Fried Rice

Fried rice is the ultimate leftover food. Not only is it totally customizable with whatever additional protein and veggies you have in the fridge, but it’s crazy simple to make too. I know that everyone has a soft spot in their heart for their favorite type of fried rice, so this recipe is as classic as you can get, perfect for personalizing however you like. I may be biased, but this fried rice is truly unbeatable—after 6 iterations, it’s my perfect, best-ever recipe. Keep reading down below the recipe for all of my top tips on how to perfect this takeout classic.

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"Best I've ever made." - eddiemcbride461

How To Make Fried Rice

INGREDIENTS

• Rice: Everyone knows that leftover rice (preferably long-grain jasmine, but any long-grain white rice will work) is the best when making fried rice, but what if you don’t have any? Here, I’ve included the method used by restaurants to get that ideal, slightly dried-out rice without having to wait a day. The YouTube channel Chinese Cooking Demystified is one of my favorite places to go for all my Chinese culinary questions. The method that its hosts Steph and Chris use to par-boil then steam the rice is borderline miraculous in the results you get. The Delish kitchen team was floored at the consistent texture you get with the rice, and I for one will not be cooking my rice any other way going forward.
• Oil: Choose an oil with a high-smoke point, and don’t be afraid to use a lot of oil—this is fried rice after all.
• Eggs: I use 3 large eggs in this recipe. I prefer to have some white streaks in my eggs, so I barely beat them together.
• Garlic: I like my fried rice super garlicky, so I use 5 cloves. You can take it back if you want, but honestly, I don’t suggest it—the more garlic, the better.
• Ginger: About an inch of ginger, minced very small, goes with the garlic before adding in our veggies.
• Scallions: When chopping your scallions, separate the whites and the greens. The green we’ll use as a garnish, and the white we’ll cook with.
• Soy Sauce: The first thing you’ll notice about this recipe is that soy sauce is included. While to some, this might not be super-traditional in fried rice, a lot of American eaters (and Delish taste testers) prefer it! Because there is no meat or seafood in this fried rice, after some testing, I felt it added some extra body and umami to the rice that is totally delicious. I suggest using low-sodium soy sauce so you can control the salt amount.
• Sugar: I believe that all savory dishes should be finished off with a bit of sugar if there isn’t a natural source of sweetness in it. It helps to round out the dish and provide a more complex flavor.
• White Pepper: White pepper is underutilized outside of fancier kitchens, but it’s worth buying if you can. Honestly, it’s one of my favorite things about this recipe; at home, I’ll add even more. It’s earthy, and has less of a kick than black pepper.
• MSG: MSG adds the perfect sweet-salty boost to fried rice. It’s a widely misunderstood ingredient—checkout this article all about MSG if you’re looking to learn more.
• Peas: I personally love peas in fried rice, and find it’s a common addition in many American versions. Don’t worry about using frozen peas, they won’t emit too much moisture to the rice.
• Butter: Using butter is a bit controversial, but it adds a wonderful richness, and a little bit goes a long way. If you really don’t want to use it, you can omit it.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Leftover rice works perfectly for fried rice, so if you have some hanging out in your fridge, use it here. But, if you don’t have any, never fear: I’ve found a 2-step technique to make freshly cooked rice absolutely perfect for fried rice. The first step of making any rice dish is to adequately clean your rice. Some people like to do this in the pot they’re going to cook their rice in, but I like to use a mesh strainer. Rinse the rice—moving around the grains frequently—until the water comes out clean. Once your rice is ready, you’re going to par-boil the rice for just a few minutes. This will help to jumpstart the cooking process, breaking down the outsides of the grains of rice.

Once you strain the rice, we’re ready to make an impromptu steamer with a pot and a strainer that fits inside of it. First, add some water to the bottom of the pot, then put the strainer filled with your rinsed rice in it. Next, you’re going to want to create some holes in the rice with chopsticks to allow steam to circulate.

After making your holes, cover the pot with tin foil; it doesn’t have to be totally snug, but it should be well-tented. Then, cover with the pot lid and let it steam. Steaming the rice is a gentler cooking process that keeps the grains pretty dry and adds less moisture to the rice, which is what we’re looking for.

After about 15 minutes, check on your rice: It should almost taste al-dente. What I mean by this is that it should be fully cooked through, but should taste drier than normal steamed rice. Once it’s ready, I like to spread my rice on a sheet pan. This is a bit of overkill, but it will help your rice to cool down more quickly (which means fried rice faster!).

Now that our rice is ready, let’s focus on bringing everything together. Barely beat the eggs together (if you prefer some whites in your egg) before adding to your wok. Once you add to the wok, move your eggs around quickly, pressing in with a spatula to make those perfect fried rice egg squiggles. Once they’re ready, take them out, and give your wok or skillet a quick wipe down. I recommend pre-cooking your eggs because if they sit in the fried rice for awhile, they will get overcooked.

Next, it’s time to add your oil. Don’t be shy here: This is fried rice after all, so add enough to coat all of the grains in the oil. Add in your ginger and garlic: This will help flavor the oil which will transfer to your entire dish. Then, add the green onions and cook until softened, flipping and stirring frequently to prevent any burning.

Add all of your rice, tossing and stirring it constantly (I mean it!). You should see the grains start to become individual, which is the tell-tale sign of a well-done fried rice. Once you see that the rice is separating, it’s time to add your seasonings and soy sauce.

Once your rice is perfectly seasoned and separated, it’s time to add in your eggs and peas. Toss everything together, and serve once everything is well combined. Finish with the green onion garnish, and get ready to dig into this takeout classic.

Full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• What should I use to cook fried rice? A wok is the most traditional way to cook fried rice, and it does work especially well. The movement and centralized heat are very helpful, and its size holds a large amount of rice . But if you don’t have one, don’t let that stop you: I’ve made incredible fried rice in a cast iron skillet.

Fried Rice Variations

• Prefer some protein in your rice? Add in your faves: shrimp, pork, or chicken are classic choices.
• Amp up the veggies. If you want to add even more veggies into your rice, cook them alongside your garlic and ginger before adding your rice.
• Go low-carb. If you want to go low carb, check out our cauliflower fried rice recipe.
• Shake it up. Don’t sleep on unconventional ingredients either—use our kimchi fried rice, our Thai fried rice, or our pineapple fried rice as inspiration, then feel free to get creative.

Storage

If you have any leftover fried rice, store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Looking for leftover ideas? Incorporate this rice into a salad bowl, just like in our tomato fried rice salad.