Egg Fried Rice. Delicious, simple egg fried rice with soy sauce, sesame oil, eggs and green onions. Just 6 ingredients and 10 minutes! Great as simple and quick meal.
Jump to:
What is Egg Fried Rice?
Egg Fried Rice (蛋炒é¥) is one of the most popular choices at a Chinese restaurant or Chinese takeout. It's a very quick stir-fry rice dish that consists of fluffy rice, beaten egg, seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions. Fantastic for the whole family and great for busy weeknights as a main dish or side dish.
It's one of my favorite recipes in Chinese cuisine as it comes together quickly and simply with minimal ingredients. In fact, growing up my mother would cook this dish for us hungry kids, whenever she needed to put dinner on the table fast.
Ingredients
Please scroll down to the below Recipe card for measurements
- Leftover cold rice, ideally jasmine rice: For best results, use day old or leftover rice for fluffy fried rice. If you use same day warm cooked rice, it will create soggy fried rice. You can also substitute with any white long grain rice, just not basmati.
- Green onions or spring onions
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce of your choice.
- Toasted Sesame oil: omit if allergic but I would substitute with chili oil to give it more flavor.
- Beaten eggs
- Cooking oil: any neutral oil like avocado oil, peanut oil sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, etc. Avoid olive oil.
How to Make Egg Fried Rice
Heat oil
Over medium high heat in a steel wok, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Let it to smoke. Important: if using a non-stick pan, do NOT smoke oil and keep it on medium heat allowing the oil to get hot.
Fry Beaten Eggs
Once it smokes, pour in beaten eggs. Quickly stir to form shape.
Toss in Rice
Once the eggs form shape but are still moist, quickly toss in rice. If rice is clumped together, break apart in pan.
Toss in Green Onions
Sweep everything to the side of the wok, add remaining oil into empty space with green onions. Mix green onions into rice and eggs.
Add Seasoning
Add soy sauce and sesame oil. Mix until grains are brown. Remove off heat.
Serve
Serve hot and enjoy while it's hot!
Storage & Reheating
This fried rice will last 4-5 days in an airtight container stored in the fridge. To reheat, microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat on medium heat on the stovetop in a pan.
Expert Tips
- Use day-old rice. This creates fluffy separated rice grains versus using same day warm rice which creams rice clumps.
- Use fresh local free run eggs with omega 3s. If you want those gorgeous yellow egg yolks, opt for local free run eggs with omega 3s.
- Use a steel wok for smoky flavor! When the oil meets the high heat in a steel wok, it creates "wok hei" which translates to "breathe of wok" in Chinese. This is what gives the fried rice that smoky taste.
FAQ
Can I use same day cooked rice?
Yes, but lay the hot rice on a baking sheet in a thin layer and pop it in the freezer for 1 hour exposed to the cold air. This will dry out the rice creating the effect of 'leftover rice' or making it al dente. Then break it up with clean hands.
What gives Chinese fried rice its Flavour?
The soy sauce, sesame oil and the smokiness from the wok gives Chinese fried rice it's delicious flavor.
Other Additions?
- Peas
- Carrots
- Green beans
- Corn
- Broccoli florets
- Bean sprouts
- Black pepper or white pepper
- Butter
- Oyster sauce or vegetarian stir fry sauce to taste
- Sesame seeds
- Hot sauces like chili oil
- Any protein of choice like chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, or tofu.
Other Fried Rice recipes you may like!
📖 Recipe
10 min. Easy Egg Fried Rice (only 6 ingredients!)
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked jasmine rice at least 1 day old
- 1 stalk green onion finely chopped
- 2.5 tablespoon regular soy sauce not dark soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 4 eggs beaten
- 2 tbsp avocado oil or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Over medium high heat in a steel wok, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and allow it to smoke. Important: if using a non-stick pan, do NOT smoke oil and keep it on medium heat allowing the oil to get hot.
- Once oil begins to smoke, pour in whisked eggs and quickly stir to form shape. Once the eggs form shape but are still moist, quickly toss and mix in rice. If rice is clumped together, break apart in pan.
- Sweep everything to the side, add remaining oil into empty space with green onions. Quickly mix green onions into rice and eggs.
- Add soy sauce and sesame oil. Mix until grains are coloured brown and immediately remove off heat. Serve hot and enjoy!
Suggested Equipment & Products
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
That was a great tip you shared for not over cooking the eggs... and I can't believe this only takes 10 minutes. Talk about the perfect dinner solution for a busy weeknight!
B
HI Christie
Thanks for the lovely recipe.
I like the wok that you are using and have recommended in your shop:
https://www.amazon.com/Hammered-Carbon-Wooden-Spatula-Handle/dp/B089YCBXG9?dchild=1&keywords=Hand+Hammered+Carbon+Steel+Wok&qid=1622667900&sr=8-9&linkCode=sl1&tag=christieath0e-20&linkId=a51ec47fd60b13013fa235be4e750d18&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
Could you share your experiences in using the wok, if possible in a blog post?
Thanks!
christieathome
Hi there, thanks for your suggestion! I will possibly consider this idea for a blog post in the future. But overall I truly enjoy my wok as I use it to boil, deep fry, stir fry and steam. It is on the heavier side but then again I don't have much forearm strength. I would highly recommend it, just make sure to research how to season it prior to usage.
Ethelyn Dietrich
When I make fried rice, I usually cook them over easy in a non-stick pan with butter for about 3 minutes. Then, I flip them for about 60 seconds. But it sounds like your husband prefers Sunny Side Up. You should heat the pan to medium. Melt a pat of butter. Crack the rice into the pan. Season, cover and cook for about 8-9 minutes. I will do a little more research for you and add the perfect sunny side up egg egg recipe/tools to this post.
christieathome
Thanks for sharing that!
Rosemary
I am ALL about any meal that can come together in under 10 minutes. Yes please to busy weeknight dinners!
John Hutchison
Killer fried rice. Brought together several cooking techniques I've been having trouble with. More recipes!
christieathome
So glad you enjoyed this! Thank you for making my recipe!
Charmaussie
Thank you, this was incredibly quick and simple to make. Perfect way to use up leftover rice. Next time, I'd like to add garlic and ginger but tonight's goal was to get a quick dinner together (and avoid fast food options) and your recipe was fantastic! The green onion imparts an amazing flavor.
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe! I'm so glad you enjoyed my quick and easy recipe. It really is a great way to use up leftover rice. Have a great day!
Sarah
Just made this tonight for a quick dinner and it was super yum!! My daughter called the rice "soft and delicious" we both had two helpings and will prob fight over it for our lunches tomorrow. Thank you.
christieathome
Thanks so much for making it Sarah! So glad you and your daughter enjoyed it that much! I love what she called it 🙂
Christina
I loved this fried rice…and even more important, so did my kids! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, and I can’t wait to try more of them!
Christina
I forgot to rate it…definitely 5 stars!
christieathome
Thank you so much Christina for the kind review and for making my recipe! So glad you and your kids enjoyed it! I hope you like my other recipes 🙂
Jennifer
This recipe is great! Instead of green onions, I used white onions and it was amazing. WAY better than eating from my local takeout place. I will be making this again!
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Jennifer! So glad you that you enjoyed it with the modifications!
Sandy Stiner
Love this recipe! So easy and tastes so good! It’s a fav of ours!
christieathome
Thanks Sandy! Happy you enjoyed it and even happier that it's a favourite of yours 🙂
Vanesse
I tried this and added sliced bacon and had sweet chilli sauce on the side and it was heavenly. I'm always looking for quick and easy dishes I can make in the weekend and this was super quick.
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Vanesse! Slice bacon and sweet chili sauce sound amazing as add-ons! Glad it was heavenly.
Cathy
I loved how quick and easy it was to make. I did feel it could use a little more flavour so may use a little hot sauce or cayenne pepper next time.
Tonya Day
Great recipe. Question: I'm needing to make enough for 20 people soon. Hints? Help? I'll transport in crackpot?
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe! As for making it for 20 people, I would really suggest cooking it in batches. I find that when recipes are multiplied and cooked altogether in one large batch, it never turns out right due to inconsistent heat distribution unless you have a very large wok. So for this recipe, I would at most multiply it by 3-4 for one batch and repeat until you have enough for 20.
Robin Messenheimer
Great recipe. I just needed a side dish and had some leftover plain Jasmine Rice. As I was using this as a side dish, I just used 2 eggs. Even so, the recipe set for 2 servings was enough to be a side dish again for the two of us. The recipe is in my "keep" file.
christieathome
Thank you so much for sharing your kind review with me, Robin! Happy it's now a keeper and glad you enjoyed it 🙂 Have a lovely one!
Lisa
I needed a quick, yummy dinner from my sparse frig and found this recipe. Only had broccoli, eggs, rice, light olive oil and coconut aminos (am soy free) and it turned out delish. Next time I'll shop for scallions and try out some garlic in it. Question - can you freeze this dish after cooked? If so how to reheat? Thanks much
christieathome
Awesome! Thanks for making my recipe, Lisa! Unfortunately I wouldn't recommend freezing as the rice won't taste the same when it's frozen after it's fried.
Hilary
So quick and easy - I used brown rice which was perfect because it didn't clump at all. I only had dark soy, so I cut back the amount a bit and added some fish sauce and added corn, peas and fresh diced carrot as well as the spring onion. Sprinkled it with sesame seeds and just popped the wok on the dining table along with two spicy chicken tenders each. I messed with the amounts a little for the 3 of us: 4 cups rice and 5 eggs, adult son came back for a second helping, but there was still enough for lunches for hubby and self - win-win!
christieathome
Thank you so much for sharing your delicious experience with my egg fried rice recipe, Hilary! I'm so happy your whole family enjoyed it with those tasty additions! 🙂 Have a lovely day!
Jon Richards
Brilliant recipe in its simplicity, ease of cooking and taste.
I made this recipe last night and included prawns.
Thank you and please keep these coming.
PS: Hope you can do a shredded chilli beef recipe as the ones I’ve tried have failed.
Kind regards
Jon
christieathome
Thank you so much for these kind reviews, Jon! I am really happy to hear that this egg fried rice turned out so well with the prawns! I will continue to do my best to provide more recipes like this. I will also keep your suggestion in mind for the shredded chili beef 🙂