Fried Rice

This classic Fried Rice is ready in less than 20 minutes, and is a great way to use up leftover rice. Enjoy this recipe on its own or as a side!

Even though fried rice is often made as a side dish to Chinese main entrees like Orange Beef or Kung Pao Chicken, sometimes I’ll make a big bowl of fried rice and have it as a meal.

You can make it as hearty as you want, adding different kinds of protein to the fried rice to make it good enough for dinner.

Fried rice is one of the most nostalgic dishes from my childhood, and one of the first recipes I learned how to make from my mom.

The exact rendition depended on what needed to be cleared out of the fridge, but today’s recipe is the version I always liked the most.

Why Fried Rice is Awesome:

• So Quick – We’re talking just under 20 minutes to make.
• Versatile – There are so many different ingredient combinations you can use, both with vegetables and proteins. I share variations below.
• Delicious – Even with minimal ingredients, there is tons of flavor in every bite.
• Leftovers Keep Beautifully – Can be stored in the fridge for several days, or frozen for later.

Overview for How to Make Fried Rice:

Cook the Egg First 

Cooking the egg separately is SO much better than cracking an egg straight into the rice and stirring it around, because otherwise it gets lost.

I cook it thick like an Omelette, then chop it into big pieces:

That way, you can really taste the egg. It makes a big difference!

Now that the skillet is nice and hot, we can keep going.

Saute the Vegetables:

Take the same pan and saute some chopped carrots, peas, and scallions, until soft:

Add Cold Leftover Rice:

I like to add cold, leftover rice straight to the pan, stirring it around to break it all up.

Cold, leftover rice is ideal because it’s more dry, and less likely to stick together in the pan.

Don’t have leftover rice? I’ve used hot, freshly cooked rice in a pinch, and it actually works well too. I try to put slightly less water in the rice cooker (affiliate) so it’s on the dry side.

Then add soy sauce, stirring everything around for a few minutes afterward to distribute the flavor:

I recommend using a quality soy sauce. I like San-J.

Add Your Protein and the Eggs:

Stir in cooked baby shrimp and the pre-cooked egg:

I love adding the tiny baby shrimp because it’s very economical, and an appropriate size for the fried rice. It blends in well, plus, it’s already cooked.

Add a little more soy sauce, and toss for another minute or two:

That’s it! The rice is ready to enjoy.

Dishes that Pair Well with Fried Rice:

• Honey Walnut Shrimp
• Asian Dumplings
• Kalbi Beef
• Orange Chicken
• Beef and Broccoli

FAQ and Tips:

For a lower carb version, try this Cauliflower Chicken Fried Rice. Or see my tutorial for How to Make Cauliflower Rice.

How to Freeze: Let the fried rice cool, then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. I recommend letting it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating/serving again.

How to Reheat: There are two ways I recommend:

1. Microwave is easiest, just make sure you have some sort of lid or plate on top of it to trap the moisture and steam the rice, otherwise you’ll get hard and dried out rice instead of fluffy rice.
2. Reheat in a skillet, stir frying it to rewarm, about 5 minutes on medium high heat.

Can fried rice be healthy? Healthy means different things to different people, but I eat this during keto for my carb-ups. It’s gluten-free if you use tamari.

Ingredient Variations:

Proteins:

• Ground pork or ground chicken –  These flavors go well with the rice. Brown and break up the meat and cook completely after you cook the egg. 
• Bacon – Cook completely and crumble (see How to Cook Bacon in the Oven), then stir into the rice after the vegetables are cooked.
• Ham – After I make a big spiral ham for holidays like Easter, I chop up the remaining ham and put it into the freezer. Then add the ham bits to the fried rice. You can even reheat it straight from frozen, cooking it with the vegetables.

Other Flavors:

• Kimchi – Chop up into little bits and use in addition to OR instead of the carrots and peas. 
• Ham + Pineapple – If using the ham as specified above, add bits of pineapple to compliment the flavor.
• Green Curry Fried Rice

Fried Rice

Servings: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 14 mins

Total Time: 19 mins

This classic fried rice takes leftover white rice and turns it into a delicious dinner with carrots, shrimp, and more!

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Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 4 tbsp neutral oil or butter
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup frozen peas thawed*
• 1/2 cup sliced scallions
• 4 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 4 cups cooked leftover rice preferably a day old**
• 1 cup cooked baby shrimp thawed from frozen
• salt

Instructions 

• Whisk the eggs in a bowl with a tablespoon of water and a pinch of salt (or 1 tsp of soy sauce), until blended.
• Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat, and add the beaten eggs. Let the eggs cook for a couple minutes, not moving the egg around the pan, but just letting it sit until it sets into an Omelette.
• Remove the egg to a cutting board, and chop into big pieces.
• Add two tablespoons of oil to the same skillet, set over medium high heat, and add the carrots, peas, and scallions.
• Add 1 tbsp of soy sauce, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the carrots soften slightly.
• Add the leftover rice, and toss around for 1 minute, trying to break up any clumps of rice.
• Add 2 tbsp of soy sauce and the remaining tablespoon of oil, frying and tossing the rice for 3-4 minutes.
• Add the shrimp, egg, and remaining tablespoon of soy sauce, and toss for 2 more minutes, until the rice looks evenly brown. Enjoy!

Notes

*You can thaw the peas in the microwave, or simply give the peas a couple minute head start in the pan before the carrots and scallions.

**Cold, leftover rice is best, but freshly cooked hot rice actually works decently too.

Nutrition

Calories: 455kcal, Carbohydrates: 54g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 203mg, Sodium: 323mg, Potassium: 352mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 5926IU, Vitamin C: 20mg, Calcium: 109mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: fried rice

Post updated in August 2020. Originally published March 2012.