Gochujang Shrimp and Pea Fried Rice

About This Recipe

Korean fried rice (bokkeumbap) shows up in home kitchens as a way to use leftover rice, and adding shrimp and gochujang turns it into a full dinner in about 20 minutes. The trick that separates good fried rice from mushy fried rice is starting with cold, day-old rice — freshly steamed rice is too wet and clumps together the moment it hits a hot pan.\n\nHere the shrimp go in first and are pulled out the second they turn pink, so they don't overcook while the rice fries. Gochujang gets bloomed in the oil along with garlic before the rice goes in, which toasts the paste and takes the raw edge off its fermented heat. Sweet peas add pops of freshness and color against the deep red-brown of the gochujang-stained rice.\n\nThis is weeknight food, not restaurant-plated banquet fare — it's meant to be scooped straight from the pan into a bowl, finished with a fried egg or scallions, and eaten fast while the shrimp are still juicy.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 450 glarge shrimp(peeled and deveined)
• 3 tbspneutral oil(divided)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 2 tbspgochujang
• 1 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tsptoasted sesame oil
• 4 cupscooked day-old rice(cold and separated)
• 1 cupfrozen peas(thawed)
• 1carrot(finely diced)
• 4scallions(sliced, whites and greens separated)
• 1 tsptoasted sesame seeds
• 0.5 tspfine sea salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Sear the shrimp

   Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add shrimp and cook 60-90 seconds per side until just pink and opaque. Remove immediately and set aside — they'll finish cooking later.

2. 2

   Bloom the gochujang

   Add remaining oil to the same pan along with garlic and scallion whites. Cook 30 seconds, then stir in gochujang and cook 45 seconds until it darkens slightly and smells toasted.

3. 3

   Fry the rice

   Add the cold rice, breaking up clumps with a spatula. Stir-fry over high heat 4-5 minutes, pressing the rice against the pan so it picks up char in spots.

   Cold, day-old rice is essential — fresh warm rice releases too much moisture and turns the whole pan gummy.

4. 4

   Combine everything

   Add soy sauce, carrot and peas. Toss 2 minutes until the vegetables are heated through and evenly coated in the gochujang-stained rice.

5. 5

   Finish

   Return the shrimp to the pan just to reheat, about 1 minute. Drizzle with sesame oil, season with salt to taste, and top with scallion greens and sesame seeds.

Variations

• •

  Swap shrimp for cubed Spam or diced chicken thigh for a more traditional Korean army-stew-adjacent flavor.

• •

  Add a fried egg on top and a drizzle of extra gochujang for a heartier bokkeumbap-style plate.

• •

  Stir in kimchi and its brine along with the rice for a tangier, more traditional kimchi-bokkeumbap direction.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in a hot pan with a splash of water or oil — microwaving tends to make the shrimp rubbery.

Frequently Asked Questions