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Anyone who has been to Benihana knows that the real star of the show is the Benihana Fried Rice – but did you know you can make it at home? It is super easy and I am going to show you what their secret ingredient is!
Watch the Benihana Fried Rice Recipe Video Below!
Key Ingredient Tips for Benihana Fried Rice
INGREDIENTS TIPS
- SHRIMP – You can always sub with a different protein (or leave it out altogether for a vegetarian option)!
- RICE – Do not use freshly steamed rice! The rice should be at least one day old to avoid having too much moisture; too much moisture in the rice will make your Benihana Fried Rice soggy and mushy.
- MSG – This is always optional 🙂
- NEUTRAL OIL – My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil! I don’t use olive oil when cooking Chinese food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. The flavor profile does not go.
- WHITE PEPPER – I get asked all the time if you can sub black pepper for white pepper – and my answer is, it depends BUT you need to watch the ratio. White pepper has a milder flavor profile than black pepper, so it’s a 1-1 substitute. I would start with less black pepper and add as you go. (But really, you should have white pepper in your pantry! It’s a staple in mine!)
GARLIC BUTTER
- THIS is the secret ingredient to Benihana Fried Rice! It is so simple to make (just butter, garlic, and light soy sauce) and the best part is that you can keep it in your refrigerator and use it in other dishes too!
Recipe Tips for Benihana Fried Rice
CUT YOUR VEGETABLES!
- I always recommend cutting your vegetables into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly – this little step makes a huge difference! In this recipe, I cut the carrots into small cubes so they would cook evenly with the peas.
CRUMBLE YOUR OLD RICE
- I like to crumble my rice (I’ve found that dried out rice gets clumpy) – this helps each rice grain get cooked and coated in all of the delicious flavors!
Cooking With a Wok (Alternatives)
By now, you know that I LOVE cooking with my carbon steel wok! It is my #1 most recommended kitchen tool, as I believe it is perfect for high-heat cooking and results in restaurant quality Chinese food!
If it is your first time cooking with a wok, make sure to read my “How To Season a Wok” post. There is a video included that shows exactly how to season your brand new wok and how to maintain it so it lasts for years.
If you cannot or do not want to use a wok, you can use a large pan, cast iron, or even a dutch oven.
My KEY TIP would be to avoid crowding your pan – crowding can lead to your Benihana Fried Rice not cooking thoroughly and becoming mushy. If you think your dish will be crowded, use a larger pan, cast iron, or dutch oven, OR cook in batches.
If you tried this Benihana Fried Rice or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Benihana Fried Rice
Ingredients
Shrimp
- 1/2 lb shrimp, can sub with any protein of choice
- 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp neutral oil, I used avocado oil
Garlic Butter
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3 tsp light soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
Instructions
- Cook your rice the night before and leave uncovered in the fridge to dry overnight or up to a day for best results.
- Soften 1/2 cup of butter and grated 3 cloves of garlic and add light soy sauce. Mix to combine and keep in the fridge to firm up until ready to use.
- Marinate your protein of choice with soy sauce, salt, white pepper and 1/2 tsp of neutral oil, then chop your carrot, onion, scallions and mince your garlic and set aside.
- In a pan over high heat, add 1 tbsp of oil and cook your protein, adding 1 tbsp of garlic butter for additional flavor. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, heat 3 tbsp of oil and fry your garlic for 15 seconds followed by your carrots, onions, and scallions for 1-2 minutes. Add your rice and continue frying, separating and combining until relatively dry (2-3 minutes).
- Push the rice to the side and add 1 tbsp of oil, then fry 2 eggs and cook until 90% done. Mix into the rice. Season with light soy sauce, white pepper, sugar, salt, msg, and 2 tbsp of garlic butter. Mix and fry for 1-2 more minutes and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What type of rice is best to use?
A longer grain rice like Jasmine is best in my experience! Long grain rice has less moisture than short grain rice which helps make for the best fried rice at home.
This is better than Benihana – we cooked it on our blackstone and it was amazing! Garlic soy butter was perfect!
I’m so glad everyone loved it! Thanks for the kind words.
Way better than benihana
The secret is out and that soy butter is next level. @ jknc09
I’ve made this rice a few times and my family loves it!
Yummy recipe!!! Thanks!!!
@alohajoy3
Super Yummy!!! Fantastic Recipe. Mahalo
@alohajoy3
My favorite thing to watch the chef make on the teppan at Benihana. Thanks for sharing the secret ingredient!
Ohhh this is my favorite thing to watch the chef make at Benihana! Thanks for sharing the secret ingredient!
I made this for my partner at home and she absolutely loved it!
Such a great recipe!
@chongj_