If you have eggs and leftover rice, this easy 10-minute fried rice recipe is the best go-to meal! Made with only 6 ingredients. A great main dish, side dish or meal that's budget friendly! I share tips to make it taste like Chinese takeout.
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Egg Fried Rice (θηι₯) is a very quick Chinese stir-fry rice dish featuring fluffy rice, scrambled eggs, soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions.
It's a very popular Chinese dish made with humble ingredients making it a staple in many Chinese households.
Growing up my mother would cook this for us hungry kids to put dinner on the table fast! We would serve it with Char Siu or Chinese Roasted Pork Belly and Stir-Fried Snow Pea Leaves.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to the below Recipe card for measurements
- Day-Old Cold Cooked Jasmine Rice: or substitute with any cold cooked long grain white rice. Important Tip: cold cooked rice is recommended for fluffy fried rice. If you're making fresh hot rice for this, spread the hot rice in a thin layer on a large baking sheet and freeze it fully exposed for 45-60 minutes to remove excess moisture. Then break it up with clean hands before cooking.
- Green Onions
- Regular Soy Sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If youβre gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce of your choice.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: omit if allergic or substitute with oyster sauce to taste.
- Eggs
- Neutral Oil: any flavorless oil like avocado oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid using olive oil due to the low smoke point.
Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients or check online stores, like Amazon.
Expert Tips
- Use a steel wok for smoky flavor. When the oil meets hot steel, it creates a smoke in the pan, also known as "wok hei" or "breathe of wok" in Chinese - a secret ingredient to Chinese takeout. This can't be achieved with a non-stick wok unfortunately.
- Use day-old cold rice and avoid using hot or warm rice for fluffy fried rice. If you're using hot or warm rice, spread it out on a large sheet pan, freeze for 45-60 minutes.
- Break up the cold rice with clean hands or a rice paddle before cooking to make it easier. This also exposes the surface area on the rice so it toasts better.
- If you're making fresh rice for this recipe, use a few tablespoons of cooking water when steaming rice, which creates firmer grains.
- Use eggs with Omega 3s for a bright yellow color.
- Pour the soy sauce along the edges of the wok for more flavor! When the soy sauce hits the hot pan first, it toasts the sauce creating more flavor in your fried rice.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make egg fried rice:
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan or wok. If you are using a wok, allow the oil to smoke and if using a normal pan, skip smoking the oil. Pour in beaten eggs. Quickly stir-fry the eggs so they take shape.
- Once the eggs take shape but are still moist, quickly toss in rice. If rice is clumped together, break apart in pan.
- Sweep everything to the side of the pan, add remaining oil into empty space with green onions. Mix green onions into rice and eggs.
- Add soy sauce and sesame oil along the edges of the pan. Then toss until grains are colored brown. Remove off heat. Serve hot and enjoy while it's hot!
Storage
- Leftovers will last 4 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.
- Freezer-friendly? Fried rice can be frozen in freezer-friendly bags for up to 1 month. Be make sure to squeeze out any air before sealing the bags. When ready to enjoy, defrost it and reheat it in the microwave until hot or in a pan on the stovetop.
Pairing Suggestions
Egg fried rice serves well:
- starters like egg rolls, crab rangoons, egg drop soup, hot and sour soup
- chow mein, or lo mein
- cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
- protein dishes like Mongolian Chicken, Orange Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Bang Bang Shrimp, Gochujang Chicken, Soy Garlic Tofu, Chinese Braised Tofu and more!
FAQ
Egg fried rice can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To enjoy, reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat.
There are many ingredients you can add to egg fried rice to take it to the next level, such as peas, carrots, green beans, corn, broccoli florets, bean sprouts, butter, oyster sayce, chili oil, chicken, beef, pork, shrimp or tofu.
π Recipe
10 min. Easy Egg Fried Rice (only 6 ingredients!)
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked jasmine rice cold & day-old (or sub with any white long grain rice)
- 1 green onion finely chopped
- 2.5 tablespoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce (avoid dark soy sauce)
- Β½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 4 large eggs beaten
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Instructions
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan or wok. If you are using a wok, allow the oil to smoke and if using a normal pan, skip smoking the oil.
- Pour in beaten eggs. Quickly stir-fry the eggs so they take shape.
- Once the eggs take shape but are still moist, quickly toss in rice. If rice is clumped together, break apart in pan.
- Sweep everything to the side of the pan, add remaining oil into empty space with green onions. Mix green onions into rice and eggs.
- Add soy sauce and sesame oil along the edges of the pan. Then toss until grains are colored brown. Remove off heat. Serve hot and enjoy while it's hot!
Marina Cormier
Delicious !
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for the positive review! Glad you enjoyed it!
Chris
Simple and tasty.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe! Glad you found it tasty!
Marilyn
Quick, easy and delicious. I followed the recipe exactly. Next time I will add peas, carrots, garlic and maybe some chicken or pork. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!!!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for sharing your positive experience here! So glad you enjoyed it! Those additions would be fantastic π
Kimberly
I used some Basmati rice (the only kind I keep, it's my favorite), gluten free soy sauce, and 3 eggs were all I had left in the fridge. I used steamed brocoli florets instead of green onions, and added a tiny tsp of maple syrup for sweetness (I used to eat my fried rice with some sweet sauce, and I miss the taste). The result was great, I loved it! And so did my 1 yr old daughter π₯° I have celiac disease, so it's a bit hard to get creative with my meals. Thank you very much for the inspiration! I'm definitely adding this recipe to my weekly menu ππ»
Christie Lai
Thank you SO much for this kind and positive review, Kimberly! I also appreciate you sharing your own substitutes to make this recipe work for you π Happy it worked out well for you and your daughter. I'm so sorry about your condition. I can somewhat relate as I also have gluten and dairy sensitivities and it can be so challenging at times. I wish you well!
Unique places in the World
If you have eggs and leftover rice, this 10-minute fried rice recipe is an absolute lifesaver! With just 6 simple ingredients, itβs quick, budget-friendly, and so versatile. Whether youβre making it as a main dish or a side, it always hits the spot. I especially love the tips you share for getting that classic Chinese takeout flavor β it really elevates the whole dish. This has definitely become one of my favorite go-to meals when I need something delicious in a pinch!
Christie Lai
Wow thank you so much for the very positive review and for making my recipe! I am so glad it worked out so well for you and happy I could share those tips π
Lynette
I really enjoy this recipe ππ€€ it is must try for people on the go like me so easy so delightful π₯°yum
Christie Lai
Thanks for making my recipe and sharing this positive review, Lynette! So glad you enjoyed it so much π
Irene High
Loved this easy recipe! My family enjoyed it very much.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Irene! So glad it's a keeper!
Kathrin
I love it. Since i moved i searched a restaurant that made the fried rice linke my favorite Chinese resraurant. Now i'm not searching anymore π greetings from Germany
Christie Lai
I'm so glad you enjoyed it and thank you so much for making my recipe!
Mary
Loved the recipe, the fried rice turned out great thank you
Christie Lai
I'm so glad to read this! Thanks so much for making my recipe and happy you enjoyed it, Mary!
Diane
I have been looking for an easy fried rice recipe for so long, but I come across this simple way of making fried rice in ten minutes with simple ingredients and I am really happy with its outcome. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for this kind and positive review, Diane! I am really happy to hear it's easy and quick. Have a lovely day!
Rita Kell
I made it, easy and really good. I used 2 eggs instead of 4. I did not have green onions, so I minced a couple tablespoons of white onion.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for the positive review, Rita! I am so happy to hear that it worked out with less eggs and white onion.
Laura
Thank you for sharing this
quick recipe. It's really good and we love it!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for the kind words and I'm so happy you enjoy it, Laura! Have a lovely day!
Carrie
This simple egg fried rice was delicious and so flavorful. It came together quickly and easily. Loved it!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Carrie! I'm so happy that it was delicious and it came together easily in little time π Have a wonderful day!
Max
Tasty and easy! I was able to make this in my college dorm. I didn't have sesame oil, so I replaced it with chili oil as recommended. I also didn't have green onions, so I added some minced garlic to make up for the flavor loss. Overall, super easy and filling!
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my egg fried rice, Max! So happy to hear that it worked out with the minced garlic π
Furness N
Thanks so much for this recipe and the tips! I tried it without egg (just out of preference) and I loved it too! Maybe I can impress my mother one day haha
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Furness! Happy that you enjoyed the recipe and it worked without the eggs! I hope she likes it as just much π
Trisha Mae B. Abata
This fried looks so good and when i try to cook. when i finish to cook it, it was really yummy and its good to eat.
i am really obsessed of this fried rice. THANK YOU for sharing the recipe.
christieathome
Aww thank you so much for making it Trisha! I am so happy that you love it so much! I appreciate the kind review and have a lovely day!
Arlene
Best fried rice! So simple and straight to the point, Iβll be adding shrimp to this next time. Thank you for sharing!
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Arlene! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed it and shrimp would be a fantastic addition π Have a great evening!