This easy Egg Fried Rice recipe is a delicious, classic stir-fry dish featuring light and fluffy rice, filled with scrambled eggs and tender veggies. It’s a super quick and simple to make recipe that can be served as a main course or a hearty and filling side dish.
Egg Fried Rice Recipe
Fried rice is one of the most popular choices at any Chinese restaurant. But you can skip the takeout with this recipe! This egg stir fried rice is so full of Asian flavors and the best part is it only takes about 20 minutes to prepare, making it a quick way to get dinner ready on a busy weeknight.
Using simple ingredients like fresh eggs, cooked white rice, and tender diced vegetables, you’re sure to have a warm and delicious meal that’s always a huge hit with adults and kids alike.
Once you see how easy it is to make this stir-fried rice, have fun with it and use it as a base to create other amazing recipes. From additional vegetables to adding in different types of meats, you can create countless dishes with a different twist every time. If you love the Asian flavors in this recipe, you should also try this amazing Mongolian Beef Stir Fry and this scrumptious Beef and Broccoli.
Why We Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy recipe: It only takes about 20 minutes from prep to plate, using basic ingredients.
- Great way to use leftover rice: Leftover rice usually gets tossed at the end of the meal, but this recipe turns those leftovers into an incredibly tasty dish.
- Super versatile dish: You can add or change up the ingredients in so many different ways that it’s like having a brand-new recipe each time.
Ingredients
- Sesame oil – This helps sauté the vegetables giving them a nice nutty flavor.
- Diced onion and diced carrots – They add a bit of crunch, flavor and texture to the fried rice.
- Grated garlic and grated ginger – Used as a classic aromatic in most fried rice recipes to add robust flavors.
- Butter – Adds a richness and helps sauté the rice. You can use olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil or any neutral vegetable oil if you prefer.
- Cooked rice – Perfect way to use up leftover cold rice. You can also use an instant rice if you’d like.
- Soy sauce – This gives the dish that earthy umami taste.
- Beaten eggs –You can use as many as you prefer, though for this recipe we used 2 large eggs.
- Thinly sliced green onions – Gives the dish a nice pop of fresh flavor.
How to Make East Chinese Egg Fried Rice
Place a large non-stick pan or large wok over medium heat and add the sesame oil.
Step One: Sauté the Veggies
- When the oil is warm, add the onion and carrot. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the vegetables are al dente and just beginning to brown.
- Next add the garlic and ginger. Stir and cook for an additional minute.
Step Two: Add the Aromatics
- Add the butter to the large skillet with the cooked veggies and allow it to melt.
Step Three: Add in the Rice and Soy Sauce
- Then add the rice and stir to combine. Break up any rice clumps.
- Next add the soy sauce and cook the rice, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
Step Four: Cook the Egg
- Create a hole in the center of the warm rice and add the beaten egg.
- Allow the eggs to cook for 30 seconds, or until scrambled. Then break up the scrambled egg into small pieces and stir them into the rice.
Step Five: Garnish and Serve
- Remove the fried rice from the heat and add the spring onions and add a dash of extra soy sauce if you prefer.
- Season with a little salt and white pepper or black pepper to taste. Serve the hot rice immediately and enjoy.
Top Tips for Using Fresh Garlic and Ginger
For best results, you’ll want to use a micro plane or citrus zester when using fresh garlic and fresh ginger to get a smooth texture. This is the easiest way to make sure you don’t bite into bigger pieces of raw ginger.
You can also buy the grated paste that comes in a tube in the refrigerated, produce section at the grocery store.
Fried Rice Variations and Favorite Mix-ins
- Love spicy food? Just whisk 1-2 teaspoons of sriracha, garlic chili sauce or hot sauce with the soy sauce.
- Use more veggies: Add up to 2 cups of small, diced broccoli, mushrooms, chopped green beans, bell peppers, cauliflower, edamame, snow peas, when sauteing the carrots.
- Add more protein: Add cooked diced chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp to the veggies. Bacon fried rice is especially delicious and is a very quick stir fry recipe.
- Different types of rice: You can use just about any type of leftover rice you have on hand. This Jasmine Rice works great, but you can use regular basmati rice, brown rice or any type of rice you like.
- Pineapple fried rice: Add a bit of sweetness to the stir fry with pineapple tidbits. Add them right after you have finished sautéing the vegetables.
- Toppings: Sprinkle on some sesame seeds, bean sprouts for a a couple extra tasty toppings.
Why Should I Use Leftover Rice?
Leftover cold rice works best in this recipe because it doesn’t contain as much moisture as it does the same day it’s cooked. This helps to create fluffy, separated rice grains.
But if you forget to save your leftover rice, no worries. You can use freshly prepared rice by just spreading out a layer of the freshly cooked rice onto a large baking sheet and allow it to dry out for a couple of hours. This isn’t required but by using drier grains of rice the less clumpy your fried rice will be.
More Quick Dinner Recipes
- Air Fryer French Bread Pizza
- Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs
- Neiman Marcus Chicken Salad
- Air Fryer Chick-fil-a Nuggets
- Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Frito Pie Casserole
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Easy Egg Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- ½ cup diced onion
- ½ cup diced carrot
- 1 teaspoon grated garlic*
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger*
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cups cooked white rice
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ¼ cup thinly sliced green onion
Instructions
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the sesame oil.
- When the oil is warm, add the onion and carrot. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and just beginning to brown.
- Next add the garlic and ginger. Stir and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt. Then add the rice and stir to combine.
- Next add the soy sauce and cook the rice, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
- Create a hole in the center of the rice and add the beaten eggs. Allow the eggs to cook for 30 seconds, or until scrambled. Then break up the eggs and stir them into the rice.
- Remove the fried rice from the heat and add the green onions. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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