Korean Fried Eggs on Rice with Vegetables and Soy Sauce Recipe
A very simple dish: a bowl of warm rice, a fried egg with a runny yolk on top, some vegetables, and a quick soy-sesame sauce. In Korea, bowls like this are often eaten for breakfast or a late-night dinner, when you don’t have the energy to cook anything complicated. The flavor is a bit like combining a soft-boiled egg, a sandwich, and rice – only everything is in one bowl with an Asian twist.
This dish turns a few basic ingredients into a comforting, satisfying bowl with minimal effort. The runny egg yolk acts like a rich sauce for the rice, while the fresh vegetables and sesame-soy dressing add brightness and depth of flavor.
Chef's tips
Use good-quality short-grain rice for the best texture – it should be slightly sticky so it holds together when mixed with the egg and sauce. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan just before serving to bring out their nutty aroma.
How to serve
Serve with kimchi or quick pickled vegetables for extra crunch and acidity. You can also add a few strips of roasted seaweed on top for more umami.
Ingredients
- white rice preferably short-grain - 150 g
- water for cooking the rice, according to the package instructions
- egg - 2 piece
- carrot grated on a coarse grater - 0.5 piece
- fresh cucumber cut into thin half-slices - 0.5 piece
- spring onion sliced - 2 piece
- soy sauce for the sauce - 2 tablespoons
- sesame oil for the sauce - 1 tablespoon
- rice vinegar optional, for the sauce - 1 teaspoon
- garlic finely grated, for the sauce - 0.5 clove
- vegetable oil for frying the eggs - 1 tablespoon
- sesame seeds toasted - 1 teaspoon
- salt a pinch for the eggs
- pepper for the eggs
Preparation
- Rinse the rice thoroughly in cold water until the water is almost clear. Cook in lightly salted water according to the package instructions. After cooking, leave covered for a few minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and grated garlic. Set aside for a moment so the flavors can meld.
- Prepare the vegetables: grate the carrot on a coarse grater, slice the cucumber into thin half-slices, and slice the spring onion.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Crack in the eggs and fry for 3–4 minutes, until the whites are fully set but the yolks remain runny. Season with salt and pepper at the end of cooking.
- Divide the hot rice between two bowls, gently flattening it with a spoon.
- Place one fried egg on top of each bowl of rice, then add a portion of grated carrot and cucumber slices on the side.
- Drizzle everything with the prepared soy-sesame sauce, then sprinkle with spring onion and toasted sesame seeds.
- Serve immediately, mixing everything together in the bowl before eating so the yolk combines with the rice and sauce.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This is one of those dishes I make when I’m tired but still want something warm and comforting. It’s endlessly adaptable to whatever vegetables you have on hand, and it always feels like a small, cozy treat in a bowl.
