Make Chinese restaurant-style fried rice at home! It whips up in minutes. Chicken, shrimp or pork can be added to make it a filling meal!
A SIMPLE FRIED RICE RECIPE
This is my favorite way to make fried rice. It is so much easier to make than you might thing and it's a great way to use up any leftover rice you may have. It's very easy to customize. Any veggies you love can be added. Broccoli and mushrooms are both good additions to this recipe.
TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE:
- Brown rice can be substituted for white rice.
- Try adding cooked, diced ham, chicken, beef or shrimp to make it a more filling meal.
- Try adding a smidgen of fish sauce for even more flavor!
- This is absolutely delicious served with my GROUND ORANGE CHICKEN RECIPE.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- canola oil
- eggs
- onion
- cooked rice
- frozen peas and carrots
- soy sauce
- white pepper
- salt (if needed, to taste)
- green onions
HOW TO MAKE DELICIOUS FRIED RICE:
In a small bowl, crack your eggs, and with a fork or a whisk, beat the eggs until they are combined. In a wok or a large skillet (with high sides), over high heat, add 2 tbsp. oil and coat the bottom of the pan.
When the oil begins to shimmer, that means it's ready. Pour in the beaten eggs.
You will notice they will puff up. Don't mess with them a lot here. We're not scrambling them, we want fried egg pieces in our fried rice. This is probably easiest with a wok but I don't own one so I have to use my big skillet here. Once they are fully cooked, put them on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
Add in 2 more tbsp. of oil to your pan and begin cooking the diced onions. You want to cook the onions until they are translucent. Season onions with white pepper.
Cook's Notes: You can also use black pepper if that's all you have. No sense in going out to buy a special ingredient just for this. The white pepper just blends in with the color of the rice better but I doubt you'll hear anyone complain if they see black pepper specks in their fried rice. Once your onions are finished, turn the heat down to medium high. Add in 5 cups cooked rice. Stir it around well, combining it with the cooked onions.
Then add in the peas and carrots. They don't need to be totally thawed. I usually just pull the bag out of the freezer as I start preparing the fried rice.
Stir the mixture well. Add in 4 tablespoons of soy sauce.
Give it all a good stir again. Make sure your mixture is getting evenly heated. Also, at this point, do a taste test. Make sure your veggies are up to temperature and your rice is warmed up nicely and that you have enough seasoning to make you happy. Add in any additional salt, pepper or soy sauce that you feel is necessary. Then add in the cooked eggs. Give it another good stir. Then serve! And if you'd like, top each serving with little slices of green onion.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES? GIVE THESE A TRY!
Vegetable Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons canola oil
- 3 large eggs beaten
- ½ medium onion diced
- 5 cups cooked rice
- 2 cups frozen peas and carrots, slightly thawed
- 4 Tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- salt, if needed (to taste)
- 1 bunch sliced green onions optional
Instructions
- In a wok or a large skillet (with high sides), over high heat, add 2 tbsp. oil and coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil begins to shimmer, that means it's ready.
- In a small bowl, crack eggs, and with a fork or a whisk, beat the eggs until they are combined. Add in the beaten eggs. You will notice they will puff up. Don't mess with them a lot here. We're not scrambling them, we want fried egg pieces in our fried rice.
- Once eggs are cooked, put them on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
- Add in 2 more tbsp. of oil to your pan. And begin cooking the diced onions. Cook the onions until they are translucent.
- Season onions with white pepper. Once onions are finished, turn the heat down to medium.
- Add in 5 cups cooked rice. Stir it around well, combining it with the cooked onions.
- Then add in the peas and carrots. Stir the mixture well.
- Add in 4 tbsp. soy sauce. Give it all a good stir again. Make sure the mixture is evenly heated and do a taste test. Make sure the veggies are up to temperature and the rice is warmed up nicely and that you have enough seasoning.
- Add in any additional salt, pepper or soy sauce that you feel is necessary. Then add cooked eggs back in.
- Give it another good stir. Serve topped with sliced green onions (optional)
Video
Notes
- Cooked chicken, shrimp, pork or beef can be added to this recipe.
- Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: October 2012
Updated & republished: May 2020
jose luis luna
I wish I could cook, I love rice, especially the fried one.
Jen
Could you substitute cauliflower rice instead of cooked rice?
Marilyn
I love this recipe, it's so simple, yet so delicious. My family of 5 loves it. I made a little extra rice and added another egg, and some corn. Served it with Orange Chinese Chicken. It was Great! My husband says it's better than the restaurant.
Cathy
Love this recipe, except I use half canola and half sesame oil. I never tried sesame oil until last y ear in my Chinese dishes and what a difference in flavor! My family thinks I ordered take out with almost every Chinese dish I make now.
Debbie Hicks
Just wanted to let you know I love your site. I have made so many of your recipes and they always turn out great. Gonna try this fried rice with grilled chicken in it.
Anonymous
Can you use can mixed vegetables with this?
Michelle Potratz
I basically make it the same way, except I start with 1/2 pkg of diced bacon...fry it until it browns...add 1 diced white onion, fry until the onion is transparent. Then add the mixed veggies, warm veggies... then add the rice. Now add your preference in flavor... soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, a tablespoon of sesame oil... what ever you like... just remember a little goes a long way.
Judith
This was easy and delicious - thanks for the recipe!
The Better Baker
MMMM - I could really pig out on fried rice. Great tutorial Brandie - as always. Thanks for sharing this easy and yummy dish.
Jenn
This sounds great. I bet the white pepper adds a great flavor.
Kari Lindsay
Great, now I'm craving fried rice. We are going out for dinner tonight and I know there won't be any fried rice! What am I going to do?
momphotographer
I love, love, love fried rice and it's the only way my husband eats it!
Snowmanlover
Looks yummy!!!!! I heard to use day old rice for fried rice. Will give this a try! Thank you, Brandi!
Leslie
This fried rice looks delicious! We really love Chinese, too!! I need to try this recipe out.
Blessings,
Leslie
carolinaheartstrings
I love fried rice. Your recipe looks spectacular!
Kenya G. Johnson
Wow you make it look so easy. Eggs have turned on me and I can't eat them anymore. The thought of having fried rice without them just doesn't seem the same. 🙁
Chrissy
I love chinese food too and like you, we never ate out in restaurants, but on the rare occassions we ever did it was only Chinese food. One of my best childhood memories was getting chinese take out during the week between Christmas and New Years. My Italian (right from Italy) Grandparents would be spending the holidays with us and my Grandma loved chinese food. Every year it was the same order- egg drop soup, chicken chow mein and shrimp chow mein . What a treat! Shrimp Chow Mein is still a favorite. It wasn't until I was grown up and working my first job in NYC that I ever tried exotic Lo mein or Sesame chicken !!
Medeja
I like fried rice and I like only the one I am making at home, because in restaurants it is usually so oily..
Rustown Mom
My peeps all LOVE Chinese food and we try to order at least one new thing each time - we might find a new favorite! I used to make fried rice - it's a kid-pleasing thing for sure! Might have to try your recipe (:
Anita at Hungry Couple
I'm not a huge Chinese food eater but fried rice is a must when I do. This is a great, simple recipe to make at home. Thanks!
Frøken Fogh
I still remember the sweet crunchy onions in a chop suey I had in England, 18 years ago! Like it was yesterday!
We have a favorite chinese restaurent where we eat so often that we know the staff by name, and they know ours as well. The kids get christmas gifts from the owner.. oh yes we eat there much too often =)
The recipe looks good, I will have to try it.
4littlefergusons
Simple, beautiful and delicious! Tell you what, you bring your fried rice on over and I'll provide the Sweet and Sour Chicken, and we'll eat like kings! 🙂
Hugs, T
Rosemary
I like all kinds of Chinese food and I'm lucky Mr. Rosemary does, too. He helps me roll up egg rolls when we make them at home. Growing up, though, all we had were LaChoy's canned things. I remember when I first saw fresh bean sprouts, I was floored! All I knew before then were slimy noodles!