This Easy Fried Rice takes only 15 minutes to make and is exploding with savory flavors and bursting with tender veggies! Our classic Chinese egg fried rice recipe is both healthier and yummier than takeout and makes a quick and easy meal or side dish that everyone adores! Includes gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and low carb keto options.
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This Easy Fried Rice is Better Than Takeout!
This super quick and Easy Fried Rice recipe will make those impulsive Chinese takeout orders a thing of the past. You can have a fresh plate of top-notch fried rice on the table faster than you can grab some from that restaurant down the block.
Fried rice is one our my family’s favorite Chinese dishes. My father was the head chef at a highly regarded Hong Kong Chinese restaurant, and this was his specialty!
But it definitely doesn’t take a head chef to perfect this restaruant-worthy fried rice recipe. It’s beginner-friendly! You just can’t beat how quick and easy it is. Plus, it’s amazing for cleaning out the fridge. You can literally throw anything into this egg fried rice and it’ll come out delicious!
Is Fried Rice Healthy?
Chinese fried rice is easily among the healthier fried foods out there. And this recipe is just about as healthy as it gets! It’s full of good-for-you ingredients while staying gluten-free and dairy-free. Thanks to the various substitution options provided, this easy fried rice can also be made grain-free by swapping out the rice for riced cauliflower just like our Cauliflower Fried Rice. It’s perfect for anyone following a Whole30, paleo, low carb or keto diet.
Why you’ll love this egg fried rice recipe
- Only 15 minutes to make
- An easy one pan recipe
- Healthier and better than takeout with authentic Chinese flavors
- Includes allergen-friendly swaps for any family members with dietary concerns
What You’ll Need
Making restaurant-style fried rice at home couldn’t be easier! All you need are a good wok or pan and the following ingredients.
- Cooking Oil: Use your favorite high-heat, neutral-tasting cooking oil. We prefer to use avocado oil, but vegetable oil works too.
- Garlic: Freshly minced for the best flavor.
- Ginger: I recommend grating your own.
- Onions: Finely diced.
- Mixed Vegetables Fresh or frozen and thawed. We usually go with peas, chopped carrots and corn.
- Eggs: Lightly beaten.
- Cooked Rice: This recipe calls for cold, day-old rice. We like to use Jasmine, but any long-grain rice will do. Cauliflower is a good grain-free option.
- Low-Sodium Soy Sauce: If you’re looking for a paleo and soy-free alternative, use coconut aminos or gluten-free tamari.
- Fish sauce: Use vegan fish sauce if needed. Miso paste also works. Don’t omit this – it provides some seriously awesome umami flavor. Our favorite brand is Red Boat.
- Mirin (Japanese Sweet Wine): Shaoxing wine or dry sherry can also be used in a pinch.
- Sesame oil: For that irresistible nutty flavor.
- Salt & Pepper: To taste.
Substitutions and Add-In Ideas
The following items make lovely additions to egg-fried rice. Try some out and create your own variation!
- Protein: Beef, pork, chicken, tofu—the works! Any meat or meat substitute is fried rice friendly. Just chop it up into bite-sized pieces. My son is obsessed with adding shrimp!
- Heat: Want to spice things up a bit? Go ahead and add some sriracha, chili garlic sauce or crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
- Crunch: There are already a lot of great textures in this dish, but why not add even more? Roasted cashews and toasted sesame seeds are classic fried rice toppings.
- Fruit: Fried rice isn’t just for veggies. There are plenty of fruits that taste wonderful in it as well! Try adding chopped mangoes, avocadoes or pineapple to yours. Yum!
- Rice: You can also use brown rice, cooked quinoa or riced cauliflower instead.
- Don’t have fish sauce? You can try using Oyster Sauce instead.
- Vegan Fried Rice: Swap out the eggs for scrambled tofu and use this Vegan fish sauce or Miso paste instead.
How to Make Easy Fried Rice
These step-by-step instructions and video below will help you cook up the perfect fried rice at home. It’s all super simple!
- Assemble Ingredients: Since fried rice cooks super quickly, it’s important to have all of your ingredients ready to go. Take out the leftover rice and place all your aromatics and vegetables by the stove.
- Heat Oil: Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over high heat in a large wok or nonstick pan. Heat until smoking hot while swirling the oil around.
- Sauté Aromatics & Veggies: Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 10 seconds, or until fragrant. Then, add the onions and stir-fry for another 30 seconds, or until slightly softened. Add the mixed vegetables and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a plate and set it aside.
- Cook Eggs: Return your pan to the stove and add another 1-2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Pour in the beaten eggs. Scramble into small pieces until cooked. If you’re adding in a protein, incorporate it now and sauté for another minute.
- Add Rice: Stir in the rice and break up any large chunks with a spatula. Toss constantly until heated through, around 2 minutes.
Flavor: Drizzle in the soy sauce, fish sauce, mirin and sesame oil, tossing to combine everything evenly. Keep stirring the fried rice until slightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add the cooked vegetables back to the pan and toss to combine. Add salt, black pepper, red chili flakes or even Sriracha to taste.
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- Enjoy! Transfer the fried rice into bowls and serve it hot. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
Tips for Success
Want to get a head start at perfecting this recipe? Just keep in mind these simple tips and tricks!
- Use a Large Wok: Using a larger wok or pan as opposed to a smaller one will distribute the heat more evenly around your rice. Be sure it is blazing hot before adding the ingredients. This helps it cook flawlessly through and through!
- Avoid Fresh or Short Grain Rice: Day-old long-grain rice works best for this recipe. If your rice has just been cooked, it will become mushy in the fried rice due to its high water content. Using short-grain rice can also cause mushiness, as it doesn’t absorb enough moisture. I almost always use Jasmine rice which produces fluffy, sturdy grains that don’t clump or fall apart when fried.
- Don’t Have Leftover Rice? If fresh rice is your only option, spread it onto a large baking sheet and place the entire tray in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Then, toss the entire batch into a large zip-top back for a few hours. Alternatively, you can make your rice with 1/3 less water than it calls for.
- Use Ample Oil: A hot wok and an adequate amount of oil will ensure your ingredients don’t stick to the surface of the wok (or pan).
- Avoid Adding Too Much: Don’t overstuff your wok or else the cooking surface won’t get hot enough and your ingredients will get soggy, causing the rice to clump together. Ideally, you should cook no more than 2-3 servings at a time.
- Don’t overdo the saucy seasonings: Too much liquid will make your rice mushy. You can always season at the end with a little bit more salt, pepper or even red pepper chili flakes for a kick of heat.
- Cook your rice in a rice cooker: A rice cooker helps ensure that you’ll consistently get perfectly cooked rice every. single. time. We use and love this Tiger JAX-T10U-K. It’s the perfect size for our family, super easy to use and the rice cooks up perfectly every time.
Serving Suggestions
I dare you to find a dish that egg fried rice doesn’t go well with! In the meantime, here are some pairings I know you’ll love:
- Serve with Egg Rolls: For an Asian-inspired meal that always leaves you feeling satisfied, serve this fried rice alongside an Egg Roll in a Bowl!
- Pair with Orange Chicken: The sweet and savory flavors in my Instant Pot Orange Chicken are truly out of this world! And they go great with this classic fried rice recipe.
- Serve with Beef & Broccoli: Why not pair one healthy stir-fry with another? This fried rice plus my Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry equals one dynamic—and delicious—duo!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
The best part about homemade fried rice is that it works super well for meal-prep, especially if you make a double batch.
- To Make Ahead: Cook your rice one day in advance. Mince or chop the garlic, ginger and onions ahead of time and refrigerate them in separate containers or resealable bags.
- To Store: You can keep this dish in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Just let the rice cool completely, transfer it to airtight containers and store.
- To Reheat: When you’re ready to enjoy your leftover rice, it’s best to sauté it in a wok or pan over medium-low heat. You can also warm it up in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave.
Can I Freeze This?
Yes, you can! Just let your rice cool down, then transfer it to freezer-safe airtight containers, resealable Ziplock bags or stasher bags. Enjoy frozen fried rice within 2 months. Thaw it out in the fridge overnight before reheating
More authentic Chinese recipes you will love:
Beef Chow Fun (Fried Ho Fun Noodles)
More Easy Fried Rice Recipes
There’s plenty more where that came from! You’re sure to enjoy the following recipes as well.
This Easy Fried Rice is takes only 15 minutes to make and is exploding with savory flavors and bursting with tender veggies! This classic Chinese egg fried rice recipe is both healthier and yummier than takeout! A quick and easy meal or side dish that everyone adores! Includes gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and low carb keto options.
- cooking oil , we like avocado oil for its high smoking point
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1/4 cup finely diced onions
- 1 cup mixed vegetables , fresh or frozen (thawed first)
- 3 large eggs , lightly beaten. For a vegan version, sub with scrambled tofu or egg substitute like Just Eggs.
- 4 cups cooked day-old rice, chilled and clumps separated. You can sub with riced cauliflower, riced broccoli or hearts of palm rice for a grain-free, paleo, keto / low carb option.
- 2-1/2 -3 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce , can substitute with gluten free tamari or coconut aminos for a soy-free & paleo version
- 1-1/2 - 2 teaspoons fish sauce , can sub with vegan fish sauce OR Miso Paste
- 1 teaspoon mirin , Shaoxing wine or dry sherry can also be used in a pinch
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- salt & black pepper, to taste
- cooked chicken , beef or pork, cut into bite-sized pieces(leave out for meatless version)
- Sriracha or crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
- roasted cashews
- sesame seeds for garnish
Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil on high heat in a large wok or non-stick pan until smoky hot. Add the garlic and ginger for 10 seconds, or until fragrant, then add the onions and stir-fry for another 30 seconds or until the onions are slightly softened. Add the mixed vegetables and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a plate and set aside.
Return pan to stove and add another 1-2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Pour in the beaten eggs. Scramble into small pieces until cooked. (Add in cooked meat if using and saute for another minute).
- Stir in the rice and break up any large chunks with a spatula while tossing until heated through around 2 minutes.
Drizzle in soy sauce, fish sauce, mirin and sesame oil, tossing to combine everything evenly. Keep stirring the fried rice until slightly toasted, about 2 minutes.
Add the cooked vegetables back to the pan and toss to combine. Add salt, black pepper, red chili flakes or even Sriracha to taste.
- Transfer to bowls and serve hot and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
Recipe Video
Feel free to swap in other vegetables to your liking but be sure they are chopped in bite-sized pieces so they cook evenly. Check the blog post for more tips.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- To Make Ahead: Cook your rice one day in advance. Mince or chop the garlic, ginger and onions ahead of time and refrigerate them in separate containers or resealable bags.
- To Store: You can keep this dish in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Just let the rice cool completely, transfer it to airtight containers and store.
- To Reheat: When you're ready to enjoy your leftover rice, it's best to sauté it in a wok or pan over medium-low heat. You can also warm it up in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave.
How to freeze
Let your rice cool down, then transfer it to freezer-safe airtight containers, resealable Ziplock bags or stasher bags. Enjoy frozen fried rice within 2 months. Thaw it out in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Meri Schroeder -
Very good and easy recipe to make! Just enough for two people.