Get the sauce right and you can make a fried rice that really stacks up to your favourite Chinese restaurant in 10 minutes! This fried rice recipe is super quick, made with egg, veggies and a handful of bacon. But it’s totally customisable – make it your own!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Fried Rice
This is a quick, 15 minute fried rice recipe that’s highly versatile. Terrific as it is, but totally adaptable to add what you want.
I’ve used egg and a basic mix of frozen chopped vegetables – because I totally buy into the whole “snap frozen” thing and this is intended to be super quick ‘n easy. Just carrots, peas and corn (still frozen, don’t even need to thaw).
But don’t let my laziness influence you! Feel free to use fresh veggies – whatever you want. Try adding proteins like chicken, shrimp/prawns, tofu.
Because here’s the thing about fried rice: when you get the sauce right, you can put anything into it – and indeed, the Chinese do!
This Fried Rice recipe is a classic side for all your favourite Chinese dishes!
How to make Fried Rice
Sauté flavour base – Start by sautéing onion, garlic and bacon
Add diced vegetables – I’ve used frozen corn, carrots and peas for convenience here, but any diced vegetables will be great
Add cooked cold rice and sauce and give it a toss
Move everything to the side and scramble egg in the wok or pan. It sounds cheeky, but actually, this is a technique common in Thai Stir Fries, like in the ever popular Pad See Ew. It works great!
Add green onion and toss it all together, then serve immediately!
This Egg Fried Rice is tossed with fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, colourful vegetables and a savoury Chinese restaurant fried rice sauce.
Fried Rice Sauce
Here’s what goes in Fried Rice Sauce:
Chinese cooking wine or Mirin (secret ingredient!) – this is the secret to a really great fried rice that truly stacks up to your favourite Chinese restaurant. If you omit these, it will not taste like real Chinese takeout, however, see recipe for the best non-alcoholic subs.
Oyster sauce – it’s like using 10 different sauces, all conveniently packed into one bottle 🙂
Soy sauce – Any soy sauce is fine here (but not sweet or flavoured). Light and all-purpose soy keeps the fried rice a light colour like you get at Chinese restaurants. Dark soy will stain the rice a mahogany colour which is also appealing, and the rice will have a stronger soy flavour which many people enjoy!
Sesame oil and pepper (not critical)
Best type of rice for fried rice
Chinese fried rice is made with white long grain rice. But it can be made with any type of cooked, chilled rice – long grain, short grain, jasmine, basmati, even brown rice.
Every Asian country has their version of fried rice, and use different rices. For example, Jasmine rice is used to make Thai Fried Rice. The Japanese use short grain white rice for Japanese Fried Rice (that recipe is on my mother’s website RecipeTin Japan). And Basmati Rice is used in Indian rice dishes, such as Biryani.
All are tasty!
Why does the rice have to be cold or day old?
The rice needs to be cold, day old rice because the rice dries out in the fridge so the Fried Rice will have the right texture. Freshly cooked rice is too wet so it makes the rice clump together. But it’s still tasty – so don’t not make fried rice just because you don’t have time to chill the rice!
Do I have to use a wok?
Nope. A skillet will work just fine – just make sure it’s a big one so you can toss the rice around without it flying everywhere (the shape of woks is designed especially for wild tossing!).
Fried Rice is so good, I’d happily scoff down an entire bowl of it as a meal. But let’s face it, it’s not the most well rounded meal.
So serve it as a side for any Chinese or Asian main dish, or make a larger banquet. Here are some ideas:
What to serve with Fried Rice
Main Dishes to go with fried rice
Make a meal out of starters
Make a meal out of dishes ordinarily served as starters by adding a side of Fried Rice. Things such Hot and Sour Soup, Chinese Corn Soup, Spring Rolls, Chinese Lettuce Wraps (San Choy Bau) or Egg Foo Young.
Banquet!
Indulge in a homemade Yum Cha (Dim Sum) style banquet with dishes such as Potstickers, Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork), Chinese Steamed Pork Buns, or Crispy Chinese Pork Belly with a side of Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce.
– Nagi x
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1/2 onion , finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 120 g/4 oz bacon , chopped (optional, or use ham)
- 1 – 1 1/2 cups diced vegetables , frozen or fresh (Note 1)
- 2 cups (packed) cooked day old white rice (refrigerated or frozen defrosted, Note 2)
- 3 eggs, whisked
- 3/4 cup green onions , (shallots / scallions) sliced
Sauce:
- 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (sub Mirin, cooking sake or dry sherry) (Note 4)
- 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce (or all purpose) (Note 5)
- 1 tsp sesame oil , optional
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil – Heat about 1 1/2 tbsp oil in a wok or 2 tbsp oil in a skillet over high heat until smoking.
- Add onion, garlic and bacon. Cook until bacon is light golden – about 1 1/2 minutes.
- Add vegetables (still frozen is fine). Cook for 2 minutes so they defrost and water evaporates.
- Add rice and Sauce ingredients. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes until liquid evaporates.
- Scramble egg – Shove rice to the side of the wok / skillet. Add 1/2 tbsp oil into the cleared space, shift wok so the heat is centred over the cleared space. Pour in egg then scramble – cook it through properly, don't "soft scramble".
- Serve – Add green onion then stir the egg into the rice. Remove from heat and serve immediately!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published March 2018, updated with extra information March 2019 – no change to recipe.
Some more quick 15 minute Asian foods
Quick Asian Beef RAMEN Noodles – 15 minutes, made in one pot
Asian Beef Bowls – reader fave!
Chinese Chicken and Corn Soup with Egg Ribbons – so simple, this will blow your mind…
Pork Stir Fry with Green Beans – flavour packed!
Egg Fried Rice – this recipe
Kimchi Fried Rice – packs loads of flavour but not too much heat!
Life of Dozer
I upsized my little 2 seater convertible to a smallish 4WD because he grew out of it and hated the wind in his eyes when we were zooming around with the top down.
All that for a bloody dog, and yet he was so unhappy shoved in the boot, he’d stand with his chin on the back seat so that drool dripped down the leather seats (sorry to gross you out).
I caved and folded down the back seat to give him more space. I find it so ironic that I upsized to a larger car just for him, and yet I drive around with the back seat permanently folded down. 🙄
Canada
Afghanistan🦄🦄🦄🦄
Amazingly delicious and super EASY to make! Now I just need to get a bigger wok to make a double batch haha
Really delish. I always enjoy reading everyone’s comments so I can adjust accordingly. Like I adore white rice but have switched to brown and yup, it’s still great. Thanks, Nagi.
The sauce for this was perfect! Thank you Nagi!!
I made this for a quick lunch today but instead of bacon I used left over cheese russians I had in the fridge. Absolutely delicious. Thanks Nagi.
This is the best fried rice recipe. Made it twice now and is even better than any restaurant version I’ve had. The sauce is perfect. I added some cooked chicken to mine too. Another Recipe Tin winner!!
Very delicious even without the cooking wine!
This recipe makes enough for four frozen meals. I skip the egg when making but add a fried egg and a touch of LaoGanMa crispy chili oil when microwaving the thawed meal.
Number One!
Absolutely loved this recipe. Just the right amount of sauce to achieve a restaurant flavor. Just about to make the Beef Stir Fry from your recipe with your sauce. We have velveted the meat and cannot wait to try it. If it is half as good as the rice I’ll be in heaven!
Best ever fried rice I’ve ever made. Whenever I cook rice I make a bit more than needed so I can use this recipe for left over meat (steak, lamb, chicken etc.) Usually have enough left over to freeze for later as a side dish. No waste in this household! 🙂
Hello, Regarding day old rice. Do I need to leave uncovered in the fridge to dry out the rice.
Thank you
Fee
Hi Fee, yes you need to leave the cooked rice uncovered in the fridge on a tray, preferably overnight or freeze the rice and defrost it. I normally freeze it and defrost it.
I always leave leftover rice uncovered in the fridge to dry out, regardless of what I’m cooking.This is the best recipe ever and soo delicious.
Looks yum 😋 can’t wait to make it.
This is sooooo good. We’re having it again tonight. Partner LOVES the sauce and says that my stiry-fry (and pretty much all) cooking has been taken to a new level.
My wok is small so I change the order a bit: flash cook beef or prawns, then set aside. Stir fry veg, flinging and tossing and stirring wildly, then set aside. Beat eggs and stir into cold rice. Cook garlic/ginger then add eggy rice. Cook for a minute till egg is set then add sauce. Then throw back in everything else (which has cooked down enough that it all fits in the pan). Glorious.
Regular comment whenever I serve something delicious: “Is this Nagi?” Inevitably the answer is “Yes, it is!” 🙂
Wonderful recipe!!! Made it low fodmap and still delicious
Wonderful
This is the second time I have made this, and and I added some leftover roasted chicken that I diced up and put in it. Was absolutely delicious as usual. My only problem, it made more than I thought I was gonna be making, probably because I added the chicken to it. I’m giving a big bowl of it to my daughter who is coming by tomorrow. Can I freeze it?
I bought your most recent cookbook for me and I also bought one for my daughter. She has been experimenting with a lot of your recipes and she absolutely loves them. She is real happy that I gave her the cookbook.
Correction, I meant to say I used some leftover rotisserie chicken, not roasted chicken.
Best ever fried rice! Although I did add some garlic, red capsicum and mushrooms and used tinned corn and frozen peas. The sauce is the bomb!! Yum!
My kids won’t eat any other fried rice!! This recipe is great.
I made this and swapped the bacon for Chinese sausage available in most supermarkets absolutely delicious 😋
I would simply like to say this the best fried rice I’ve ever had. I’m a college student who doesn’t eat great meals as it is, but this meal is cost effective and nothing short of delicious. Nagi you are a genius and you saved my college experience of eating ramen noodles.