This easy egg fried rice recipe is a budget-friendly, no-fuss meal. Ready in 15 minutes, with just 5 base ingredients and almost endless flavor variations!
Slice the green onion. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl.You can whisk the eggs directly in the pan, but I find it easier to fully scramble them this way (and avoid shells in the pan).
Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat until shimmery.
Add the rice and stir-fry fry for just a couple of minutes to warm it up, tossing it regularly and pressing with the back of a spatula to break up any large clumps into individual grains of rice.If it's browning too quickly, reduce the heat to medium-high heat.
Scoop the rice to one side of the pan and add the eggs to the other, stirring constantly to scramble them into tiny pieces as they cook.
Whenabout ¾ cooked, mix the eggs into the rice, add the soy sauce, and mix once more, continuing to cook just until well mixed.If using a wok, add the soy sauce around the edges so it reduces quickly and creates the smoky "wok hei" flavor.
Taste and season with salt (and white pepper) if needed. Then serve topped with the sliced green onions and optional sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Storage
Make ahead: Remember to cook the rice a day in advance for the best texture. You can also prepare the fried rice a day earlier and only add the egg (and garnishes) when reheating it. Store: leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days. For food safety, transfer it to the fridge within 2 hours of cooking (the sooner, the better!).Freeze: Freeze in an airtight container/Ziplock for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating it. Reheat: You can use the stovetop or microwave to reheat the rice. You may need a splash of water or vegetable broth to soften the rice again. To safely reheat rice, ensure it reaches 165ºF/74ºC.
Notes
Use cold or day-old rice: The fresher the rice, the mushier your results. So pre-cooked and cooled is great, but day-old is even better!
Don't overcook the eggs: Or they'll become rubbery.
Use high heat: ensure the wok/pan is HOT before adding the rice. This prevents the rice from steaming instead of frying and cooks everything quickly.
If the rice is clumping, adding a little extra oil can help separate the grains.
For crispy rice: After adding it to the pan, press down and cook for about a minute, then flip and repeat before stir-frying. This chars the rice without burning it.
For flavor, you can add:
Minced garlic or ginger: For extra aromatic flavor. Use one or both and sauté for 30 seconds before adding the rice.
Toasted sesame oil: To add nutty, toasty flavor depth.
Vinegar: Rice vinegar or white vinegar adds a bright, delicious depth. Just a splash.
Oyster sauce or fish sauce: Replace a small amount of the soy sauce with either for extra savory, complex flavors.
Butter: Add a small amount towards the end for a rich, buttery flavor.
Nori: Finely shredded nori to garnish.
Crispy onions: To garnish.
Mix-ins: No matter what you add in, I recommend only adding up to ½ cup, especially veggies, as they can lead to mushy fried rice. Make sure they’re all finely chopped into similar-sized pieces, too.
Vegetable egg fried rice: add peas, corn, carrot, shredded cabbage, onion, mushroom, bell pepper, bean sprouts, broccoli, leek, zucchini, etc. Fresh, frozen (and thawed), or steam bags to cook separately. If fresh/frozen, cook until tender before adding the rice to the pan.
Water chestnuts/Bamboo shoots: Both are popular additions.
Meat: Finely chopped spam, bacon/pork, Chinese sausage, ham, or pre-cooked shredded beef or chicken.
Shrimp: Sauté them separately, then add them back at the end.
Plant-based protein: Tofu/puffed tofu, tempeh, or seitan chicken would all work.
Cashews: Lightly toasted raw, unsalted cashews add flavor and texture.
Vegan version: use scrambled tofu instead of eggs.
Check the blog post for serving recommendations and answers to top FAQs!