This easy kimchi fried quinoa recipe uses just 5 ingredients and is ready in less than 10 minutes. It's a perfect side dish or used as a base for stir fry!
We're all about quick and easy here at SQ. So when things come together in under 10 minutes and use just 5 ingredients, you know it's a keeper.
Today we've got just that. A recipe for kimchi fried quinoa that is crazy simple and crazy fast.
Whether you're looking for a tasty side dish, want something new to serve with your favorite stir fry (because let's get real, white rice can be pretty dang boring), or you just have some kimchi that's been sitting in the back of your fridge and you don't know what to do with it, this recipe has you covered.
What is Kimchi?
First, let's talk kimchi! Kimchi is a classic side dish in Korean cuisine that is made by fermenting vegetables in a spicy Asian-inspired seasoning. To me, it's a more interesting variation of sauerkraut.
Kimchi is one of those foods that has been getting a lot of attention over the last few years. It’s known for its bold, tangy flavor, which can take a little getting used to. Because it’s fermented, it has a distinct taste that some people find a bit funky at first—hence why you might have a half-eaten jar sitting in the back of your fridge.
Kimchi is typically made with vegetables, spices, and a fermentation process that gives it its signature flavor.
And once you get used to the taste, it’s pretty delicious!
How to Make Fried Quinoa
Making fried quinoa is actually really simple. You're essentially just sautéing cooked quinoa with whatever other ingredients you want so it gets a little crispy. As long as you've got cooked and cooled quinoa, this won't take any more than 7 – 8 minutes to cook.
What's great about quinoa is, similar to rice, that it's got a pretty plain flavor. That means no matter what you put with it, it will soak it all up.
For this recipe, we're keeping things on the Asian-inspired path and using toasted sesame oil for cooking and wheat-free tamari to add some umami flavor. The, of course, we've got the kimchi and some fresh green onions to finish things off.
An Easy 5-Ingredient Recipe
Since I know how much you adore simple recipes – especially recipes that use 5 ingredients or less! – I wanted to keep this one as straightforward as possible. So we really are just using 5 simple ingredients:
- Cooked quinoa: you need to make sure that the quinoa has had time to cool before you cook it again or else it will get sticky and gloopy
- Toasted sesame oil: adds a really nice nuttiness to the recipe, while also helping it get crispy
- Kimchi: you can choose any variety you'd like, but make sure it's vegan if you are following a vegan diet!
- Green onions: they add some bite and some crunch, while also helping to brighten things up
- Wheat-free tamari: my favorite way to salt Asian-inspired recipes!
And in less than 10 minutes, it will be d-o-n-e!
Ways to Serve Kimchi Fried Quinoa
I personally love this dish on its own, but as I mentioned earlier, it also makes a fabulous side dish. Since we are using Asian-inspired ingredients, I would recommend pairing it with other dishes/ingredients that are typical to those types of cuisines.
Here are some of my favorite ways to serve this kimchi fried quinoa:
- As the base for our sesame tofu meal prep bowls
- Topped with a little sauteed spinach and a fried/poached egg
- Under our vegan green curry instead of the rice
- With our rainbow vegetable stir fry
- Mixed into our vegan quinoa sushi bowls
Or again, just as a simple side dish!
More Quick & Easy Quinoa Recipes
- 5-ingredient Lemon Turmeric Quinoa
- 10-Minute Moroccan Quinoa Salad
- 5-ingredient Quinoa Pizza Crust
- Cilantro Lime Black Bean Quinoa Tacos
Kimchi Fried Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 cups cooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup kimchi , chopped
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free tamari (or soy sauce)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet. Once hot add the quinoa, kimchi and 2/3 of the green onions (reserve some for garnishing). Saute for 3 minutes until the quinoa starts to brown and add in the tamari. Cook for another 3 - 4 minutes, then divide between bowls and enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
Sounds delicious! I am thinking one could also add a little beaten egg and you would have egg-fried quinoa.
It taste great I love the combination of sesame oil and ginger
I put kimchi in skillet but took it out right away put it on top of quinoa and added an egg over easy. Thank you
when you fried the kimchi with the quinoa, you kill the probiotics with the heat. Add it in after you cook as a topping and then stir in without killing the probiotics in the kimchi.
great idea, Matt 🙂
HI Alyssa, thanks for your recipe, it is exactly what I was googling for. The first step is a bit confusing, your recipe mentions tamari twice but doesn’t mention sesame oil? Sesame oil is not usually used as cooking oil, but oil is needed to saute, so Im wondering if you used it at the first step instead of the tamari? Unless you mean to absorb the liquid from the tamari before toasting in the pan, and then add oil?
Oops! Thank you 🙂 Just updated!