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Overhead view of a skillet of fried rice with a wooden spoon tucked inside. Green onions, bowls, and forks on the side.
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Fried Rice

My vegetable Fried Rice is easy to make and quick with all of the flavors you know and love! Serve this recipe with your favorite Asian-inspired foods or mix in your preferred protein.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 24 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 412kcal
Author John Kanell

Equipment

  • Large skillet or wok

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 carrots diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 cup frozen peas (130g)
  • 4 cups cooked rice (chilled) (500g)
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 1½ teaspoons sesame oil
  • Sliced green onions for garnish

Instructions

  • Heat a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and swirl the pan until melted. Add the eggs, and cook, stirring often, until scrambled, about 45 seconds. Transfer the egg mixture to a bowl, and set aside.
  • Add the canola oil to the wok and heat over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and carrots. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and peas. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant and the peas are thawed, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  • Stir in the cooked rice, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Cook, stirring often, until rice is evenly coated in the sauce and beginning to crisp in spots, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir the eggs back in and remove from the heat. Garnish with green onions and serve hot.

Notes

  • Use cold rice. Day-old rice that has been refrigerated and is still cold is the best for making fried rice! Chilling allows the surface of the rice to firm up and dry out a bit, preventing sticky fried rice. Hot rice will clump and stick together, creating a mushy rice.
  • Break up any clumps of rice. When you’re ready to use the chilled rice, break up any large clumps of rice. The best fried rice has loose individual rice grains, perfect for soaking up lots of delicious flavor.
  • To prep ahead, combine 1½ cups long grain white rice, rinsed and drained, with 2¼ cups water and a generous pinch of salt in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, cover, and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork, spread it on a sheet pan, and cool. Then chill for at least 1 hour uncovered, or cover and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.
  • Use high heat and stir the ingredients frequently. The best homemade fried rice has tender vegetables and well-seasoned rice that sears on the bottom of the pan. High heat is needed to cook the vegetables and crisp some of the rice grains. Stir frequently while making this recipe to prevent burning and sticking.
  • Use a large pan. A large wok provides lots of surface area for the ingredients to cook and crisp and also holds and transfers heat well because of its shape. If you don’t have a wok, use the largest skillet you have so the most rice can come in contact with the pan.
  • Garnish the rice. I like to serve this dish with sliced green onions, but there are many ways to garnish the rice that will add flavor. Try adding bean sprouts, black or white sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, or cilantro.

Nutrition

Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 1063mg | Potassium: 376mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5656IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 2mg