Fried rice is a dish that we turn to again and again, and for good reason. It’s delicious, easy to make, and versatile enough to accommodate a wide variety of ingredients. Fried rice is the perfect dish to throw together on nights when you don’t quite feel like cooking. Try these easy fried rice recipes to get inspired.
Tips for making the best-fried rice
Use cold, leftover rice: The key to making good fried rice is using cold, leftover rice. Freshly cooked rice is too soft and moist, which can result in soggy fried rice. Leftover rice that has been refrigerated for a day or two has dried out slightly, making it easier to fry and resulting in a better texture.
Don’t overcrowd the pan: To ensure that your rice gets crispy and caramelized, make sure not to overcrowd the pan. If the pan is too full, the rice will steam instead of fry, creating a mushy texture. Cook the rice in batches if necessary, and remove it from the pan before adding more ingredients.
Use high heat: To get the best texture and flavor in, use high heat. This helps to caramelize the ingredients and gives the dish that signature smoky flavor. Just be sure to keep an eye on the rice and stir it frequently to prevent it from burning.
Pancetta & Egg Fried Rice
ingredients
3 oz Diced Pancetta
2 Pasture-Raised Eggs
2 tsps Gochujang
3 oz Baby Spinach
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 Scallions
3 Tbsps East Asian-Style Sautéed Aromatics
2 Tbsps Mayonnaise
time-saving tips & techniques
How To: Chop Scallions
Scallions, or green onions, are one of our favorite aromatic vegetables. There are two parts of the vegetable: the white bottom and the green top. They're used a little differently in cooking—the white bottoms are similar in use to regular onions and are usually cooked; the green tops are often used raw as a garnish. In our recipes, we specify to separate them. Check out this video to see how we do it.
1Cook the rice
Carefully rinse the rice (sifting through for any impurities). Drain thoroughly. In a small pot, combine the rice, a big pinch of salt, and 1 cup of water. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, without stirring, 13 to 15 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork.
2Prepare the ingredients
Meanwhile, wash and dry the fresh produce. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops. Crack the eggs into a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise and as much of the gochujang as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be.
3.Cook the pancetta & spinach
In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the pancetta in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the sliced white bottoms of the scallions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened. Add the spinach. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted and the pancetta is cooked through. Turn off the heat.
4Make the fried rice & serve your dish
To the pan, add the soy sauce, sautéed aromatics, and cooked rice; stir to combine, then arrange in an even layer. Cook on medium-high, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until the rice is slightly crispy. Using a spoon, move the fried rice to one side of the pan. Add the beaten eggs to the other side. Cook, constantly stirring the eggs, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until cooked through. Turn off the heat. Stir to thoroughly combine. Serve the fried rice drizzled with the spicy mayo. Garnish with the sliced green tops of scallions. Enjoy!
Orange Salmon & Fried Rice
ingredients
Orange Salmon & Fried Rice with Mushrooms & Bok Choy
4 Skin-On Salmon Fillets
1 Pasture-Raised Egg
1 cup Long Grain White Rice
4 oz Mushrooms
1 Navel Orange
2 cloves Garlic
15 oz Baby Bok Choy
⅓ cup Soy Glaze
1 Piece Ginger
1 tsp Black & White Sesame Seeds
time-saving
tips & techniques
Feature Video
How To: Peel & Mince Ginger
Ginger is a common, aromatic ingredient popular in cuisines throughout the world. Because of its knobby shape, prepping ginger can seem tricky. But simply follow the instructions in this video and you'll be prepping like a pro.
How To: Hold a Chef's Knife
step-by-step
instructions
Cook Along
Cook the rice
1Cook the rice
Carefully rinse the rice (sifting through for any small stones or impurities). Drain thoroughly. In a medium pot, combine the rice, a big pinch of salt, and 2 cups of water. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, without stirring, 13 to 15 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork.
Prepare the ingredients & start the sauce
2Prepare the ingredients & start the sauce
Meanwhile, wash and dry the fresh produce. Thinly slice the mushrooms. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Peel the ginger; finely chop to get 1 tablespoon (you may have extra). Cut off and discard the root ends of the bok choy; thinly slice crosswise. Crack the egg into a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Beat until smooth. Halve the orange crosswise; squeeze the juice into a bowl. Add half the soy glaze and 2 tablespoons of water; season with salt and pepper.
Cook the vegetables & egg
In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced mushrooms in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the chopped garlic and chopped ginger; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the sliced bok choy; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Using a spoon, move the vegetables to one side of the pan. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the other side, then add the beaten egg. Cook, constantly stirring the egg, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until cooked through. Stir the vegetables and egg to thoroughly combine. Transfer to a large bowl. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Cover with foil to keep warm. Rinse and wipe out the pan.
Finish the rice
In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the cooked rice in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly crispy. Turn off the heat. Carefully stir in the remaining soy glaze. Transfer to the bowl of cooked vegetables and egg; stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Cover with the foil to keep warm. Rinse and wipe out the pan.
Cook the fish
Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the seasoned fish, skin side up. Loosely cover the pan with foil. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until browned. Flip and cook 2 to 4 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.* Turn off the heat. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate.
*The USDA recommends a minimum safe cooking temperature of 145°F for fish.
Finish the sauce & serve your dish
6Finish the sauce & serve your dish
To the pan of reserved fond, add the sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook on medium-high, stirring constantly and scraping up any fond, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the cooked fish over the finished rice. Top the fish with the sauce. Garnish with the sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Vegetable Fried Rice
ingredients
Vegetable Fried Rice with Togarashi Peanuts
¾ cup Jasmine Rice
2 Carrots
6 oz Baby Bok Choy
½ lb Broccoli
2 Cage-Free Farm Eggs
2 Tbsps Hoisin Sauce
1 1-Inch Piece Ginger
1 Tbsp Honey
1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
1 tsp Sriracha
3 Tbsps Roasted Peanuts
1 Tbsp Togarashi Seasoning (Sweet Paprika, Hot Paprika, Dried Orange Peel, Poppy Seeds, White Sesame Seeds & Black Sesame Seeds)
time-saving
tips & techniques
Feature Video
How To: Peel a Carrot
Make quick work of this deliciously sweet root vegetable. Check out the video to see how it's done.
Baby Bok Choy
Hoisin Sauce
Ginger
Jasmine Rice
Sriracha
Broccoli
Carrots
Honey
Rice Vinegar
Peanuts
Prepare & roast the broccoli:
1Prepare & roast the broccoli:
Remove the honey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the bottom 1/2 inch of the broccoli stem; cut the broccoli into small pieces, keeping the florets intact. Place on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and half the togarashi seasoning; toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast 15 to 17 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.
Cook the rice:
While the broccoli roasts, in a small pot, combine the rice, a big pinch of salt, and 1 1/2 cups of water. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork. Cover to keep warm.
Prepare the remaining ingredients & make the sauce:
While the rice cooks, roughly chop the peanuts. Peel the carrots; thinly slice on an angle. Peel and finely chop the ginger. Cut off and discard the root end of the bok choy; roughly chop. Crack the eggs into a bowl; season with salt and pepper and beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, vinegar, honey (kneading the packet before opening), and as much of the sriracha as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be.
Make the togarashi peanuts:
In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped peanuts and remaining togarashi seasoning. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until coated and fragrant. Transfer to a plate; immediately season with salt and pepper. Rinse and wipe out the pan.
Cook the vegetables & eggs:
In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced carrots and chopped ginger; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned and slightly softened. Add the chopped bok choy; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly softened. Using a spoon, move the vegetables to one side of the pan. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and the beaten eggs to the other side. Cook, constantly stirring the eggs, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until cooked through. Stir the vegetables and eggs to combine. Transfer to a large bowl. Wipe out the pan.
Finish & serve your dish:
In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the cooked rice in an even layer and cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly crispy. Add the sauce and cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until combined. Transfer to the bowl of cooked vegetables and eggs. Add the roasted broccoli. Stir to thoroughly combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish the finished rice with the togarashi peanuts. Enjoy!
Vegetable Fried Rice
ingredients
Vegetable Fried Rice with Broccoli, Carrots, & Spicy Pepper Sauce
½ cup Jasmine Rice
2 Pasture-Raised Eggs
2 Scallions
½ lb Broccoli
6 oz Carrots
2 cloves Black Garlic
1 1-Inch Piece Ginger
2 Tbsps Soy Sauce
3 Tbsps Sweet Chili Sauce
1 Tbsp Honey
1 Bird's Eye Chile Pepper
1 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
time-saving
tips & techniques
Feature Video
How To: Peel a Carrot
Make quick work of this deliciously sweet root vegetable. Check out the video to see how it's done.
Ginger
Bird's Eye Chile
Black Garlic
Sweet Chili Sauce
Honey
Broccoli
Jasmine Rice
Carrots
Scallions
Soy Sauce
White Wine Vinegar
Cook the rice:
Remove the honey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. In a medium pot, combine the rice, a big pinch of salt, and 1 cup of water. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, without stirring, 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork.
Prepare the ingredients:
While the rice cooks, wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the bottom 1/2 inch of the broccoli stem; roughly chop the broccoli. Peel the carrots; thinly slice on an angle. Peel and finely chop the ginger. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice, separating the white bottoms and green tops. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Cut off and discard the stem of the pepper; thinly slice crosswise (for a milder dish, halve the pepper lengthwise, remove and discard the seeds; thinly slice crosswise). Thoroughly wash your hands immediately after handling the pepper.
Cook the vegetables:
In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped broccoli; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the sliced carrots; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the chopped ginger and sliced white bottoms of the scallions. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Transfer to a large bowl; cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.
Make the spicy sauce:
4Make the spicy sauce:
While the vegetables cook, in a bowl, whisk together the vinegar and honey (kneading the packet before opening). Stir in the sliced pepper. Season with salt and pepper.
Make the fried rice:
5Make the fried rice:
In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the cooked rice in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly crispy. Turn off the heat; stir in the soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, and chopped garlic. Transfer to the bowl of cooked vegetables; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with the foil to keep warm. Rinse and wipe out the pan.
Fry the eggs & serve your dish:
6Fry the eggs & serve your dish:
In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Keeping them separate, crack the eggs into the pan; season with salt and pepper. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until the whites are set and the yolks are cooked to your desired degree of doneness. Turn off the heat. Serve the fried rice topped with the fried eggs and as much of the sauce as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Garnish with the sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!
Chicken Fried Rice
ingredients
Chicken Fried Rice with Green Beans, Cabbage & Peanuts
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 Cage-Free Farm Eggs
1 cup Jasmine Rice
6 oz Green Beans
2 Scallions
1 lb Savoy Cabbage
1 Summer Squash
1 1-Inch Piece Ginger
½ cup Teriyaki Sauce
⅓ cup Peanuts
¼ cup Rice Vinegar
¼ cup Sesame Oil
time-saving
tips & techniques
Feature Video
How To: Peel & Mince Ginger
Ginger is a common, aromatic ingredient popular in cuisines throughout the world. Because of its knobby shape, prepping ginger can seem tricky. But simply follow the instructions in this video and you'll be prepping like a pro.
Savoy Cabbage
Sesame Oil
Teriyaki Sauce
Jasmine Rice
Green Beans
Scallions
Zucchini
Ginger
Peanuts
Rice Vinegar
1Prepare the ingredients:
Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and finely chop the ginger. Cut out and discard the cabbage core; thinly slice the leaves. Snap off and discard the stem ends of the green beans; cut into 1-inch pieces. Halve the squash lengthwise; cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick pieces. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice on an angle, separating the white bottoms and green tops. Crack the eggs into a bowl; beat until smooth. Roughly chop the peanuts.
2Make the ginger rice:
In a small pot, heat half the sesame oil on medium-high until hot. Add half the ginger; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the rice and 2 cups of water; heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from heat and fluff the cooked rice with a fork. Stir in half the vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3Cook & shred the chicken:
While the rice cooks, pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken and cook, loosely covering the pan with aluminum foil, 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board; using 2 forks, carefully shred into bite-sized pieces. Transfer to a medium bowl; add half the teriyaki sauce and the remaining vinegar. Toss to thoroughly coat. Wipe out the pan.
4Cook the vegetables:
In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the cabbage and green beans; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the squash, white bottoms of the scallions and remaining ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5Add the eggs:
Move the cooked vegetables to 1 side of the pan. Add the remaining sesame oil to the other side of the pan; once hot, add the eggs. Cook, frequently stirring the eggs, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked through; season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir the vegetables and eggs to thoroughly combine.
6Finish & plate your dish:
Add the shredded chicken, ginger rice and remaining teriyaki sauce to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes, or until thoroughly combined and heated through. Divide the finished rice between 4 dishes. Garnish with the peanuts and green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!