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. 🙄
Great recipe Nagi! I am new to Asian cooking. My first bash at fried rice. First time Cooking with a Wok, also brand new. It was a great dish, the critics (family) loved it
Excellent recipe, has become a staple every week with a few added meats
I love reading this Daniel!! That’s awesome! N x
Oh my lordy. All week I’ve been craving fried rice. This was a banger. Thank you!
Too easy!
Dozer!!
Sorry a message about him LOL
There is no way he would be happy in the boot! They want to be near us and look out of the window. Just get a back seat cover for your suv (off eBay) and
He will be fine 😀🐾
Happy to provide a link to a good one if needed
PS will try out the fried rice now
Hi Virginia, well technically he is in the boot AND back seat now! N x
Hi Nagi,
I have been on the hunt for mirin for awhile for several of your recipes and finally found Kikkoman “Koteri Mirin”. Will any mirin do the trick? Also, if I omit the bacon (will be adding chopped precooked chicken breast), will the flavour still be good as otherwise written? LOVE the addition of bacon and will absolutely try in the near future but working with what I have at the moment to avoid unnecessary trips to a store while my province is on lockdown.
Many thanks!
Holly xx
Hi Holly, yes that Mirin is fine! Don’t worry about leaving out the bacon – it will still taste amazing! Enjoy! N x
Thanks very much for the reply. It was delicious even without the baconbacon 🙂
What dark soy sauce do you use as I just made it using Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark Soy Sauce and the rice looks almost black 🙁
It tastes ok but the darkness turned everyone off and wouldn’t touch it… so desperate to find an awesome fried rice as we love it!
Hi Angela, oh no! Did you mis measure?? You might find this link useful: https://promotown.info/soy-sauce/%3C/a%3E N x
No I didn’t I double checked determined to follow exactly, the dark soy was super thick when pouring so will buy the brand you suggested and try again.
Thanks so much for the link, exactly what I was after 🙂
This, like all of your recipes, is so well set-out and easy to understand. Perfect for dummies like me. I’ve been trying for eons to make restaurant-quality fried rice.
Thanks Nagi, you’re a legend!
Hello there. I made this today and it was a success yay. I was searching for a fried rice recipe that had that little something extra cause my fried rice felt so lacking. My bf praised it upon first bite and I immediately thought, “now I need to leave her a comment and tell her how good it was”.
Did not have Chinese cooking wine or Mirin so used dry white wine (probably not as good), but this was so good. We all enjoyed it. Thanks.
Better than takeout! I followed the recipe exactly and the results were phenomenal thank you!
Absolutely delicious recipe, my eldest son loved it and my youngest who normal doesnt try anything new demolished his bowl and asked for me.
Made this exactly as given & it was perfect, Thank you for this great recipe.
Hello, can I freeze any leftover
Fried rice?
Sure can Suzana! N x
I loved this rice! I’m so happy you pointed out the rice needed to be older. I couldn’t understand why it kept getting squishy on me and now it seems so obvious that I need to put on the dunce cap.
I enjoyed your story about upgrading your car for dozer. We did the same thing so our shepherds could go for rides. We even moved into a bigger house for them so totally get it 😊
My husband said this is better than takeout, I agree, I will be making this often!
Hi Nagi! If I use fresh carrots and broccoli should I blanch them for a minute before stirfrying then?
Having so much fun trying a new recipe each night from Nagi’s treasure trove of delicious recipes. This Fried Rice was a huge hit with my growing monsters. Next time I will throw in a few prawns.
This is the perfect fried rice. It is so easy to cook, and so yummy! It has become a staple in our weekly meal plan,
The other day, I fixed your recipe for fried rice, as well as the recipe for honey garlic chicken. Both are amazing!!!
Having so much fun trying a new recipe each night from Nagi’s treasure trove of delicious recipes. This Fried Rice was a huge hit with my growing monsters. Next time I will throw in a few prawns.