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Skip takeout with this super simple, fast, and delicious homemade shrimp fried rice – made with tender veggies, fluffy egg, and succulent shrimp in under 20 minutes!
Get ready to learn how to make better-than-takeout, restaurant-quality, easy shrimp fried rice with leftover rice and simple, inexpensive ingredients. It’s loaded with flavor and texture, healthier yet super satisfying, and NOT greasy or gummy.
Plus, it is a great protein-packed, well-balanced weeknight meal when you feel low on energy and/or time. And if you love this recipe, I am sure you will also love this shrimp stir fry with vegetables or this pepper steak stir fry.
Ingredients
- Shrimp: Use 20-24 or 26-30 count raw, peeled, and de-veined shrimp. You can use frozen shrimp, but make sure they’re completely thawed and pat dry. If they have shells, they must be shelled and de-veined first.
- Rice: Use day-old cooked long-grain rice, like jasmine rice, basmati, or white rice. Short-grain rice will be too sticky/mushy. Pre-cooked frozen and thawed rice will work, too, or even minute rice.
- Eggs: I used large eggs.
- Aromatics: A combination of fresh garlic and ginger.
- Vegetables: Frozen peas, carrots, and onion make a flavorful, nutrient-dense addition. Frozen veg (no need to thaw) will work, too.
- Soy sauce: Dark soy adds the most flavor, but use low-sodium soy sauce, a combination of both, or tamari/coconut aminos if preferred.
- Seasonings: I added paprika (regular or smoked) and red pepper flakes (or cayenne/hot sauce).
- Brown sugar: Just a small amount will balance the flavors.
- Green onions: (aka scallions) To garnish – the light and green parts. Other fresh herbs, like cilantro, work too.
- Oil: Use a neutral, high-heat cooking oil like vegetable oil, avocado oil, canola oil, peanut oil, etc.
- Butter: Unsalted is best – to cook the shrimp.
- Water.
How to make shrimp fried rice
Prepare the Ingredients: If your rice isn’t cold from the day before, cook it, cool it on a tray, then put it in the fridge for 1 ½-2 hours or the freezer for about an hour.
If using frozen shrimp, submerge the bag of shrimp in a bowl of cold water (NOT warm or hot!) for 20-30 minutes. Then, peel and mince the garlic and ginger and finely dice the onion and carrots. Also, thinly slice the green onions.
Scramble the eggs: Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a small bowl. Once hot, pour the whisked eggs into the pan and stir/scramble with a spoon until no longer wet. Then, remove it from the pan and set aside.
It’s possible to scramble the eggs directly in the pan, but I prefer them thoroughly mixed first for less separated whites and yolks.
Sauté the shrimp: Wipe out the egg skillet, then add the oil and increase to medium-high heat. Meanwhile, pat the shrimp with paper towels and lightly season with salt and pepper and optionally with garlic and onion powder. Once the pan is hot, add the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Then, remove the tender shrimp from the pan and set aside.
Stir-fry the vegetables: In a high-sided skillet or wok, heat a swirl of oil over high heat (use the same pan as before if you’re able). Once hot, sauté the onion for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and ginger and sauté for a further minute. Then, stir in the carrot and peas and sauté until the carrot is tender-crisp (for the most tender carrot, add it at the same time as the onion). If using frozen veg, they’ll thaw and warm in just 1-2 minutes.
Combine to serve: Increase the heat to high, then stir in the cooked rice, crumbled scrambled egg, and cooked shrimp along with the water, sugar, chili flakes, paprika, and green onion, and mix thoroughly. Toss for just a minute or two to break up any rice clumps and ensure everything is warmed through. Finally, taste and adjust any of the seasonings to your liking. Then serve and enjoy!
Top tips for making the best shrimp fried rice
- Use long-grain rice: Like Jasmine or Basmati. Short-grain rice is usually starchier and “stickier” and will make mushy fried rice.
- Use cold or day-old rice: The fresher the rice, the softer and mushier the fried rice. So pre-cooked and cooled is okay, but day-old is best as it dries and firms up over time, leading to the best texture when pan-fried.
- Prep the ingredients: This is a fast-moving recipe, so ensure every ingredient is ready to go and within arm’s reach before cooking anything.
- Be careful not to overcook the egg: Otherwise, it can become rubbery. I like to cook it a little soft to begin so it doesn’t overcook when stirred in at the end.
- Season the shrimp: This helps infuse them with heaps of flavor.
- For crisper shrimp: Toss them in cornstarch before pan-frying.
- To avoid clumpy fried rice: Break up the clumps with a spatula while it cooks. A little additional oil can also help to separate rice grains.
How to store
- Make ahead: It’s best to cook the rice a day in advance. You can also prep the veggies/aromatics in advance and store them in airtight containers in the fridge until ready to use.
- To Store: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking for food safety reasons, then store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Freeze: Best done without the egg and transferred to the freezer within 2 hours. I like to divide it into portioned Ziplock’s then store it for up to 3 months. Leave it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- Reheat: You can use a stovetop or microwave with a splash of water (or broth) to keep it from drying out. To reheat the rice safely, ensure it reaches 165ºF/74ºC. It’s best to reheat fried rice only once.
More easy rice recipes
If you try this easy shrimp fried rice recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Easy Shrimp Fried Rice
Ingredients
Rice
- 18.5 oz cooked rice (4 cups) use long-grain, day-old rice – like jasmine or basmati
To scramble the eggs
- 2 Tbsp butter unsalted
- 3 eggs
To cook the shrimp
- 1 lb shrimp 20-24 or 26-30 count, raw, peeled, and de-veined; frozen is fine but fully thawed
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil or another neutral oil
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder optional
- 1/2 tsp onion powder optional
To assemble
- 5 oz carrots (1 cup finely chopped)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2.3 oz onion (1/2 cup chopped)
- 4 green onions
- 3 cloves garlic (1/2 Tbsp minced)
- 1 Tbsp ginger minced
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup soy sauce regular or reduced-sodium, tamari, or coconut aminos if preferred
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp chili flakes or to taste – optional
Instructions
- If your rice isn't cold from the day before, cook it, cool it on a tray, then put it in the fridge for 1 ½-2 hours or the freezer for about an hour.
- If using frozen shrimp, submerge the bag of shrimp in a bowl of cold water (NOT warm or hot!) for 20-30 minutes.
- Peel and mince the garlic and ginger. Finely dice the onion and carrots. Thinly slice the green onions.
- Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a small bowl. Once hot, pour the whisked eggs into the pan and stir/scramble with a spoon until no longer wet. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Wipe out the egg skillet, then add the oil and increase to medium-high heat.Meanwhile, pat the shrimp with paper towels and lightly season with salt and pepper, and optionally with garlic and onion powder.
- Once the pan is hot, add the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
- In a high-sided pan or skillet, heat a swirl of oil over high heat (use the same pan as before if you're able). Once hot, sauté the onion for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and ginger and sauté for a further minute.
- Stir in the carrot and peas and sauté until the carrot is tender-crisp (for the most tender carrot, add it at the same time as the onion). If using frozen veg, they'll thaw and warm in 1-2 minutes.
- Increase the heat to high, then stir in the cooked rice, crumbled scrambled egg, and cooked shrimp along with the water, sugar, chili flakes, paprika, and green onion, and mix thoroughly.
- Toss for just a minute or two to break up any rice clumps and ensure everything is warmed through. Taste and adjust any of the seasonings to your liking. Serve, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
