Fried Rice Recipe

This Chinese-inspired fried rice recipe is my absolute fave. It’s quick and easy to make, customizable with any of your favorite mix-ins, and so irresistibly delicious.

Hey friends! I’m digging back into the blog archives today to share one of my all-time favorite recipes.

Growing up, our family had a tradition of eating lunch every Saturday at our neighborhood’s favorite local Chinese restaurant. And every single Saturday for lunch, I ordered the same thing — egg drop soup and fried rice, my absolute favorites. This restaurant set the bar high for me early when it comes to how amazing fried rice could be. Theirs was always perfectly al dente with slightly crispy edges, full of rich savory flavors, and loaded up with plenty of extra veggies, eggs, and whatever protein sounded good.

After our favorite restaurant sadly closed over a decade ago, I spent years tinkering around with dozens and dozens of batches of fried rice, attempting to recreate a fried recipe that tasted as good as theirs. And while nothing will ever match the original in my book, this fried rice recipe that I’ve landed on is as close as I’ve come and has been my favorite go-to ever since. It’s surprisingly speedy to make, easy to customize with your favorite add-ins, and SO flavorful and comforting. Thousands of our readers have also made and enjoyed it over the years since. So if you’re looking for a good recipe to try, I hope you’ll enjoy it too.

fried rice recipe

Fried Rice

fried rice recipe

Learn how to make fried rice with this classic recipe. It only takes 15 minutes to make, it’s easy to customize with your favorite add-ins, and it’s SO flavorful and delicious!

Prep: 5min

Total: 15min

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 2 large eggs, whisked
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 small white onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • salt and black pepper
  • 4 cups cooked and chilled rice (I prefer short-grain white rice)
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 3-4 tablespoons soy sauce, or more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons oyster sauce (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Instruction:

  1. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a large sauté pan* over medium-high heat until melted. Add egg, and cook until scrambled, stirring occasionally. Remove egg, and transfer to a separate plate.
  2. Add an additional 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and heat until melted. Add carrots, onion, peas and garlic, and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onion and carrots are soft. Increase heat to high, add in the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter, and stir until melted. Immediately add the rice, green onions, soy sauce and oyster sauce (if using), and stir until combined. Continue sautéing for an additional 3 minutes to fry the rice, stirring occasionally. (I like to let the rice rest for a bit between stirs so that it can crisp up on the bottom.) Then add in the eggs and stir to combine. Remove from heat, and stir in the sesame oil until combined. Taste and season with extra soy sauce, if needed.
  3. Serve immediately, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Easy Fried Rice

fried rice recipe

An easy and delicious fried rice that will go perfectly to any chinese dish!

Prep: 15min

Total: 35min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: Carbohydrate 20 g, Protein 4 g, Fat 5 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 41 mg, Sodium 282 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, calories 142 kcal, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups cooked rice *
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 small white onion, (chopped)
  • 1 cup frozen peas and carrots, (thawed)
  • 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce (more or less to taste)
  • 2 eggs, (lightly beaten)
  • 2 tablespoons green onions, (chopped, optional)

Instruction:

  1. Preheat a large skillet or wok to medium heat. Add the sesame oil, onion, peas, and carrots. Cook until tender.
  2. Slide the onion, peas, and carrots to the side, and pour the beaten eggs onto the other side of the skillet. Using a spatula, scramble the eggs. Once cooked, mix the eggs with the vegetable mix.
  3. Add the rice to the veggie and egg mixture. Pour the soy sauce on top. Stir and fry the rice and veggie mixture until warmed through and combined.
  4. Add chopped green onions if desired.

Fried Rice

fried rice recipe

Our best fried rice recipe is the best thing to make with all your leftover rice—and whatever else you want to put in it!

Prep: 15min

Total: 40min

Yield: 6 – 8 serving(s)

Nutrition Facts: calories 310 Calories, Fat 12 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 98 mg, Sodium 269 mg, Carbohydrate 41 g, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 2 g, Protein 8 g

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 c. long-grain rice (preferably jasmine), or about 2 1/2 c. leftover rice
  • 3 tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil, divided
  • 3 large eggs, beaten to blend
  • 5 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
  • 1 (1″) piece ginger, peeled, grated or finely chopped
  • 4 scallions, white, pale green, and dark green parts separated, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. granualted sugar
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. white pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. MSG
  • 1/3 c. frozen peas
  • 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Instruction:

  1. Fill a large pot about halfway with water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, thoroughly rinse rice in a strainer until water runs almost clear.
  2. Cook rice in boiling water 3 minutes, then drain with a fine-mesh strainer that fits in pot. Wipe out pot, pour in about 2″ water, and bring to a simmer. With rice in strainer, make a few divots in rice through to bottom of strainer with a chopstick or butter knife.
  3. Cover strainer with foil, then place in pot over simmering water. Place pot lid over strainer; if there’s a lot of steam escaping, wrap foil or a damp tea towel around rim of pot and strainer. (This can also be done in a bamboo steamer or a standard steaming setup that won’t let the rice fall through.)
  4. Steam until rice is cooked through but still slightly al dente, about 15 minutes; it should have a drier feel than normal steamed rice. Spread onto a baking sheet and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  5. Heat a large wok or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over high heat. Pour in 1 tablespoon oil and swirl wok to coat. Once oil is shimmering, add eggs and cook, breaking up into small pieces, until cooked through but not browning, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out wok.
  6. In same wok over high heat, swirl remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Cook garlic and ginger, tossing constantly, until fragrant and garlic begins to brown, about 30 seconds. Add white and pale green scallion parts and cook, tossing constantly, until softened, about 1 minute. Add rice and immediately toss to combine. Fry rice, stirring constantly, until no clumps remain and you begin to hear some light popping sounds from the rice toasting, 2 to 3 minutes.
  7. Add soy sauce, granulated sugar, salt, pepper, and MSG and cook, tossing constantly, until soy sauce is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add eggs, peas, and dark green scallion parts and cook, tossing constantly, until warmed through and incorporated, about 2 minutes more. Add butter and cook, tossing, until melted, about 30 seconds more.

BETTER THAN TAKEOUT AND EASY – Egg Fried Rice Recipe

FAQ

What is the secret ingredient in fried rice?

Butter: This is my secret ingredient! This is what they use at hibachi restaurants for their fried rice and has been a game changer ever since I started using it. It adds a lot more flavor and helps to brown the rice.

What gives Chinese fried rice its taste?

There are a few different seasonings that make fried rice taste just right. The most important sauces to add are soy sauce, oyster sauce, and fish sauce in fried rice. All three add unique flavors to rice, but it can be easy to go overboard.

What is the difference between fried rice and Chinese fried rice?

One main difference is rice itself! Thai fried rice uses jasmine rice, while Chinese recipes use long grain white rice. Another key difference is soy sauce. Traditional Thai fried rice is made without soy sauce, as soy is actually a Chinese ingredient.

What makes fried rice taste like restaurant?

The answer: high heat, expert tosses, and something known as ‘wok hei. As J. Kenji López-Alt writes for Serious Eats, expert cooking with a wok (and the gas range it requires) is one of the main reasons that fried rice from a Chinese restaurant tastes so much better than what you can make at home.

About the author

Helen is an author and editor at helenbackcafe.com, who has a passion for writing about recipes. She loves to experiment with different ingredients and cooking techniques to create delicious and unique dishes.

Among all the foods, pizza holds a special place in her heart, and she loves exploring different variations and toppings to create the perfect slice. Through her writing, Helen hopes to inspire others to get creative in the kitchen and share their love for food with the world.

Leave a Comment