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This Chinese-inspired fried rice recipe is my absolute fave. It’s quick and easy to make, customizable with any of your favorite mix-ins, and so irresistibly delicious.
Hey friends! I’m digging back into the blog archives today to share one of my all-time favorite recipes.
My favorite homemade fried rice. ♡
Growing up, our family had a tradition of eating lunch every Saturday at our neighborhood’s favorite local Chinese restaurant. And every single Saturday for lunch, I ordered the same thing — egg drop soup and fried rice, my absolute favorites. This restaurant set the bar high for me early when it comes to how amazing fried rice could be. Theirs was always perfectly al dente with slightly crispy edges, full of rich savory flavors, and loaded up with plenty of extra veggies, eggs, and whatever protein sounded good.
After our favorite restaurant sadly closed over a decade ago, I spent years tinkering around with dozens and dozens of batches of fried rice, attempting to recreate a fried recipe that tasted as good as theirs. And while nothing will ever match the original in my book, this fried rice recipe that I’ve landed on is as close as I’ve come and has been my favorite go-to ever since. It’s surprisingly speedy to make, easy to customize with your favorite add-ins, and SO flavorful and comforting. Thousands of our readers have also made and enjoyed it over the years since. So if you’re looking for a good recipe to try, I hope you’ll enjoy it too.
Let’s make some homemade fried rice!
Fried Rice Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Tips For Making The Best Fried Rice:
Ok, let’s get right to it. Here are the important things I have learned over the years about how to make the best 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! Or, if you are in a hurry (or have an impulse craving for fried rice, which I completely understand ?), just cook up a fresh batch of rice. Then spread it out on a baking sheet or another large flat pan, drape the rice with a layer of plastic wrap, then pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes (or in the freezer for 10-15 minutes) until it is thoroughly chilled (not frozen).
2) Use butter: Yes, butter. I have made many a batch of fried rice using various oils, and I’m now convinced there’s a reason why Japanese steak houses use that big slab of butter when they’re making fried rice. It just tastes so much better, and also makes everything brown up perfectly. (Although by contrast to Japanese steak houses, we only use 3 tablespoons for a large batch of rice in this recipe.)
3) Use veggies: This is one of my big pet peeves with lame take-out fried rice — not enough veggies! In addition to adding some nice spots of color, veggies go a long way in adding some flavor and freshness to fried rice. Our local Chinese restaurant always added both white and green onions, too, which I included in this recipe. But feel free to modernize this recipe with some other delicious stir-fried veggies as well!
4) Use toasted sesame oil and oyster sauce: If you do not eat seafood, you can leave out the oyster sauce and your fried rice will still be great. But this ingredient makes such a difference in good fried rice, and a little goes a long way. So even if you’re not into oysters, don’t be scared of oyster sauce! Toasted sesame oil, on the other hand, is 100% non-negotiable. It is my favorite smelling ingredient in my kitchen, and tastes wonderful in fried rice. (Also note that sesame oil is meant as a finishing oil, not a cooking oil, so remove the pan from the heat and then stir it in.)
5) Use high heat: This will help fry and brown the rice and veggies well, and will also help prevent the rice from steaming in the pan instead of frying.
6) Let the rice brown a bit on the bottom: If you’re like me and love your rice to be a bit crispy, let it rest for a bit in between stirs so that it can brown a bit on the bottom. It also helps greatly to use a non-stick skillet so that the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
7) Don’t be afraid to add in some extra soy sauce at the end: I know that everyone has different sensitivities to salt, and different brands of soy sauce also contain pretty dramatically different levels of sodium. So I went a little light on soy sauce in the recipe below. But please add more at the end if this tastes good to you. I almost always stir an extra drizzle into my portion and love it.
Homemade Fried Rice Ingredients:
Alright, so let’s talk ingredients. To make this fried rice recipe, you will need (affiliate links included):
Cooked, chilled rice: Any kind of white or brown rice will do. Just be sure that it is cooked (I always cook mine in this rice cooker, which works like a charm) and thoroughly chilled (in a sealed container in the refrigerator) before adding it to your hot skillet. Again, freshly-cooked rice will not work well in this recipe.
Eggs: Which add great flavor, texture and protein.
Carrots, onions, green onions and peas: This is the base mix of veggies that I always use for fried rice, but feel free to add in other stir-fry veggies you love (see ideas below).
Garlic: Freshly-minced.
Soy sauce: I created this recipe using low-sodium soy sauce. So add less if you’re using traditional soy sauce.
Oyster sauce: This is a major flavor booster in fried rice and (don’t worry) doesn’t taste like oysters. You can find it in the Asian section of grocery stores, or order it on Amazon.
Toasted sesame oil: The finishing touch in this recipe, which is a must. You can also find it in the Asian section of grocery stores, or order it on Amazon.
Butter: My favorite way to stir fry rice.
How To Make Fried Rice:
To make this homemade fried rice recipe, simply:
Scramble eggs: Using a small pat of butter, scramble some eggs in a large sauté pan, breaking them into small pieces as you go. Then transfer the eggs to a separate plate, and set aside.
Sauté veggies and garlic: Return your sauté pan to the heat, and sauté the onions, carrots, peas and garlic until soft and cooked through.
Stir fry rice: Then turn the burner to high heat. Scooch the veggies over to one side of the pan, melt the remaining butter in the other half, and add the chilled rice, soy sauce, and oyster sauce (if using). Then stir to combine with the veggies and continue sautéing the rice, stirring every 15-20 seconds or so for 3 minutes, or until you notice the rice and veggies starting to brown slightly.
Remove pan from heat. And stir in your green onions, sesame oil, and scrambled eggs.
Taste and season. Give the rice a taste, and season with salt and pepper, plus any extra soy sauce or sesame oil if needed.
Serve! Then dish it up and serve nice and warm!
Easy Fried Rice Variations:
The sky’s the limit when it comes to homemade fried rice variations, so feel free to get creative and use up other leftover ingredients you may happen to have on hand. That said, here are some classic add-ins:
Chicken Fried Rice: You can either sauté some chicken in a separate sauté pan while making your fried rice. Then shred or dice and add to your fried rice. Or for a shortcut, I like to shred a rotisserie chicken. Or even better, shred leftovers from my favorite baked chicken breasts recipe.
Pork Fried Rice: Sauté a boneless pork chop in a separate sauté pan while making your fried rice. Then dice and add to your rice.
Beef Fried Rice: Sauté steak or brown ground beef in a separate sauté pan while making your fried rice. Then crumble or dice and add to your rice.
Shrimp Fried Rice: Sauté half a pound of peeled, raw shrimp in separate sauté pan while making your fried rice. Then add the shrimp to your rice.
Vegetable Fried Rice: Any stir-fry friendly veggies would be great in fried rice! Just sauté at the same time that you cook the onions, carrots, peas and garlic. Then stir to combine with the fried rice.
Kimchi Fried Rice: Fresh kimchi adds a major flavor boost to fried rice. Just chop and stir it in to make kimchi fried rice.
Pineapple Fried Rice: Fresh pineapple can be traditional in Chinese or Thai fried rice. Just chop and stir it in to combine.
Also, in lieu of using traditional white rice in this recipe, feel free to make:
Fried Brown Rice: For a healthier twist, feel free to use cooked brown rice in this recipe instead of white rice.
Learn how to make fried rice with this classic recipe. It only takes 15 minutes to make, it’s easy to customize with your favorite add-ins, and it’s SO flavorful and delicious!
Heat 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a large sauté pan* over medium-high heat until melted. Add egg, and cook until scrambled, stirring occasionally. Remove egg, and transfer to a separate plate.
Add an additional 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and heat until melted. Add carrots, onion, peas and garlic, and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onion and carrots are soft. Increase heat to high, add in the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter, and stir until melted. Immediately add the rice, green onions, soy sauce and oyster sauce (if using), and stir until combined. Continue sautéing for an additional 3 minutes to fry the rice, stirring occasionally. (I like to let the rice rest for a bit between stirs so that it can crisp up on the bottom.) Then add in the eggs and stir to combine. Remove from heat, and stir in the sesame oil until combined. Taste and season with extra soy sauce, if needed.
Serve immediately, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
*Sauté pan: If you happen to own a nonstick or cast-iron pan, I would recommend it for this recipe. But that said, any pan that you have can work — you may just have to be a bit more vigilant with stirring so that the rice and eggs don’t stick.
Great recipe!
Nice and easy to follow along with for the unsure cooks, and getting great results!
I’d be a little cautious of reheating again after chilling as rice should not be reheated twice – just a thought 🤷🏻♂️
I’ve seen a lot of people on her using frozen veg and that what we did too – worked a treat but I did put double the amount in – I also used 4 eggs not 2…
Thanks a million! 🙌🏼
This is mostly right. You might need a few tips from Uncle Roger. No peanut oil? No MSG? whaaaaaat. But much better version of fried rice than Jamie Oliver that’s for sure. He butchered it about as bad as one can. By the way I have no idea how to cook. So you can basically ignore my opinion. But I stand by the lack of peanut oil and MSG and the use of butter. But good job, just check out Uncle Roger he can help perfect it. Have a nice day!
One thing not clear – rice can only be reheated once, whilst the recipe calls for frozen rice to begin with and then suggests that it can be refrigerated for 3 days again once the dish is cooked. Feels a bit unsafe, no?
Well, I’ll add just one more voice fo the chorus; this recipe is fantastic! Easy and delicious and highly adaptable. Best fried rice recipe I’ve found. Thanks!
Great tasting and easy to make fried rice. I used a bag of frozen carrots and peas mix. I also couldn’t find the toasted oil so just used regular oil and it still gave some good flavor. Always wanted to make fried rice and will be making this recipe again.
Best ever fried rice. I always add diced Chinese sausage and sometimes shrimp or chicken or…simple delicious. The longer you let the rice crisp on the bottom the better.
Was racking my brain for a quick and easy recipe after a looong tiring day with not much in the fridge. Had some leftover rice and found this recipe. OMG! So delicious. Did I say I was tired? I was so lazy that I used a bowl with about a TSP of hot Pace Picante sauce left in it to scramble the eggs. That added just a little spice to the rice. Used about a TBSP of fish sauce instead of oyster sauce. Will definitely make again! Thanks so much for making our lives easier with your always delicious recipes, and my newly discovered travel guides! Love love love Barcelona! Sorry you had to leave!
My husband is Pacific Islander, so I have always made fried rice for 58 years since it’s his favorite. But your recipe is over the top I love it.
I never had used carrots, they add, I also use celery. Because of you I use more butter. The best ingredient is sesame oil it’s the secret ingredient. WOW
This was delicious! I used extra garlic, brown rice (straight from the heat because I’m impatient 😜 ), less sodium soy sauce, and left out the oyster sauce only because I don’t have any. My son and I love fried rice, and usually we want some well after every store and restaurant has closed. Thank you for sharing a simple, easy to modify recipe!
this recipe was so good!! my husband’s only complaint was “where’s the meat?” So next time I make this (and there will be a next time) I’ll add some meat.
Thank you for a great tasting recipe.
This could be the 9,999th time I’ve made this recipe and I canNOT stop raving about it. This rice has spoiled me and I can’t order fried rice – even at my favorite Chinese restaurant! Heaven, pure heaven!!!
I love this recipe! Butter was what I have been missing my whole life. Total game changer! The only thing I add beyond what you have is that I love the taste of hoisin sauce so I add couple tablespoons.
This is a great recipe! The butter is important. Doesnt take much but you should use it. I use fish sauce instead of oyster sauce. Its easier to find. The toasted sesame oil is necessary. Frozen peas and carrots are fine. I reverse sear a pork chop and cut it across the grain, then toss that in also. Leftover chicken, beef or peeled shrimp are also good. Nom, nom.
This is my first ever recipe review and I’m here to tell you that this is exactly like the fried rice I buy from our local Chinese take away. It is amazing! I’m a useless cook, but even I nailed this. 10/10.
Great recipe!
Nice and easy to follow along with for the unsure cooks, and getting great results!
I’d be a little cautious of reheating again after chilling as rice should not be reheated twice – just a thought 🤷🏻♂️
I’ve seen a lot of people on her using frozen veg and that what we did too – worked a treat but I did put double the amount in – I also used 4 eggs not 2…
Thanks a million! 🙌🏼
★★★★★
This recipe and the tips are just awesome! Got it right at first Go thanks to the clear communication of tips! Thank you.
★★★★★
This is mostly right. You might need a few tips from Uncle Roger. No peanut oil? No MSG? whaaaaaat. But much better version of fried rice than Jamie Oliver that’s for sure. He butchered it about as bad as one can. By the way I have no idea how to cook. So you can basically ignore my opinion. But I stand by the lack of peanut oil and MSG and the use of butter. But good job, just check out Uncle Roger he can help perfect it. Have a nice day!
One thing not clear – rice can only be reheated once, whilst the recipe calls for frozen rice to begin with and then suggests that it can be refrigerated for 3 days again once the dish is cooked. Feels a bit unsafe, no?
Well, I’ll add just one more voice fo the chorus; this recipe is fantastic! Easy and delicious and highly adaptable. Best fried rice recipe I’ve found. Thanks!
★★★★★
Great tasting and easy to make fried rice. I used a bag of frozen carrots and peas mix. I also couldn’t find the toasted oil so just used regular oil and it still gave some good flavor. Always wanted to make fried rice and will be making this recipe again.
★★★★★
Best ever fried rice. I always add diced Chinese sausage and sometimes shrimp or chicken or…simple delicious. The longer you let the rice crisp on the bottom the better.
★★★★★
Was racking my brain for a quick and easy recipe after a looong tiring day with not much in the fridge. Had some leftover rice and found this recipe. OMG! So delicious. Did I say I was tired? I was so lazy that I used a bowl with about a TSP of hot Pace Picante sauce left in it to scramble the eggs. That added just a little spice to the rice. Used about a TBSP of fish sauce instead of oyster sauce. Will definitely make again! Thanks so much for making our lives easier with your always delicious recipes, and my newly discovered travel guides! Love love love Barcelona! Sorry you had to leave!
★★★★★
My husband is Pacific Islander, so I have always made fried rice for 58 years since it’s his favorite. But your recipe is over the top I love it.
I never had used carrots, they add, I also use celery. Because of you I use more butter. The best ingredient is sesame oil it’s the secret ingredient. WOW
★★★★★
I will never go out for the fried rice again. I did add shrimp. Delicious
★★★★★
This turned out amazing. I used leftover fried chicken and frozen carrots and peas. Added extra oyster sauce. Very flexible and yummy recipe.
★★★★★
Made this tonight with cauliflower rice and it was perfect.
★★★★★
This was delicious! I used extra garlic, brown rice (straight from the heat because I’m impatient 😜 ), less sodium soy sauce, and left out the oyster sauce only because I don’t have any. My son and I love fried rice, and usually we want some well after every store and restaurant has closed. Thank you for sharing a simple, easy to modify recipe!
★★★★★
Love this recipe. I used mushrooms, garlic, peas, bean sprouts, bell peppers and cashews. Fabulous with and without the oyster sauce.
★★★★★
this recipe was so good!! my husband’s only complaint was “where’s the meat?” So next time I make this (and there will be a next time) I’ll add some meat.
Thank you for a great tasting recipe.
★★★★★
This could be the 9,999th time I’ve made this recipe and I canNOT stop raving about it. This rice has spoiled me and I can’t order fried rice – even at my favorite Chinese restaurant! Heaven, pure heaven!!!
★★★★★
I love this recipe! Butter was what I have been missing my whole life. Total game changer! The only thing I add beyond what you have is that I love the taste of hoisin sauce so I add couple tablespoons.
★★★★★
Can you use jasmine rice?
Hi! great recipe.thanks. One thing though, oyster sauce does not contain seafood.
This is a great recipe! The butter is important. Doesnt take much but you should use it. I use fish sauce instead of oyster sauce. Its easier to find. The toasted sesame oil is necessary. Frozen peas and carrots are fine. I reverse sear a pork chop and cut it across the grain, then toss that in also. Leftover chicken, beef or peeled shrimp are also good. Nom, nom.
This is my first ever recipe review and I’m here to tell you that this is exactly like the fried rice I buy from our local Chinese take away. It is amazing! I’m a useless cook, but even I nailed this. 10/10.
★★★★★