Carla Lalli Music’s Fried Grains with Bacon, Mushrooms & Kimchi: A Flavor-Packed Recipe Test
We tested Carla Lalli Music’s Fried Grains with Bacon, Mushrooms, and Kimchi (p.124 in her James Beard Award-winning cookbook Where Cooking Begins), and let’s just say—this one delivered.
As longtime fans of Carla’s former test kitchen show (on the channel that shall not be named 👀), we wanted to try one of her more layered, technique-driven recipes. This dish, packed with chewy wheat berries, crispy bacon, umami-rich mushrooms, and spicy kimchi, seemed like the perfect balance of flavor and texture.
Did it live up to expectations? Absolutely.
A Perfectly Balanced One-Pan Meal
This dish had everything going for it—deep, savory flavors, an incredible mix of textures, and the kind of warmth that makes it feel like a cozy, satisfying meal.
✔ The wheat berries were a revelation. They added a chewy, nutty contrast that held up beautifully against the bold flavors.
✔ Kimchi was the star. Spicy, tangy, and fermented in all the right ways, it tied the dish together with just the right amount of funk.
✔ Bacon and mushrooms gave it depth. The smokiness of the bacon and the umami of the mushrooms worked together to build layers of flavor.
✔ A fried egg on top? Always a win. (Though, we slightly undercooked ours—user error, not recipe error.)
What Makes This Recipe Work So Well?
📌 The Textures: The chewiness of the grains, crispiness of the bacon, and softness of the egg all contrast beautifully.
📌 The Layers of Flavor: Between the smoky bacon, earthy mushrooms, funky kimchi, and nutty wheat berries, this dish packs a serious punch.
📌 Easy to Customize: Not into wheat berries? Try farro, barley, or even brown rice. Want to make it vegetarian? Skip the bacon and add a little extra sesame oil or tamari.
Would We Make This Again? 100%.
This dish is the kind of one-pan, deeply flavorful meal that feels fancy but is actually pretty low effort. The only adjustment we’d make? Being more patient with the fried egg (lesson learned).
If you love bold flavors, chewy grains, and anything that involves kimchi, this one is a must-try.
📢 Have you cooked with wheat berries before? Would you try this recipe? Let us know in the comments!
✰✰✰✰✰ this one is a TRY, for sure.
Carla Lalli Music’s Fried Grains with Bacon, Mushrooms, and Kimchi
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 7 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided, plus more if needed
- 2 ounces bacon, preferably thick-cut, sliced crosswise into ¾-inch pieces
- 8 ounces mushrooms, such as hen of the woods and/or shiitake, stems removed, caps torn
- Kosher salt
- 2 cups wheat berries, cooked, or use farro or brown rice
- 1 cup kimchi, drained and roughly chopped, liquid reserved
- 1 handful cilantro leaves , chopped; use tender stems
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil , for serving (optional)
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a 1O-inch skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat until just warm, less than a minute. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to crisp and most of the fat has rendered, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a small plate with a slotted spoon.
- Add mushrooms to drippings, increase heat to medium-high, season with salt, and toss to coat. Cook undisturbed until the mushrooms start to release some of their liquid and the undersides are browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Loosen mushrooms from pan, scraping with a wooden spoon if needed, and toss. Cook until other sides are browned and mushrooms are tender, 2 to 3 minutes more. Taste one to make sure. Transfer mushrooms to plate with bacon.
- Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet, then add grains and season with salt. If skillet looks dry or there’s not enough oil to coat the grains, drizzle in more oil. Saute grains undisturbed until starting to crisp, about 2 minutes. Toss grains, then cook undisturbed until they’re more or less evenly toasted and light golden brown, but not dried out, about 2 minutes more. (Whole grains have their outer hull intact, which makes them pleasantly chewy, but they can dry out and get tough if overcooked.)
- Add kimchi and cook until it releases some juices, about 1 minute. Continue cooking until liquid evaporates and the bottom of the pan starts to brown. Remove from heat, return mushrooms and bacon to skillet with any accumulated juices, along with the reserved kimchi juice and cilantro. Toss to combine and rewarm the mushrooms and the bacon, about 30 seconds. Spoon fried grain mixture onto a platter.
- Return skillet to medium-high heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Crack eggs into pan and season with salt. Cook until browned at edges, whites are set, but yolks are still runny (or not, if that’s your preference), 3 to 4 minutes. Serve grains topped with fried eggs and with sesame oil and hot sauce for seasoning, if desired.
Notes
Spin It (substitutions)
- Use any fresh mushrooms, such as cremini or oyster
- Thinly sliced carrots, onions, or green cabbage can replace mushrooms
- Scallion greens or basil instead of cilantro
- Extra-virgin olive oil instead of vegetable oil
- Ground pork or beef, or small peeled shrimp, instead of bacon
- Water or chicken stock for kimchi liquid
Did you make this recipe?
Please let us know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @moody.eater on Instagram and hashtag it #moodyeater #moodyeatersclub .
