Who doesn’t love FRIED RICE?
Fried rice is easy to make at home, customizable, and affordable. One of the first things I knew how to make was fried rice; believe it not, an easy dish like this does require a few tips to make it restaurant quality.
In this blog post, I will share FIVE of my favorite fried rice recipe and a few tips to make the PERFECT FRIED RICE every single time!
QUICK TIPS TO MAKE THE PERFECT FRIED RICE
#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 (SEKKA BRAND). It has the best texture; when done right, this is the best-fried rice! 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.
I like to use a 1:1 ratio of rice and water when making rice.
I cook my rice in a rice cooker, but you can also cook rice on a stovetop. QUICK TIP, add 1/2 teaspoon of oil to prevent the rice from becoming overly sticky.
#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.
#3 OIL IS YOUR BEST FRIEND
I will not lie; when it comes to making fried rice, OIL will be your best friend. If you ever wondered why restaurant fried rice tastes delicious, it’s because they add TONS of oil.
The more oil you use, the easier it will be to fry. I like to “season” the oil with the white parts of the green onion. The oil will become super fragrant, adding depth to your fried rice.
Top FIVE Fried Rice Recipes
#1 Din Tai Fung Egg Fried Rice
If you have never tried the FAMOUS Din Tai Fung Egg Fried Rice, this is your sign to make it for dinner tonight! Din Tai Fung Egg Fried Rice is easy to make at home, with easy-to-find ingredients.
This fried rice recipe tastes good with EVERYTHING; you can pair it with my Taiwanese Chicken Cutlet, Mapo Tofu, or my Spicy Garlic Cucumber Salad.
Ingredients
- 4 cups Cold Cooked Rice
- 6 chopped Green Onion
- 5 Whole Eggs
- 1-1.5 tbsp Sugar
- 1.5 tbsp Chicken Powder
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 2 tsp White Pepper
- 1.5 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 5 tbsp Oil
- In a bowl, whisk 5 whole eggs with 1 tsp of white pepper and ½ tbsp of salt.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high and add in 5 tbsp of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the white parts of the green onion and saute together for 1 minute.
- Add in the eggs, and let it set for 30 seconds before breaking the egg apart.
- Add in cold cooked rice and sauté for 1-2 minutes, separating the rice and ensuring the rice is coated in oil.
- Season with 1-1.5 tbsp of sugar, 1.5 tbsp of chicken powder or mushroom powder, 1 tsp of white pepper, 1.5 tbsp of Soy Sauce, and ½ tbsp of salt. Continue to fry for 1-2 minutes.
- Turn the heat up to high and add green onion and sauté for 1 minute.
#2 Garlic Butter Fried Rice
I don’t want to be dramatic, but this Garlic Butter Fried Rice is delicious and easy to make at home. Buttery and savory, Garlic Butter Fried Rice takes only 20 minutes to complete and pairs perfectly with everything.
This Fried rice recipe is vegetarian-friendly, but you can customize it by adding any protein, such as chicken, shrimp, or pork!
Ingredients
- 4 Cups of Cold Cooked Rice
- 10 cloves of Garlic (minced)
- 3 tbsp of Butter (salted)
- 2 tbsp of Oil
- 3 stalks of Green Onion (separate whites and greens)
- 4 Large Eggs
- 2.5 tbsp of Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp of White Pepper
- Separate the egg yolk and egg white.
- Add the egg yolk to cold cooked day-old rice, season with salt, and mix well to ensure every grain of rice is coated in the egg yolk.
- Add 3 tbsp of butter and 2 tbsp of oil to a pan. Turn the heat up to medium and add minced garlic and white parts of the green onion. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Push the garlic and green onion to the side, and add beaten egg whites.
- Let the egg whites sit for 20 seconds before scrambling the egg whites.
- Next, add the rice, white pepper, and soy sauce. Saute on high heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Finally, add the rest of the green onion and saute on high heat for 1-2 minutes.
#3 Beef and Broccoli Fried Rice
I AM NOT KIDDING when I tell you my husband DEVOURED bowls of this delicious savory Beef and Broccoli Fried Rice. Simple, easy, and delicious Black Pepper Beef and Broccoli Fried Rice with many secret tips on making tender beef every time.
Who doesn’t love a delicious and easy one-pot dinner?
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb of Beef
- 1.5 tsp of Black Pepper
- 2 tbsp of Oyster Sauce
- 1 tsp of Baking Soda
- 3 tbsp of Corn Starch
- 2 tbsp of Oil
- 2 cups of Broccoli
- 4 cups of Rice (cooked and cooled)
Sauce:
- 2 tbsp of Oyster Sauce
- 1.5 tbsp of Soy Sauce
- 2.5 tbsp of Minced Garlic
- 0.5-1 tbsp of Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp of Sugar
- 2 tbsp of Ketchup
- Thinly slice up the beef based on the above tips and marinate the beef with 1.5 tsp of Black Pepper, 2 tbsp of Oyster Sauce, 1 tsp of Baking Soda, 2 tbsp of Oil, and 3 tbsp of Corn Starch. Let it rest for 10-20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Mix oyster sauce, soy sauce, minced garlic, black pepper, sugar, and ketchup in a bowl.
- Blanch, the Broccoli with Hot Water for 30 seconds, drain and set aside.
- In a pan, drizzle in oil and turn the heat up to medium-high. Once the pan is hot, add the beef and let it sit for 30 seconds before sauteing for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the broccoli, and saute for 1 minute.
- Finally, add the rice, drizzle in the sauce, and saute on high heat for 2-3 minutes.
#4 Spam and Ketchup Fried Rice
Don’t judge me until you try it; Spam and Ketchup Fried Rice is seriously delicious and easy to make at home. We all have that childhood dish that is comforting and brings a smile to our face; mine is my dad’s Spam and Ketchup Fried Rice.
I know it may seem weird to add ketchup to your fried rice, but the savouriness of the spam plus the tangy and sweetness from the ketchup is seriously a match made in heaven. Give this Spam and Ketchup Fried Rice recipe a try, and it may also be your comforting dish.
Ingredients
- 3 cups of Cooked Rice (day old and cold)
- 1 pack of Spam
- 4 Eggs
- 3 tbsp of Soy Sauce
- 4 tbsp of Ketchup
- 1 cup of Frozen Vegetable
- Salt and Pepper
- Cut the spam into small bite-size pieces.
- Crack the egg into the bowl and season with salt and pepper.
- In a pan, add in spam, and saute for 3-4 minutes or until spam becomes golden brown.
- Drizzle 1 tbsp of soy sauce into the pan, and mix everything.
- Push the spam to the side, and pour in the eggs. Let the eggs sit for 30 seconds before scrambling together.
- Add frozen vegetables, rice, the rest of the soy sauce, and ketchup.
- Turn the heat to high, and saute on high heat for 3-4 minutes.
#5 Egg Fried Rice (Better Than Takeout!)
Egg fried rice is a simple recipe that you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, the perfect side dish or main entree for every meal. What I love the most about fried rice is the ability to tailor it to anything you have in the fridge. Better than takeout Egg Fried Rice is super easy to make at home and extremely delicious.
Ingredients
- 4 cups of Cold Cooked Rice
- 6 chopped Green Onion (separate whites and greens)
- 5 Whole Eggs
- 1 tsp of Sugar
- Salt
- 2 tsp of White Pepper
- 5 tbsp of Oil
- 2.5 tbsp of Vegetarian Oyster Sauce
- 1.5 tbsp of Soy Sauce
- 2 cups of Frozen Vegetable
- Whisk 5 whole eggs with 1 tsp of white pepper in a bowl and season with salt.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high and add in 5 tbsp of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the white parts of the green onion and your eggs.
- Let the egg sit for 30 seconds and then fry for 2-3 minutes, breaking the egg apart.
- Add in frozen vegetables, and scramble for 1-2 minutes.
- Turn the heat to high, and add cold-cooked rice, 1 tsp of white pepper, soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, and sugar. Saute together for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in green onion, and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
