These heart shaped kimchi rice balls are insanely delicious and completely vegan and gluten free!
Made with only 6 ingredients, you won’t believe how easy it is to make this delicious and adorable version of Korean rice balls.
This recipe is inspired by a simplified idea of kimchi fried rice. With spicy, sweet and savory flavors or kimchi, gochujang and furikake. All of which, are vegan variations!
I love this recipe not only because it’s so yummy but can also be a cute and festive recipe! Whether you make these for a loved one or yourself, I think they’re special. 🙂
I know Valentine’s Day/Galentine’s Day food is usually considered to be something sweet, heart shaped and usually made of chocolate. However, I’m a savory gal so I had to make a fun alternative!
How to make Heart Shaped Kimchi Rice Balls:
Step 1: Preparing some really good sushi rice.
You can use any short grain rice for this recipe (brown or white) but this Organic Sushi Rice is SO flavorful and has the perfect texture to keep these hearts in tact! I make this rice for recipes a lot because it keeps really well in the fridge. It’s so flavorsome on it’s own I often add it to salads when making a quick lunch.
Start by adding your rice to a mesh strainer or bowl to fill up with filtered water.
I use my hands to stir the rice then drain the cloudy liquid. Repeat again until the liquid is clear. Then add the water to the rice and allow it to soak for 30 mins.
Add rice and soaking water to a pot and cover with the lid, bring to a boil and then reduce to the lowest simmer for 20 mins. Then allow it to steam for 10 minutes, keeping the lid on.
Step 2: Add your kimchi to a food processor and blend into smaller bits. Then add to a pan to cook off some the liquid for about 3-5 minutes. (This Mother In Law’s is vegan and really delicious)
Step 3: Into a small bowl, add coconut aminos, coconut sugar and gochujang. (I highly recommend this brand of guchujang as it is vegan and gluten free) Mix ingredients until well combined.
Step 4: Add the sauce mixture, cooled rice, vegan furikake to kimchi and mix until everything is well combined and rice becomes red-ish from the sauce.
Step 5: Wet your hands with some water to form the rice into heart shapes or balls. Add water to your hands before making each one to prevent sticking.
Step 6: Enjoy as is or bake at 400F for 25 minutes. Serve with my watermelon radish salad (which is thinly sliced watermelon radish with some lemon juice, coconut aminos and flakey salt)
Step 7: Enjoy!!
Looking for other healthy rice dishes?
Check out this Thai Sweet Potato Curry recipe!
Looking for healthy easy vegan dessert recipes?
Check out these delicious peanut butter crunch Twix bars or my frozen banana peanut butter cups!
Heart Shaped Kimchi Rice Balls (vegan, gluten free)
Ingredients
- 1 cup kimchi I used Mother In Laws Kimchi brand
- 1 tsp gochujang
- 2 1/2 cups white sushi rice, cooked
- 1/2 tsp coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp furikake Eden sesame and seaweed seasoning
Instructions
How to Cook Sushi Rice
- Add 1 cup white sushi rice to a bowl and cover with water, mix and rinse out the cloudy liquid. Repeat until liquid is translucent.
- Then add in 1 1/2 cups of water to the rice and let it soak for 30 minutes.
- Then transfer the rice and soaking liquid to a pot, cover with tight fitting lid and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes, leaving the lid on.
- Once cooked, turn off the heat and let it sit for an additional 10 minutes before using a spoon to fluff the rice. Allow rice to cool completely.
- Add kimchi to a food processor and process into smaller pieces.
- Place kimchi into pan and cook the liquid off for about 3-5 minutes on low-medium heat.
- Into a small bowl, mix together gochujang, coconut aminos, coconut sugar and mix together.
- Add this mixture to the kimchi, along with the cooked rice and furikake. Mix together until well combined.
- Wet your hands with water, then shape about 1/3-1/2 cup of the rice mixture into hearts (or balls if you don't have hearts)
- Enjoy as is or bake them by preheating oven to 400F.
- Spray with the rice balls (hearts) with avocado oil and place onto a baking sheet.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
[…] 17. Heart-Shaped Kimchi Rice Balls […]