would still be scared to wash mushrooms in front of other chefs in fear of outrage. So for now, I'll stick to wiping them clean with a damp cloth since I also enjoy the meditative process.

    vegetable prep

    Peel and dice the carrots (photos 1 - 3).

    Cut each celery stalk lengthwise into ¼ inch strips, starting about ½ inch away from the bottom so all the pieces are held together for easier dicing. Then dice by cutting perpendicular to the stalk (photos 4 - 5).

    De-stem each shiitake mushroom by twisting the stem off and dice as shown in photos 6 - 9.

    <strong>①</strong> cut carrot slices on a bias
    ① cut carrot slices on a bias
    <strong>②</strong> fan out carrot slices to easily cut into ½" sticks
    ② fan out carrot slices to easily cut into ½" sticks
    <strong>③</strong> line up bundles of carrot strips and dice
    ③ line up bundles of carrot strips and dice
    <strong>④</strong> cut celery sticks
    ④ cut celery sticks
    <strong>⑤</strong> dice celery
    ⑤ dice celery
    <strong>⑥</strong> destem shiitake mushrooms
    ⑥ destem shiitake mushrooms
    <strong>⑦</strong> stack shiitake mushrooms for quicker slicing
    ⑦ stack shiitake mushrooms for quicker slicing
    <strong>⑧</strong> line up shiitake slices to dice
    ⑧ line up shiitake slices to dice
    <strong>⑨</strong> dice shiitake mushrooms
    ⑨ dice shiitake mushrooms

    Slice and dice a ¼ head of red cabbage for some extra color and crunch.

    Peel and mince a 1-inch piece of ginger, 1 medium shallot, and 3 cloves of garlic.

    Finally, coarsely chop 2 cups of vegetarian kimchi (or more if you like spicy food). Make sure to reserve the liquid. You'll be adding that to the fried rice too.

    how to quickly chill your rice

    Chilling the rice is a key step so the rice gets a thin layer of “fried” crispy goodness rather than becoming soggy.

    Once it's cooked, spread it evenly on a parchment paper-lined small sheet tray. Create diagonal lines in the rice using the side of a spatula to allow quicker cooling (shown at the 6:45 mark in the cooking video).

    Chill for 5 - 10 minutes in the freezer if all your ingredients are ready to go, or you can chill the tray in the refrigerator until all your prep is ready.

    before you start cooking the fried rice

    Measure out the seasoning ingredients separately before you start cooking so you're not scrambling for rice cooking wine while your garlic is on the verge of burning.

    Now you're ready to start cooking! There's a list of what kids can help with in the kitchen below, or you can go straight to the recipe card.

    jump to recipe
    Top down view of the finished fried rice served with 3 over easy eggs on top.

     

    COOKING WITH KIDS - what can the kids help with?

     

    • rinsing rice
    • washing vegetables and wiping the mushrooms
    • help place prepared ingredients into separate bowls or containers
    • measure out sauce and seasoning ingredients
    Kimchi fried rice served in a small pink kids bowl.

    📖 substitutions

    • yellow onion can be used instead of the shallot
    • shiitake mushrooms can be substituted with trumpet mushrooms, portobello mushrooms, or button mushrooms
    • if you're short on time, you can use frozen diced carrots

    You can customize this recipe to your taste with different vegetables and more or less seasoning.

    other vegetables you can use in fried rice

    • chopped green beans
    • peas
    • sliced sugar snap peas
    • diced celery root
    • riced broccoli or cauliflower (should be added right before the rice so it doesn't get soggy!)

     

    PRO TIP on cooking fried rice

     

    • When it comes to making fried rice or many other stir-fried dishes, it’s all about understanding the various cooking times each ingredient requires and adding them in the appropriate order
    • Have your mise en place (prep) all ready to go (including measured out sauces/seasoning) and add your ingredients to a hot wok/pan starting with the ingredients that require the longest cook time to the least amount of cook time

    This is perfect for a weeknight meal, potluck, large family meal, or weekend meal prep.

    Let me know how you like celery in your fried rice! I hope you love it as much as I do.

    Happy cooking! ~ Cin

    Please give this recipe a star rating below and leave a comment. I would appreciate it so much and would love to hear about your experience or if you put your own twist on the recipe. Show off your results by taking a photo and tagging @thesoundofcooking on Instagram. I would love to share what you come up with!

    Disclosure: The recipe below may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases (your price is not affected by this commission). If you click on an affiliate link, you consent to a cookie being placed on your browser for purposes of tracking commissions. See our Disclaimer for more information.

    Vegetarian kimchi fried rice topped with 3 fried eggs and served on a round white plate.
    print recipe pin recipe
    5 from 4 votes

    colorful vegetarian kimchi fried rice

    This fried rice has a lot of flavor (savory umami goodness that makes your mouth water), perfectly cooked rice that is still slightly chewy with a tender bite, and vegetables that give a nice crunch. This is where kimchi and celery can really shine. Just thinking the word kimchi makes my mouth water! Omit the eggs for a flavorful vegan dish.
    prep time30 mins
    cook time28 mins
    rice chill time10 mins
    total time40 mins
    servings: 12 servings
    author: cindy chou
    Prevent your screen from going dark.

    watch it step-by-step: the sound of cooking® video

    ingredients

    rice

    • 3 cups medium grain white rice (or 9 cups of already cooked medium grain white/brown rice, chilled)
    • 4 cups cold water or use the palm method shown in the video

    produce prep

    • 8 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and ¼ inch diced
    • 3 medium carrots, peeled and ¼ inch diced
    • 3 stalks celery, ¼ inch diced
    • ¼ head red cabbage, sliced and then ¼ inch diced
    • 1 inch piece ginger, peeled and minced (about 2 teaspoons minced)
    • 1 medium shallot, peeled and minced
    • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
    • 2 cups vegetarian/vegan kimchi, drained (liquid reserved) and coarse chopped

    cooking the fried rice

    • 3 tablespoons neutral oil, divided (for example, canola or grapeseed)
    • 3 tablepsoons low sodium soy sauce, divided
    • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon rice cooking wine
    • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

    optional

    • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
    • ¼ teaspoon neutral oil
    • 3 large eggs

    instructions

    cooking rice (if you already have leftover cold rice, finish vegetable prep and skip to cooking the fried rice)

    • Rinse uncooked rice with cold water until water runs clear (about 3 times) and strain.
    • In a medium saucepan (3-quart), add rinsed rice and smooth down the top surface. Place your palm, faced down on rice and fill with cold water until the water level covers your fingers, right below the knuckles (about 4 cups cold water).
    • Stir and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then immediately cover and turn down heat to simmer over low heat. Simmer for 18 minutes, remove from heat and allow to sit covered for 5 minutes.

    vegetable prep

    • While rice is cooking, wash and prepare vegetables as listed in the ingredients prep list above and set aside.

    chilling the rice

    • Spread cooked rice evenly on a parchment paper-lined small sheet tray. Create diagonal lines in the rice using the side of a spatula to allow quicker cooling. Chill in the refrigerator until all your prep is ready. You can chill for 5 - 10 minutes in the freezer if all your ingredients are ready to go.

    cooking the fried rice

    • Measure out the seasoning ingredients separately and have them ready by the stove.
    • Heat a large 12-inch non-stick pan (or seasoned wok) over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil followed by diced shiitake mushrooms. Allow mushrooms to brown, add diced carrots and cook for another 2 minutes while stirring.
    • Season with 1 tablespoon of low sodium soy sauce, stir, and add celery, cabbage, ginger, ground black pepper, and chopped kimchi. Cook until fragrant (about 1 minute) before adding garlic. Stir and deglaze with rice cooking wine.
    • Create a pocket in the middle of the pan. Add another 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons of sesame oil in the center. Add chilled rice, the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and stir everything together well, breaking up clumps with a spatula as you mix.
    • Flatten the fried rice mixture throughout to allow the bottom to toast. Stir in reserved kimchi liquid, turn off heat and stir in minced cilantro.

    cooking sunny-side up eggs (optional)

    • Heat a small non-stick pan on low heat. Add ¼ teaspoon vegetable oil, and 3 eggs separately into the pan. Cook the eggs on low heat until egg whites are mostly cooked (translucent to white), cover for 1 minute or until desired doneness. Serve over fried rice.

    notes

    Not all kimchi is vegetarian since it is traditionally fermented with the addition of raw oysters or seafood. Check the ingredients list to confirm.
    This is a quick recipe if you already have leftover cold medium-grain white or brown rice. Move on to the vegetable prep if that’s the case. If not, cooking and chilling rice should only add about 10 minutes to your total time since you can get most of the vegetable prep done simultaneously while the rice is cooking.
    Chilling the rice is a key step so the rice gets a thin layer of “fried” crispy goodness rather than becoming soggy.
    Low sodium soy sauce can be substituted with Tamari if you prefer a gluten-free option.
    course: Main Course, Side Dish
    cuisine: Chinese, Korean
    keyword: carrots, celery, comfort food, kimchi, shiitake mushrooms, stir-fry
    difficulty: moderate
    price/serving: $1.44
    yield: 12 cups
    tried this recipe?Take a pic and tag @thesoundofcooking! I'd love to see what you made.
    Share by Email

    I usually eat this dish by itself as a complete meal, but it would also work well as a side dish to some sautéed vegetables.

    • sweet and savory sautéed green beans
    • korean pumpkin porrdige (hobakjuk)
    • browse all main dish recipes
    • stir-fried watercress by the woks of life

    You can drink this soothing ginger lemon honey tea during or after your satisfying meal.

    Want to make your own kimchi? Try this vegan kimchi by the frayed apron.

    📖 more vegetarian recipes

    • corn potage 玉米濃湯 (Japanese corn soup - vegan-friendly)
    • purple daikon radish recipe: quick & easy
    • stir-fried morning glory 蒜炒空心菜
    • korean pumpkin porridge with sweet rice balls
    « korean pumpkin porridge with sweet rice balls
    taiwanese summer squash fava bean cold noodles »
    • share10
    • email it

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sara says

      March 12, 2019 at 3:42 pm

      Hey there Cindy, this is Sara over at The Frayed Apron. I'd love to link to this kimchi fried rice recipe for my fermenting vegetable guide (which includes a vegan kimchi recipe). I'm sure my readers will appreciate the detail you provide in this post.

      I agree with you about rinsing mushrooms. It may not be 100% ideal, but at the end of the day, it's a practical necessity. Nobody wants to eat a dirty mushroom:) By the way, when I work with shiitakes, I love to cut them with kitchen shears...thanks for the quality recipe!

      Reply
      • cindy says

        March 12, 2019 at 7:56 pm

        Hi Sara! Thanks for your kind words. I would love for this recipe to be featured in your fermenting vegetable guide and can't wait to make some recipes from it, especially your vegan kimchi.

        I never tried using kitchen shears for shiitake mushrooms and will definitely give it a go today! 🙂 cheers!

        Reply
    2. Denny Soppe says

      November 18, 2019 at 3:31 am

      Great post! We will be linking to this great content on our site. Keep up the great writing.

      Reply
      • cindy chou says

        October 01, 2020 at 2:15 am

        Thanks so much Denny! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

        Reply
    3. Brian says

      December 21, 2019 at 2:58 am

      It's been a long time I actually pulled out a piece of paper to take notes on a blog post. Thanks for this. You've earned yourself a new reader!

      Reply
      • frankls says

        March 02, 2020 at 7:44 pm

        This looks terrific ! I am looking forward to trying the recipe.

        Thanks !

        Reply
        • cindy chou says

          October 01, 2020 at 2:17 am

          So glad to hear! I hope you were able to try it out and please let me know if you have any questions about the recipe.

          Reply
      • cindy chou says

        October 01, 2020 at 2:16 am

        Thanks for your meaningful feedback, Brian - I appreciate it! I hope you're enjoying my newer recipes as well.

        Reply

    share your thoughts below. let's chat at the kitchen table: Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    recipe rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Headshot of Cindy smiling while wearing a white shirt and gray chef's apron standing in front of a blue background.

    Hello! I’m Cindy Chou, RDN (she/her/她), a Taiwanese American chef and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (but you won’t find any restrictive diet talk here!). I'm also a hotpot addict and love to cook Taiwanese and other Asian cuisine-inspired dishes. Join me for umami-rich recipes, pro cooking tips, and relaxing cooking videos to help you slow down and create lasting food memories.

    more about me →


    lunar new year recipes

    • boiled dumplings with juicy snow pea leaves and shrimp 豆苗蝦水餃
    • easy yuzu ramen with roasted turkey and shishito peppers
    • stir-fried morning glory 蒜炒空心菜
    • korean pumpkin porridge with sweet rice balls

    popular recipes

    • opo squash soup with meatballs 瓠子肉丸湯
    • bitter melon soup with pork ribs 苦瓜排骨湯
    • coconut watermelon milk 西瓜牛奶 (用椰奶)
    • taiwanese summer squash fava bean cold noodles

    free cozy soups guide

    Have you eaten yet? Want to get recipe updates, pro cooking tips, and nutrition info on Asian ingredients straight to your inbox? Sign up here for updates and a FREE Cozy Taiwanese & Asian Soups Guide.


    as seen on

    Text logos for the following publications or companies displayed: Mashed, Flipboard, Buzzfeed, Food Insider, Tasting Table, Finding Vegan, Food Gawker, Yummly, and Blog Lovin'.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    about

    • about
    • privacy policy
    • disclaimer
    • terms of use

    newsletter

    • sign up! for emails and updates

    contact

    • contact - say hello
    • work with cindy
    • FAQ

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 The Sound of Cooking® • All rights reserved.

    • 10share
    • pin
    • tweet
    • reddit
    • yummly
    • share
    • flip
    • mix
    • send
    manage cookie consent
    We use cookies to optimize our website to ensure you get the best experience.
    functional Always active
    The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
    Preferences
    The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
    statistics
    The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
    marketing
    The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
    Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
    view preferences
    {title} {title} {title}
    manage cookie consent

    To provide the best experiences, we use 🍪 cookies (fresh baked) to optimize our website. By sticking around, you're agreeing to our Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimer.

    functional Always active
    The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
    Preferences
    The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
    statistics
    The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
    marketing
    The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
    Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
    view preferences
    {title} {title} {title}