Quick Fried Rice
Better-than-takeout fried rice using day-old rice and pantry ingredients — done in 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 3 cups cooked rice, preferably day-old and cold (jasmine or long-grain)
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- 4 scallions, sliced (whites and greens separated)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
Instructions
- 1Make sure your rice is cold and dry — day-old rice from the fridge is ideal. Fresh warm rice contains too much moisture and steams instead of frying, resulting in clumpy, soft fried rice.
- 2Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over HIGH heat until smoking. Add the eggs and scramble quickly for 45–60 seconds until just set but still slightly wet. Remove to a plate.
- 3Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to the same pan. Add scallion whites, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry for 30 seconds.
- 4Add frozen vegetables and cook for 1–2 minutes until defrosted and heated through.
- 5Add the cold rice. Spread it in an even layer and press it against the hot pan — leave it for 60–90 seconds without stirring to develop a slight crust on the bottom, then toss and press again. Repeat 2–3 times for maximum texture.
- 6Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and white pepper. Toss everything together until the rice is evenly coated and the sauce is absorbed.
- 7Return the scrambled eggs and add sesame oil. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve topped with scallion greens and a drizzle of extra sesame oil.
Pro Tips
- ✓
Day-old rice is not a suggestion — it's the defining ingredient of good fried rice. Fresh rice has too much moisture. Spread cooked rice on a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for several hours (or overnight) before using.
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High heat the entire time. Wok cooking requires your highest burner setting — if the pan isn't hot enough to make oil shimmer almost instantly, wait longer. Medium heat fried rice is just sad, wet rice.
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Cook components in stages — eggs first and removed, then aromatics, then vegetables, then rice. Cooking everything together at once results in steaming rather than frying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is restaurant fried rice better than homemade?
Restaurant woks run at temperatures 3–4x higher than a home burner — this creates 'wok hei' (breath of the wok), a smoky, charred flavour that's nearly impossible to replicate exactly at home. To get as close as possible: use the highest burner, use a wok or large cast iron (better heat retention than non-stick), cook in small batches, and don't crowd the pan. The day-old rice rule is equally important.
Can I make fried rice with brown rice?
Yes — brown rice makes excellent fried rice. It has a nuttier flavor and adds more fiber. The technique is identical. Brown rice especially benefits from the day-old-and-cold rule because its higher fiber content makes it stickier when freshly cooked.
What proteins can I add to fried rice?
Almost any protein works: diced chicken or pork, sliced beef, shrimp, edamame, tofu, or leftover roast meat. Add proteins that need cooking (raw chicken, shrimp) after the aromatics and before the rice. Add pre-cooked proteins (rotisserie chicken, leftover steak) with the rice at the end to just heat through.
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