Fried Rice
Tender, flavorful Homemade Fried Rice is a delicious side dish the whole family will enjoy. Customize this dish with your favorite proteins, veggies or add-ins to suite your personal preferences.
Easy Fried Rice Recipe
Growing up as a Canadian kid in China, my two favorite after school snacks were PB&J and fried rice. When I was little, my Amah made them both for me but when we moved back to Canada, I was on my own to figure out how to replicate her recipe.
(And this was before the internet was a household thing, so I really was on my own. Gosh, I’m dating myself here.)
The only Chinese condiment my parents ever had on hand was soy sauce – which really didn’t impart the right flavor to my homemade fried rice. It took me years to find out that sesame oil was the secret ingredient for making amazing fried rice.
This simple fried rice recipe is comfort food in a bowl. It’s savory, rich, nutty and tender while not being overpowering, so it’s the perfect side dish to accompany any favorite main dish. I now tend to hit this recipe up with chili garlic sauce but I shared below my basic version – the recipe that I grew up making every week.
For the veggies, use whichever veggies you enjoy most. I tend to add chopped carrots, green beans or snap peas and sometimes a few water chestnuts. I personally recommend crispy veggies (bell peppers, broccoli and cabbage are also great additions) but if you prefer soft, a cup of frozen Asian-style veggie mix is a great option.
Variations on Fried Rice:
- Chicken Fried Rice – saute a chopped chicken thigh (preferably marinated in soy sauce and sesame oil with a touch of sugar) then add to the fried rice along with the vegetables
- Pork Fried Rice – saute a chopped pork chop or a cup of chopped ham (preferably marinated in soy sauce with a touch of brown sugar) then add to the fried rice along with the vegetables
- Shrimp Fried Rice – saute peeled, chopped shrimp in oil or butter before adding to the rice alongside the vegetables
- Garlic Fried Rice – saute crushed garlic cloves in the oil along with the chopped onions before adding the rice to your frying pan
- Egg Fried Rice – add an extra egg while adding the egg called for in the recipe
- Kimchi Fried Rice – stir chopped kimchi in with the vegetables called for in the recipe
- Pineapple Fried Rice – stir drained pineapple chunks in with the vegetables called for in the recipe
- Cauliflower Rice Rice – use cooked cauliflower rice in place of the white rice called for in the recipe
What’s the best rice for fried rice? My preferred rice for making fried rice is long-grain Jasmine rice. Jasmine rice is a long-grained white rice that is soft and moist in texture after cooking and is stickier than most long-grained rice, allowing for an easier eating experience. The pleasant scent is naturally occurring due to compounds in the rice.
Regardless of the type of rice you use, cooked, chilled rice is essential as it will stand up to cooking and crisping; freshly cooked rice will become soggy and clumpy. If you don’t have leftover rice, simply cook rice, spread on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
Why use a wok instead of a frying pan? I wrote this recipe using a frying pan, but if you have a wok or are considering purchasing one, it will allow for a shorter cooking time, allow you to fit more food in the pan and use less oil than a frying pan. However, it’s important to keep in mind that a wok conducts heat faster than frying pans so you need to keep the wok moving so you don’t burn the food.
For even more flavor, cook a few strips of bacon in the frying pan before making the rice and cook the rice in the bacon grease.
More Easy Rice Side Dishes
- New Orleans Spanish Rice
- Crockpot Caribbean Rice and Beans
- 10-minute Cajun Shrimp and Rice
- Vanilla Cinnamon Rice
- Creamy Garlic Parmesan Risotto from Kylee Cooks
- Authentic Mexican Rice from Tastes Better from Scratch
Egg Fried Rice Ingredients
- Leftover White Rice, cooked the day before
- Olive Oil
- Sesame Oil
- Onion, diced
- Chopped Vegetable Mix (carrots, peas, beans)
- Eggs, beaten
- Soy Sauce, to taste
- Green Onions, to taste
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: add an extra egg for more protein and texture. For more flavor, cook a couple pieces of bacon in the frying pan before making the fried rice and cook it in the bacon grease. You can also hit this recipe up with sriracha, chili garlic sauce or oyster sauce for even more depth of flavor.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Sharp Kitchen Knife
- Cutting Board
- Frying pan or Wok <– if you make a lot of Asian-inspired recipes, a wok is a great invesment. This wok includes an amazing variety of cooking utensils as well as a wooden lid and a steamer attachment.
- Wooden Spoon or Spatula <– I like these spatulas because they are one solid piece and don’t have removable heads for bacteria to get trapped underneath. Plus they are heat-resistant and have a lifetime warranty.
How to Cook Fried Rice
In a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and sesame oil.
Once hot, add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
Add the vegetable mix, followed by the white rice.
Stir well to combine and allow the rice to heat through.
Once the rice is hot, stir in the eggs until rice is coated in the egg mixture.
Allow the eggs to cook, about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in soy sauce and green onions, to personal preference. (Taste as you go.)
Pin this Egg Fried Rice recipe for your next take-out craving:
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Homemade Fried Rice
How to make fried rice at home - the perfect easy side dish for a variety of Asian-inspired suppers. This easy homemade fried rice can be customized with a variety of different proteins, veggies or seasonings to suite your family's preferences.
Ingredients
- 4 cups Leftover White Rice, cooked the day before
- 2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 1 Onion, diced
- 2 cups chopped Vegetable Mix (carrots, peas, beans)
- 2 Eggs, beaten
- Soy Sauce, to taste
- Green Onions, to taste
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and sesame oil.
- Once hot, add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add the vegetable mix, followed by the white rice.
- Stir well to combine and allow the rice to heat through.
- Once the rice is hot, stir in the eggs until rice is coated in the egg mixture.
- Allow the eggs to cook, about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in soy sauce and green onions, to personal preference. (Taste as you go.)
Notes
Tip: add an extra egg for more protein and texture. For more flavor, cook a couple pieces of bacon in the frying pan before making the fried rice and cook it in the bacon grease. You can also hit this recipe up with sriracha, chili garlic sauce or oyster sauce for even more depth of flavor.
Variations on Fried Rice:
- Chicken Fried Rice - saute a chopped chicken thigh (preferably marinated in soy sauce and sesame oil with a touch of sugar) then add to the fried rice along with the vegetables
- Pork Fried Rice - saute a chopped pork chop or a cup of chopped ham (preferably marinated in soy sauce with a touch of brown sugar) then add to the fried rice along with the vegetables
- Shrimp Fried Rice - saute peeled, chopped shrimp in oil or butter before adding to the rice alongside the vegetables
- Garlic Fried Rice - saute crushed garlic cloves in the oil along with the chopped onions before adding the rice to your frying pan
- Egg Fried Rice - add an extra egg while adding the egg called for in the recipe
- Kimchi Fried Rice - stir chopped kimchi in with the vegetables called for in the recipe
- Pineapple Fried Rice - stir drained pineapple chunks in with the vegetables called for in the recipe
- Cauliflower Rice Rice - use cooked cauliflower rice in place of the white rice called for in the recipe
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 135Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 97mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 4g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
I hope your family loves this easy fried rice recipe as much as mine does!
For more scrumptious side dishes, check out our full side dish recipe collection here:
This is a great article with very useful information. Your article is probably the best I read today.
Hi Sharon,
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!