Easy Fried Rice
This easy fried rice is a recipe I make often. It’s budget-friendly, great for clearing out the fridge (making it endlessly customizable) and doesn’t call for expensive ingredients you might not always have on hand.
The beauty of fried rice is that it doesn’t need expensive ingredients or a long list of specialty sauces. Onions, garlic, peppers, carrots and frozen peas are the base here and those are some of the most affordable vegetables in the store. A splash of soy sauce is the only seasoning you need beyond salt and pepper.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cooked rice (day-old is best). Cold, leftover rice from a previous meal is actually better for fried rice than freshly cooked. The grains are drier and firmer, which means they fry rather than steam in the pan. They stay separate and get slightly crispy on the edges rather than clumping into a soft, mushy mass. If you don’t have leftover rice, cook a batch and spread it on a tray in the fridge for at least an hour to dry out before frying.
- Onion.
- Garlic.
- Bell peppers.
- Carrots.
- Frozen peas. Straight from the freezer into the pan.
- Soy sauce. A splash is all you need. The soy sauce adds saltiness, umami and that characteristic savory depth that makes fried rice taste like fried rice. Start with 2 to 3 tablespoons for a family-sized batch and adjust to taste. Low-sodium soy sauce works if you prefer less salt.
- Cooking oil. A neutral oil with a high smoke point: vegetable oil, canola oil or sunflower oil. You need the pan hot and the oil needs to handle that heat without burning. Olive oil works but it has a lower smoke point and adds its own flavor.
- Salt and pepper. White pepper is traditionally used in Chinese cooking but use black pepper if that’s what you have.
Optional additions: - Spring onions / green onions. Sliced and scattered over the top.
- Sesame seeds. A sprinkle on top for a little nutty crunch.
- Eggs. Scrambled directly in the pan and then broken into pieces through the rice. Eggs add protein and richness and make this a complete meal rather than just a side dish.
- Leftover chicken, beef or pork. Diced or shredded and added with the vegetables. Any cooked protein turns this from a side dish into a hearty main course.
- Other vegetables: This really is a clear-the-fridge kind of recipe. Even vegetables that aren’t considered traditional will work. Broccoli, cauliflower, spinach/kale, mushrooms, corn, cabbage, zucchini, etc. will all work.
How to Make Easy Fried Rice
Step 1: Cook the vegetables. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add the diced onion, peppers and carrots. Stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly softened but still with some bite. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the frozen peas and stir through for another minute until thawed and warmed.
Step 3: Add the rice. Push the vegetables to one side of the pan. Add the cold rice to the empty side and press it flat against the hot surface. Let it sit for 30 seconds to a minute without stirring so the grains in contact with the pan get slightly crispy and toasted. Then toss everything together, breaking up any clumps. Repeat the press-and-fry method a few times for maximum flavor and texture.
Step 4: Season. Pour the soy sauce over the rice and toss to distribute evenly. The rice should be lightly and evenly coated, not drenched. Start with less and add more to taste.
Step 6: Serve. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper or an extra splash of soy sauce. Serve immediately, topped with sliced spring onions and sesame seeds if you have them.
Variations
- Chicken fried rice. Add diced cooked chicken with the vegetables. Leftover roast chicken, rotisserie chicken or any cooked chicken works.
- Egg fried rice (no vegetables). Strip it back to just rice, eggs, soy sauce and spring onions. The simplest version and still delicious.
- Bacon fried rice. Dice the bacon, cook it first until crispy, remove from the pan and use the rendered bacon fat to fry the vegetables and rice. Add the bacon back at the end. The smoky, salty bacon flavor goes through the whole dish.
- Spicy fried rice. Add a teaspoon of chili flakes or a drizzle of sriracha or hot sauce with the soy sauce.
How to Store
- Fridge. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot pan with a tiny splash of oil or in the microwave.
- Freezer. Fried rice freezes well for up to 2 months. Cool completely, portion into containers and freeze. Reheat from frozen in a pan or microwave. The texture won’t be quite as crispy as fresh but it’s still a perfectly good meal.
Serving Suggestions
- As a side dish: We love this simple fried rice recipe as a side dish to chicken and pork. It’s great with sticky chicken wings, baked chicken thighs and pan-seared pork chops.
- Add a protein: Add cooked chicken, beef, pork or shrimp to add a boost of protein and turn this into a meal.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked rice leftover rice is ideal here
- 1 onion finely diced
- 3 bell peppers finely diced (I used red, green and yellow)
- 2 carrots peeled and finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2-3 tbsp soy sauce
- lemon juice to taste (optional)
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat.
- Stir fry the diced onion, peppers and carrots for 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add in the cooled rice and peas then press flat against the hot pan to allow the rice to crisp a little then toss everything together.
- Add the soy sauce and toss to coat the rice evenly. I also like to add a squeeze of lemon juice here but that's optional and to taste.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Day-old rice is essential. Cold, dry rice fries properly. Fresh rice clumps and steams. Cook rice ahead and refrigerate for at least 1 to 2 hours.
- Hot pan. The pan should be smoking hot. High heat is what gives fried rice its slightly crispy, toasted texture.
- Don’t overcrowd. If your pan isn’t big enough, cook in two batches. Overcrowding steams the rice.
- Vegetables are flexible. Use whatever you have. Corn, zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, beans and cabbage all work.
- Add protein. Leftover chicken, pork, beef, shrimp or tofu all turn this into a heartier main course.
Nutrition
FAQ’s
You can but the result won’t be as good. Fresh rice is too moist and sticky for frying. It clumps together and steams rather than frying. If you must use fresh rice, spread it on a baking tray and refrigerate for at least 1 to 2 hours to dry out the surface before frying.
Long-grain white rice (jasmine or basmati) gives the best result because the grains stay separate and fluffy. Short-grain or sushi rice is stickier and clumps more easily. Brown rice works but has a chewier texture and takes longer to cook initially.
Soy sauce is what gives fried rice its characteristic flavor. Without it, the rice will taste flat. If you’re avoiding soy, coconut aminos is the closest substitute. Salt alone won’t give you the same depth and umami.
Both. With eggs and plenty of vegetables, it works as a main course on its own. Paired with a protein like my honey mustard chicken, it works as a side. It depends on how hungry everyone is and what else is on the table.