Easy Fried Rice Recipe

This is the only fried rice recipe you need. It’s incredibly fast, takes less than 20 minutes to make, and tastes even better than takeout.

When you need a delicious dinner on the table fast, you’ll want this fried rice recipe in your back pocket. It’s perfect for using up leftovers and cleaning out the fridge, and thanks to my fried rice sauce, it’s really delicious.

While this recipe is written for a classic egg and vegetable fried rice, it’s easy to swap the veggies or add extra protein to make it your own.

Key Ingredients

• Rice: For the best fried rice, use leftover cold white rice. Hot or freshly cooked rice will become mushy. I prefer short-grain or medium-grain rice, such as calrose or jasmine rice. That said, you can use brown rice or quinoa in our recipe below.
• Aromatics: For restaurant-quality flavor, use fresh garlic, ginger, and green onions. I mince my garlic and use a microplane to grate the ginger.
• Vegetables: You have leeway when it comes to the veggies. I love carrots, zucchini, and peas. Mushrooms are also lovely, as are broccoli florets.
• Eggs: I love egg fried rice, so I usually add eggs to this. They are optional, though! When cooking them, I add a dab of butter to add a bit of extra richness.
• Fried Rice Sauce: When seasoning fried rice, I love using a homemade sauce that combines low-sodium soy sauce with brown sugar and rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil. It is perfect for this recipe and also great for cooking chicken, shrimp, and tofu.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make the Best Fried Rice

Tip 1: Start with cold rice. Your best bet is to use leftover rice that’s been in the fridge. If you are sitting there with a craving for fried rice, but no leftover rice, here’s what you should do:

Cook your rice as usual with water, then spread the cooked hot rice into one layer on a large baking sheet. Slide the baking sheet into the fridge for an hour, and you will have firmed up, cold rice that’s perfect for this recipe.

Tip 2: Use a large skillet or wok. A large pan gives you plenty of room to toss ingredients without them falling out. A hot wok is the traditional choice, but your largest skillet will work just as well (as shown in our photos).

Tip 3: Give heartier veggies a head start. Fried rice cooks quickly, but to make sure that all the vegetables are perfectly tender, start with hearty vegetables like carrots and broccoli first, giving them 1 to 2 minutes of cooking time before following up with the quicker-cooking veggies.

Tip 4: Adding the egg. I love the egg in this recipe. To add them, push the rice to one side of the pan. Then, scramble your eggs in the empty space. Break them up a bit and stir them into the rice. Easy!

Tip 5: Add your favorite protein. You can easily add your favorite protein, such as sliced beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, or tofu. Just cook it in the skillet first, transfer it to a plate, and then make the fried rice as directed. Stir the cooked protein back into the skillet with the rice, egg, and veggies at the end.

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