Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice: Fiery Flavors Made Simple in 20 Minutes! 

Welcome back to another EASY 20-minute dinner recipe, but this time with a fiery twist.

Get ready to excite your taste buds with the explosive flavors of Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice. Inspired by one of my favorite Thai dishes – Pad Gra Pao, this delightful Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice is a perfect blend of spicy and savory.

Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice is bursting with fiery flavors and aromatic Thai basil, and the best part is it can be whipped up in 20 MINUTES! So, grab your wok, and let’s get cooking!

I recently broke my hand, so I started a new series of sharing recipes that are SO easy; even my husband can recreate them.

He said this delicious Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice recipe surprised him with how quick and straightforward it was to recreate!

Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice is affordable, and the ingredients are easy to find. Once you try this, it will be part of your weekly weeknight dinner.

You’ll need the following ingredients for this quick and easy Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice

Thai Basil, Garlic, Red Chili, Soy Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Fish Sauce, and Sugar.

Combining garlic, Thai red chilies, and aromatic Thai basil adds a tantalizing heat and fragrance to the dish. The soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sugar create a balanced blend of savory, salty, and slightly sweet flavors that complement the dish’s spiciness. 

What makes the PERFECT fried rice lies in the rice itself. 

#1 WHAT TYPE OF RICE TO USE & HOW TO MAKE RICE? 

I get asked this question ALL THE TIME. To be honest, you can use ANY rice of your choice. I find basmati rice is the easiest for beginners, as it doesn’t become soggy and is the most forgiving when it comes to frying. 

However, my favorite is short grain sushi rice. It has the best texture; this is the best-fried rice when done right! Always wash your rice until the water is no longer white; this will clean the rice and wash off all the starch, preventing the rice from becoming soggy. 

#2 ALWAYS USE COLD, COOKED RICE 

Using COLD, COOKED RICE is the most important of making fried rice. Cold-cooked rice prevents the rice from becoming overcooked and soggy. My number one hack for making fried rice is storing the rice in reusable plastic bags once the rice has thoroughly cooled down. 

I add around two portions of rice per bag; not only does this store the rice in a more compact way for your fridge, but this also makes it super easy to break apart the rice. Store the bags in the fridge overnight; the next day, you should be able to break apart the rice outside of the bag quickly. 

Customizations and Variations:

While this easy Spicy Thai Fried Rice recipe is fantastic on its own, feel free to make it your own with some creative customizations:

1. Protein Boost: I am using ground pork today, but you can add cooked shrimp, ground chicken, beef, or tofu.
2. Spice it Up: Adjust the spiciness by increasing or decreasing the amount of Thai red Chili 
3. Veggie Delight: Experiment with other vegetables like broccoli, mushrooms, corn, or snap peas for a colorful twist

DO YOU WANT MORE EASY 20-MINUTE RECIPES? Here are some of my go-to recipes that you will LOVE! 

• Korean Short Rib Bibimbap
• Soy Sauce Pan-fried Noodles
• Black Pepper Garlic Steak Bites
• Cheesy Cabbage Pancake

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cold cooked rice 
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 fresh Thai red Chili, finely chopped (adjust according to your spice preference)
• 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
• 450g of Ground Pork / Ground Chicken

Sauce: 

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon oyster sauce (optional)
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 teaspoon sugar

1. Mix soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sugar and set aside. 
2. Heat oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add in ground pork, and saute for 2-3 minutes. 
3. Next, add minced garlic and chopped red chilies. Stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Add the chilled rice, and drizzle on the sauce. Break up any clumps of rice with a spatula and stir-fry for 2-3 until the rice is heated through.
5. Finally, add the fresh Thai basil leaves to the skillet or wok and stir-fry for an additional minute on high heat until wilted and fragrant.
6. Optional, top the fried rice with fried eggs and enjoy! 

Print

Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice

Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice is bursting with fiery flavors and aromatic Thai basil, and the best part is it can be whipped up in 20 MINUTES! So, grab your wok, and let’s get cooking!

Prep Time5 mins

Active Time15 mins

Keyword: 20 Minute Recipes, asian dinner, Asian Recipe Easy, Asian Recipes, basil, dinner Ideas, easy meal, Easy Recipes, Fried rice, Pork, QUICK RECIPES, rice, Spicy, thai

Materials

• 3 cups cold cooked rice
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 2 Thai red Chili finely chopped (adjust according to your spice preference)
• 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
• 450 g of Ground Pork / Ground Chicken

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon oyster sauce optional
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

• Mix soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sugar and set aside.
• Heat oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add in ground pork, and saute for 2-3 minutes.
• Next, add minced garlic and chopped red chilies. Stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
• Add the chilled rice, and drizzle on the sauce. Break up any clumps of rice with a spatula and stir-fry for 2-3 until the rice is heated through.
• Finally, add the fresh Thai basil leaves to the skillet or wok and stir-fry for an additional minute on high heat until wilted and fragrant.
• Optional, top the fried rice with fried eggs and enjoy!