It probably comes as no surprise that I cook fried rice very frequently. Not only do I find this dish comforting, but it is also darn easy to make. All you really need is rice, eggs, vegetables, and soy sauce. Once you get into the rhythm of this basic egg fried rice recipe, play around with it! Substitute rice for quinoa, add other vegetables or protein—do whatever suits your taste.
COOKING NOTES FOR EGG FRIED RICE
USING DAY-OLD RICE
Fried rice is usually a dish that you make to repurpose the leftover cooked rice from the day before. You want to avoid freshly cooked rice because it is still moist and steamy, which may yield fried rice with a mushy texture. (Notice in the photo below how you can see the individual grains of rice instead of a mushy mass of rice.) However, if you forget about cooking rice the day before, here is a little trick that I use. Spread a layer of freshly cooked rice onto large baking sheets and let the rice air out for 1 to 2 hours—the longer the better. The grains of rice will dry out during this process.
USING PACKAGED RICE
For this recipe, I experimented with using packaged pre-cooked rice, which is what you see in the photos. These packages usually contain 2 cups of cooked rice, so you’ll need 2 packages for the recipe. The packaged rice is fine, especially if you are too busy during the week to cook rice. However, it is definitely more expensive than buying rice and cooking it yourself (I sound like a mother here). I also found a slight smell when I opened the packages (probably from whatever preservatives the manufacturer used), though not enough to make me throw the rice straight to the trash. Ultimately, I recommend cooking the rice yourself, but hey, I understand if you don’t have time for that.
HOW TO COOK PERFECT JASMINE RICE
I have a complete guide on how to cook jasmine rice three ways: stovetop, slow cooker & Instant Pot.
LOOKING FOR MORE FRIED RICE RECIPES?
Pineapple Fried RiceKimchi Fried RiceYellow Curry Fried Rice with Potatoes30-Minute Shrimp & Egg Fried Rice
WHAT TO SERVE WITH EGG FRIED RICE
Chinese Garlic Cucumber SaladSambal PotatoesHoney Chili Garlic Shrimp10-Minute Chilled Tofu & Garlic Appetizer
