Why You’ll Love This Recipe 

• High in protein, thanks to Meaty Meat Pork-ish and Tofu.
  
  

• Quick and Easy - ready in just 20 minutes, making it a perfect weeknight recipe .
  
  

• Customizable - use any vegetables dying in your fridge.
  
  

• Good For Your Gut Health - thanks to the addition of kimchi.
  
  

• Packed With Bold, Savory Flavors - due to Gochujang, Doenjang, and Kimchi. 

Ingredients for Vegan Fried Rice with Kimchi and Juicy Marbles Chunks

• Meaty Meat Pork-ish chopped into little chunks adds an interesting textural element as well as extra protein.
  
  

• Cold rice offers the best result when making stir-fried rice. You’re looking for dry rice that is not too moist or sticky, which will help achieve a nice texture and even flavor distribution.
  
  Keep in mind that rice should be quickly cooled and then stored in the fridge to prevent bacterial growth—never leave it at room temperature for an extended period of time (Bacillus cereus is sadly not our friend).
  
  

• Vegetables of your choice like spring onion, snap peas, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, and frozen edamame or peas all work great in this recipe. This is a great way to use up odd ends of vegetables found in your fridge or freezer, so don’t stress too much.
  
  

• Kimchi adds a nice kick of acidity, flavor, and healthy probiotics to this dish. You can skip it if you’re not a fan, but we do encourage you to give it a try. If you decide to skip the kimchi, you might need to add a bit more rice vinegar at the end of cooking.
  
  

• Tofu adds a nice textural element, fills you up, and takes care of your protein intake.
  
  

• Gochujang and Doenjang, both Korean fermented pastes, add a deep, umami flavor to the dish. Gochujang adds sweetness and gentle heat, while Doenjang brings salty umami to the table.
  
  

• Soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar are all the usual suspects of a delicious stir-fry meal, each playing a different role in the final dish.
  
  Soy sauce adds unoffensive saltiness and umami, sesame oil adds a warm, toasty nuttiness and rice vinegar adds just the right kick of acidity that compliments the existing acidity from Kimchi.
  
  

• Sesame seeds and spring onion finish the dish with some crunch and spice. 

Equipment You’ll Need

• Cutting board 

• Sharp knife

• Small bowl for seasoning mixture

• Measuring spoons and cups

• Kichen scale
  

• Scissors for opening Meaty Meat packaging 

• A saucepan or rice cooker for cooking rice

• Large non-stick pan or wok

• Wooden spoon or spatula for stirring

• Tongs for flipping Meaty Meat chunks

How to make Vegan Fried Rice with Kimchi and Juicy Marbles Chunks

1. Cook the rice 

Cook the rice according to the packaging instructions and let it cool down completely. To speed up the process, spread the cooked rice into a thin layer on a baking sheet.  Once cooled, store in the fridge until ready to use. 

2. Prepare your Mise en Place 

Prepare the vegetables you will be using in your fried rice, crumble up the tofu, and chop Meaty Meat Pork-ish into bite-sized chunks. 

3. Cook the plant-based proteins. 

Cook the tofu crumbles until they become crispy and remove them from the pan. In the same pan fry Meaty Meat chunks until nicely brown and crispy on all sides. 

4. It’s time to Stir-Fry 

Stir-fry vegetables for a couple of minutes until slightly softened and charred. Add Kimchi and cook for a couple of minutes before adding crumbled tofu and Meaty Meat chunks.

5. Add the rice and season 

Add rice to the pan, mix well, and season with soy sauce, Gochujang, and Doenjang. Let it cook undisturbed for a minute or two, to start the caramelization process on the bottom of the pan. 

6. It’s time to eat 

Once the cooking is done, remove from the heat and season with sesame oil and rice vinegar. 

Tips & Tricks

• Use cold rice. Freshly cooked or warm rice will not fry the same way cold rice does and might result in a soggy, wet dish. Ideally, use cold refrigerated rice. If you’re in a hurry, cook a batch of fresh rice, and spread it on a baking tray to speed up the cooling process and enable rice to steam out.
  
  
• Chop the vegetables into small pieces to speed up the cooking process. I like to grate the carrots and broccoli stalks to save time and reduce knife work.
  
  
• Use tamari instead of soy sauce and omit Doenjang to make the recipe gluten-free. 
  
  *NOTE: Juicy Marbles meats are not gluten-free certified, but we do not include gluten in any of our recipes.
  
  
  
• Use less Gochujang and kimchi, if you can’t handle the heat.
  
  
• Don’t be afraid of heat. Let the vegetables saute on high heat to keep them crispy and fresh. Once you mix in the rice, let it brown and caramelize on the bottom for a minute before stirring it.
  
  
• Finish the fried rice with a drizzle of sesame oil. By doing this at the end of the cooking process, we are ensuring that the heat doesn’t kill the delicious aroma of toasted sesame seed oil.

FAQ

Can I make this recipe gluten-free? 

Yes! Swap soy sauce for tamari and omit doenjang to make this lip-smacking plant-based recipe gluten-free.

*NOTE: Juicy Marbles meats are not gluten-free certified, but we do not include gluten in any of our recipes.

How spicy is this dish? 

This dish is moderately spicy due to kimchi and gochujang, but you can adjust the spiciness level according to your preference (add less or more of either or use less spicy kimchi). 

Can I make this dish without kimchi?

Of course, feel free to omit kimchi in this recipe, but taste the dish because you may need to add more rice vinegar for acidity. 

What does Gochujang taste like?

Gochujang, a Korean fermented chili paste, has a unique blend of sweet (almost caramelly), spicy, savory, and umami flavors that add a deep, complex element to any dish.

What is Doenjang, where can I buy it?

Doenjang is a Korean fermented soybean paste, known for its strong umami, salty flavor. You can find it in most Asian grocery stores, especially Korean Markets. Traditionally it is made with salt and soybeans, however some commercial brands may include barley or wheat, so keep that in mind if you are looking for a gluten-free option. 

What can I substitute Doenjang with? 

You can substitute it with miso paste, but you may need to add more since miso has a milder flavor than doenjang. 

Can I use fresh rice instead of cold rice? 

Fresh rice tends to be too moist for stir-frying, leading to a mushy, wet texture. If freshly cooked rice is your only option, cook it and spread it out on a try, let it steam out, and cool down for 30 minutes. Once cooled, rice should be stored in the fridge to prevent bacterial growth.