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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!! I mostly followed the recipe (though I don’t measure seasonings, only eyeball them), and I added the toasted sesame oil when I added the soy sauce. This was the best fried rice I’ve ever made!
I’m a huge fan of fried rice, i’ve tried so many recipes and they were good but didn’t really taste like the real thing. I tried this recipe and OH MY GOD!! This is the best fried rice i’ve ever had and it’s even better than if you got it from a japanese steakhouse or takeout.
Best tasting fried rice I’ve ever made. I overloaded the pan with rice (just emptied my bowl) so it took a few extra minutes. That being said it turned out anyways. I’ll be making this again. And again!
Delicious! I was looking for meal prepping ideas for my husband. I had all but 2 ingredients on hand. The butter and toasted sesame oil is the key. I used frozen peas and carrots and they held up well. Achieved the yummy, dark, crispy bits! Using chicken breast tenders, it still comes out to just about a dollar per lunch. Amazing, thanks.
Hands down the best fried rice recipe i have ever made. We don’t eat egg so I just skipped them and still absolutely delicious! This is definitely set to become a staple in our household.
Came out great the first time! We used the oyster sauce and it adds a wonderful and subtle flavor nuance. Don’t skimp – use all of the ingredients and you won’t be disappointed.
This is now my go to recipe after expiramenting for years. It especially comes out well when I use my wok. I love the use of butter and I too like the crispiness of the rice. Thanks for posting and giving me your hints.
Love this recipe. It’s easy and it tastes great! I used a wok. It gives me plenty of room. More stays in pan than on my stove (lol). Sad but true. I keep ingredients in kitchen as staples. I never know when the urge to eat fried rice will hit me or the others in family.
This was delicious! I didn’t chill the rice, only let it cool before mixing it in. I also used teriyaki sauce instead of oyster sauce, as well as olive oil instead of sesame oil. We left out the egg and green onion due to preference. It was so good! My 4 year old had 3 helpings!
Fantastic recipe! I tried fried rice several times but this was a winner. Using leftover or cold rice is a great tip, and the veggies with the oyster sauce, toasted sesame oil and soy was delicious! I cooked it on high at the very end and let it brown a bit on the bottom as suggested. Wow better than the local restaurant! Will definitely make this again with some variations of tofu or chicken and shrimp. So fun to have it work out so well. Thanks!
We’ve made this fried rice several times and it is always delicious. I should have posted earlier but…better late than never. Best fried rice ever. Who knew butter and oyster sauce were the key ingredients in fried rice.
Awesome! I have a friend who is Filopino and his grandmother always had a great twist on this recipe: bacon! She’d put a quarter pound of it in the wok, and put all the ingredients in to mix with that first before adding the rice. YUM!
I just made this recipe, and it was very good! I would definitely repeat! I’ve failed miserably in the past and ended up with mushy rice or overly salty rice. I followed the recipe as best I could with the ingredients I had. I used a wok, and made it feel a lot more authentic and easier to sauté everything. The difference were 1. I used brown rice, then put in refrigerator for 3 hours to become cold. 2. I used 1lb bag of frozen peas & carrots, instead of fresh ingredients. 3. I used low sodium store brand soy sauce. 4. I didn’t use any oyster sauce. 5. I used only 2 cups cooked brown rice. So I cut the ratio of all the other listed ingredients in 1/2. 6. I love shrimp in my rice, but most of my kids hate it! So I sautéed shrimp seperately with a little salt and soy sauce in the same wok. I put the shrimp on the side, for anyone who wanted it. Following the recipe, especially about cooling the rice or using day old rice, probably made it work out better than my other previous attempts. But this was honestly perfect. And I would make it again exactly the same way I made it today.
Emma Darby —
Can I put the left over egg fried rice in the freeze for the later day or would that complete not work. I uni student so freeze meals for late is great.
If I could give this recipe a hundred stars, I would. By far, this is the best fried rice I’ve ever eaten, no less made! I feel like I’ve spent half my life trying to make even passable fried rice, failing miserably all the time. This recipe and the simple instructions made this a huge huger and hugest hit in my house. Double-edged sword! We may never eat restaurant fried rice again. I’ve made it vegetarian, I’ve made chicken, pork and combo variations. I will never tire of it. Thanks so much.
I mostly followed this recipe and got great results. Using butter is brilliant! Using cold rice is agreeably essential. At the end I added pork loin I had cut into small pieces, seasoned with adobo, then skewered and roasted on the out door grill on very high heat until crunchy on the outside. I let the pork cool, and then cut it into tiny pieces, adding it to the fried rice at the very end. I was thinking of twice cooked fried rice from one of my fave Chinese restaurants. Try it!
I am so making this tomorrow for mothers day on my outdoor griddle grill, so I can pretend to be a professional Hibachi Chef!! Thank you for reminding me about the butter, as I agree, everything is better with butter! I am serving teriyaki chicken and shrimp on the side, but just doing veggies and egg in the rice, with zucchini, mushroom and napa cabbage, as well as some frozen mixed veg (without lima beans, ack!)
FYI, Oyster Sauce is from Oyster Mushrooms, not sea oysters
Judes966 —
Hopefully anyone with fish or shellfish allergies does their own due diligence, but oyster sauce is most definitely made from oysters. https://www.hungryhuy.com/what-is-oyster-sauce/
Lucas —
Nope. It is made from sea oysters. Although if you find vegetarian oyster sauce it might be mushrooms.
Laynee Belzil —
This actually isn’t true! Oyster sauce is totally from sea oysters and has a bit of a fishy taste when eaten on its own, but adds incredible deep umami flavors when added to dishes such as this rice, which is delish btw!
Easy to make, and very tasty. I used diagonal cut chinese peapods and would probably not saute them prior to putting them in the rice but would add them at the end with the eggs and scallions to keep a little crispness.
This recipe was fab! I used fresh rice which I had refrigerated for half an hour so it was still warm but just fried it for less time. I added some smoked tofu which I thought would be a bit weird but it added a fantastic dimension to the dish that really surprised me. You’re so right about the butter!! I will be making this again!
Easy and awesome flavor. I will be making this again and again. The only change I made was to use frozen peas and carrots – no need to thaw – just throw in a hot pan to sauté and they are great. Use the sauces called for in this recipe the first time – you won’t need changes I promise! Thank you!
Added a cheeky chilli with the veggies very nice
Made this twice so far. GREAT recipe!!! Best fried rice I’ve made!
I made it, it was delicious, very easy, it is made with easy foods, we all have on hand.
Can you use Pure Sesame Oil?
Very tasty recipe.
delicious
GREAT recipe!! I mostly followed the recipe (though I don’t measure seasonings, only eyeball them), and I added the toasted sesame oil when I added the soy sauce. This was the best fried rice I’ve ever made!
Easy and absolutely delish ❤️
Lovely and worked out well for my dinner
This was amazing. Thank you!
I’m a huge fan of fried rice, i’ve tried so many recipes and they were good but didn’t really taste like the real thing. I tried this recipe and OH MY GOD!! This is the best fried rice i’ve ever had and it’s even better than if you got it from a japanese steakhouse or takeout.
My husband love it, better than the local Asian restaurant. It’s a keeper! I added roasted pork ,scallops and shrimp! Yum!
Best fried rice recipe we have tried, thank you!
Best tasting fried rice I’ve ever made. I overloaded the pan with rice (just emptied my bowl) so it took a few extra minutes. That being said it turned out anyways. I’ll be making this again. And again!
A+ recipe! Tried it and it was great!
Delicious! I was looking for meal prepping ideas for my husband. I had all but 2 ingredients on hand. The butter and toasted sesame oil is the key. I used frozen peas and carrots and they held up well. Achieved the yummy, dark, crispy bits! Using chicken breast tenders, it still comes out to just about a dollar per lunch. Amazing, thanks.
Hands down the best fried rice recipe i have ever made. We don’t eat egg so I just skipped them and still absolutely delicious! This is definitely set to become a staple in our household.
Came out great the first time! We used the oyster sauce and it adds a wonderful and subtle flavor nuance. Don’t skimp – use all of the ingredients and you won’t be disappointed.
This is now my go to recipe after expiramenting for years. It especially comes out well when I use my wok. I love the use of butter and I too like the crispiness of the rice. Thanks for posting and giving me your hints.
Great recipe!! The family loved it!!
Love this recipe. It’s easy and it tastes great! I used a wok. It gives me plenty of room. More stays in pan than on my stove (lol). Sad but true. I keep ingredients in kitchen as staples. I never know when the urge to eat fried rice will hit me or the others in family.
Delicious! I have now made it multiple times and for friends and everyone loves it. Thank you!
Delicious!! Any idea what the calorie count is per serving so I can continue to make this in the future?
Omg who would of thought Butter, it definitely elevates the recipe. Thank you it’s amazing!!
A great recipe. All the right favors for a fried rice.
Amazing. We loved it
This was delicious! I didn’t chill the rice, only let it cool before mixing it in. I also used teriyaki sauce instead of oyster sauce, as well as olive oil instead of sesame oil. We left out the egg and green onion due to preference. It was so good! My 4 year old had 3 helpings!
I don’t normally write reviews, but this is the best fried rice recipe that I have tried….by far.
This is such a wonderful, easy recipe!! Thank you!!! Great tips, we will put this on our rotation.
Fantastic recipe! I tried fried rice several times but this was a winner. Using leftover or cold rice is a great tip, and the veggies with the oyster sauce, toasted sesame oil and soy was delicious! I cooked it on high at the very end and let it brown a bit on the bottom as suggested. Wow better than the local restaurant! Will definitely make this again with some variations of tofu or chicken and shrimp. So fun to have it work out so well. Thanks!
Awesome recipe. Easy and tastes like the best rice I have bought from Chinese restaurants. Will be making this again.
Delicious
The best friend rice, kids all said it was the best they ever had
You covered all bases, and well-explained the reason for using “leftover” rice.
We’ve made this fried rice several times and it is always delicious. I should have posted earlier but…better late than never. Best fried rice ever. Who knew butter and oyster sauce were the key ingredients in fried rice.
The recipe was good for me
Awesome! I have a friend who is Filopino and his grandmother always had a great twist on this recipe: bacon! She’d put a quarter pound of it in the wok, and put all the ingredients in to mix with that first before adding the rice. YUM!
Really really good recipe. Made it several times and so simple, so easy and soooooo delicious!
I just made this recipe, and it was very good! I would definitely repeat! I’ve failed miserably in the past and ended up with mushy rice or overly salty rice. I followed the recipe as best I could with the ingredients I had. I used a wok, and made it feel a lot more authentic and easier to sauté everything. The difference were 1. I used brown rice, then put in refrigerator for 3 hours to become cold. 2. I used 1lb bag of frozen peas & carrots, instead of fresh ingredients. 3. I used low sodium store brand soy sauce. 4. I didn’t use any oyster sauce. 5. I used only 2 cups cooked brown rice. So I cut the ratio of all the other listed ingredients in 1/2. 6. I love shrimp in my rice, but most of my kids hate it! So I sautéed shrimp seperately with a little salt and soy sauce in the same wok. I put the shrimp on the side, for anyone who wanted it. Following the recipe, especially about cooling the rice or using day old rice, probably made it work out better than my other previous attempts. But this was honestly perfect. And I would make it again exactly the same way I made it today.
Can I put the left over egg fried rice in the freeze for the later day or would that complete not work. I uni student so freeze meals for late is great.
What’s the best way to reheat? I love this recipe so much. I wanted to give to my SIL (gluten free) who is moving to a new place.
I would fry it back up again in a non-stick skillet, so no additional oil needs to be added. A quick warm up this way makes it stay crisp and yum!
Hands down! The best homemade fried rice I’ve ever done.
If I could give this recipe a hundred stars, I would. By far, this is the best fried rice I’ve ever eaten, no less made! I feel like I’ve spent half my life trying to make even passable fried rice, failing miserably all the time. This recipe and the simple instructions made this a huge huger and hugest hit in my house. Double-edged sword! We may never eat restaurant fried rice again. I’ve made it vegetarian, I’ve made chicken, pork and combo variations. I will never tire of it. Thanks so much.
I mostly followed this recipe and got great results. Using butter is brilliant! Using cold rice is agreeably essential. At the end I added pork loin I had cut into small pieces, seasoned with adobo, then skewered and roasted on the out door grill on very high heat until crunchy on the outside. I let the pork cool, and then cut it into tiny pieces, adding it to the fried rice at the very end. I was thinking of twice cooked fried rice from one of my fave Chinese restaurants. Try it!
Followed recipe, added grilled pork chops, and mushrooms. DELICIOUS
I am so making this tomorrow for mothers day on my outdoor griddle grill, so I can pretend to be a professional Hibachi Chef!! Thank you for reminding me about the butter, as I agree, everything is better with butter! I am serving teriyaki chicken and shrimp on the side, but just doing veggies and egg in the rice, with zucchini, mushroom and napa cabbage, as well as some frozen mixed veg (without lima beans, ack!)
FYI, Oyster Sauce is from Oyster Mushrooms, not sea oysters
Hopefully anyone with fish or shellfish allergies does their own due diligence, but oyster sauce is most definitely made from oysters. https://www.hungryhuy.com/what-is-oyster-sauce/
Nope. It is made from sea oysters. Although if you find vegetarian oyster sauce it might be mushrooms.
This actually isn’t true! Oyster sauce is totally from sea oysters and has a bit of a fishy taste when eaten on its own, but adds incredible deep umami flavors when added to dishes such as this rice, which is delish btw!
Easy to make, and very tasty. I used diagonal cut chinese peapods and would probably not saute them prior to putting them in the rice but would add them at the end with the eggs and scallions to keep a little crispness.
Very good recipe. Easy to make and very adaptable. I just made mine with cabbage, corn, onions and chicken and it was delicious.
Definitely a great way to use leftover rice as well. Would recommend!
This recipe was fab! I used fresh rice which I had refrigerated for half an hour so it was still warm but just fried it for less time. I added some smoked tofu which I thought would be a bit weird but it added a fantastic dimension to the dish that really surprised me. You’re so right about the butter!! I will be making this again!
Easy and awesome flavor. I will be making this again and again. The only change I made was to use frozen peas and carrots – no need to thaw – just throw in a hot pan to sauté and they are great. Use the sauces called for in this recipe the first time – you won’t need changes I promise! Thank you!