Fried Rice with Simple Ingredients
A bowl of quick and easy fried rice is an absolute treat for lunch or dinner. It uses one pan and gets ready in less than 15 minutes. You can also use fresh or frozen vegetables and ready-to-use Asian sauces.
When I lived in Singapore, I had the opportunity to feast on so many different types of rice. In fact, I didn’t know there were so many variations! My favorites, of course, were Cantonese, Singaporean, and Schecuwaan.
Why make this fried rice?
- It’s so easy, quick, and simple to make.
- You can use all the leftover white rice in the fridge. In fact, I always make extra white steamed rice so I can use leftovers to make fried rice.
- Make it your own – It can be prepared with whatever you have on hand. Such as cooked veggies other than carrots and peas. It is a kid’s favorite recipe, so add lots of extra veggies.
- Most of the ingredients for the sauces are pantry staples if you cook Asian food often.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Rice – You can use white or brown rice. I have tried both, and the brown was so delish, too! The best rice to use is day-old rice that has been cooked and chilled well. Once chilled, the rice becomes stable so that it won’t get mushy or soggy.
- Fat – Since fried rice is cooked on high heat, it is best to use oil like canola, peanut, or sunflower. Of course, the butter is a flavor you do not want to omit.
- Vegetables – This choice of veggies is optional. I’ve also used broccoli and cauliflower. Just ensure you cook all the veggies to tender before adding the eggs or rice.
- Cooked meats – I use my kids’ favorite or whatever I have. Sometimes, it’s chopped cooked chicken, sliced meats, and sausages.
- Herbs – Chinese parsley would be ideal, but our favorite is cilantro or parsley.
Step-by-step: Best Fried Rice
- In a wok or skillet, over medium-high heat, add the oil, ginger, and garlic. Saute for 30 seconds, then add the onions and saute until translucent.
- Next, add the chopped carrots and green peas. Cook until the carrots and green peas are almost cooked.
Pro tip – Make sure the carrots and peas are tender before you add the remaining ingredients. Otherwise, you will overcook the rice.
- Move the veggies towards the sides of the pan, making space in the center. Add the butter, break the eggs, and scramble them in the center until almost set. Then, mix the eggs with the veggies.
- Next, add the sauces (soy, oyster, ketchup, chili sauce, and sesame oil). Season with salt and pepper.
Pro tip – Turn the heat to medium so you do not overcook the eggs.
- Next, add the chopped cooked meat, cooked rice, and cilantro. Toss everything together on high heat with a flat spatula until everything is well combined.
Pro tip – You want the sauce to coat the rice and get slightly colored. So, make sure to combine well. It is okay for the rice to have a slightly toasted appearance. - Taste and adjust seasoning. Add more salt and pepper or soy sauce to taste. Garnish with green onions or more fresh cilantro or parsley.
More rice recipes
- Chicken with Rice Pilaf or classic Rice Pilaf
- Cajun Chicken with Rice
- Turmeric Rice with Chicken and Peas
- Coconut Turmeric Rice
- Quick One-Pot Vegetable Rice
- Turmeric Cauliflower Rice Pilaf or Mustard Dill Cauliflower Rice Pilaf
- See all rice recipes
Frequently asked questions
How long will this fried rice keep?
Fried rice will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can even freeze it for up to a month.
What is the secret to good fried rice?
The secret to making the best-ever fried rice is to use pre-cooked, chilled rice. When chilled, the rice does not steam easily and, therefore, does not become very soggy. It also gets nice and toasty when cooked on high heat, giving you that nice fried rather than steamed flavor.
What is the best oil for making fried rice?
The best oil to use is oil with a high smoking point, such as canola, sunflower, peanut, grapeseed, coconut, or sesame seeds. Do not use olive oil as it does not have a high smoking point. Most restaurants use peanut oil in their fried rice.
What rice is best for fried rice?
I like to use Jasmine rice. You can use short or long grain, though the long grain looks more aesthetic.
BEST Fried Rice Recipe
A bowl of quick and easy fried rice is an absolute treat for lunch or dinner. It uses one pan and gets ready in less than 15 minutes. You can also use fresh or frozen vegetables and ready-to-use Asian sauces.
Video
Ingredients
- 4 cups (800 g) Rice, cooked and chilled (1 cup raw rice cooked and chilled overnight)
- 2 tbsp Canola oil
- 2 tbsp Butter unsalted,
- 1 tbsp Garlic chopped finely
- 1 tbsp Ginger chopped finely
- ½ cup Onions diced
- ½ cup (60 g) Carrots diced into 1/4 inch cubes
- ½ cup (75 g) Green peas
- ½ cup (120 g) Cooked meat sliced, chicken, sausages, or sliced meat
- 2 Eggs
- 2 tbsp Cilantro or parsley chopped
- 4 tbsp Green onions Chopped
- ¼ tsp Salt (use less if using regular soy sauce)
- ¼ tsp Pepper
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce (low sodium)
- 2 tbsp Oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp Sesame oil
- 2 tbsp Chily sauce
- 1 tbsp Ketchup optional
Method
- In a wok or skillet, over medium-high heat, add the oil, ginger, and garlic. Saute for 30 seconds then add the onions and saute until translucent. Next, add the chopped carrots and green peas. Cook until the carrots and green peas are almost cooked. Pro tip – Make sure the carrots and peas are tender before you add the remaining ingredients. Otherwise, you will overcook the rice.
- Move the veggies towards the sides in the pan making space in the center. Add the butter and break the eggs, scramble them in the center until almost set. Then, mix the eggs with the veggies.
- Next, add the sauces (soy, oyster, ketchup, chili sauce, and sesame oil). Season with salt and pepper. Pro tip – Turn the heat to medium so you do not overcook the eggs.
- Next, add the chopped cooked meat, cooked rice, and cilantro. Toss everything well together on high heat with a flat spatula until everything is well combined.Pro tip – You want the sauce to coat the rice and get slightly colored. So, make sure to combine well. It is ok for the rice to get a slightly toasted appearance.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Add more salt and pepper or soy sauce as per your taste. Garnish with green onions or more fresh cilantro or parsley.
Notes
Tips for making fried rice
- Use cold rice – The most important thing about fried rice is to ensure you cook the rice ahead of time. Leftover steamed rice from the previous day works best.
Pro tip – If you forget to prepare the rice a day in advance, just spread the hot rice on a large plate and into the fridge. The fridge will help air dry it quicker. - Butter and oil – Butter adds a nice rich flavor so don’t omit it. Sesame oil adds that aromatic Asian fried rice flavor too.
- Veggies – make sure the veggies are cooked before you add the rice otherwise the rice will overcook while trying to cook the veggies. You can also use precooked veggies. In fact, you can use small diced precooked broccoli and cauliflower too!
- Fried rice is like cooking stir fry so make sure to use high heat when necessary. The high heat will prevent the rice from steaming and becoming soggy.
- When cooking let the rice get a little toasty, a few brown bits are delicious.
- Taste and adjust seasoning to make it your own. Add more soy sauce, oyster or even Siracha if you like.
Variation for fried rice
- Vegetable fried rice – Add more veggies and saute them with some extra ginger and garlic before you add the rest of the ingredients.
- Chicken fried rice – you can use leftover cooked diced chicken to the fired rice or you can add small diced uncooked chicken breast with the carrots and peas. Cook until tender then add the rest of the ingredients.
- Beef fried rice – saute chopped beef steak with carrots and peas. Cook until tender then add the rest of the ingredients.
- Pork fried rice – Add small diced pork chops and saute with carrots and peas. Cook until tender then add the rest of the ingredients.
- Pineapple fried rice – Add 1 cup diced fresh pineapple along with the rice and toss to combine.
- Schecuwaan fired rice – Add up to 2 tbsp spicy schecuwaan sauce along with the other sauces
- Kimchi fried rice – add chopped kimchi along with the rice. Toss to combine.
- Brown fired rice – use precooked and cooled brown instead of white rice.
- Quinoa fried rice – use cooked quinoa instead of white rice in this recipe
- Cauliflower fried rice – use cauliflower rice instead of white rice in this recipe.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
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I love fried rice but have never tried making it at home. I am going to have to try this one since it seems so simple and tasty!
Fried rice is really simple and easy to make at home you must try Jillian. Thanks
Mmm, love fried rice – I need to make this at home more often, rather than relying on takeout!
OH it’s so easy, once you make it you will forget take out. You will love homemade fried rice.
I have been a great fan of fried rice,so much better to make at home.you recipe sounds so yumm!
Absolutely Prasanna.. Ain’t nothing like homemade cooking
You lived in Singapore too? You really have been everywhere Veena, lucky you! 🙂
I would love to get hold of these sausages, they must be giving the fried rice so much flavor. Another thing, I need to try making fried rice the way you do with sesame oil. I still haven’t gotten around to buy sesame oil in Anjuna, I always forget about it when I am in the supermarket. The sesame oil must be giving the fried rice an extra flavor dimension.
HI Helene. Yes, I lived in Singapore for 10 year and travel the world during that time too.SO I’ve been to lots of places. Best time of my life. You must get your hands on some Sesame Oil it really does make a difference to Asian cooking. Thanks
I’ve been on the hunt for a good fried recipe – and I love that this is such a quick recipe!
This one is really easy Megan. You will love this.
thank you for this step by step process! i love fried rice from Japanese restaurant but i will give yours try soon.
Thanks Dixya. I love Japanese Fried rice too!
I love Asian style fried rice but I rarely make it at home. My Latin roots always have been tossing leftover rice with some chicken, small carrots piece and recaito for arroz con pollo. You have inspired me to try something new. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Analida. We love fried rice and make it often. I do love arroz con pollo but have still to make it at home.
My niece and her children simply adore fried rice and I’m always trying to find new ways to serve it to them. I can’t wait to make this recipe as it looks simply scrumptious!
Thank you Elaine. My kids love fried rice very much and often it’s my go to on busy cake days.
Making fried rice at home is so much better than takeout. This is the perfect side dish for so many different recipes. I love the fact you can add whatever you like…more or one veggie over another.
Yeah I love adding veggies in fried rice Gloria get the kids to eat it all up. Thanks
Your fried rice certainly looks delicious and colorful!! The fried rice we’ve made in the past had a tendency to be less colorful than yours — I like the touch of green as well as the orange in the carrots. Hubby was stationed in Japan so we made it like he was used to. Your recipe will be next. Oh!! By the way, there is a recipe for a fried rice in oil — It’s Italian — arancini. They are rice balls with cheese in the center. Yummy!!
Thank you Marisa. I love your Italian version. perhaps some day I will try it too. And those balls of cheese sound tempting. Thanks