An authentic recipe for Thai fried rice – just like you get in Thailand and at Thai restaurants!
Make this with shrimp/prawns, chicken or any protein you wish. If you’re feeling inspired, indulge in a Thai banquet at home with Chicken Satay Skewers, Thai Fish Cakes, and a Thai Red Curry or Green Curry!
Thai Fried Rice
I’m pretty sure every Asian country has their version of Fried Rice, and this is how the Thais make it!
This is a regular when I go out for Thai. While the “normal” thing to do is to have Thai Red Curry or Green Curry with plain steamed jasmine rice, I just can’t resist ordering fried rice instead.
Actually, come to think of it, it’s not just restricted to Thai food… Chinese Fried Rice, Nasi Goreng Indonesian Fried Rice, Indian Biryani, Mexican Red Rice, Middle Eastern spiced pilaf…… I’m a big fan of flavoured rice dishes!
What’s the difference between Thai Fried Rice and Chinese Fried Rice?
Traditionally, Thai Fried Rice is not made with soy sauce. Purists will tell you that if you use soy sauce, it becomes Chinese Fried Rice.
Though this may be the case in the past, the reality is that soy sauce is sometimes used in Thai Fried Rice – both in Thailand and in restaurants outside of Thailand. Also, a few cookbooks I have by by Thai restaurateurs use soy sauce.
So I’ve provided a choice of three sauces to choose from. Which is handy – you can choose depending on what you have or can source.
The other difference is the rice – Thai Fried Rice is made with jasmine rice whereas Chinese fried rice is made with white long grain rice.
What you need
Here’s what goes in Thai Fried Rice.
Why cold cooked rice?
A must for any fried rice, from Chinese to Indonesian! Cold, day old cooked rice dries out so the grains are separate and easy to “stir fry” to make fried rice. Freshly cooked rice becomes gluey when stir fried.
For a truly authentic Thai Fried Rice, use Jasmine Rice.
How to make it
It’s a very straightforward recipe, all cooked up in a single wok or large skillet in a matter of 5 minutes or less.
A unique technique used in Thai cooking is the way the egg is cooked – the other ingredients are pushed to the side, then the egg is scrambled on the other side before tossing through the remaining ingredients.
This same technique is also used in Pad See Ew, a popular Thai Noodle dish.
How and what to serve with Thai Fried Rice
For a truly authentic experience, serve Thai Fried Rice simply with plain wedges of tomato and slices of cucumber. This is just how Thai Fried Rice is served in Thailand!
My favourite way to serve it at home is with Chicken Satay and Thai Fish Cakes. These are dishes usually served as starters at Thai restaurants, but by adding Thai Fried Rice, I make it into a meal.
Otherwise, serve it as part of a multi-dish banquet with a selection of your favourite Thai dishes, such as:
Grilled Marinated Thai Chicken (Gai Yang) or Southern Thai Tumeric Chicken (Grilled or Baked)
Pad Thai and Pad See Ew
For more ideas, have a browse of the Thai recipe collection!
– Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Thai Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or canola or peanut oil)
- 2 large garlic cloves , very finely chopped
- 1/2 onion , diced
- 5 oz / 150 g small prawns/shrimp (cooked or raw) , or chicken breast thinly sliced (Note 1)
- 3 green onion (shallots) , cut into 1.5 “/4 cm pieces
- 2 eggs , lightly beaten
- 3 cups cooked jasmine rice , cold (preferably refrigerated overnight) (Note 2)
- ONE Sauce Option (see below for options)
Sauce Option 1
- 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
Sauce Option 2
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sugar (any type)
Sauce Option 3
- 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp Thai Seasoning (Gold Mountain) (Note 4)
To Serve (optional)
- Tomato wedges
- Cucumber slices
- Fresh coriander
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large wok or a large skillet over medium high heat. (Add 1 tbsp extra oil if using a skillet)
- Add garlic and onion, stir fry for 30 seconds.
- Add prawns/shrimp and white part of green onion, stir fry for 1 minute.
- Push everything to the side and pour the egg onto the other side. Scramble it quickly – about 20 seconds.
- Add the rice and Sauce of choice. Stir fry for 2 minutes, adding green part of green onions halfway through, until all the rice is coated with the Sauce.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh cilantro/coriander with tomato and cucumbers on the side. (See in post for more serving ideas)
Recipe Notes:
- Soy Sauce + Oyster Sauce is more akin to Thai home cooking
- Fish sauce + Oyster Sauce is the version that purists say is “real” Thai fried rice without soy sauce
- Sauce with Thai Seasoning Sauce is commonly used by Thai restaurants in Australia.
Nutrition Information:
Originally published September 2015. Updated with much needed new photos, brand new video, new writing, new process photos!
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Wow Wow Wow! This was a HUGE hit with my family. I am making it again tonight but with more chicken and just having it as a meal on its own. I did the Fish sauce/oyster sauce/sugar combination. Thank you very much for sharing this one.
That’s great to hear Megan! Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x
Hi Nagi,
I can’t get my hands on that thai seasoning however i have maggi seasoning sauce at home- will that work instead?
Hi Kate! That will still make a super delish fried rice, I do that myself sometimes 🙂 N x
Turned out perfect! Thanks for the recipe.
Wonderful! So glad you love this as much as I do Keerthana, thanks for letting me know! N x
Absolutely spectacular recipe! I didn’t have any chicken or spring onions and it still came out great. I included a handful of Thai basil as well. Definitely making this again. Thank you!
I’m pleased you enjoyed it Michelle, thanks for letting me know! N x
I have frozen cooked chicken shredded in the freezer. Would that be okay to use Nagi?V
Yes x a million! 🙂
I made thisnrice with the oyster sauce/fish sauce combo and it was incredible! Great recipe exactly as is!
YESSS!!! 🙌🏻 So pleased to hear that Vida, thank you for letting me know! N xx
This recipe is so fast, easy, and delicious! Now I can make Thai fried rice at home, better than most restaurants in my SoCal city, for a fraction of the price. I’ve made it 3 times using the fish+oyster+sugar sauce. I’m totally impressing people with this one. Last time I made it there were 3 people crowded around my wok watching me make it! I’ve got rice in my cooker right now for this recipe tomorrow. Thank you so much.
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it Megan, thanks for letting me know! I love this recipe too 🙂 N x
This was SO good!
Virtual high five! YESSS!! So glad you enjoyed it Sarah, thank you so much for coming back to let me know! N x
Hi, i am from netherland and i have problems to convert the australian measures to dutch measures. Can someone help me?
Hi Peggy! Which measures are you finding confusing? 🙂
Is the 1 1/2 Thai seasoning also Tablespoon or teaspoon?
So glad to find this site. Husband lived in Thailand and we have been practicing recipes for 25 years. We are blessed to have Wat Carolina right near us. We visit and take food to the monks who live there. All the authentic hints are very helpful. Will not be using soy sauce. We love thai red curry paste and green curry paste and peanut sauce – all are ready to use and have a deep range of ingredients that are not in our local food stores. Near us are wonderful restaurants such as Thai Peppers in Southport, NC.
Ohhhhh wow Kay! I love reading this message, how wonderful that you take food to the monks!!❤️
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thai fried rice is probably my favourite Thai dish and this recipe is spot on authentic. Now I can recreate the taste of my last Thai holiday any night of the week! Just made this with leftover BBQ chicken and my husband licked his plate clean. So simple but absolutely scrumptious!!!
Woo hoo! SO GLAD you enjoyed this Pengini, THANK YOU for letting me know! N x
Delicious recipe. Quick and easy to prepare! Great flavours!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this too Kelly! Thanks so much for letting me know! N x
Love this recipe Nagi , thank you. I like the relatively short ingredient list and it sounds more than do-able for a weeknight dinner. My hubby would love this…I gotta try it!
Hope you do Lona!! Really is DELISH! N x
Great recipe
Thank you Lora! N x
I made this last night with the fish sauce + oyster sauce combo. It was delicious!
I actually used cooked chicken leftover from a roast at the weekend and that seemed to work just fine and it didn’t dry out. I also added a chopped red chilli at the same time as the spring onions and chicken to give it a little heat.
I am SO GLAD you enjoyed this Douglas! ? Thank you so much for coming back to let me know!!
Ohh Nagi…… Thanks a ton for the recipe. My family loved it and more over my 2yr kid he loved it the most. We had tried this fired rice in Spain in one of the Thai restaurant & we were completely fallen for it, since then I was hunting for the recipe and finally my search ends here. Thanks again for the lovely recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Trupti!!! Especially glad your 2yo loved it!
Hi! This looks amazing! Can you tell me how the taste changes with the different sauces? I love the fried rice from this one restaurant in San Francisco but it’s 40 minutes away from me. So if I could re-create it myself and have it anytime I want, I’d be in heaven 🙂
Also, I’ve been making fried rice with oyster sauce and soy sauce and it doesn’t taste like what I’ve had at Thai restaurants, so maybe they go the fish sauce route?
Honestly? The difference is small. If you read Note 3, it will describe the difference. The Thai Seasoning one is definitely the most “restaurant” like, but all 3 are similar and it’s about which is best suited to ingredients you have access to!
This is absolutely delicious. I make it everytime I miss real thai food. My kids and husband love it too.
THANK YOU SARA!! I miss real Thai food too…. 🙁
5 star
It’s gonna be forever before I try the one with the Gold Mountain Thai seasoning. On Amazon.ca, it’s called “Golden Mountain” and costs roughly $75 per 740ml bottle! Ack! Here’s to hoping I can find some that doesn’t require gold to buy it! LOL If you have suggestions for alternatives that taste like the Thai seasoning, please let me know.
Oh my gosh, you’re kidding!!! Do you have an Asian grocery store in your area?? You’ll find it at any Asian store 🙂 (PS It costs $2 at mine!)
Just tried this recipe. Easy to make and absolutely Delicious!
YAY! So glad you loved it Charisse, thanks so much for taking the time to come back and let me know! 🙂
Fly & Flop !! Haha I love that. Sadly my husband hates beach holidays but it means we end up exploring interesting places eating lots of weird and wonderful food instead. I love Thai food too – but I must admit a use soy sauce in everything I didn’t realise that made it Chinese. Oops!
Isn’t that the best? Going off the beaten track! And there’s no “oops” about using soy sauce!! Honestly, 2 of the best Thai restauranteurs in the WORLD use soy sauce in their fried rice. 🙂