This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
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 used left over chicken and peppers in mine along with the veggies. Utilize what you have in fridge. I used more oyster sauce than recommended and oil. Everybody has their own tastes.still good.
This came out fantastic, actually tasted like fried rice and not just rice and soy sauce! I added chicken and cooked the eggs in the rice instead of separately.
I just wanted to tell you that this is the best fried rice recipe. I had it printed and have used it so many times. I finally just got back on here to print a fresh copy not covered in soy sauce, veggies, and who knows what else. Just wanted to let you know how much we enjoy it! thanks again!
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! This was so delicious & easy to put together. I used peas & carrots & leftover broccoli but there are so many veggies that would compliment this dish. And the oyster sauce brought out such a great flavor! Will be my go to fried rice dish from now on.
Best recipe for fried rice I’ve tried. I add additional vegetables, especially enjoy thinly sliced cabbage in this. I also toss in a littke minced ginger with the garlic. Really delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
My family loved it! My kids actually said “can we have this every night?” I was a little leery of the oyster sauce but everything came together so well! Thanks for this recipe, we will be using it again (but maybe not every night. ;) )
For *VEGANS* I recommend using a combination of coconut oil and olive oil when frying. To add additional texture and yumminess I added a cup of unsweetend shredded coconut. For added protein I added my own sprouted lentils. For added savoriness I added a cup of chopped celery (with it’s greens)…DELISH! Thank you for the inspiration, Ali! This is a yummy, economical, nutritious and COLORFUL dish (I used purple cabbage!)
I cooked the rice in the AM and let it chill in the fridge. I also minced all the veggies… Then before dinner I sauteed the veggies and added the chilled rice— a great success! (NEXT time I will add some ginger!) :)
LOVE this recipe! I always use it as my baseline when I make fried rice. I might use different meat or veggie combo’s, and it always comes out fantastic.
Excellent recipe for beginner cooks and newbies to fried rice! 🥂 🍚
My first attempt at fried rice was very tasty thanks to this recipe. I added more soy sauce than the original recipe, and used Worcestershire sauce as a sub for oyster sauce. Flavor was just like our favorite hibachi restaurant. Thank you!
Because of celiac disease and other health needs I substitute low sodium tamari for the oyster sauce and coconut aminos for the soy sauce. Add Thai basil with crumbled cooked bacon and some hot sauce and it’s reliably delicious for the whole family to enjoy without being too salty for me. Favorite leftovers for breakfast or late night treats.
This has become my go to for fried rice. Super yummy every time. My son requests it and that is great. I change it up with brown rice and it pairs really well with the other flavors. It is also firmer so you can use warm rice if you are in a rush. Thank you for the staple recipe!
We LOVE this recipe and have been making it for years. I always follow the basic method and seasoning. I substitute veg (what’s in my fridge), add an extra egg, maybe more butter and oil based on taste. For people that read reviews… long rice (white or brown) works so much better than basmati or similar grains. Thank you for such an easy dinner!
I followed the recipe but didn’t use oyster sauce (one day I’ll be brave enough). Everyone in my house loves this meal including my 5 year old who is a fried rice connoisseur. This is definitely a family favorite and has already been made multiple times.
Omg. Family told me this was the best fried rice they’d ever had. And we are regulars at the hibachi grill restaurant. I am going old school and putting this on a recipe index card so I NEVER lose it. Also I should note I used the oyster sauce. DO IT!!!
This is the best fried rice recipe I’ve ever tried – so similar to restaurant style. Definitely don’t skimp on the butter, it makes the dish. I just used whatever frozen veg I had in the freezer and it turned out just as delicious :)
Sandy —
This looks delicious and really want to try it but, is there a substitute to the oyster sauce? Not a fan but clearly it needs something. Suggestions?
This recipe was really delicious. I added cooked pieces of duck to mine along with all the other ingredients mentioned. Lovely tasty dish and I have enough for my supper tomorrow as well!
First time making fried rice. LOVED IT!!! I don’t know what it is about cashews but adding them to dishes seems to never fail…. this dish including! Nom Nom!
Ann —
First time making fried rice and it turned out perfectly! I followed the recipe to the letter. I am not an expert cook by any means and this was such fun to make and something I will be proud to serve for family and friends. Absolutely delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!
I’ve made this twice in the past month or so. I’ve made it with newly made minute rice that I put in the freezer like it states, for about 15 minutes. This last time I didn’t have carrots or green onion, but I did have celery, green pepper, yellow onion and peas. It was absolutely delicious. I’m not a huge rice fan but we had some lumpia that a friend gave to us to try. Such an easy, fast and delicious dish. I’m not sure this dish knows how not to be good!
Thank you for saving dinner for us!
I love this recipe! I added fresh broccoli, red pepper, and diced carrots. I didn’t have oyster sauce but will buy some and try it next time. I thought cooking the eggs separately was brilliant. And I added cilantro at the end with an extra dash of soy sauce. Using butter also was key. Really terrific, thank you.
If I had to cook a large quantity of this recipe how should I do it? I thought maybe one batch at a time. We are serving at our local homeless shelter and I need 4 batches.
The first time I made this my eldest grandson was so impressed with the flavours he ate the lesft overs I had hidden in the ‘fridge. As he said it was the best he had ever tasted, I couldn’t object. It truly is so tasty and I love all of the sauces, especially the toasted sesame. I had a little panic this morning because I couldn’t find the recipe – happily I found it online (again)! I’ve been asked to make it as part of our BBQ Christmas dinner with our son-in-law’s family so I’ll have to triple the amounts. As ion another comment, I’ve made a couple more copies this time. Congratulations on a rip-roaring delicious recipe.
Tonight I tried this recipe, my first time ever making fried rice. I will never order fried rice again. This was super easy and turned out better than take aways. Word of caution, it makes a MASSIVE amount.
Easily my favorite fried rice recipe! I tinker around with it some–depending on what I have in the fridge–but the fundamentals are all here. Thanks for sharing!!
Butter tip is the bomb! Made this tonight but used Hoisin instead of Oyster. I sautéed the Hoisin and added a bit of lemon and then set that aside to add with the sesame oil at the end.
Great recipe! I used left over chicken and peppers in mine along with the veggies. Utilize what you have in fridge. I used more oyster sauce than recommended and oil. Everybody has their own tastes.still good.
Halo, good job on your fried rice, next time just put some sambal on. At least there was no chilli jam.
Easy & delicious!
This was the best fried rice I have ever made, thank you! I used different veggies because I am not a pea person but delicious!
This came out fantastic, actually tasted like fried rice and not just rice and soy sauce! I added chicken and cooked the eggs in the rice instead of separately.
Excellent recipe. I cooked in non-stick wok. Butter worked very well.
I just wanted to tell you that this is the best fried rice recipe. I had it printed and have used it so many times. I finally just got back on here to print a fresh copy not covered in soy sauce, veggies, and who knows what else. Just wanted to let you know how much we enjoy it! thanks again!
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! This was so delicious & easy to put together. I used peas & carrots & leftover broccoli but there are so many veggies that would compliment this dish. And the oyster sauce brought out such a great flavor! Will be my go to fried rice dish from now on.
Best recipe for fried rice I’ve tried. I add additional vegetables, especially enjoy thinly sliced cabbage in this. I also toss in a littke minced ginger with the garlic. Really delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
Absolutely my new favorite recipe,so versatile and easy! Everybody just loves when I make this. Thank you for sharing
Could you use cauliflower rice for a healthier fried rice? I make mine like that. Some broth and Laughing Cow spreadable cheese wedges go a long way.
May be delicious, but it’s not fried rice!
Lovely tasty fried rice recipe that was very easy, everyone enjoyed it!!!!
so super good! my family and i love this recipe, it’s our go to when we have extra cold rice in the fridge!!
Excellent recipe. It was delicious! Thank you.
I followed the recipe and was pleasantly surprised.
My family loved it! My kids actually said “can we have this every night?” I was a little leery of the oyster sauce but everything came together so well! Thanks for this recipe, we will be using it again (but maybe not every night. ;) )
A very yummy recipe for sure ! Daggone ! Thank you ☺️
Can I thaw frozen veggies and throw them in?
For *VEGANS* I recommend using a combination of coconut oil and olive oil when frying. To add additional texture and yumminess I added a cup of unsweetend shredded coconut. For added protein I added my own sprouted lentils. For added savoriness I added a cup of chopped celery (with it’s greens)…DELISH! Thank you for the inspiration, Ali! This is a yummy, economical, nutritious and COLORFUL dish (I used purple cabbage!)
I cooked the rice in the AM and let it chill in the fridge. I also minced all the veggies… Then before dinner I sauteed the veggies and added the chilled rice— a great success! (NEXT time I will add some ginger!) :)
LOVE this recipe! I always use it as my baseline when I make fried rice. I might use different meat or veggie combo’s, and it always comes out fantastic.
Excellent recipe for beginner cooks and newbies to fried rice! 🥂 🍚
My first attempt at fried rice was very tasty thanks to this recipe. I added more soy sauce than the original recipe, and used Worcestershire sauce as a sub for oyster sauce. Flavor was just like our favorite hibachi restaurant. Thank you!
This is a delicious recipe and my go to one..adding the oyster sauce makes such a difference and it has been a hit with the family…
I just made this fried rice and it’s amazing, it even comes out out looking like the photos that have been posted.
Taste fantasti. 5 stars
Absolutely Delicious. Spot on. Great texture & flavour making every bit irresistible. Family loved it. My go to recipe from now on.
I actually mixed everything in together. I added in extra sesame oil and hoisin sauce with alittle bit of sugar. My family enjoyed it!
So many great and helpful tips! Simple and tasty recipe! ☆☆☆☆☆
Because of celiac disease and other health needs I substitute low sodium tamari for the oyster sauce and coconut aminos for the soy sauce. Add Thai basil with crumbled cooked bacon and some hot sauce and it’s reliably delicious for the whole family to enjoy without being too salty for me. Favorite leftovers for breakfast or late night treats.
This has become my go to for fried rice. Super yummy every time. My son requests it and that is great. I change it up with brown rice and it pairs really well with the other flavors. It is also firmer so you can use warm rice if you are in a rush. Thank you for the staple recipe!
Would fish sauce be an appropriate substitute for oyster sauce?
No, they are totally different flavors.
We LOVE this recipe and have been making it for years. I always follow the basic method and seasoning. I substitute veg (what’s in my fridge), add an extra egg, maybe more butter and oil based on taste. For people that read reviews… long rice (white or brown) works so much better than basmati or similar grains. Thank you for such an easy dinner!
I followed the recipe but didn’t use oyster sauce (one day I’ll be brave enough). Everyone in my house loves this meal including my 5 year old who is a fried rice connoisseur. This is definitely a family favorite and has already been made multiple times.
Omg. Family told me this was the best fried rice they’d ever had. And we are regulars at the hibachi grill restaurant. I am going old school and putting this on a recipe index card so I NEVER lose it. Also I should note I used the oyster sauce. DO IT!!!
Love this! I’ve made it many times and it’s easy and delicious. Tonight we’re have it with left over Sushi from our favorite restaurant.
This is the best fried rice recipe I’ve ever tried – so similar to restaurant style. Definitely don’t skimp on the butter, it makes the dish. I just used whatever frozen veg I had in the freezer and it turned out just as delicious :)
This looks delicious and really want to try it but, is there a substitute to the oyster sauce? Not a fan but clearly it needs something. Suggestions?
The oyster sauce and sesame oil really made this great.
This recipe was really delicious. I added cooked pieces of duck to mine along with all the other ingredients mentioned. Lovely tasty dish and I have enough for my supper tomorrow as well!
First time making fried rice. LOVED IT!!! I don’t know what it is about cashews but adding them to dishes seems to never fail…. this dish including! Nom Nom!
First time making fried rice and it turned out perfectly! I followed the recipe to the letter. I am not an expert cook by any means and this was such fun to make and something I will be proud to serve for family and friends. Absolutely delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!
I’ve made this twice in the past month or so. I’ve made it with newly made minute rice that I put in the freezer like it states, for about 15 minutes. This last time I didn’t have carrots or green onion, but I did have celery, green pepper, yellow onion and peas. It was absolutely delicious. I’m not a huge rice fan but we had some lumpia that a friend gave to us to try. Such an easy, fast and delicious dish. I’m not sure this dish knows how not to be good!
Thank you for saving dinner for us!
I love this recipe! I added fresh broccoli, red pepper, and diced carrots. I didn’t have oyster sauce but will buy some and try it next time. I thought cooking the eggs separately was brilliant. And I added cilantro at the end with an extra dash of soy sauce. Using butter also was key. Really terrific, thank you.
Great recipe! I’ve never liked my own fried rice, but this came out well. Tasty and flexible
If I had to cook a large quantity of this recipe how should I do it? I thought maybe one batch at a time. We are serving at our local homeless shelter and I need 4 batches.
The first time I made this my eldest grandson was so impressed with the flavours he ate the lesft overs I had hidden in the ‘fridge. As he said it was the best he had ever tasted, I couldn’t object. It truly is so tasty and I love all of the sauces, especially the toasted sesame. I had a little panic this morning because I couldn’t find the recipe – happily I found it online (again)! I’ve been asked to make it as part of our BBQ Christmas dinner with our son-in-law’s family so I’ll have to triple the amounts. As ion another comment, I’ve made a couple more copies this time. Congratulations on a rip-roaring delicious recipe.
For me I need some sambal and sate sauce with this, but it tasted great. Used ketjap manis instead of the advice.
Delicious and quick. Thank you!
Fast, easy and delicious 😋
Kids loved this!! This will definitely make it a part of our dinner rotation. So simple
Tonight I tried this recipe, my first time ever making fried rice. I will never order fried rice again. This was super easy and turned out better than take aways. Word of caution, it makes a MASSIVE amount.
Easily my favorite fried rice recipe! I tinker around with it some–depending on what I have in the fridge–but the fundamentals are all here. Thanks for sharing!!
I added fish sauce. You have to add fish sauce.
This recipe is freaking amazing. That is all.
Butter tip is the bomb! Made this tonight but used Hoisin instead of Oyster. I sautéed the Hoisin and added a bit of lemon and then set that aside to add with the sesame oil at the end.
Great recipe and suggestions!
I have made this dish a gazillion times. By far the best fried rice recipe DIY.