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If you have a bowl of leftover rice, a can of tuna, and some kimchi sitting in your fridge, you are about fifteen minutes away from one of the most satisfying meals you will ever make. This kimchi tuna fried rice is the kind of dish that sounds simple on paper but tastes absolutely extraordinary in the bowl. It’s bold, spicy, deeply savoury, slightly tangy from the kimchi, and finished with a drizzle of sesame oil and a perfectly pan-fried egg on top that takes the whole thing to another level entirely.

Kimchi fried rice is one of Korea’s most beloved comfort foods and for very good reason. It’s the ultimate fridge-cleanout meal that somehow always manages to taste better than it has any right to. The kimchi is the heart and soul of this dish. As it cooks in the hot oil with the onion and spring onion, it caramelises slightly and transforms from a simple fermented side dish into this deeply complex, slightly smoky, intensely savoury base that coats every single grain of rice with incredible flavour. Add tuna for a boost of protein and substance, red chilli powder for extra heat and that gorgeous vibrant colour, and a final drizzle of sesame oil for fragrance, and you have a bowl of fried rice that is genuinely world-class.

The tuna in this recipe is a brilliant addition that makes the dish more filling, more nutritious, and more interesting. It absorbs the kimchi and chilli flavours beautifully and adds a satisfying meaty texture that makes this feel like a proper complete meal rather than just a side dish of fried rice. Between the tuna, the egg, and the rice, this bowl has a seriously impressive protein count which makes it perfect for your high protein weeknight dinner rotation.

The egg on top is non-negotiable in my opinion. A pan-fried egg with a runny yolk, cooked just on one side so the white is set and the yolk is still gloriously liquid, placed on top of the hot fried rice and broken into it at the table. The yolk runs down through the rice and creates this extra rich, glossy coating that makes every mouthful even more incredible. It’s one of those simple combinations that just works on every single level.

Ingredients

For the fried rice:

1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil
1/3 cup onion, finely diced
1/4 cup spring onion, white parts only
1/3 cup kimchi, roughly chopped
100g canned tuna, drained
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1 bowl cooked rice (preferably day-old)
Salt to taste
A drizzle of sesame oil

To garnish:

Seaweed, crumbled or cut into strips
1 egg, pan-fried one-sided
White sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Prepare your ingredients

Get everything prepped and ready before you turn on the stove because fried rice moves fast and you don’t want to be scrambling around for ingredients mid-cook. Finely dice your onion. Finely chop the white parts of your spring onion. Roughly chop your kimchi into smaller pieces if the pieces are large. Drain your canned tuna well and break it up slightly with a fork. Measure out your red chilli powder and sugar and have them sitting next to the stove. Have your rice ready in a bowl nearby, breaking up any clumps with your hands or a spoon before cooking.

❤️ Tip: Day-old refrigerated rice is ideal for fried rice. The grains have dried out slightly overnight which means they fry up separately and beautifully rather than clumping together into a soggy mass. If you only have freshly cooked rice, spread it out on a tray or plate and leave it uncovered to cool and dry for at least 30 minutes before using. Even this short drying time makes a noticeable difference to the final texture.

2. Fry the onion and spring onion

Heat 1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil in a large wok or wide pan over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Add the 1/3 cup diced onion and 1/4 cup chopped spring onion white parts into the pan. Stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, translucent, and starting to turn lightly golden at the edges. The onion and spring onion form the aromatic base of this dish and taking the time to cook them properly at this stage gives the whole fried rice a much sweeter, more rounded flavour than if you rush through it.

❤️ Tip: Make sure your pan is properly hot before anything goes in. A hot pan is the single most important factor in good fried rice. A properly hot pan fries the ingredients quickly and gives everything a slight char and smokiness that is completely impossible to achieve in a pan that isn’t hot enough. If the onion is sizzling enthusiastically the moment it hits the pan, you’re at the right temperature.

3. Add the kimchi and fry

Add the 1/3 cup roughly chopped kimchi directly into the pan with the onion and spring onion. Stir-fry everything together over medium-high heat for about 1-2 minutes, stirring and tossing frequently. The kimchi will caramelise slightly and the brine will reduce and intensify, becoming deeply savoury and slightly smoky. This step is where most of the complex flavour of the dish is built. The whole kitchen will start smelling absolutely incredible at this point.

4. Add the tuna and spices

Add 100g drained canned tuna into the pan, breaking it up into smaller pieces as it goes in so it distributes evenly throughout the rice later. Then add 1 tbsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp sugar and salt to taste. Stir-fry everything together for about 1 minute, tossing and stirring constantly so the tuna gets coated in the chilli powder and mingles with the kimchi and aromatics. The red chilli powder will turn the mixture a beautiful vibrant red colour and add a warming heat that runs all the way through the finished dish. The sugar balances the heat and the tanginess of the kimchi with just a touch of sweetness.

❤️ Tip: Use Korean red chilli powder (gochugaru) if you can find it. It has a bright, fruity, moderately spicy heat that is different to regular chilli powder and works particularly well in kimchi-based dishes. That said, any red chilli powder will work well here. Adjust the quantity based on your heat preference.

5. Add the rice and stir-fry

Add your bowl of cooked rice into the pan all at once. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, break up any remaining clumps of rice and toss everything together vigorously so the rice gets completely coated in the kimchi and tuna mixture. Keep the heat at medium-high and stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes, tossing and pressing the rice against the hot surface of the pan occasionally. You want every grain of rice to turn that gorgeous deep red colour and be fully coated in the flavourful base.

Taste the fried rice at this point and add salt to taste, tossing it through well. Keep in mind that kimchi and tuna both already contain salt so you may need very little or none at all. Always taste before adding.

❤️ Tip: Press the rice against the hot surface of the pan and let it sit undisturbed for 30-40 seconds before tossing. This creates slightly crispy, toasted bits of rice on the bottom which add an incredible texture contrast to the finished dish. This technique is what gives restaurant-style fried rice that signature slight crunch that you just can’t get from constantly stirring.

6. Finish with sesame oil

Once the rice is fully coated, everything is well combined, and the seasoning is perfect, turn off the heat. Drizzle a generous amount of sesame oil all over the rice and toss everything together one final time. The sesame oil should be added off the heat because it loses most of its beautiful nutty fragrance very quickly when exposed to direct high heat. Adding it at the very end means every mouthful of rice has that gorgeous toasty sesame aroma.

❤️ Tip: Don’t skip the sesame oil and don’t be stingy with it. It is not just a garnish, it is a fundamental flavour in this dish. The nutty, toasty warmth of sesame oil ties all the bold flavours of the kimchi, tuna, and chilli together into something that tastes completely cohesive and deeply satisfying. A generous drizzle at the end is exactly what this dish needs.

7. Fry the egg and assemble

In a separate small pan, heat a tiny drizzle of cooking oil over medium heat. Crack the egg in carefully and fry it on one side only, just until the white is fully set and the edges are lightly golden and crispy but the yolk is still completely runny and liquid. This is the classic one-sided fried egg and it is perfect for rice bowls because the runny yolk acts as an additional sauce when you break it over the rice.

Spoon the finished kimchi tuna fried rice into a bowl. Place the one-sided fried egg on top in the centre. Scatter white sesame seeds generously over everything. Finish with crumbled or thinly sliced seaweed on top. Serve immediately.

Extra Tips

1. Use day-old rice

This is the single most important tip for this recipe. Day-old refrigerated rice has less moisture than freshly cooked rice which means the grains stay separate and fry up with that perfect slightly chewy, slightly crispy texture rather than clumping together into a sticky mess. If you make rice regularly, cook extra and keep it in the fridge specifically for fried rice. It takes the result from decent to genuinely excellent.

2. Tuna options and substitutions

Canned tuna in springwater works well in this recipe as it absorbs the other flavours beautifully without adding too much additional fat. Canned tuna in oil also works and adds a slightly richer flavour. If you want to swap the tuna out entirely, canned salmon works wonderfully, as does leftover cooked chicken or even spam which is a very popular addition to Korean fried rice. For a vegetarian version, simply leave out the tuna and add an extra egg or some cubed firm tofu instead.

3. Making it your own

This fried rice is a brilliant base that is very easy to build on. Add a spoonful of gochujang to the pan with the kimchi for an extra layer of deep, fermented heat. Stir through a small knob of butter at the very end along with the sesame oil for extra richness. Add frozen peas or corn with the rice for extra colour and sweetness. A drizzle of soy sauce over the finished bowl adds extra depth. A few drops of rice wine vinegar brightens everything up beautifully.

Kimchi Tuna Fried Rice