The BEST Vegetable Fried Rice Recipe | Good Cheap Eats (2024)

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Vegetable Fried Rice is a quick and easy meal that you can make with just a handful of simple ingredients. It’s a great way to use leftover rice.

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Ever had it where you make too much rice and nobody wants to eat it up? Maybe it was a little dry and overcooked. Maybe you just made way too much. Maybe you don’t have anything great to go with it.

I get that. I’ve been there. Plenty of times.

Nowadays, though? I look forward to leftover rice. I even make extra rice just so we can have leftovers. Not because I want to eat dry, day-old rice, but because I can make fried rice. This Vegetable Fried Rice, to be specific.

Fried rice is just one of those gifts to the home cook. Like French toast and croutons, it comes from humble beginnings, but it tastes amazing. And has you wishing you had more leftovers to use up.

Ingredients for fried rice

  • Leftover rice – This is key! You need rice that’s cold, otherwise it will just clump together as it cooks and get mushy.
  • Vegetables – We used frozen stir fry veggies so this came together quickly.
  • Soy sauce – This is what gives fried rice its flavor.
  • Sesame oil – This can be a bit pricey but a little goes a long way!
  • Water – This is used in making the fried rice sauce.
  • Sugar – You are going to add a little to the “sauce”, but you could also use honey if you want or another sweetener of choice.
  • Egg – We love adding a little scrambled egg to our fried rice.

How to make fried rice the right way

This Vegetable Fried Rice comes together in about 20 minutes. Since you’ve cooked and chilled the rice the night before, all you need to do is add some oil, seasonings, frozen vegetables, and an egg or two.

Now that you can buy cooked rice in the freezer section of the store (yes, really!) you can keep the fixings for this dish on hand all the time. You can also freeze extra cooked rice until you’re ready to make Fried Rice.

The BEST Vegetable Fried Rice Recipe | Good Cheap Eats (2)

Use frozen veggies to make this come together quickly!

For these pictures I used a Kroger “stir-fry starter package” that contained broccoli, sugar snap peans, green beans, carrots, celery, onions, mushrooms, and red peppers. You can use whatever vegetables you like, just make sure they don’t have any sauce.

It doesn’t hurt to have a bag of frozen potstickers on hand, too. Make your own dipping sauce, and you’re golden.

Can I add chicken?

You definitely can! Use cooked chicken and simply toss it in for a quick hearty weeknight meal. Or use other protein as well, likeleftover turkey

Vegetable Fried Rice comes together so quickly and easily, it could easily be a regular meal in your rotation or a simple side dish.

Storing leftovers

Promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.

To make as a freezer meal kit: Place the cold rice in a ziptop freezer bag. Combine the water, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar in a small ziptop bag. Place the two bags in a larger, labeled bag along with the bag of vegetables. Store in the freezer. When ready to serve, allow the sauce packet to thaw before assembling according to the recipe directions.

Tools I use to make this EASY

The BEST Vegetable Fried Rice Recipe | Good Cheap Eats (3)If you prepare this recipe, be sure to share a picture on social media and hashtag it #GOODCHEAPEATS. I can't wait to see what you cook up!

The BEST Vegetable Fried Rice Recipe | Good Cheap Eats (4)

Vegetable Fried Rice

Vegetable Fried Rice is a quick and easy meal that you can make with just a handful of simple ingredients. It's a great way to use leftover rice.

4.80 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Asian-fusion

Diet: Vegetarian

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 445kcal

Author: Jessica Fisher

Cost: $4

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoon neutral oil
  • 3 cup cold, cooked rice
  • 1 12-ounce package frozen stir-fry vegetables no need to thaw
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • pinch granulated sugar
  • 2 egg beaten

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a large skillet over high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the rice and cook, stirring, breaking up any clumps. You want to “fry” each grain in the oil so that it’s its own separate entity, about five minutes.

  • Add the vegetables and cook, stirring for another 10 minutes, until the vegetables are hot.

  • In a small bowl combine the water, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. Add this mixture to the pan. Cook, stirring for 1 more minute.

  • In the same bowl, beat the eggs. Push the rice mixture to the side of the pan and cook the eggs, stirring to scramble. Once scrambled, fold the eggs into the rice. Serve hot.

Notes

Promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.

Nutritional values are approximate and based on ⅙ the recipe.

To make as a freezer meal kit: Place the cold rice in a ziptop freezer bag. Combine the water, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar in a small ziptop bag. Place the two bags in a larger, labeled bag along with the bag of vegetables. Store in the freezer. When ready to serve, allow the sauce packet to thaw before assembling according to the recipe directions.

Nutrition

Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 362mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 88IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Tell us what you think! Your reviews help us develop better recipes and give newcomers the confidence to try your favorites. Scroll down to leave a starred comment.

The BEST Vegetable Fried Rice Recipe | Good Cheap Eats (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient in fried rice? ›

Though you might not be able to pinpoint the sweet inclusion while digging into a take-out box and piling spoonsful of fluffy rice into your mouth, the addition of sugar is a common culinary technique practiced by restaurants.

What makes fried rice more flavorful? ›

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 Chinese fried rice and veg fried rice? ›

The preparation:

In the case of Chinese fried rice, chefs usually sauté all the vegetables in oil with black pepper and salt. After that, schezwan masala and cooked rice are added. However, in Indian fried rice, vegetables/meat are stirred fried, and then partially cooked rice is added.

Why does Chinese fried rice taste different? ›

The answer: high heat, expert tosses, and something known as 'wok hei. ' As J. Kenji López-Alt writes for Serious Eats, expert cooking with a wok (and the gas range it requires) is one of the main reasons that fried rice from a Chinese restaurant tastes so much better than what you can make at home.

What is the flavor enhancer in fried rice? ›

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.

Do Chinese restaurants use butter in fried rice? ›

That's one of the major differences between how Chinese and Japanese restaurants prepare fried rice. Whereas the former only uses oil, the latter cooks leftover grains with butter (plus soy sauce).

What gives Japanese fried rice its flavor? ›

Basic Seasonings for Yakimeshi

Their soy sauce works great when you add heat to it. Fried rice cooked with Kikkoman®'s soy sauce adds a distinctly savory aroma, which lasts longer than other soy sauces.

Which spice is good for fried rice? ›

The Perfect Nigerian Fried Rice
  • 2 bay leaves.
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)
  • 2 Tasty Cubes.
  • 1 teaspoon salt.
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper (substitute other ground pepper)
  • 2 teaspoon curry powder (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon thyme.

Why add mayo to fried rice? ›

The egg yolks and emulsified vegetable oil coat each grain of rice when it is fried with mayonnaise. So the Japanese mayonnaise really separates the rice grains. The amazing thing is, that you can't even taste the mayonnaise and it makes the fried rice much richer in flavour.

Is sesame oil necessary for fried rice? ›

You can also use day-old brown rice, however it will create a less-authentic taste and texture, even though it's still delicious. Sesame oil. I do not recommend omitting or substituting the sesame oil in this recipe. It is key to the authentic flavor of this dish.

Is Chinese fried rice junk food? ›

Fried rice is not a nutritionally balanced meal on its own, and you should enjoy it in moderation as part of a varied and balanced diet. Adding a variety of vegetables, lean protein sources, and whole grains can help to improve the nutritional value of fried rice.

What is Yang Chow fried rice vs fried rice? ›

The difference between Yangzhou fried rice and ordinary fried rice is that Yangzhou style invariably includes a combination of proteins. Rather than using a single protein like shrimp or pork or chicken as the dominant ingredient in fried rice, Yangzhou uses a variety.

Which is better fried rice or lo mein? ›

So what's the healthier order, fried rice or lo mein? Short answer: lo mein. Yes, both dishes usually come slathered in sauce, but the rice offers the unfortunate double-whammy of being fried in oil first.

What gives Flavour to fried rice? ›

Pick the Right Ingredients

There are three main ingredients of fried rice: eggs, vegetables and meat. Scrambled throughout the rice, eggs bring savory flavors and protein, while vegetables like broccoli, peas, carrots, and edamame add variety and depth to the dish. The more you have, the more robust the flavor.

What gives Chinese fried rice its color? ›

Other recipes get the scarlet pigment from red yeast rice powder. Some cooks even use red food coloring to really nail the trademark char siu look. Either way, the result is a sweet-savory umami bite with a crispy exterior and tender interior that have kept foodies coming back for centuries.

How does Gordon Ramsay make fried rice? ›

✨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.

What is special fried rice made of? ›

Toss in the garlic, spring onions and pepper, and stir-fry until the pepper starts to soften. Add the five-spice, beansprouts, rice, peas and soy, then stir-fry for 5 mins more. Finally, add the egg, chorizo (if using) and prawns, and stir-fry to heat through.

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