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Easy Fried Rice (Restaurant Style!)

Best Fried Rice
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5 from 2 reviews

Here’s how to make fried rice with day-old rice, garlic, ginger, and crisp veggies: it’s ready in 20 minutes and better than a restaurant! Variation: Try Shrimp Fried Rice for additional protein.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 yellow or white onion
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger (about 1 inch nub)
  • 2 large carrots
  • 2 cups chopped green cabbage (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil or untoasted sesame oil, divided
  • 4 eggs*
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 cups cooked rice, at least 1 day old (use How to Cook Rice or Instant Pot Rice), or use shortcut**
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
  • Green onion, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Mince the onion. Mince the garlic. Mince the ginger. Peel the carrots, then dice them. If using, chop the cabbage.
  2. In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil medium high. Saute the carrots and onion for 2 minutes. Add the cabbage, garlic and ginger and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the rice, peas and salt for 1 minute.
  3. Push the rice to the side. Add 1 tablespoon more oil. Add the eggs and pinch of salt, and scramble them in for 1 to 2 minutes until cooked through.
  4. Add the soy sauce and fish sauce, if using. Taste and add additional soy sauce or salt if necessary. Heat for a minute or two, stirring, until all rice is coated. Serve hot.

Notes

*For a vegan variation, make a Tofu Scramble first, keeping the pieces fairly small. Make the rice without the egg, then stir in the scrambled tofu in the last step. 

**Trick: If you don’t have day old rice, here’s a shortcut. Make the rice.  Then spread it onto a rimmed sheet pan and put it into the freezer. Freeze for about 15 to 20 minutes until the grains become cool to the touch. Some might even become frozen: that’s ok! They’ll heat right back up once they hit the pan.

Find it online: https://www.acouplecooks.com/fried-rice/