Korean BBQ Kielbasa Rice Bowl
My kids call this "the Polish-Korean thing" and it's the only way they'll voluntarily eat kimchi. I consider this a monumental parenting achievement — getting American children to eat fermented Korean cabbage by combining it with something they already love (kielbasa) in a format they're comfortable with (rice bowl).
Ingredients
Korean BBQ Kielbasa
- 1 pound Polish kielbasa, sliced into half-moons
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon gochujang optional, for heat
Bowl Components
- Steamed jasmine rice
- 1/2 cup kimchi
- Quick pickled cucumbers same recipe as Korean beef bowls
- Shredded carrots
- Fried egg
- Sliced green onions, sesame seeds, sriracha
Method
Make the Sauce
- Whisk soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and gochujang together. Set aside.
Cook the Kielbasa
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat (no oil needed — kielbasa has enough fat). Add the kielbasa slices and cook 2-3 minutes per side until deeply caramelised and charred. The natural sugars in kielbasa create beautiful crispy edges that are perfect for catching the sauce. Pour the Korean BBQ sauce over the kielbasa in the pan. Toss for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens into a glossy glaze and coats every piece.
Assemble the Bowls
- Rice in the bottom. Glazed kielbasa on top. Kimchi, pickled cucumbers, shredded carrots arranged around the sides. A fried egg with a runny yolk in the centre. Green onions, sesame seeds, sriracha to finish. Break the yolk over everything and mix before eating.