Savory rice fried with succulent shrimp, vegetables and aromatics - made in one pan with simple ingredients! This easy Chinese shrimp fried rice recipe is ready in just 30 minutes. Perfect as a family-friendly meal on busy weeknights that's cheaper and better-than-takeout.
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Shrimp fried rice is a Chinese restaurant classic main that features fluffy jasmine rice stir-fried with tender shrimp, carrots, peas, garlic and shallots in a savory sauce!
It's a satisfying Asian rice dish that uses any leftover rice or ingredients in the fridge and every Chinese household has their own version of it!
When I have cold leftover rice and frozen shrimp in the fridge, I make this dish and it always hits the spot. I actually adapted this recipe from my Chicken Fried Rice recipe, which is a hit with my readers.
What makes this recipe unique is that the shrimp is marinated for extra flavor and I share a tip below to toast the sauce before mixing it with the rice, which enhances the overall taste.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Cooked Jasmine Rice: Or substitute with cooked long-grain white rice. It's crucial to use cold day-old rice as it's drier, which creates separated grains and fluffier fried rice. If using freshly cooked rice, I recommend spreading it on a large baking sheet and freezing it for 45 minutes to dry it out, then break it up.
- Shallot: Or substitute with ¼ small onion.
- Garlic Cloves
- Carrots: Fresh or frozen diced carrots both work. Or substitute with corn or finely diced bell peppers.
- Peas: Fresh or frozen peas both work. Or substitute with chopped green beans, broccoli florets, or edamame.
- Large Eggs
- Neutral Oil: Use a neutral oil like avocado, sunflower, grapeseed, peanut, vegetable, or canola oil. Avoid olive oil or any low-smoke-point oil.
- Green Onions
Shrimp Marinade
- Raw Jumbo Shrimp: Or use extra jumbo or large shrimp - just adjust the cooking time as needed. Both fresh or thawed frozen shrimp work well. For best texture, I recommend tiger shrimp for their meatier bite, but white shrimp is a good alternative.
- Regular Soy Sauce: Or substitute with low-sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce.
- Shaoxing Wine: Or substitute with dry sherry, dry white wine, or chicken broth.
- Cornstarch: Or substitute with potato starch, tapioca starch or arrowroot starch.
- Neutral Oil: See examples above.
Sauce
- Regular Soy Sauce: Or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce.
- Dark Soy Sauce: Or use dark mushroom soy sauce. I recommend the brand Pearl River Bridge Superior for a darker color.
- Sesame Oil: Or substitute with sesame seeds (omit if you're allergic).
- Chicken Bouillon Powder: I recommend using Knorr chicken bouillon powder as it contains a touch of MSG to give this dish a pop. But if you prefer no MSG, use a version without MSG added.
- White Pepper: Or substitute with black pepper.
Note: Asian ingredients are typically available at most Asian grocery stores or check online, like on Amazon.
Variations
- Meat version: Replace the shrimp with sliced chicken, flank steak, or pork shoulder.
- Gluten-free version: Replace both soy sauces with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce. Use gluten-free chicken bouillon. Replace the Shaoxing wine with dry sherry, dry white wine or chicken broth.
- Vegan or Vegetarian version: Remove the shrimp, chicken bouillon powder and eggs and add cooked tofu and more veggies.
Expert Tips
- Use cold day-old rice for fluffy fried rice, as this contains less moisture. If using fresh rice, spread it on a sheet pan, freeze for 45 minutes, and break it up.
- Break up the rice with clean hands or a rice paddle to separate the grains and this prevents clumpy fried rice.
- If making fresh rice for this recipe, use slightly less water when steaming so rice is less sticky.
- If you own a steel wok, use it for that smoky flavor (or 'wok hei') - the secret ingredient in Chinese takeout.
- When cooking the shrimp initially, cook just until it turns slightly pink to avoid overcooking, which can make it rubbery.
- Use medium-high heat when frying rice to prevent moisture build-up in the pan, which can cause soggy fried rice.
- Pour the sauce mixture along the edges of the pan to toast it before mixing it into the rice, which creates more flavor!
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make shrimp fried rice:
- Marinate the shrimp: In a large bowl, marinate the shrimp with marinade ingredients as listed above for 5 minutes and set aside.
- Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients as listed above. Set aside.
- Cook shrimp: Heat 3 tablespoon (45 ml) vegetable oil in a large pan or wok on medium-high heat. Fry shrimp until halfway cooked. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
- Cook aromatics and vegetables: Sauté garlic and shallots for 10 seconds until fragrant. Add peas and carrots and stir fry for 10 seconds. Push to the side of the pan.
- Scramble the eggs: Add remaining vegetable oil into empty space. Add beaten eggs and let them set for 10 seconds before scrambling. Then toss everything together.
- Mix in shrimp, rice and sauce: Add shrimp and toss together. Add rice and pour sauce along edges of the pan, letting it toast for 5 seconds. Then toss until rice is evenly coated and there's no sauce left in the base of the pan. Remove from heat and garnish with green onions.
Storage & Reheating
- Shrimp fried rice can last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To enjoy, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot throughout.
- Shrimp fried rice can be frozen for up to 2-3 months in a freezer-safe bag. To enjoy, defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot throughout.
Pairing Suggestions
Shrimp fried rice pairs well with:
- Starters: Egg rolls, Crab rangoon, Egg drop soup, or Hot and sour soup.
- Noodle Dishes: Chow mein or Lo mein.
- Vegetable Dishes: Chinese Garlic Bok Choy, or Garlic Green Beans.
- Protein Dishes: Szechuan Chicken, Beef Onion Stir-Fry, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Egg Foo Young, Soy Garlic Tofu, and more!
FAQ
A wok is not required for making shrimp fried rice and you can use a regular large pan to make it. However, if you want to add that smoky flavor found in Chinese takeout (aka 'wok hei'), it's best to use a steel wok or steel pan. Unfortunately, it's not possible to achieve wok hei with a non-stick pan.
Freshly steamed rice can be used, but you'll need to dry it out first or it'll result in clumpy fried rice. To do this, evenly spread it out on a large baking sheet, freeze for 45 minutes, and break it up with a rice paddle.
Soggy fried rice can be caused by a few different factors, such as: using freshly cooked or warm rice, not using cold day-old rice, not breaking up the rice beforehand or in the pan, or not using a high enough heat such as medium-high heat.
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Chinese Shrimp Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups cooked jasmine rice or white long-grain rice, cold day-old (or see below Notes if you're making rice for this recipe)
- 1 lb jumbo shrimp or large shrimp, peeled & deveined
- 1 shallot or ¼ small onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ cup carrot small diced, or sub with frozen
- ½ cup peas fresh or frozen
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 4 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- ½ green onion finely chopped
Shrimp Marinade
- 1.5 teaspoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- 1.5 teaspoon Shaoxing Cooking Wine or dry sherry / dry white wine / chicken broth
- 1.5 teaspoon cornstarch or potato starch / tapioca starch
- 1.5 teaspoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Sauce
- 2 tablespoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil toasted kind
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, marinate the shrimp with marinade ingredients as listed above for 5 minutes and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients as listed above. Set aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoon (45 ml) vegetable oil in a large pan or wok on medium-high heat. Fry shrimp until halfway cooked. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
- Sauté garlic and shallots for 10 seconds until fragrant. Add peas and carrots and stir fry for 10 seconds. Push to the side of the pan.
- Add remaining vegetable oil into empty space. Add beaten eggs and let them set for 10 seconds before scrambling. Then toss everything together.
- Add shrimp and toss together. Add rice and pour sauce along edges of the pan, letting it toast for 5 seconds. Then toss until rice is evenly coated and there's no sauce left in the base of the pan. Remove from heat and garnish with green onions.
Notes
- Rinse 1 ½ cups or 300 grams of jasmine rice or white long-grain rice with cold water to make 2 cups of cooked rice.
- Cook rice in your rice cooker or on the stovetop.
- Evenly spread out the hot or warm cooked rice in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer, uncovered for 60 minutes so the cold air can dry out the rice.
- Once the rice is cold and dry, break up the rice with a rice paddle or spatula.
Lyn
Very good. Easy to make.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for leaving a positive review, Lyn! Glad you found it easy to make.
Krystal
I have made this for my family several times and it's always a hit. I use shrimp or chicken (sometimes both). It's such a quick and easy dinner. Thank you for sharing.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for this 5-star review, Krystal! I'm so happy you make this for your family several times. Thank you for your loyal support 🙂
Ralph
My wife loved it! I used the jasmine rice, cooked it the previous day, and incorporated it with everything else. This recipe was very flavorful and joins roughly five other recipes of yours that i have tried which have been successful.
Christie Lai
Thanks for making my recipe and sharing this positive review, Ralph! Super happy to hear that this worked out well for you and your wife. I appreciate your constant support in making so many of my recipes.
Charlene
I love it. The shrimp fried rice is lovely. Restaurant quality actually.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for the positive review! Glad you enjoyed it!
Mimi
This was so beautiful and I used this menu and I’m so proud of it and myself. Thank you ☺️
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe Mimi! Glad you enjoyed it and glad you felt confidence in making it 🙂 Have a wonderful day!
Liz
Made this for dinner on a whim. This is hands down the best recipe I’ve tried for Shrimp Fried Rice! It was absolutely delicious and it tastes better than take out!!!
Christie Lai
Aww this makes me so happy to read! So glad you enjoyed my recipe, Liz!