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Vegetarian, East Asian

Gyeranbap, fried egg and kimchi rice bowl

Gyeranbap is a Korean rice bowl topped with a fried egg, served with kimchi, for 4 people in 20 minutes. It's a very easy recipe, costing €1.40 per serving. Its success depends on melting butter into the hot rice with soy sauce, and keeping the egg yolk runny.

Tonight, the warm Korean rice bowl for busy evenings, a fried egg, butter, soy sauce and kimchi on the side.

Gyeranbap, fried egg and kimchi rice bowl
Total time
20 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€1.40
Calories per person
440 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Fall, Summer
The kids
They generally like it

Gyeranbap is Korea's answer to everyday rice, the kind of bowl you make when there's leftover rice and no patience for anything complicated. Hot rice melts the butter, soy sauce soaks in, and a fried egg sits on top with its yolk still runny. One bite brings together salty, rich and crunchy, with sesame on top and kimchi waiting alongside to wake everything up.

It comes together with one pan and one pot, perfect for a weeknight when nobody has the time or energy to cook for long. Kids love breaking the yolk themselves and stirring everything into their own bowl, and everyone can add as much kimchi as they like for heat. Mon Chou reaches for this one whenever dinner needs to happen fast, with almost no thinking involved.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Sesame oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Sesame seeds 1 tbsp
  • Fish free kimchi 200 g
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 1 tbsp

Dairy

  • Eggs 4
  • Butter 20 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Scallions 2

Allergens Eggs, Lactose, Soy, Gluten, Sesame

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the rice in a pot of salted water, then drain it. 11 min

    Short grain or sticky rice works very well here.

  2. Thinly slice the scallions.

    Keep them in the fridge until serving so they stay crisp.

  3. Fry the eggs in oil, keeping the yolks runny. 4 min

    Cover the pan for 30 seconds so the white sets without flipping the egg.

  4. Divide the hot rice among 4 bowls, add the butter so it melts, top with an egg, soy sauce and sesame oil.

    Pour the soy sauce over the rice, not the egg, it looks nicer that way.

  5. Sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds, and serve with the kimchi on the side.

    Break the yolk and stir everything together with a spoon as you eat.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use rice that's still warm or hot when you assemble the bowls, that's what melts the butter and gives the whole dish its richness.
  • Cook the egg over medium heat rather than high, so the white sets evenly without browning at the edges before the yolk is done the way you like it.
  • Slice the scallions and measure out the soy sauce and sesame oil before you fry the eggs, since everything needs to come together while the rice and egg are still hot.

The variations

  • Swap the butter for extra sesame oil for a dairy free version, the flavor shifts slightly but the rice stays rich and glossy.
  • Stir in sauteed vegetables or crumbled tofu for a heartier bowl, without changing anything else in the recipe.
  • For kids who don't like spice, serve the kimchi in a small side dish so everyone can add as much or as little as they want.

What to serve it with

  • Extra kimchi on the side
  • A light miso soup
  • Green tea or cold water

Storage

Cooked rice keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, but fry the eggs fresh each time since they don't keep well. Reheat the rice in a pan or microwave before topping it with a freshly fried egg.

Questions about this dish

Can I use basmati rice instead of short grain rice?

You can, but the result will be less sticky and won't blend as well with the melted butter. Short grain or Japanese style rice gives you a texture much closer to the traditional dish.

How do you keep the egg yolk runny?

Cook the egg over medium heat and cover the pan for just 30 seconds near the end. The white sets without flipping the egg, while the yolk stays liquid in the center.

Can I cook the rice ahead of time?

Yes, cook it earlier in the day and keep it warm, or reheat it right before assembling the bowls. The key is serving it hot so it melts the butter.

Is gyeranbap good for kids who don't like spicy food?

Yes, just serve the kimchi on the side instead of mixing it in. The rest of the dish, rice, egg, butter and soy sauce, isn't spicy at all.

How long does it take to make a gyeranbap, Korean fried egg rice bowl with kimchi?

Count 20 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a gyeranbap, Korean fried egg rice bowl with kimchi?

About 440 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a gyeranbap, Korean fried egg rice bowl with kimchi cost?

About €1.40 per serving, or €5.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, lactose, soy, gluten, sesame. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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