BEST Fried Rice | *EASIEST* Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2024)

5 from 13 votes

23 comments

December 12, 2018

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Ready for a miracle recipe? This easy Fried Rice Recipe is healthier than most and ready to eat in 10-minutes. Thanks to some frozen rice, precooked bacon and frozen asian veggies, this recipe comes together in a cinch. SO SO delicious on its own, but even more tasty served with Stir Fry or Potstickers.

BEST Fried Rice | *EASIEST* Recipe - Lauren's Latest (1)

Fried Rice Made Easy (and Fast!)

My friend from college (Hi Jessie!) told me about this quick and healthy way that she makes Fried Rice. So, I gave it a whirl with what I had on hand one night and believe it or not, this was a 10-minute miracle dinner that my entire family gobbled up. Even Eddie (11 months) was screaming and reaching for more! I couldn’t give that boy bites fast enough!! Needless to say, it was a hit. Taking shortcuts from the store is the name of the game for this Fried Rice.

See 30+ Ideas for What to Serve with Fried Rice.

Main Ingredients Needed

I like to take hints from the store by using pre-cooked bacon, frozen rice, and frozen Asian veggies, but that is the beauty of this recipe and why I like it so much. It’s a 10-minute dinner {and sanity} saver!! Feel free to use this recipe as a base and add or subtract ingredients as you like. Here’s what you’ll need for Fried Rice:

  • Olive Oil –the oil used to stir fry everything.
  • Onion and Garlic –any good recipe starts out with these two. They are packed with flavor!
  • Bacon – I’d highly recommend not skippingthe bacon because that’s how I had it in Mauiand I’m converted. I will never go back and you can’t make me.
  • Mushrooms –If you don’t like mushrooms, don’t add them in. No big deal 🙂
  • Frozen Brown Rice –see here for my how-to on frozen brown rice. Or cook it yourself. Also, white rice is a fine substitute.
  • Frozen Asian Vegetables and Edamame – a great shortcut is to use frozen veggies and frozen edamame.
  • Egg Whites –alternatively you could use whole eggs.
  • Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil –for umami flavor and seasoning.
  • Pepper –season to taste.

Of course, you could take a few extra minutes and cook up some chicken too, but that would turn this into a 15-minute dinner and I didn’t want to commit to the extra 5 minutes in the kitchen if I didn’t have to. Priorities, people.

BEST Fried Rice | *EASIEST* Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2)

How to Make Fried Rice

Be sure to watch the video in the recipe card if you’re confused about this process at all. It’s a super good How-To on making Fried Rice.

  1. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Saute onion, bacon, and mushrooms 2 minutes or until onions start becoming tender. Add in garlic and stir until fragrant; about 30 seconds.
  2. Pour in frozen brown rice, frozen vegetables, and edamame. Increase heat to high and stir fry until completely warmed through. Reduce heat to medium.
  3. Push rice mixture to one side of the pan and scramble the egg whites on the empty side of the pan. Once they are scrambled to your liking, stir into the rice and toss with soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper. Stir briefly and serve hot.

Leftovers

Any leftover fried rice can be refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to 4 days!

Tips and Tricks for the BEST Fried Rice

  • Cold Rice.Day-old rice (cold refrigerated rice) fries up so much better in fried rice recipes. This is because the rice is a little dried out, and thus less sticky. That means all of the flavorful juices produced by the veggies and sauces can be soaked up by each individual rice grain! So make sure to plan ahead of time.
  • High Heat.Stir-frying is where you quickly fry your dish over high heat. So because this is stir-fried rice, use high heat. You are going to reduce the heat to medium for the eggs at the end.
  • Veggies.Vegetables are our best friends when it comes to fried rice recipes. They provide so much flavor and freshness. Plus a mix of textures to keep things interesting.
  • Cooking the Eggs Separate.Be sure to scoot your rice mixture to the side before cooking your eggs. This ensures that the egg is fully cooked.

More Recipes to Check Out!

  • Asian BBQ Turkey Meatballs with Zucchini Fried Rice
  • Cauliflower Fried Rice
  • Thai Chicken Bites
  • Chow Mein
  • Chicken Pad Thai
  • Homemade Teriyaki Chicken

So, below is the printable recipe. Be sure to save this easy fried rice recipe for a busy weeknight! It’s amazing and miraculous and you’ll never be the same again. Have a wonderful day!

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you wouldgive it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.

5 from 13 votes

Easy Fried Rice Recipe

This easy Fried Rice Recipe is healthy and quick! 10-minutes and you'll believe in miracles! SO SO delicious and good for you!

servings 4 servings

Prep Time 2 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 12 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion finely diced
  • 5 slices pre-cooked bacon chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms optional
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 12 oz. frozen brown rice
  • 10.8 oz. frozen Asian vegetables I use steam fresh
  • 1/2 cup frozen edamame
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • pepper to taste

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Place a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Saute onion, bacon,and mushrooms 2 minutes or until onions start becoming tender. Add in garlic and stir until fragrant; about 30 seconds.

  • Pour in frozen brown rice, frozen vegetables,and edamame. Increase heat to high and stir fry until completely warmed through. Reduce heat to medium.

  • Push rice mixture to one side of the pan and scramble the egg whites on the empty side of the pan. Once they are scrambled to your liking, stir into the rice and toss with soy sauce, sesame oil,and pepper. Stir briefly and serve hot.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 641kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 1073mg | Potassium: 702mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3885IU | Vitamin C: 10.6mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 3.3mg

Course: Dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: Fried Rice, fried rice recipe, how to make fried rice

BEST Fried Rice | *EASIEST* Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2024)

FAQs

Is frozen rice good for fried rice? ›

There will be mornings when you wake up craving fried rice for dinner. If there's no day-old rice in the house, don't freak out—just turn to the freezer. Make a batch of rice and spread it in a thin layer on a sheet tray.

What is the best rice for fried rice? ›

The Best Rice for Fried Rice

Long grain rice has less starch which makes it the perfect choice for fried rice. Using a long grain rice like jasmine rice will result is soft and fluffy rice every time! Other rice varieties like short grain sushi rice would not work for fried rice.

How to make egg fried rice Gordon Ramsay? ›

✨Gordon Ramsay's Fried Rice Recipe: Garlic Ginger Chilis Green Onion Spring Greens 2 Heads Broccoli 2 Eggs Peanut Oil Fish sauce Directions: 1. Add oil to hot wok, and stir fry garlic, ginger, chili, spring greens, and broccoli. 2. Add cooked rice (day old) and fry.

Can I freeze fried rice with egg in it? ›

Similar to freezing boiled rice, you can freeze egg fried rice for up to one month. If you leave it any longer, both the eggs and the rice will develop a mushy texture upon defrosting. Tip: When you come to reheating your egg fried rice, try frying it back up again in the pan.

What makes fried rice taste better? ›

To give your dish that signature fried rice taste, you'll need to drizzle in sesame oil and soy sauce, but feel free to use as much or as little as you wish. You can even mix in things like garlic powder, ginger root, or Sriracha sauce and chili pepper for a bit of a kick.

What is the difference between fried rice and Chinese fried rice? ›

The usage of rice

But in Chinese rice, it is suggested to use leftover cooked rice to avoid the rice from being sticky. In Fried Rice, most quick-service restaurants (QSRs) use long-grain white rice like Basmati, whereas Jasmine Rice is used in Chinese Rice.

What is the best oil for fried rice? ›

It is key to the authentic flavor of this dish. Peanut oil. this is another ingredient that adds authentic flavor to this recipe, but if you have a peanut allergy in your household you can substitute canola oil or additional sesame oil for the peanut oil.

What is the secret ingredient to restaurant fried rice? ›

Cooking bits of chopped vegetables, seasoning, soy sauce, and oil, seems easy enough. However, when making fried rice at home, there's one ingredient you may be overlooking: Sugar.

Do you put egg before or after rice for fried rice? ›

Thirdly, the right order is to pan fry eggs, then followed by rice. Many people make the mistake to put in rice first, then pour in whisked eggs. This would make the rice soggy and mushy by absorbing the egg mixture.

Why add mayo to fried rice? ›

To ensure that your rice is nicely fried, mix a bit of mayo in it before frying. The oil in the mayo will coat the rice so that it does not stick together.

Why do you use leftover rice for egg fried rice? ›

You could make fried rice from freshly cooked rice, but it's not likely going to have the right texture because it will be too moist. Leftover rice is ideal because it's drier and therefore, cooks great right in your skillet along with the other ingredients.

Why does rice have to be cold for egg fried rice? ›

Rice dries a little as it cools, and then dryness will help stop the fried rice going sticky and claggy. Rice that has cooled and dried a little will also absorb more flavour. Serve up with your favourite Chinese dish or even on its own.

How long does fried rice last in the fridge? ›

According to Foodsafety. gov's FoodKeeper App, cooked rice lasts four to six days in the fridge. The National Health Service (the publicly funded healthcare system in England), however, recommends a shorter shelf life: It should be reheated and eaten within one day.

How do you defrost rice for fried rice? ›

Microwave the rice in one minute intervals, fluffing it after each minute, until it's thawed. Breaking up the softening mound of rice with a spoon and fluffing it will help it defrost faster. Continue to microwave and fluff the rice at 1-minute intervals until the rice is completely defrosted.

Does frozen cooked rice taste good? ›

Yes! You can easily freeze cooked rice, which is great if you've made too much or want to shave down how much time you spend making dinner. You can also freeze rice that has other ingredients mixed in, including veggies or meat, as a simple part of your weekly meal prep.

Is it best to use cold rice for fried rice? ›

1) Use cold rice: You've gotta plan ahead and use thoroughly-chilled cooked rice. A fresh batch of warm (or even lukewarm) rice will not fry well when it hits the hot pan, and will result in soggy and sticky clumps — no good. So leftover refrigerated rice is ideal!

Why don't you use fresh rice for fried rice? ›

Unlike freshly cooked rice, which forms soft, mushy clumps when stir-fried, chilled leftover white rice undergoes a process called retrogradation, in which the starch molecules form crystalline structures that make the grains firm enough to withstand the second round of cooking.

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