This is my take on the viral crispy rice salad with a spicy Korean twist! Seasoned rice is baked until golden and crispy and combined with edamame, kimchi, cucumber, avocado, and roasted peanuts with a tangy, slightly spicy dressing. It’s a simple, flavour-packed meal that works on its own for lunch or dinner, or can be served as a side.
Crispy rice salads have been viral on social media for a while now and every time I have leftover rice in the fridge you know this is what I am making with it. Over time, this is the version that I’ve kept coming back to as it’s using ingredients that I love to eat in my everyday life, and therefore they are usually in my weekly grocery shops.
This is the kind of salad I would happily eat every day. It’s a salad without lettuce, yet is still really fresh, crunchy and satisfying. It’s also a salad for the bold flavour lovers (no boring salads here!).
I wonder, can something be refreshingly spicy? I am not sure, but that’s how I think about this salad. It’s got a little kick to it from the kimchi and the gochujang, but when combined with fresh cucumber, avocado and mint, there is this balance that makes this a perfect summer salad for a hot day.
Yes, this is my summer salad version of a rice bowl.
If you’re looking for some new recipes to make this season, then this is going to be the perfect dairy free lunch or dinner that will end up on repeat. I know I’m not ready to move on yet!
Key Ingredients
Don’t let the length of this ingredients list put you off making this crispy rice salad! It really is super easy to make with three components needed to bring it all together.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cooked rice – it’s recommended to use chilled white rice to get the best crispy rice therefore leftover rice is perfect for this recipe.
- Edamame – adds protein, texture, and colour. You can buy packets of frozen, shelled edamame from the grocery store which are perfect for this recipe – I always keep some in the freezer.
- Kimchi – this Korean condiment is one of my all time favourites! The tangy, fermented flavour adds a touch of heat and so much flavour. I like to give it a good chop so it mixes into the salad evenly.
- Cucumber – I love the fresh, cooling taste of cucumber in this spicy salad. It also adds a really good texture.
- Avocado – the creaminess of the avo balances the spicy dressing and crunchy rice.
- Roasted peanuts – adds extra crunch and a nutty flavour that is so good in this salad.
- Fresh herbs – coriander/cilantro or mint work well to give this salad an extra freshness that balances the spicy flavour.
- Gochujang – this Korean fermented red chilli paste is slightly sweet and spicy. It is used in both the crispy rice and dressing.
- Sesame oil and seeds – just a little bit really adds so much extra flavour.
- Soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, ginger – together these create a delicious and balanced dressing for the salad.
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Step-By-Step Instructions
To make this crispy rice salad, you’ll need to make sure you have your rice cooked. I like to meal prep a batch of rice using my rice cooker and store it in the fridge for use in meals throughout the week.
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, mix soy sauce, sesame oil, and gochujang with the cooked rice until all the grains are coated evenly.
Step 2: Spread the rice out on the baking tray in a thin, even layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the rice is golden and crispy around the edges.
Step 3: Remove the tray from the oven and allow the rice to cool for a few minutes. It will continue to crisp up as it cools.
Step 4: While the rice is cooking, make the dressing by mixing together soy sauce, rice vinegar, gochujang, sesame oil, maple syrup, and ginger until smooth. Taste and adjust the sweetness or spice if you like. Set aside until you’re ready to assemble the salad.
Step 5: In a large bowl, combine the crispy rice, edamame, kimchi, cucumber, avocado, chopped mint, and roughly chopped roasted peanuts.
Step 6: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently so everything is well coated and evenly mixed.
Step 7: Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately for the best crunch.
Meal Prep: While you will get the best crunch from the crispy rice when eating this salad fresh, it’s still really really tasty after a couple of days in the fridge making it a great meal prep option.
Serving Suggestions
I love this salad just on its own for a light but still satisfying lunch or dinner. With the edamame and peanuts, that’s enough protein for me, but if you like you can add a soft boiled egg, air fryer chicken breast, or air fryer tofu nuggets.
You can also serve this salad as a side dish for summer barbecues or Asian-inspired dinners. Try it with some grilled prawns or honey soy chicken drumsticks.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days and enjoyed cold.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. The recipe is dairy free and vegan as long as your kimchi contains no fish sauce. You can buy vegan kimchi at Woolworths.
Of course! Use a larger baking tray and extend the baking time slightly if needed.
You can customize the spice level of this salad to your tastes. Reduce the gochujang in the rice or dressing if you prefer a milder flavour, or add more for extra heat.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More big flavours:
Korean Beef Bowls (Quick and Easy!)
One Pan Dumpling Bake
15 Minute Garlic Prawn Noodles
Vietnamese Noodle Salad
Crispy Rice Salad
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Equipment
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large baking sheets
Ingredients
For the crispy rice:
- 2 cups cooked white rice cold
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon gochujang Korean red chilli paste
For the salad:
- 1 cup shelled edamame thawed if frozen
- ½ cup kimchi chopped
- 1 small cucumber thinly sliced
- ½ medium avocado diced
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts roughly chopped
- Small handful fresh coriander/cilantro or mint chopped
- Sesame seeds to garnish
For the dressing:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon gochujang Korean red chilli paste
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
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In a bowl, toss the cold rice with soy sauce, sesame oil, neutral oil, and gochujang until evenly coated.
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Spread the rice out on the tray in a thin, even layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once halfway, until golden and crisp around the edges.
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Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly. It will continue to crisp as it cools.
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In a small bowl or jar, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, gochujang, sesame oil, maple syrup, and ginger until smooth.
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In a large bowl, combine the crispy rice, edamame, kimchi, cucumber, avocado, and chopped nuts.
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Pour over the dressing and toss gently to combine. Top with sesame seeds to serve.
Notes
Yield: This recipe makes enough to feed 2 as a good sized main meal or 4 as a side.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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