How to Cook Egg-Fried Rice at Home

Ready in minutes, egg fried rice is a filling and endlessly customizable staple that doesn't disappoint. This delicious but simple recipe makes for a quick meal or an excellent snack.

Things You Should Know

Pre-cook the rice the day before and leave it in the refrigerator overnight so it’s cold. If your rice isn’t cold, it will stick to the pan.
Beat an egg and sesame oil together in a bowl and set it aside. Then, stir-fry peas, carrots, and onions until they brown.
Add the rice to your stir-fry, mixing it in the pan for 3-4 minutes. Then, pour the egg over the stir fry and move the mix around until it scrambles.

Ingredients

Traditional Egg Fried Rice

1 egg
2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
7oz long-grain rice, pre-cooked
4oz peas and carrots
4 spring onions, finely chopped
2 teaspoon soy sauce

Easy Egg Fried Rice

1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup uncooked instant rice
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup green beans
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Spicy Egg Fried Rice

Cumin seeds
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 onion, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoon peanut or another nut oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon celery, finely chopped
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon chili sauce
1 cup rice, brown or white, cooked

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making Traditional Egg Fried Rice

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1
Pre-cook the rice. Cook the rice the day before, or use leftover rice in the refrigerator. The important thing to remember is not to heat up the rice, but keep it cold. Having the rice cold helps it not stick.^{[1]
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Research source} Take the rice out of the refrigerator right before you start to cook.
- Choose any long-grain rice for the egg fried rice. Jasmine, white, or wheat work well in this recipe. Basmati also works, but the flavor will be masked by the other flavors.^{[2]
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Before you begin, beat the egg and sesame oil together in a small bowl. Set it aside for now.

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3
Stir-fry the vegetables. Heat oil in the wok until it's starting to smoke. Pour in the peas and carrots and onions. Stir-fry until they start to brown and get tender.^{[3]
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- Stir-frying is a cooking method where small pieces of food are quickly cooked in a small amount of hot oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Stir-frying veggies retain their color, crunch, and nutrients. Cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender.^{[4]
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- Any vegetables work in fried rice. Try tomatoes, broccoli, onions, bean sprouts, carrots, peas, green beans, red or yellow pepper, baby corn, or scallions.
Pour the rice into the vegetable stir-fry. Continue stir-frying the rice and vegetable mixture for 3-4 minutes.^{[5]
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5
Scramble the egg. Using a spatula, slide the stir-fry mix to the side. Pour the egg into the empty spot of the wok and scramble with the spatula. When the egg is cooked, mix into the rice and vegetable stir-fry.^{[6]
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- An alternate way to scramble the egg is to slide the rice and vegetables to the side and pour the egg into the wok. Let the egg set for 10 seconds, then use a chopstick to swirl the edges before using the spatula to stir into the entire mixture. Continue frying for another minute.^{[7]
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- To make the recipe vegan, simply remove the eggs and substitute fried tofu or another source of vegetable protein.
Pour soy sauce on top of the mixture and stir in as you finish frying. You can also stir in a small amount of sesame oil. Transfer to a plate and serve.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Easy Egg Fried Rice

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Place the water, salt, and soy sauce in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the instant rice and stir together. Remove from heat, cover, and let steam for at least five minutes.
2
Scramble the egg. Heat the wok over high heat and then add a tablespoon of oil. Swirl the oil around so it completely coats the bottom of the pan. Add the eggs to the wok and scramble for a few minutes. Remove from the wok and set on a plate for now. Wipe out the wok.^{[8]
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- The wok should be hot enough for a drop of water to vaporize from the bottom.
Heat wok over high heat and add a small amount of oil. Add green beans and onion to the wok and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until they start to get crispy and brown.
Stir in the egg and rice to the vegetables in the wok. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, or until some of the rice starts to brown.
Transfer from the wok to a plate. Sprinkle with pepper and serve.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Spicy Egg Fried Rice

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To properly make egg fried rice, the rice needs to be cold. This prevents the rice from sticking together.^{[9]
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Research source} Many suggest to cook the rice the day before, or use leftover rice from previous meals. Some suggest to cook it hours beforehand and refrigerate since the reason to use day-old rice is because it needs to be cold.^{[10]
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Research source} Decide how many hours ahead of time you would like to cook the rice. Just make sure to place it in the refrigerator for a few hours before starting.
Take the rice out of the refrigerator when you are ready to cook it. In a bowl, add 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) of oil to rice. Work the oil into the rice with your hands or a spoon, evenly coating the rice. Transfer the rice to a colander and drain while you proceed to the next steps.
3
Add ingredients to wok. Combine eggs and salt in a small bowl and gently whisk until blended. Heat 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) oil in a wok. Add whisked eggs and cumin seeds to wok. Stir frequently, working the eggs to a scramble.
- When eggs are mostly solid but still soft, remove from wok. The desired texture is slightly more liquid than that of scrambled eggs. Set aside.
- Add more or fewer cumin seeds to taste.
4
Add remaining ingredients to wok. Heat the remaining oil in the wok. If desired, you can recycle some of the oil that drained from the rice. Add the garlic and onion to the wok. Stir-fry together over high heat for about 5 minutes or until the onion looks transparent, but is not soft. Add the rice, eggs, soy sauce, chili sauce, vinegar, and celery. Mix together, continuing to stir-fry over high heat for 1-2 minutes while stirring frequently.
- Stir-frying is a cooking method where small pieces of food are quickly cooked in a small amount of hot oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. It helps veggies retain their color, crunch, and nutrients. Cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender.^{[11]
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Spoon onto a plate. Recipe makes 2-3 servings.

Expert Q&A

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Question

Can I use fresh hot rice?

Sasha Reyes
Executive Chef
Chef Sasha Reyes is the Executive Chef and Owner of Artisan Personal Chefs. With over 20 years of food industry experience, she specializes in private dinner parties, custom sports nutrition plans for professional athletes, and cooking lessons. Chef Reyes graduated from Arizona Culinary Institute in 2011 with a degree in Culinary Arts, Baking, and Restaurant Management.

Sasha Reyes

Executive Chef

Expert Answer

I don't recommend using hot rice when preparing fried rice, as it tends to become mushy, resembling porridge or kanji. It's best to use cold rice, preferably leftovers from the previous night, for optimal results.

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Can I use sunflower oil?

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Yes, you can.

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Tips

Never use extra virgin olive oil to stir-fry. It has a low smoking point. You can, however, use extra light olive oil.^{[12]
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Research source} Do use caution with olive oils - some varieties with strong flavors can clash with the stir-fry ingredients.

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Any of the scrambling methods outlined in the recipes can be interchanged. Choose which one you prefer and use it.

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Add meat to your fried rice when you stir-fry for extra flavor.

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