Garlic Sesame Kimchi Stir Fry is a simple, quick and easy to make Korean side dish that can transform your aged pungent Kimchi into a nutty aromatic relish.
Do you have a jar of old Kimchi in your fridge that starts to smell stronger than you can bear and you don’t know what to do with it? Then you should try this super quick (less than 10 mins!) and easy Garlic Sesame Kimchi Stir Fry.
I like fresh Kimchi most of the time. But when the Kimchi turns about 2 weeks old it starts to develop a sour taste and stronger smell. Then I start eating less and less of this Kimchi unless I can disguise it into some other form.
This Garlic Sesame Kimchi Stir Fry is one solution. I simply pan-fry the Kimchi until the sesame seeds and sesame oil lightly coats over it. It’s soft, nutty, simple and versatile.
Typically, you serve it with steamed rice as a side dish but you can also serve it over rice as a main meal (aka “Kimchi rice bowl” = 김치덮밥, Kimchi Deopbap). You can also use it as a relish on your hot dog, burger or wraps etc, you just name it!
I hope you enjoy my recipe!
P.S. Other recipes with Kimchi you might like – Korean Kimchi pancakes, Tofu Kimchi, Slow cooker Kimchi stew with beef, Kimchi stew and Kimchi mandu (Kimchi dumplings)
Ingredients for Stir Fried Garlic Sesame Kimchi, 2-3 serves (as a side dish)
- 1 cup chopped aged Kimchi, thumbnail size
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion, mostly white parts
- 1/2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil (I used rice bran oil)
*1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 cup = 250 ml
** If you want to learn more about Korean ingredients, check my 30 essential Korean cooking ingredients list!
How to Make Kimchi Stir Fry
1. Preheat a skillet on the stove for 30 seconds. Add the cooking oil and spread well.
2. Add the garlic and green onion and stir them on high heat for 10 seconds.
3. Add Kimchi and the sugar and stir them occasionally. Cook them for 3 to 5 mins (until the Kimchi softens) on medium heat.
4. Add the sesame oil and sesame seeds then stir evenly. Turn the heat off in 30 seconds.
5. Serve it on a plate and enjoy!
Note
- Garlic Sesame Kimchi Stir Fry can be served hot or cold. It can be stored in an air-tight container in a fridge for up to 2-3 days.
- Aged Kimchi works best for this recipe compared to fresh Kimchi. The kimchi I used in this recipe is 5-6 weeks old. Meaning it has a fairly sour and pungent taste and smell. If your Kimchi is freshly made and you can’t wait to try this recipe, add 1/2 tsp or 1 tsp of vinegar to your Kimchi.
- Sugar is used to dilute the sourness. If you naturally enjoy aged Kimchi’s sourness, you can omit the sugar.
(This is a guideline only)
Easy kimchi stir fry recipe
- 1 cup chopped aged Kimchi thumbnail size
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion mostly white parts
- 1/2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil , I used rice bran oil
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Preheat a skillet on the stove for 30 seconds. Add the cooking oil and spread well.
-
Add the garlic and green onion and stir them on high heat for 10 seconds.
-
Add Kimchi and the sugar and stir them occasionally. Cook them for 3 to 5 mins (until the Kimchi softens) on medium heat.
-
Add the sesame oil and sesame seeds then stir evenly. Turn the heat off in 30 seconds.
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Serve it on a plate and enjoy!
*1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 cup = 250 ml
Love the recipe! It was easy to follow and didn’t take long to cook. Great side dish for simple meal especially when there is nothing much in your fridge. I wanted to try something new with Kimchi, and this is it! I loved it! Tastes really nice too! Thanks Sue for the recipe 🙂
Thanks Lucy! I’m glad to hear that.
This looks great! I love kimchi, but you’re right, the bottom of the jar can be pretty strong. Definitely going to give this a try!
I hope you enjoy my recipe Amy! Let me know what you thought of it. 🙂
Thats not the dish,I’m sorry to say..beef was cooked but cold and had great flavour..the noodles were more whiteish in color..I’ll keep searching…Thanks again
The name was more in line of,,,,bi bim bap jim,,,,
Hi Sue! What a great recipe. I cannot wait to try it with some of my older kimchi! Also, great pictures..they just made me seriously hungry! Thanks for posting this. I am a huge kimchi fan and always looking for new ideas on how to use it.
Thanks Sara! I hope you really enjoy my recipe! I’ll keep find more ways to use Kimchi creatively. 🙂
Hi Judith, I got the nutritional information from this website (https://www.foodbloggerpro.com/blog/article/introducing-the-nutrition-label-generator/) but unfortunately you will have to be a paid member to use it. Anyway, let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with cooking Korean food. 🙂 I hope you get to try this recipe. It includes lots of green onions!
Luv your food guides and ideas!! But Ive been looking for the one dish that I just cant get enough of!! And I hope you can help me!! Its a cold spicey beef and cucumber and other veges and noodles dish but I don’t remember it having a egg on it..The name was always tuff for me to remember,but iit was like( bi bim ji bim bop) or something like that..Ate it all the time in Hi..but here in Seattle they dont speak English very well so hard for me to describe the dish to the waiters!! I hope you can help me so I can make it or order it again!! Thanks
Hi Calvin, I think you’re referring to this dish – Bibim Naengmyeon (비빔냉면 – https://mykoreankitchen.com/bibim-naengmyeon/). Does it look familiar? Egg is an optional topping so not everyone serves with it.
My other posts that might help you with finding the name of the dish :-
https://mykoreankitchen.com/spicy-sweet-and-vinegary-noodles-bibim-guksu/
https://mykoreankitchen.com/difference-between-bibim-naengmyun-and-bibim-guksu/