Benihana Fried Rice (Copycat) (VIDEO)

Ingredient Tips

• Shrimp – Use raw, deveined and peeled shrimp in any size (as it’ll get cut into smaller pieces). You can always substitute with a different protein of your choice, 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. When I know I am making fried rice, I like to dry it out in the refrigerator on a baking sheet.
• MSG – I like to use msg in moderation as a flavor enhancer. This is always optional
• Neutral oil – My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola, vegetable, peanut, or grapeseed oil. I do not recommend using olive oil or sesame oil for making fried rice – both have low burning points, and olive oil in particularly does not go with the flavors in the dish.
• 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 is NOT 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! I recommend using unsalted butter (my favorite is Kerrygold) to prevent the garlic butter from being too salty.

Recipe Tips

Cut the Vegetables into Similar Sizes

• 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.
• Alternatively, you can use frozen vegetables, as they’re always consistent in size.

Crumble the Old Rice

• Dried out rice (which is exactly what we want for this recipe) tends to get clumpy. Adding it directly to the pan in clumps means you’ll have to work harder to break up the clumps while cooking. (And if you don’t break up the clumps, some of the old rice will stay white and not cooked!) I found that it’s much easier to take handfuls of clumped up rice and crumble them into grains. This helps each rice grain cook evenly and get coated in all of the delicious flavors of Benihana Fried Rice!

Save the Garlic Butter

• Store any leftover Garlic Butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 week. (Technically it should be safe to consume for up to 2 weeks but I noticed I prefer the flavors in the first week.) This recipe will make more than you need and luckily the garlic butter tastes delicious on EVERYTHING – I love it not only in this recipe but also on top of different proteins (like steak, salmon, or chicken) or tossed into stir-fries for added flaver.

Storage and Reheating

• Store any leftover Benihana Fried Rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or give it a quick fry in a nonstick pan on the stove (this is my preferred method).

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.