Korean kimchi loaded fries that are crispy and packed with flavor! Much healthier than your normal loaded fries, but just as tasty! Plus a simple bonus option done in 15 minutes!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Ingredients
- Potatoes: The ultimate comfort ingredient!
- Vegetable oil: For that perfect crispy texture.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor of this Korean french fries.
- Black pepper: Use freshly cracked for the best flavor!
- Scallion / Green Onion: Fresh garnish for a burst of color and that Asian touch.
- Sesame seeds: Adds a nutty crunch and texture to the dish.
And you have 2 options for the toppings. First up, the Kimchi Loaded Fries.
- Kimchi: Fermented Korean vegetable that packs flavor and healthy probiotics!
- Agave syrup (optional but recommended): Helps with that caramelization. You can skip in a pinch but I highly recommend adding them!
- Gochujang (optional but recommended): Korean chili paste for a spicy kick. Same thing here, skip in a pinch but do NOT skip if you’re going for the BEST flavor!
- P.S. You can use the leftovers to make my Spicy Gochujang Noodles or Gochujang Fries!
- Sesame oil (optional): Adds a rich aroma.
- Spicy mayo (optional, for garnish): Garnish for an extra creamy, spicy touch, characteristic of any loaded fries! Use either my Sriracha Mayo/Dynamite Sauce, my Kimchi Mayonnaise, or Gochujang Mayo recipe.
Or the second option, skip the sauce altogether and just dip them with my Spicy Gochujang Mayo or my Kimchi Mayo. This second version requires no real cooking and is done in under 5 minutes!
Ingredients Deep Dive: Kimchi and Gochujang
What is kimchi made of?
Kimchi is typically made from fermented napa cabbage, Korean radishes, garlic, ginger, and chili flakes, along with other seasonings like salt and fish sauce. Meaning that you have to read the ingredients if you’re vegan and don’t want to eat fish sauce! Or of course, feel free to DIY your own kimchi by following this Kimchi recipe from Maangchi, one of the OG Korean YouTubers!
Since kimchi is fermented, they’re typically on the softer side (but not mushy), although the bigger pieces of vegetables retain some of their firmer and slightly crisp texture.
What is gochujang sauce made of?
The Korean gochujang is a thick paste made of Korean red chilies, glutinous rice, fermented soy, and salt. It is spicy, savory, and sweet at the same time. Due to this balance of flavors, it’s considered mildly to moderately spicy.
And just to clear the confusion, there is a very big difference between sriracha and gochujang. Sriracha is much milder while gochujang has more depth and flavor.
Step-by-step Instructions
First up, cook the potatoes.
Prepare the Potatoes: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Slice into 0.4-inch (1 cm) thick pieces, then cut into fries. Dry the potatoes thoroughly.
Season: In a large bowl, toss dried fries with oil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
Bake: Spread fries in a single layer on a lined baking sheet to avoid sogginess. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes. Then increase the heat to 425°F (210°C) and bake for 10-15 more minutes until brown and crispy like in the picture below. Adjust baking time as needed based on potato size.
Prepare the Sauce: About 5-10 minutes before the fries are done, prepare the sauce according to your preferred version (see below). This ensures the sauce is ready to enjoy right when the fries are done!
Toppings Option 1: Kimchi Loaded Fries
Now we’ll prepare the toppings if you choose the loaded fries option.
Add Ingredients: In a non-stick pan over medium heat, add your cooking oil. Once hot, add kimchi vegetables (without juice). Stir in agave syrup and gochujang if using. Mix well.
Caramelize Kimchi: Cook for 3-4 minutes until kimchi caramelizes and juices dry up. Avoid stirring too often so the kimchi can caramelize.
Deglaze and Finish: Pour the remaining kimchi juice to deglaze the pan. Sizzle for 1-2 minutes until most juice evaporates, but before all the juice evaporates. Then remove from heat immediately and drizzle with sesame oil if using.
Serve: Plate your fries and top with caramelized kimchi. Drizzle with the spicy mayo, and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds. Enjoy your kimchi fries!
Toppings Option 2: Gochujang/Kimchi Mayo Fries
Feeling lazy or don’t have time? Just serve this with either my Gochujang Mayo/Aioli, or my Kimchi Mayo/Aioli. They’re both done in under 5 minutes, without any real cooking!
Secrets for the BEST Korean Fries
- To make the crispiest fries, check out my Adobo Potato Fries recipe. It’s basically the same steps but with more details, plus the option to cook them in an air fryer!
- Serve immediately! Fries get soggy really quickly so you definitely want to eat them as soon as possible!
- If making multiple batches, crisp up the fries from the earlier batch for 5-7 minutes at 425°F (220°C) just before serving.
Top Tips
- I highly recommend freshly cracked black pepper for this recipe. This simple ingredient elevates the recipe!
- Be sure to use a non-stick pan. The sauce will caramelize and become sticky so it might be a hassle to clean up otherwise!
- If the kimchi sauce starts to burn or thickens too quickly, immediately turn off the heat. The residual heat in the pan can continue to cook them.
Serving Suggestions
There’s no better way to serve this Korean fries than with this Korean Strawberry Oat Milk! Add some sweetness after this flavor-packed dish!
Hosting a Korean-themed party? Then also make my Kimchi Vegetables Sushi, Spicy Gochujang Ramen/Udon, and my Korean Spicy Noodle Spring Rolls!
Jazzing Up This Korean Fries
Try adding garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper or gochugaru (Korean chili powder) to season the fries. You can also melt some (vegan) cheese on top of the loaded fries for an extra oomph if you want something more filling. Or if you have some Asian mushrooms like enoki or shimeji, they’re great when stir-fried and mixed into the fries!
Storage and Meal Prep Instructions
Storage: In the unlikely event that you have leftovers, store in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 425°F (220°C).
Meal Prep: You can prepare the sauce mixture ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also pre-bake your fries so you only need to crisp them up in the oven for 10 minutes at 425°F (220°C). But remember, you only want to add the sauce to the fries just before serving.
FAQ
Looking for More Asian Bites Recipes?
I’ve got plenty! For more potato recipes, try my gochujang French fries, masala French fries, or tomato-based masala chips!
Or try my 5-Minute Marinated Tofu or Vegan Bulgogi Tofu which is a crowd-pleaser and is super easy to make!
Korean Kimchi Loaded Fries (Easy & Tasty!)
Ingredients
- 4-6 potatoes (2 pounds, 900 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 scallion, chopped for garnish
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds for garnish
Version 1: Loaded Korean Fries
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- ⅔ cup kimchi
- ½ Tablespoon agave syrup optional but recommended
- 1 teaspoon gochujang optional but recommended
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil optional
- 1 Tablespoon spicy mayo optional, for garnish (see either this
kimchi mayo ,gochujang mayo , orsriracha mayo recipe)
Instructions
Cook the Fries
- Prepare the potatoes: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Wash and dry the potatoes. Slice the potatoes (without peeling the skin) into 0.4-inch (1 cm) thick pieces, then cut into fries. Lay the fries on a kitchen towel and wrap them to dry thoroughly (don't skip this step!).
- Season: In a large bowl, toss the dried fries with oil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Bake: Spread the fries in a single layer on a lined baking sheet, making sure they don't touch to avoid sogginess. Bake for 20 minutes at 375°F (190°C).Then, increase the heat to 425°F (210°C) and bake for another 10-15 minutes until brown and crispy. Keep an eye on them to prevent burning, as the exact time depends on the size and type of potatoes. Start with 10 minutes first, then increase the baking time if needed.
- About 5-10 minutes before your fries are done, prepare the sauce following the instructions below. This way, the sauce will be ready when the fries are done!
For Version 1: Loaded Korean Fries
- To a non-stick pan, add some cooking oil on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, use a spoon to scoop the kimchi vegetables into the pan, excluding the kimchi juice. No need to squeeze the juice out but just know that the oil will splatter since there is moisture in the kimchi.
- Then add the optional agave syrup and gochujang. Stir well.
- Let it cook in medium heat until the kimchi caramelizes and the kimchi juice starts to dry up, for about 3-4 minutes. Do not stir too often so that the kimchi has time to caramelize.
- Then add remaining kimchi juice to deglaze the pan. Stir a little bit and let your kimchi sizzle further for about 1-2 more minutes, until most of the kimchi juice has evaporated.
- Turn the heat off and drizzle some sesame oil if using, to add in some aroma. Your fries should also be done by now.
- Now serving time! Add your fries to the serving plate, topping it off with the caramelized kimchi. Drizzle with the spicy mayo, scallion, and sesame seeds if using, and enjoy!
For Version 2: Gochujang or Kimchi Mayo
- Make your choice of mayo by following this
gochujang mayo orkimchi mayo recipe. Serve immediately with your fries!
Notes
- I highly recommend freshly cracked black pepper for this recipe. This simple ingredient elevates the recipe!
- Be sure to use a non-stick pan. The sauce will caramelize and become sticky so it might be a hassle to clean up if you’re not using a non-stick pan!
- Serve immediately! The fries get soggy really quickly so you definitely want to eat them as soon as possible!
You can prepare the sauce mixture ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also pre-bake your fries so you only need to crisp them up in the oven for 10 minutes at 425°F (220°C). But remember, you only want to add the sauce to the fries just before serving. Meal Prep Notes
To reheat, bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 425°F (220°C).
Made the gochujang fries and was surprised by how much flavor was there!
The loaded fries was really good with the kimchi!