Kimchi Bacon Breakfast Ramen
There's a special kind of morning when you wake up and regular breakfast just isn't going to cut it - when you need something that's going to grab you by the shoulders and shake you awake. This bowl is for those mornings, when you want bacon but also want kimchi, when you want comfort food but also want your sinuses cleared. The fermented funk of that kimchi plays against the smoky richness of the bacon in a way that shouldn't work but absolutely does, while that runny poached egg ties everything together like some kind of breakfast miracle. It's the kind of fusion that makes perfect sense at 10 AM on a Saturday when you're slightly hungover and completely starving. Every bite hits different - salty, spicy, tangy, rich - like your taste buds are getting a wake-up call they didn't know they needed.
Morning sizzles loud—Kimchi wakes the smoky pan—Sunrise in one bowl.
Let Me Tell You...
I invented this dish during one of those Saturday mornings when I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a truck, but also weirdly craving something that would either cure me or finish me off completely.
You know those hangovers where regular food seems impossible but you're also starving?
That was me, standing in my kitchen at eleven AM, staring at a container of kimchi and some bacon like they held the secrets to human survival.
My Korean roommate had left the kimchi in the fridge with strict instructions not to touch it, but desperate times call for desperate measures, and I figured I could always buy her more later.
I started by chopping up some thick-cut bacon and throwing it in a pot, because if you're going to commit to bad decisions, you might as well make them delicious.
The bacon started sizzling and filling my apartment with that incredible smoky smell that makes everything seem possible again.
I rendered it until it was perfectly crispy, then removed it but left about a teaspoon of that golden bacon fat in the pot, because throwing away bacon fat is basically a crime against humanity.
I added some pork broth and water, along with a spoonful of gochujang that I'd been hoarding since my last trip to the Korean grocery store.
The gochujang dissolved into the broth, turning it this gorgeous orange-red color and adding this deep, fermented heat that made my kitchen smell like some kind of Korean-American fever dream.
Then came the kimchi, which I chopped up and stirred into the simmering broth.
The fermented cabbage hit that hot liquid and immediately started releasing all its funky, tangy goodness, creating this incredible aroma that was part breakfast, part Korean barbecue, and completely intoxicating.
I cooked some ramen noodles directly in the broth, letting them soak up all those complex flavors, and added the kimchi about two minutes before the noodles were done so it would warm through without losing its signature crunch.
The whole pot was bubbling away, looking like the most beautiful hangover cure ever invented.
The final touch was a poached egg, because everything's better with a runny yolk, and I made a little well in the center of the noodles so it wouldn't slide around the bowl like some kind of breakfast disaster.
I topped it with the crispy bacon, sliced scallions, and sesame seeds, and the whole thing looked like something you'd pay fifteen dollars for at a trendy brunch spot.
The first bite was exactly what I needed—the smoky bacon, the tangy kimchi, the rich broth, and that creamy egg yolk all coming together in this perfect storm of flavors that made me feel human again.
My roommate came home later and found me finishing the bowl, and instead of being mad about the kimchi, she just asked me to make her one too.
Sometimes the best dishes come from desperation and questionable decision-making, and this bowl is proof that fusion food doesn't have to make sense to be absolutely perfect.
Ingredients
- 2 slices thick‑cut bacon, chopped
- 1 cup (240 ml) light pork broth
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 1 teaspoon gochujang
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 8 oz (225 g) ramen noodles
- ½ cup napa kimchi, chopped
- 1 poached egg
- Sliced scallions
- Sesame seeds
Preparation
- Render bacon in pot until crisp; remove bacon, leave 1 tsp fat.
- Add broth, water, gochujang, soy; bring to simmer.
- Cook noodles directly in broth; 2 minutes before done, stir in kimchi.
- Transfer to bowl, top with bacon, poached egg, scallions, sesame, and any extras.
Chef's Tips
- Sauté the kimchi briefly in the reserved bacon fat to caramelize its edges while maintaining the fermented tang that defines this Korean-American fusion.
- Create a small well in the center of the noodles before adding the poached egg—this prevents it from sliding around and creates perfect presentation.
- Variation: Add a drizzle of sesame oil and sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds for extra Korean authenticity and nutty depth.
Serving Suggestion
Serve in traditional Korean stone bowls (dolsot) if available, with banchan side dishes and barley tea for an authentic Korean brunch experience.