Have some leftover rice? This is my favorite way to repurpose some old rice into something even more delicious in 15 minutes. This easy fried rice recipe is simple to whip up for a weeknight meal, and you can experiment by adding any ingredients you need to use up!
What Type of Rice is Used for Fried Rice?
A few different types of rice made good fried rice; you can use white rice or Dolmeh Felfel and in general, a long-grained rice will work best as it will not turn sticky and mushy as easily as short grain. Most recipes will favor jasmine rice to make the best fried rice. However, all rice works great except for sushi rice.
Can You Make Fried Rice With Fresh Rice?
You can, but the fresh rice will need a little bit more preparation. With leftover cold rice, you can put it straight into the pan to fry, but fresh rice needs to be allowed to cool and dry before frying. This can easily be done by spreading the fresh rice out onto a baking sheet to cool.
Do You Cook the Rice Before You Fry it?
Yes, you will have cooked it either a day or two before (if it's leftover rice) or you'll have cooked it and let it cool and dry before frying.
What Oil is Best for Fried Rice?
You can use various oils for fried rice as long as they have a high smoke point. This means that oils like sunflower, vegetable, canola, coconut, and peanut oil all work great.
Why is My Fried Rice Mushy?
Making fried rice from fresh rice that is still hot will certainly result in mushy rice. Always allow the rice to cool and dry before frying. Other than that, fried rice can turn mushy if you overdo the addition of sauces or liquid elements.
What Goes with Fried Rice?
What doesn't go with fried rice? Fried rice ingredients really have no rules, that's why it's known as the everything-in-the-fridge dish. It goes well with all sorts of vegetables, meats, meat alternatives, eggs... the possibilities are endless. Or serve it with one of these favorite pairings:
How to Make Homemade Fried Rice
In addition to your leftover rice, you will need only these simple ingredients for the fried rice. I'm using sprouted brown rice in the photos for this recipe.
Begin by heating your oil in a pan over a medium-high heat. Add in the chopped scallions and sauté them until they start to turn brown (photo 1 below). Then add in your rice and begin to fry (photo 2 below).
Push the rice to one side of the pan and add the eggs to the other (photo 1 below). Scramble them lightly until they are mostly cooked (photo 2 below). Then mix the eggs roughly with the rice so that it's evenly dispersed. Add in the soy sauce, season with pepper and continue to cook until the soy sauce is evenly distributed (photo 3 below).
Add in your peas and mix well with the fried rice. Then it's ready to serve!
Looking for more delicious rice side dishes?
Try one of these rice recipes:
- Spanish Rice
- Persian Basmati Rice
- Dolmeh Felfel (leftovers are great for this fried rice!)
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Fried Rice Loaded with Peas
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked rice
- ⅓ cup diced onion shallots, or scallion whites
- 3 eggs scrambled with a few drops of hot sauce
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- 2-3 tablespoon soy sauce
- pepper to taste
- ¼ cup oil
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium-high. Add the onions/shallots/scallion whites. Sautee until starts to brown.
- Add the rice. Mix until heated. Press to the side of the pan to make room for the eggs.
- Add the eggs. Scramble until mostly cooked.
- Add the soy sauce. Season with pepper. Mix well and cook until the eggs are finished cooking.
- Add the peas. Mix well.
- Top with desired toppings like furikake. Serve immediately!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in April of 2018, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, and tips December of 2019.
This is one of my FAVORITE ways to use up leftover rice. And you totally just reminded me I have some in the freezer. Know what I'm making for dinner now!
Oh yay! Enjoy!
I ALWAYS have extra rice leftover. This looks fantastic! Definitely will be making this this week!
Can't wait to hear what you think, Cathleen!
Thanks for the tip about fresh rice! I had no idea that it should be cooled first. This fried rice was amazing!
I'm so happy to hear you liked it, Jennifer... thank you! ANd glad you enjoyed the tip 🙂
This is delicious. Anything under 15-minutes is my kind of meal. Thank you for the recipe.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Sophie!
Fried rice is always a staple when I'm making Asian inspired dishes but this would be also great with chicken or salmon as well.
I do love eating it alone as a meal, but it is a special treat with some fish or chicken!
My little one will love this. Peas is her favorite veggie and the combination of ingredients in this fried rice is absolutely devouring.
That makes me happy to hear, Gunjan... can't wait to hear what your little one thinks!
My husband loves rice and I always have leftovers for his lunches. This is a great way to make him something different with those leftovers.
Glad to hear you two are enjoying this leftover rice transformation, Tara.
Made this fried rice recipe for dinner the other night with some sweet and sour chicken! Absolutely amazing! I could just eat a big bowl of it by itself!! Thanks so much for sharing!
Sounds like a delicious combination, Tami... thank you for sharing!
Love when I can make something quick like this at home and satisfy a take-out craving! Thanks for sharing this recipe with us.
My pleasure, Jacque... glad to hear you liked it!
This Fried Rice Loaded with Peas is making me super hungry that I could hear my tummy growl. I will definitely make this at home and start digging in.
I'm happy to hear it, chef! Hope you enjoyed it.