This easy fried rice recipe makes a delicious, quick dish! Ready in 15 minutes! Customize with your favorite add-ins! Video included.

Fried rice is a wonderful quick and easy dinner recipe. I also love adding rotisserie or baked chicken, blackened shrimp, or salmon to this delicious dish!

Photo of fried rice recipe in a white bowl.

Fried rice has always been a staple dish from our local take-out, but I really prefer to make it at home. It is ready in minutes and I can add our favorite ingredients to customize it to our tastes! I think you’ll love this easy recipe, too!

Ingredients

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

Photo of ingredients used to make fried rice.

Fried rice is made with a few staple ingredients. You can then use the substitutions and additions suggestions that I provide as a launching pad to use what you have available and based on your personal preference.

  • Rice – I love to use jasmine rice in this recipe. You can use whatever rice you prefer. It all works!
  • Eggs – I’ve included eggs in my recipe since they are standard in egg fried rice recipes. However, if you are sensitive to eggs or prefer not to use them, you can just leave them out without any issues.
  • Onion and garlic – Again, these standard ingredients add so much flavor to the fried rice. They can be omitted if you prefer.
  • Vegetables – Peas and carrots add flavor and color to the dish. I use a frozen mixture of peas and carrots to make this dish so quick and easy.
  • Oils and sauce – You’ll notice olive and sesame oil are listed in this recipe. If you do not have sesame oil, you can use olive oil or butter. I’ve also listed soy sauce in the recipe since it is traditionally used. However, like me, many can not use soy. I use coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce listed.

How to Make Fried Rice

Photo of cooking garlic, onions, peas, and carrots in a skillet with a wooden spoon.

Cook onions and garlic and peas and carrots. Add olive oil to a medium skillet set over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic and cook until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the frozen peas and carrots and cook for 1 more minute.

Photo of rice, peas and carrots for fried rice in a skillet.

Add rice. Stir in the cooked rice and cook until it begins to brown, about 3 minutes.

Photo of egg added to fried rice.

Add eggs. Move the fried rice mixture to one side of the skillet and add the eggs and scramble them.

Photo of cooked fried rice

Add sauce and oil. Stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil until the rice is evenly coated.

Photo of fried rice in a skillet with green onions and cilantro.

Add green onions and cilantro. Top with green onions and cilantro.

Fried rice in a skillet.

Fried Rice Variations

  • Chicken Fried Rice – Add rotisserie chicken, sliced or shredded baked chicken, or even tender grilled chicken is delicious.
  • Shrimp Fried Rice – Add garlic shrimp, blackened shrimp, or even a simple boiled shrimp. Since the cooking time is very similar, you can skip the egg, cook your shrimp in a separate skillet, and stir it into the fried rice right before serving.
  • Beef Fried Rice – I love to add leftover shredded balsamic beef or pieces of sliced steak right before serving.
  • Vegetable Fried Rice – Omit the egg and add more steamed or sauteed vegetables to your fried rice while cooking. I also love to use cold, leftover cooked broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, or squash and stir them into the skillet when I add my frozen peas and carrots. So delicious!
  • Rice-free Cauliflower Fried Rice – Use frozen cauliflower rice in place of the cooked and cooled rice called for in the recipe!

Storage Tips

To make ahead. Prepare as directed and store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

To freeze. Quickly chill in the refrigerator. Then portion into freezer-safe, airtight containers and freeze for up to 1 month.

Fried rice in a white bowl with a spoon.

Here’s my Easy Fried Rice Recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!

Fried Rice Recipe

5 from 1 vote
This easy fried rice recipe makes a delicious, quick dish! Ready in 15 minutes! Customize with your favorite add-ins! Video included.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 large sweet onion, chopped (or other sweet onion)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
  • 3 cups jasmine rice, cooked and cooled
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce, or coconut aminos
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, optional

Instructions 

  • Add olive oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Cook onion and garlic until the onion is soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the frozen peas and carrots and cook for 1 more minute.
  • Add the cooked and cooled rice and cook until the rice begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Move the rice to the edge of skillet. Add the beaten eggs to the skillet and scramble. Once the eggs are cooked, stir the rice back into them.
    Photo of egg added to fried rice.
  • Mix the soy sauce and sesame oil and pour the mixture over the rice. Stir until the rice is evenly coated with the mixture. Remove from the heat and top with the green onions and cilantro.
    Photo of fried rice in a skillet with green onions and cilantro.

Notes

To make ahead. Prepare fried rice as directed and store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To freeze. Quickly chill the fried rice in the refrigerator. Then portion into freezer-safe, airtight containers and freeze for up to 1 month.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 398kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 533mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Enjoy!
Robyn xo

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

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Recipe Review




5 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    A great and simple recipe. It’s going into my rotation. I made it tonight and everybody was happy!

    1. Thanks, Kim, for letting me know how much your family loved this fried rice recipe.