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tuna kimchi fried rice on a rectangular black plate - 4
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Tuna Kimchi Fried Rice

Canned tuna gets schooled with a Korean chili paste that takes what could be an ordinary fried rice to a tsunami of umami.
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Korean
Diet Low Lactose
Keyword canned tuna, comfort food, late night snacks
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 324kcal
Author Agile Test Kitchen

Equipment

  • 1 10-12 inch nonstick skillet/wok or seasoned cast iron pan

Ingredients

  • 1 Tb oil
  • 1/4 c onion diced, about 1/2 of a small onion
  • 1/2 c kimchi chopped roughly into 1/4 - 1/2" slices
  • 1 can tuna, packed in oil See Note 1
  • 1 Tb gochujang, fermented Korean red chili paste See Note 2
  • 3 c cooked rice, cold I use brown, short grain rice; See Note 3
  • 1/4 c water

Optional Garnishes

  • green onions sliced
  • bonito flakes
  • toasted sesame seeds
  • dried seaweed cut into thin strips
  • fried egg
  • drizzle of sesame oil

Instructions

  • Heat a nonstick skillet to medium high heat. Add the oil and onion. Saute for 2-3 minutes, while stirring, until the onion starts turning translucent.
  • Add the kimchi to and pan and stir 1-2 minutes. Cooking the kimchi in the hot oil helps caramelize sugars and develop flavor.
  • Add water to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes until the kimchi is soft and translucent. (Without the water, the kimchi tends to dry out in the pan.)
  • Add the gochujang chili paste to the pan. Stir for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  • Add the tuna with oil to the pan and rice. This is the part where you develop patience while stirring for 4-5 minutes until the rice is heated through and coated evenly with all the goodness in the pan.
  • Serve hot and sprinkle with optional garnishes.

Notes

  1. Tuna packed in olive oil is the tastiest choice.  If you prefer tuna packed in water, that works too.  Just be sure to drain out as much of the water as you can from the tuna, so that extra water doesn't get into the fried rice. 
  2. Gochujang is what makes this fried rice so indulgent.  It does work without it though, and I've eaten it plenty of times that way.  You can omit altogether.  You can also substitute with 1 tsp of soy sauce and 1/2 tsp of sugar for an alternate umami boost.  
  3. Leftover rice that has been refrigerated overnight works best for fried rice.  The grains separate more easily when cold, and they also are less susceptible to becoming mushy in the pan when combined with wet kimchi.  In a pinch, hot rice will work in fried rice too.  Just be ok with a somewhat wetter and clumpier fried rice. 

Nutrition

Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 252mg | Potassium: 279mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 54IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg