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. 🙄
Just Perfect! I added a cup of shredded Chicken to the dish, just Lovely!
Thankyou Nagi x
On the fried rice when would you add celery?Also bean sprouts?
Hi Melodie, you can add celery at step 3, I would add bean sprouts in last as they cook super quick 🙂 N x
For fried rice secret ingredient in Maggie sauce
No Maggie sauce required here Marion 🙂 N x
Made this last night. Delicious!
The Chinese wine makes all the difference 😁
Used this recipe last night and it was a big hit. The sauce is really good. In fact, all of your recipes I have tried so far have been outstanding.
That’s great to hear Martin, thanks so much for the awesome feedback! N x
I have been eating this fried rice for breakfast for the past week lol. So good. It’s the breakfast of champions.
I finally got my hands on some Shaoxing wine and it made all the difference!
Wahoo, that’s greta to hear! N x
Thankyou for demystifying the Fried Rice Recipe, Nagi. My Grandson loves this one, as he is a PT, but I could never get it right. You have helped me so much by your easy instructions.
That’s great to hear Raelene, thanks so much for taking the time to write such awesome feedback 🙂 N x
Any suggestions to make this vegetarian, i.e., what would you sub for bacon/pork?
Hi Bill, just leave it out 🙂 N x
Thanks. That’s what I ended up doing, and I used shrimp since my daughter is a veggie. Because of that, I also changed up the order a bit: I seared the shrimp and then removed them. Then, I added the onion and garlic b/c I didn’t want to burn them by keeping them in too long. I found the bottom of the skillet needed a little de-glazing after the shrimp, so I used a little white wine. I used day-old rice as you suggested, frozen veggies, scrambled the eggs, and added the shrimp for the final toss, and oh, was it good. The family loved it!
Hi Nagi,
Thanks for all your amazing recipes!
Can I use black pepper instead of white pepper in this one?
Thanks
Lauren
Hi Lauren, you sure can, just a slightly different flavour. N x
Hello, I am doing the 50% larger recipe with 3 cups of rice. Any tips on how to measure 0.38 of a tsp of pepper ect.?
Hi Maddie, just eyeball it and add 1/3 tsp. N x
Brilliant. Make the extra effort to make your husband go searching for the Chinese cooking wine. It’s so good!
Yes it’s definitely worth it Anne, changes the flavour completely! N x
Thank you for all the great recipes and especially the many tips! I still have a question (maybe I missed it): How do I make fried rice from frozen rice? Thaw slowly before? Or just fry them frozen in the pan?
Hi Sabrina, always thaw or you’ll cool your wok down too much if you throw frozen rice in there 🙂 N x
Really easy to make and yummy as!!. I added some chopped Char Siu Pork and will def make again.. 😃
YUM! Char siu is amazing in fried rice 🙂 N x
We love this!! So easy to make. I love the recipe notes as I am writing on my paper copies all the time. Thank you Nagi!!
You’re so welcome Rebecca! N x
This recipe is great . So easy and soooo delicious.
Thanks so much.
Family loved it ! 🙂
Hi Nagi, I absolutely love this fried rice recipe. Even my husband who doesn’t generally like fried rice. Loves it ! My question is if I want to double the recipe, do I also double all the sauce ingredients? Thanks for your fantastic website. I cook your recipes all the time.
Hi Rose – yes you’ll need to double all the ingredients 🙂 N x
Thank youNagi, it was perfect 👌 😄
Hi Nagi
My daughter can;t eat oyster sauce – what else can I use?
thanks in advance
Hi Michelle, there is a mushroom based “oyster” sauce which is the perfect sub 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi. When I first joined up, you wrote a little blurb about your Mom being asked by your girlfriends (when you were a young child) to make her fried rice. Your Mom used Kikkoman Seasoning Mix. I couldn’t FIND IT so ordered 10 packs from Amazon. NOW I CANNOT FIND THE RECIPE!!!!! Help please? 🇨🇦
Hi Julia, I don’t understand what you’re after? The fried rice recipe? N x
Yes please. Your Mom’s using Kikkoman.
You mean this one?? https://japan.recipetineats.com/japanese-fried-rice-chahan-with-instant-seasoning/
That’s my mother’s JAPANESE fried rice recipe using store bought seasoning!
I’ve been cooking recipes from your website for a few weeks now but this amazing rice finally prompted me to finally write a review. Delicious! Better than takeaway! One (general) question… Do you use 15mL or 20mL tablespoons in your recipes? My rice came out much darker than yours and I was wondering if it was due to me using 20mL tablespoon measurements.
Hi Joanne, I use 15 ml but in the vast majority of my recipes, it does not matter if you use 20ml or 15 ml. BUT if it does matter, I either specify as such or I say 4 tsp (which is 20 ml) or 3 tsp (which is 15 ml) instead (because teaspoons are more standard across the world). 99% of the time it’s baking recipes where it matters. Or where I use a very strong sauce like dark soy sauce. And in those cases, I always cater for the difference. N x
Finally an authentic recipe for fried rice! It really is all about the sauce. Thank you so much, I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Cheers, Liz
Yes 100% Liz! Once you get the sauce right you’ve nailed it! N x