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Egg Fried Rice is my GO-TO recipe when I don’t know what to eat and I need to clean out the fridge! I always have the ingredients needed to make this for a quick & easy meal!
Egg Fried Rice, a beloved classic in Asian cuisine, is a flavorful and satisfying dish that combines fluffy rice, scrambled eggs, and a medley of ingredients. The secret to achieving the perfect Egg Fried Rice lies in mastering a few key techniques. In this blog post, we’ll share essential tips that will elevate your Egg Fried Rice to restaurant-quality perfection.
Watch the Egg Fried Rice Recipe Video Below!
Ingredients for Egg Fried Rice
You only need a few ingredients to make this delicious Egg Fried Rice. Here is what you’ll need to make it!
- 1.5 cups white jasmine rice at least one day old (dried out overnight in the refrigerator)
- 3 eggs
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger chopped
- 4 scallions thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables or raw
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp msg
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp neutral oil I used avocado oil
Key Ingredient Tips
VEGETABLES
You can use either fresh or frozen! The cooking time is similar for both, since the vegetables are so small, they’ll still cook quickly frozen. I used frozen because that’s what I had on hand!
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 fried rice soggy and mushy.
PROTEIN
I chose not to add protein but if you want, you can always add it! Popular choices are chicken, shrimp, sausage, or spam!
MSG
As always, this is optional 🙂
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!)
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 Korean food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. I find that the flavor profile does not usually go with the dish.
Do you add egg or rice first in Egg Fried Rice?
Once my vegetables are cooked, I push them to the side and add some more oil to the pan, then fry my eggs until 80% cooked through. I add my rice after the egg then quickly mix them together to marry them together for a delicious and fragrant fried rice!
What gives Chinese Fried Rice its taste?
Chinese fried rice uses ingredients like garlic, ginger, white pepper, msg, and soy sauce to give it an incredibly aromatic flavor with lots of umami! Additionally, I love cooking my fried rice dishes in a wok to add a smoky element or wok hei to the final dish.
Top Recipe Tips for Egg 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 used frozen vegetables that were already the same size but if you are using fresh, make sure they are cut similar in size.
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!
If you liked this Egg Fried Rice recipe, check out some of my other popular meat and side dish recipes!
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 Egg 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 Egg 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!
Egg Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups white jasmine rice, at least one day old (or dried out in the refrigerator)
- 3 eggs
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger, chopped
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, or raw
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp msg
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp neutral oil, I used avocado oil
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Cook 1 1/2 cups white jasmine rice and lay on a sheet tray to dry out in the fridge for 1-2 days.
- Chop garlic, ginger, and scallions and prepare 1 cup frozen vegetables and set aside. Separate your scallion white from the scallion greens. Scramble 3 eggs in a bowl and set aside.
- Over high heat, add 2 tbsp of avocado oil to your pan and fry your scallion whites, garlic and ginger for 15 seconds then add your frozen veggies and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Move veggies to the side of your pan and add another 1/2 tbsp of oil, then add your eggs and scramble until about 80% cooked.
- Add your rice and mix for 1-2 minutes. Then add your soy sauce and seasonings and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes and add your scallion greens. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference. Finish with sesame oil, mix and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was delicious. Next time I would use a litte less salt and season to taste. Also, at the very end I added some cooked shrimp.
Shrimp with this sounds delicious! Thanks for trying it, Kat!
Like all your other recipes I’ve tried, this is wonderful!! My 9-year old always has multiple servings.
Simple and filling! And easy ingredients I already have at home.
This has become my go to staple at home. It’s quick and easy and I always have all the ingredients at home. Love this recipe!