Fried Rice Recipe

I usually make fried rice in the morning, when there is plenty of leftover rice from the night before. This is the one I cook most often. You can add diced ham for a fuller meal or leave it out.

I like it with fried dishes, and the pairing I go back to most is sweet and sour pork because the sauce works well with the rice. The problem people run into with this dish is that it comes out soft and clumpy instead of loose. The rice is usually the main reason. Cold rice from the refrigerator has already given up a good amount of surface moisture, so the grains stay firm when they hit hot oil. Freshly cooked rice still holds steam inside each grain, and it releases straight into your pan.

Heat matters just as much. Once the rice goes in, keep the flame high and let the grains sit against the hot surface for a few seconds between each toss. That contact is where the toasted flavor comes from, and it is the part most people skip when they stir without stopping.

What is Fried Rice?

Fried rice is cooked rice that is stir fried in a hot, oiled pan with eggs, aromatics, and vegetables until the grains are hot, separate, and lightly toasted. The dish traces back to China, with records dating to the Sui dynasty. Yangzhou later became associated with one of its best-known styles. The Chinese name, chao fan, translates directly as stir fried rice.

As fried rice spread across Asia, each place developed its own version. In the Philippines, Chinese-style fried rice developed alongside Filipino sinangag. Chinese traders brought the technique and the restaurant versions, including yang chow fried rice, while Filipino households turned it into sinangag, the garlicky breakfast rice that sits under a fried egg and a piece of cured meat. The Tagalog word comes from sangag, meaning to fry rice. Many versions began as a way to use rice that was already cooked.

That is still how it works in most Filipino homes. Rice gets cooked in quantity, some of it does not get eaten, and the next morning it becomes breakfast. The version below is closer to Chinese restaurant-style fried rice, with soy sauce and a little sesame oil.

Fried Rice Ingredients

• Cold leftover steamed white rice – Cooked the day before and chilled overnight. Long grain or medium grain both work, and a solid block from the fridge is normal.
• Eggs – Beat them first, then scramble them on their own and set aside. Cooking them separately keeps them in soft pieces instead of coating every grain.
• Cooking oil – Canola, vegetable, or peanut oil. Three tablespoons total, added in three stages, so measure it out before you start.
• Ham – Optional. Dice it the size of the peas so every spoonful gets some. Leftover holiday ham holds its shape better than deli slices. For a version built around it, we have a separate ham fried rice.
• Onion – Half a small one, chopped fine enough that it softens into the rice.
• Garlic – Minced, and it goes in last among the aromatics for about 20 seconds.
• Low-sodium soy sauce – Two tablespoons is enough to season four cups of rice without darkening it. Regular soy sauce also works; see the substitutions below.
• Ground white pepper – White pepper gives the rice the earthy flavor found in many Chinese restaurant versions. Black pepper can be substituted; see the substitutions below.
• Toasted sesame oil – Half a teaspoon, added off the heat. Its aroma cooks off if the pan is still hot.
• Green onions – Keep the whites and greens separate. Whites cook with the aromatics, greens go in at the very end.
• Salt – At the end only, and only if it needs it.

A Closer Look at the Rice

The condition of the rice matters most here. Freshly steamed rice releases more steam than the pan can drive off, so it ends up steaming instead of frying. A night in the refrigerator dries the surface of each grain and firms up the starch, which is why day old rice separates cleanly and takes on color.

If you do not have leftover rice, spread a fresh batch thin on a baking sheet and chill it uncovered for about an hour, or 20 to 30 minutes in the freezer. Jasmine, long grain white, and medium grain all behave fine. Skip short grain sushi rice, which is bred to be sticky and stays that way.

Have everything cut and within reach before you start. Use the same pan from beginning to end without wiping it out.

1. Place the cold rice in a large bowl.
2. Use your hands or a fork to gently separate any clumps, then set the rice aside.

Work gently here so you loosen the grains without crushing them. Crushed rice releases starch and turns pasty later in the pan.

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a wok or wide frying pan over medium high heat.
2. Pour in the beaten eggs, scramble until just set, then transfer them to a clean plate.

Pull the eggs off the heat while they still look a little underdone. They finish cooking when they go back into the hot rice at the end.

1. Add another tablespoon of oil to the same pan.
2. Add the ham, if using, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.
3. Add the onion and white parts of the green onions, then stir fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and continue cooking for about 20 seconds.

Watch the garlic closely for those 20 seconds. It turns bitter quickly in a pan this hot.

1. Increase the heat to high and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the rice, spread it across the pan, and let it sit for a few seconds before tossing. Continue stir frying for 4 to 5 minutes, breaking up any remaining clumps.
2. Pour the soy sauce around the inner edge of the hot pan instead of directly over the rice. Add the white pepper and toss until the seasoning is evenly distributed.
3. Add the scrambled eggs. Continue cooking for 2 minutes, or until the rice is lightly toasted.
4. Turn off the heat. Add the toasted sesame oil and the green parts of the green onions, then toss everything together.

Pouring the soy sauce around the edge lets it hit hot metal and cook for a second before it reaches the rice. Pouring it directly over the rice can leave a few grains dark while others stay barely seasoned. For a version that gets most of its flavor from garlic instead, see our garlic fried rice.

1. Taste the rice and add salt only if it needs it.
2. Transfer to a serving plate and serve while warm. Share and enjoy!

What to Serve with Fried Rice

• Lumpia – I often serve this with crisp lumpiang Shanghai. Sweet chili sauce also works well with the rice.
• Filipino Fried Chicken – The light seasoning works well with crisp fried chicken.
• Filipino Fried Pork Chop – A simple fried chop with a spiced vinegar dip turns this into a full plate lunch.
• Fried fish – The vegetables make a good contrast to the crisp fried fish.
• A fried egg on top – Sunny side up with a runny yolk, breakfast style. This is how I eat the leftovers the next morning.

Storage

• Refrigerator: Cool it to room temperature within about two hours, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Portion it into single servings in freezer bags, press each one flat, and freeze for up to 2 months. Flat portions thaw faster.
• Reheating: A hot pan with a small drizzle of oil works better than the microwave. Toss until the rice is steaming hot all the way through. A teaspoon of water helps loosen it if the grains have dried out in the fridge.

More Fried Rice Recipes

• Chicken Fried Rice – Diced chicken and vegetables cooked in one pan, filling enough for a main dish.
• Shrimp Fried Rice – Small frozen shrimp with butter, peas, and carrots.
• Filipino Pork Fried Rice – Marinated pork belly folded into garlicky rice, closer to breakfast than takeout.
• Adobo Rice – What to do with the last of the pork adobo and its sauce.
• Vegetable Fried Rice – Bell pepper, carrots, and broccoli, with no meat at all.
• Pineapple Fried Rice – Sweet and savory, with cashews and bell pepper.

• Low-sodium soy sauce – Regular soy sauce works, but cut it to about 1 1/2 tablespoons. Tamari or coconut aminos work for a gluten free version, though coconut aminos will make the rice slightly sweeter.
• Ground white pepper – Black pepper is the easy swap, same amount. It is sharper and gives the rice a more familiar home-cooked flavor.
• Ham – Chinese sausage, Spam, bacon, leftover roast pork, or diced chicken all work in the same quantity. Cook raw meat through before the aromatics go in.
• Cold leftover white rice – Day old brown rice works, though it needs an extra minute or two in the pan. Skip short grain sushi rice, which stays sticky no matter how long it chills.
• Toasted sesame oil – Leave it out rather than swapping in plain sesame oil, which tastes of very little. The rice is still good, just less fragrant.

I keep coming back to this recipe because it only needs cold rice, a few simple ingredients, and a hot pan. Try it the next morning when you have leftover rice in the fridge. Serve it beside something fried, or top it with an egg and have it for breakfast.