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. 🙄
Oh my goodness so good!! Put a couple tablespoons of your sweet ans sour sauce over it at the end in heaven
YES!!!! Yum! N x
Just made this and added leftover Peking duck instead of bacon. Totally delicious. The sauce makes it taste totally authentic!
Just found your recipe and it sounds delicious, I love Asian foods.
Question though: I assume I can omit the eggs from the recipe and it will still turn out great right?
I only ask because both my girlfriend and my daughter are allergic to eggs, but I would love to make this for them.
Yes that’s totally fine James! N x
Hi Nagi. With the egg, I’m sure in the past I’ve +’ed a tiny bit of water to the whisked egg, then (dry??) fried, and then when cooked, roll the egg, slice the egg, and + to rice. Would this be OK? TKU Gabrielle
Hi Gabrielle, you can if you want – it won’t affect anything here! N x
Super easy and delicious every time, I used 3 cups cooked rice and that was the perfect amount for me, love it!
Is 1 cup of rice enough (following your recipe in the notes) enough for the fried rice?
Can I use the all purpose stir fry sauce to make fried rice?
Yes! Charlie is great here – use 3 tbsp of it in this fried rice. N x
Just like the Chinese restaurants make. Even my 4 year old liked it and she normally won’t eat fried rice because it’s a mixed food dish.
She’s the toughest critic Linda – sounds like you nailed it!! N x
This is our second time making your fried rice Nagi. It’s such a winner. My teen boys are learning some valuable life skills during this Sydney lockdown. Most of them involving your delicious recipes. Thank you!
made this 2 times now and had people asking me if it was bought fried rice,thankyou for the recipe.
WOOT! That’s the BEST feedback Anthony, you nailed it! N x
Hi
I add prawn and char siu pork to this recipe and turn it into “Special fried Rice” The Char Sui recipe on this site rises this dish to the next level, it also satisfies all the meat-eaters in my family.
This is by far the best blog recipe site on the internet the only thing missing is a recipe for Peking duck!
I was just about to ask that. I’ve the pork marinating in fridge since yesterday. Nagi is my goto for anything Asian takeout. Love it.
YUUUM!!! Sounds perfect Stuart – I tried Peking duck and it was a lot of work, you need specific sized ducks for the recipe but I’ll revisit, so stay tune for this one! N x
This is the best fried rice! My kids gobble it up. My wife, who isn’t easily impressed, said “you have nailed fried rice!” It wasn’t me, thank you Nagi! It’s now part the rotation in our home.
Shhh I won’t give away your secret Aaron, I’m so happy your family love it!! N x
Hi Nagi, have tried most of your receipts and a love the ease of preparing them, but specially love what your adorable dog Dozer gets up to.
love how quick and easy this was!
Love the fried rice recipe, kids love it which is a double plus. again I followed the directions exactly and I have always made fried rice just with soy sauce but the addition of the oyster sauce and the Mirren truly make this taste like takeout fried rice. i’ve added chicken, tofu, leftover pork, and shrimp, all have turned out amazingly
simply the best fried rice i’ve cooked – delicious. Thankyou so much Nagi!
Sometimes a recipe has a real surprise in it, something unexpected, something simple that changes the way you cook forever…your method for cooking rice in the notes is what did it for me! Perfect rice exactly as you said and I had to resist stirring ha ha! Love Tineats thx🤽♂️🚴♂️🏄♂️
This is soooooo blimin delicious! Best fried rice recipe EVER!!!😋👍
Soooo tasty and so easy!! 10 stars!!
Absolutely delicious Nagi! Is it ok to freeze?