Easy Fried Rice

Yield: 4 servings · Main Course · Chinese

This easy fried rice turns yesterday's leftover rice into tonight's star dish. This one turns yesterday's leftover rice into tonight's dinner in just 20 minutes. The secret?

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked jasmine or long-grain white rice, chilled (ideally cooked the day before)
• 3 tbsp vegetable or avocado oil, divided
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts separated)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

1. Prep the rice. You'll get that perfect balance of tender grains and crispy edges that makes takeout fried rice so addictive. Using your hands or a fork, break up any clumps so every grain is separated and individual. This is essential — clumpy rice leads to unevenly cooked fried rice with mushy spots.
2. Scramble the eggs. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large wok or 12-inch skillet over high heat until it shimmers. Pour in the beaten eggs and scramble quickly, breaking them into small, bite-sized pieces as they set, about 30–45 seconds. They should be just barely cooked. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
3. Cook the aromatics. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the wok over high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the white parts of the green onions and the minced garlic. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant — don't let the garlic brown.
4. Add the vegetables. Add the thawed peas and carrots. Stir-fry for about 1 minute until heated through and any excess moisture has evaporated.
5. Fry the rice. Add all the cold rice to the wok. Spread it out flat, pressing it against the hot surface of the wok with your spatula. Here's the key: let it sit and sear undisturbed for 1–2 minutes. You should hear it sizzle. Then toss and flip the rice, spread it flat again, and let it sear another 1–2 minutes. Repeat this press-sear-toss cycle 2–3 times. You're building flavor through those toasty, lightly crispy bits.
6. Season. Drizzle the soy sauce and oyster sauce evenly over the rice (aim for the sides of the wok so the sauces hit the hot surface and sizzle before coating the rice). Toss vigorously with your spatula to coat every grain evenly. The rice should be uniformly golden.
7. Finish. Return the scrambled eggs to the wok. Drizzle the sesame oil over everything and sprinkle in the white pepper. Toss everything together for about 30 seconds to combine and warm the eggs through.
8. Serve. Transfer to plates or bowls. Garnish with the green parts of the green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve immediately while hot.

Pro Tips

Variations

• Shrimp Fried Rice: Add 1/2 lb of peeled, deveined shrimp. Sear them in the wok for 2 minutes before the eggs, remove, and add back at the end with the eggs.
• Kimchi Fried Rice: Add 1 cup of chopped kimchi and 1 tablespoon of gochujang (Korean chili paste) when you add the vegetables. Reduce soy sauce to 2 tablespoons. Top with a fried egg.
• Spam Fried Rice: Dice 1 can of Spam into small cubes and pan-fry until crispy on all sides before adding the rice. A Hawaiian favorite that's salty, savory, and addictive.

Nutrition Facts