Vegan Gochujang Fried Rice (Printable Version)
Spicy Korean-style fried rice featuring gochujang, crisp vegetables, and aromatic rice for a quick flavorful meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Rice
01 - 3 cups cooked jasmine or short-grain rice, preferably day-old
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium carrot, diced
03 - 1 cup frozen peas
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 4 green onions, sliced, white and green parts separated
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 cup shiitake or button mushrooms, sliced
→ Sauce
08 - 3 tablespoons gochujang (vegan Korean chili paste)
09 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
10 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
11 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave
12 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
→ Finishing
13 - 1 tablespoon neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
14 - Sesame seeds, for garnish
15 - Extra sliced green onions, for garnish
# Directions:
01 - In a small bowl, whisk together gochujang, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, maple syrup, and rice vinegar until smooth. Set aside.
02 - Heat neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering.
03 - Add the white parts of the green onions, minced garlic, and diced carrots. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until slightly softened and fragrant.
04 - Add the diced bell pepper and sliced mushrooms. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to brown.
05 - Stir in the frozen peas and cook for 1 minute until thawed and heated through.
06 - Increase heat to high. Add the cooked rice, breaking up any clumps with a spatula. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the rice is heated through.
07 - Pour the prepared gochujang sauce over the rice and vegetables. Stir vigorously to coat everything evenly. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the rice develops slight crispiness in spots.
08 - Remove from heat and fold in the green parts of the green onions. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve hot, garnished with sesame seeds and additional sliced green onions.
# Quick Tips:
01 -
- The gochujang sauce clings to every grain of rice and delivers a deep, fermented heat that hot sauce alone can never replicate.
- It comes together in the time it takes to set the table and pour drinks, which makes it the ultimate back pocket dinner.
02 -
- Wet rice is the enemy of fried rice, so always use day old rice that has dried out in the fridge uncovered.
- Do not crowd the wok because steam is the opposite of the crispy texture you are chasing.
03 -
- Let the rice sit undisturbed for thirty seconds at a time in the wok to develop those crave worthy crispy bottom bits.
- Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for two minutes before garnishing because the fragrance difference is remarkable.