Gyeran Bap: Korean Fried Egg Over Steamed Rice Recipe

Gyeran bap is a classic Korean breakfast of fried eggs served over hot rice. I like a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and a generous handful of crushed roasted seaweed. It’s also an incredibly simple and satisfying dinner for one when you don’t feel like cooking.

The runny egg yolk becomes a rich sauce when mixed with browned butter, sesame oil and soy sauce, coating each plump grain of rice. Think buttered rice — but better.

The toasted sesame seeds and roasted seaweed add an umami boost, though they’re optional.

Best of all: with leftover cooked rice, this whole meal takes under 10 minutes.

Table of Contents

1. Why you’ll love this recipe
2. What is gyeran bap?
3. Ingredients and substitutions
4. How to make gyeran bap
5. Gyeran bap recipe card

Why you’ll love this recipe

This gyeran bap recipe delivers comfort in minutes. Here’s why it’s so appealing:

• Great for meal prep: Cook a batch of short- or medium-grain rice, refrigerate, and you can make this in under 10 minutes anytime. Reheat leftover rice until piping hot.
• Perfect for leftovers: Add leftover vegetables or kimchi to make it heartier.
• Quick and easy: If you have cooked rice, you’re essentially just frying an egg. Small technique tweaks—like frying the egg in sesame oil and soy—turn simple ingredients into something special.
• Delicious: The runny yolk forms a silky sauce with browned butter, sesame oil and soy that clings to each rice grain.
• Versatile: Customize the bowl with gochujang or chilli crisp for heat, or add avocado and extra kimchi for a fuller meal.

What is gyeran bap?

Gyeran bap, or Korean egg rice, is a simple, beloved Korean dish that pairs cooked white rice with a fried egg. Typical accompaniments include roasted seaweed (gim), sesame oil and soy sauce.

The egg is usually fried sunny-side up and placed on warm rice. Break the runny yolk with a spoon and mix everything together — the combination of egg, soy and sesame oil turns plain rice into a silky, savory bowl.

This is an excellent way to use leftover rice for a fast breakfast, snack or light meal, though freshly steamed rice works just as well.

Ingredients and substitutions

This dish needs only a few pantry staples and minimal effort.

Rice

Short-grain or medium-grain rice (sushi rice or Calrose) works best because it’s slightly sticky and coats well with the sauce. Leftover rice is ideal — reheat until steaming.

Eggs

Use the eggs you prefer. The recipe uses one egg per serving, but add more if you want a bigger portion.

Frying fat

A mix of butter and toasted sesame oil gives a rich, nutty flavor. For a dairy-free version, use vegetable oil or increase the sesame oil.

Soy sauce

Light or all-purpose soy sauce is best here; dark soy can be too intense. For a gluten-free option, use tamari or coconut aminos.

Roasted Korean seaweed

Korean roasted seaweed comes in small seasoned snack packets and adds crunch and umami. You can substitute a nori sheet cut into strips or use furikake rice seasoning.

Sesame seeds

Lightly toasting sesame seeds in a dry pan brings out a nutty aroma. Use white, black, or a mix of both.

How to make gyeran bap

With cooked rice on hand, gyeran bap takes about 10 minutes from start to finish.

Step 1: Prep the rice

Put one cup of cooked short- or medium-grain rice into a serving bowl. Use freshly cooked rice or thoroughly reheat leftover rice until piping hot.

Step 2: Fry the egg

Melt 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the butter foams, stir in 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Crack an egg into the pan. After about a minute, when the white edges begin to set, drizzle about 1 teaspoon soy sauce over the egg whites. Cook until the whites are set, slightly puffed and crisp at the edges — about 2 minutes — keeping the yolk runny, or cook to your preference.

Step 3: Assemble the gyeran bap

Slide the fried egg onto the warm rice and pour the buttery soy sauce from the pan over the bowl. Crush roasted seaweed over the top and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

How to eat gyeran bap

Use a spoon to break the yolk and thoroughly mix the egg with the rice so the sauce coats each grain.

If your egg is overcooked and you miss the runny yolk, stirring a raw egg yolk into the hot rice can restore richness (only if you’re comfortable with that). Season to taste with extra soy sauce or salt at the table.

Enjoy as a simple breakfast or light meal. For a heartier spread, serve with kimchi and other banchan.

Try more Korean recipes:

• Kimchi scrambled eggs
• Spicy Korean gochujang noodles
• Gochujang tofu (spicy Korean braised tofu)
• Mayak gyeran (Korean soy-marinated eggs)
• Spicy Korean cucumber salad (oi muchim)
• Korean sesame broccoli salad
• Spicy gochujang fried rice with kimchi