Easy Fried Rice Recipe

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This vegetable fried rice recipe is better than takeout! It only takes 20 minutes to make the the best easy fried rice at home. It’s a delicious, flavorful recipe packed with tons of vegetables and eggs!

Fried Rice Recipe in a pan with a wooden serving spoon

Fried rice is my husband’s favorite takeout menu item. So I decided it was time that we perfected the art of making homemade fried rice.

Now, we can enjoy it with our favorite Asian-inspired meals (like this cashew chicken stir fry or this crispy tofu stir fry in peanut sauce) without needing to order takeout!

This is seriously the best fried rice recipe you’ll ever try! Sesame and peanut oils give it that authentic takeout flavor, plus it’s easy to make in 20 minutes with just a handful of ingredients! 

Easy Fried Rice Recipe on a plate garnished with green onions

Fried Rice Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions 

I don’ really recommend making any substitutions in this fried rice recipe, as I feel like I tweaked it to perfection! However, as aways we’ll discuss some possibilities! 

overhead view of the labeled ingredients in this fried rice recipe
  • Rice. Using cold, day-old, rice is critical to making the best homemade fried rice. If you’re planning to make this recipe, cook the rice a day in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight (or for up to 3 days). You can also use day-old brown rice, however it will create a less-authentic taste and texture, even though it’s still delicious.
  • Sesame oil. I do not recommend omitting or substituting the sesame oil in this recipe. It is key to the authentic flavor of this dish. 
  • Peanut oil. this is another ingredient that adds authentic flavor to this recipe, but if you have a peanut allergy in your household you can substitute canola oil or additional sesame oil for the peanut oil. 
  • Minced Garlic. Powdered garlic works just as well as minced garlic if you don’t have any on hand!
  • Onion.  I recommend using a sweet onion or scallions in this fried rice recipe, but any variety works.
  • Carrots.  Use fresh, diced carrots for the best results! If you don’t prefer carrots you can omit them.
  • Peas. I recommend using thawed, frozen peas. Avoid canned peas.
  • Soy Sauce. Both regular and low-sodium soy sauce can be used in this recipe.
  • Powdered Ginger.  Use fresh minced ginger instead of powdered if desired.
  • Eggs. Again, these can be omitted if you have an egg allergy in your family, however I recommend only omitting them if necessary.
homemade Fried Rice on a plate garnished with green onions

How to Cook Rice for Fried Rice

If you are making a fresh batch of rice (not using leftovers) to make this fried rice recipe, you will need to make the rice at least 1 day before making this recipe! Here’s how to do it: 

  1. Bring 2 cups salted water to a boil
  2. Add 1 cup white rice, stir.
  3. Bring mixture to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer.
  4. Simmer 15-20 minutes until water is absorbed.
  5. Turn off heat, let rice sit for 10-15 minutes, fluff with a fork or spatula.
  6. Transfer the rice to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator overnight, then use the chilled rice in this recipe.
cooked white rice in a bowl

How to Make Fried Rice

This fried rice recipe is very easy to make in 20 minutes. Let’s walk through the steps together and don’t forget to watch the video.

Cook the Eggs

The first step in making the vegetable fried rice recipe is to cook the eggs in sesame oil. Cooking them in sesame oil with a pinch of sea salt adds so much flavor to the eggs and makes them really shine in this dish.

Begin by beating the eggs with a pinch of salt.

two eggs and salt in a bowl before beating
two eggs and salt in a bowl before beating

Then, spread 1 teaspoon of sesame oil in a nonstick pan and pour the beaten eggs evenly into a thin layer into the pan

sesame oil in a pan
eggs being poured into a pan with sesame oil

Cook the eggs for 2-3 minutes, or until they are is firm and bubbles appear on the top. Flip and cook for an additional 1 minute.

eggs cooking in a pan for fried rice
cooked eggs in a pan to use in fried rice

Then, remove from the eggs from the heat, transfer to a cutting board and cut into thin pieces. Set aside.

eggs cut into small squares in a bowl

Cook Carrots, Onion & Garlic

Once the eggs are prepared, it’s time to make the fried rice. Sautรฉ the onion, garlic and carrots (and freshly minced ginger if using in place of powered ginger) in 1 Tablespoon of sesame oil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook until vegetables are soft and just starting to brown (about 5-7 minutes).

How to Make Fried Rice - carrots, garlic, onion and sesame oil in a pan before cooking
How to Make Fried Rice - carrots, garlic, onion and sesame oil in a pan after cooking

Add Oil & Rice

Once the carrots are cooked, add 3 Tablespoons sesame oil and 1 Tablespoon peanut oil to the vegetables.

How to Make Fried Rice - adding sesame oil to cooked carrot mixture
How to Make Fried Rice - adding mirin to cooked carrot mixture

Next, add the rice, stir and cook on high for 9-10 minutes, or until the rice just begins to brown, stirring occasionally.

How to Make Fried Rice - white rice on top of the vegetables before mixing
How to Make Fried Rice - after mixing rice into the vegetables in a pan

Add Peas, Eggs & Spices

Next, add the rice, stir and cook on high for 9-10 minutes, or until the rice just begins to brown, stirring occasionally.

How to Make Fried Rice - adding peas, soy sauce and seasonings before mixing
How to Make Fried Rice - adding peas, soy sauce and seasonings after mixing

Next, add the rice, stir and cook on high for 9-10 minutes, or until the rice just begins to brown, stirring occasionally.

How to Make Fried Rice - adding eggs  before mixing
How to Make Fried Rice - adding eggs  after mixing

Serve

Once the egg fried rice is nice and golden brown, it’s time to serve! You could serve it all by itself as a main dish, or add some protein (see below for suggestions). It is also the perfect side to our favorite Asian recipes.

Best Fried Rice Recipe in a pan with a wooden spoon

Store/Freeze

Store leftover vegetable fried rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for 2 months.

I recommend reheating on the stovetop for the best taste, but you can also reheat it in the microwave.

fried rice on a plate with a spoon, garnished with green onions.

Egg Fried Rice Recipe FAQs

Here are some commonly asked questions about this fried rice recipe. 

What kind of rice is used to make fried rice?

The most important criteria for the rice used in to make this vegetable fried rice is that it is chilled completely. I have made it with many different types of rice, here are our favorites.ย 
short or long grain white rice
brown rice
jasmine white riceย 
basmati riceย 

Can you freeze fried rice?

Yes! you can freeze this fried rice in an airtight container for up to 2 months.ย 

Can you make fried rice with freshly cooked rice?

Using cold, day-old, dried-out rice is important for the perfect texture (e.g. not mushy). However, if you are short on time and need to make rice to use in this fried rice recipe the same day, here’s how I recommend going about it:ย 
After cooking, spread the warm rice onto a large baking sheet and place it in the refrigerator or freezer. This will allow the moisture to evaporate and the rice to chill enough to use with decent results!

fried rice on a plate garnished with green onions.

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Easy Fried Rice Recipe

Laura
This easy fried rice recipe is better than takeout! It only takes 20 minutes to make the best fried rice recipe that's flavorful, healthy and loaded with eggs and veggies!
5 from 10 votes
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine asian
Servings 12 Servings
Calories 304
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes

Ingredients 
 

  • 4 cups white rice (at least a day old chilled in the refrigerator.*)
  • 4 Tablespoons sesame oil (divided)
  • 1 Tablespoon peanut oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ยฝ cup onion (finely diced)
  • 1 cup carrots (finely diced)
  • ยฝ cup frozen peas
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • ยผ teaspoon powdered ginger (or 1 tsp fresh minced ginger)
  • 2 eggs
  • pinch sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • Green onions to garnish

Instructions 

Cook the Eggs

  • Heat 1 tsp sesame oil in a large skillet (at least 10โ€) over medium heat.
  • Beat eggs with a pinch of sea salt, then pour into heated pan and spread evenly into a thin layer.
  • Cook 2-3 minutes, or until the egg is firm and bubbles appear on the top.
  • Flip and cook and for an additonal 2 minutes until the egg is cooked.
  • Remove from heat, transfer to a cutting board and cut into thin pieces. Set aside.

Make the Fried Rice

  • In a large nonstick fry pan, sautรฉ the onion, garlic and carrots in 1 Tablespoon sesame oil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook until vegetables are soft and just starting to brown (about 5-7 minutes).
  • Add 3 Tablespoons sesame oil and 1 Tablespoon peanut oil to the vegetables.
  • Add rice, stir and cook on high for 9-10 minutes, or until the rice just begins to brown, stirring occasionally.
  • Add peas, soy sauce and ginger, stir to combine.
  • Gently stir in the cooked egg.
  • Cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until the rice is lightly browned.
  • Serve immediately and garnish with green onions.

Video

Notes

How to Cook Rice for Fried Rice
  1. Bring 2 cups salted water to a boil
  2. Add 1 cup white rice, stir.
  3. Bring mixture to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer.
  4. Simmer 15-20 minutes until water is absorbed.
  5. Turn off heat, let rice sit for 10-15 minutes, fluff with a fork or spatula.
  6. Let rice cool, then transfer to an airtight container in the refrigerator.
    Store in the refrigerator overnight, then use the chilled rice in this recipe.
Ingredient Substitutionsย 
  • Rice.ย Using cold, day-old, rice is critical to making the best homemade fried rice. If you’re planning to make this recipe, cook the rice a day in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight (or for up to 3 days). You can also use day-old brown rice, however it will create a less-authentic taste and texture, even though it’s still delicious.
  • Sesame oil.ย I do not recommend omitting or substituting the sesame oil in this recipe. It is key to the authentic flavor of this dish.ย 
  • Peanut oil.ย this is another ingredient that adds authentic flavor to this recipe, but if you have a peanut allergy in your household you can substitute canola oil or additional sesame oil for the peanut oil.ย 
  • Minced Garlic.ย Powdered garlic works just as well as minced garlic if you don’t have any on hand!
  • Onion.ย ย I recommend using a sweet onion or scallions in this fried rice recipe, but any variety works.
  • Carrots.ย ย Use fresh, diced carrots for the best results! If you don’t prefer carrots you can omit them.
  • Peas.ย I recommend using thawed, frozen peas. Avoid canned peas.
  • Soy Sauce.ย Both regular and low-sodium soy sauce can be used in this recipe.
  • Powdered Ginger.ย ย Use fresh minced ginger instead of powdered if desired.
  • Eggs.ย Again, these can be omitted if you have an egg allergy in your family, however I recommend only omitting them if necessary.
Store/Freeze
Store leftover fried rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for 2 months.
I recommend reheating on the stovetop for the best taste, but you can also reheat it in the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cups | Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 189mg | Potassium: 148mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1868IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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5 from 10 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Delicious! The best fried rice I have ever made. It must sit in fridge which I have never done. I did leave eggs out this time. Will make again with the eggs.

  2. 5 stars
    I made it and it was delicious. I used parboiled rice (Carolina Gold) because that’s what I had. Awesome, flavorful, and easy recipe. Thank you for posting it.

    1. I am the creator, writer and editor of every recipe on this site. Sometimes I miss typos and I am always grateful when people let me know that they are present in my recipes! I am certain you will make friends if you make them this fried rice though! ๐Ÿ˜‰