Fried rice in a tangy savoury tomato sauce with scrambled eggs and aromatics! This quick and easy tomato egg fried rice is ready in 15 minutes with leftover rice and minimal ingredients. A fantastic main for the family and it beats takeout!
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This easy tomato egg fried rice features sweet tomatoes stir-fried with seasoned rice with tender eggs, green onions and garlic! You can also add more protein if you wish like chicken, beef, pork, tofu, shrimp or processed meat.
This Indonesian-inspired dish is a great busy weeknight meal when you need something fast and easy. I always keep coming back to this simple meal especially when I have cold day-old rice in the fridge that I need to use up.
This tomato fried rice is super comforting because the rice is a little saucy thanks to the tomatoes and seasonings. It’s not a “dry” fried rice for lack of better words.
It's also a fantastic way to use up any leftover tomatoes or when tomato season hits. I always love to make this when we have lots of tomatoes from our garden. The best part is the recipe comes together with mostly simply pantry ingredients.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Cooked rice: day-old cold rice is recommended so you don't have soggy fried rice. I like using jasmine rice or any white long-grain rice. You can also use short grain rice.
- Large eggs
- Protein of choice (optional): such as sliced chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, extra-firm tofu, diced spam, diced hot dogs or diced ham. This is optional if you prefer this dish meatless.
- Ripe Tomatoes: Sweet garden or roma tomatoes work well. Avoid using grape or cherry tomatoes as they release too many liquids, which can cause clumpy fried rice.
- Green onions
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.
- Garlic
- Oyster sauce: or substitute with vegetarian stir fry sauce if you don't like oysters. If you're gluten-free: substitute with a gluten-free version
- Ketchup: for that tangy flavor! Do not skip this.
- Dark soy sauce: this is thicker and darker than regular soy sauce. If you can't find this ingredient, substitute with regular soy sauce to taste. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce.
- Sesame oil: for that nutty flavor or omit if you're allergic.
Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients.
Expert Tips
- Use cold day-old rice for fluffy fried rice! The excess moisture causes for soggy fried rice that clumps together.
- Break up the leftover rice with a rice paddle or clean hands to expose the separate grains! This allows for the grains to toast in the pan and become evenly seasoned.
- If you're making fresh rice for this recipe, use a few tablespoons less water to steam the rice. Make sure to also dry it out by referring to the instructions above.
- Use medium-high heat for the best fried rice. This temperature toasts the rice and prevents moisture from building in the pan.
- Prepare the ingredients in advance as the cooking process is fast!
- Dice the tomatoes into smaller pieces so the juices evaporated more easily.
- Make sure the juices evaporate in the pan or you will end up with a very mushy fried rice.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make tomato egg fried rice:
- Break up your day old cooked rice into granules with clean hands or a rice paddle.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Add beaten eggs and scramble them until they take shape. Once they take shape and are still moist, quickly remove and set aside.
- Into the pan, add remaining vegetable oil followed by green onions and cook for 10-15 seconds or until fragrant. (Optional: if you're adding protein, add it at this point and cook until it's 75% cooked through).
- Then add diced tomatoes and minced garlic. Mix everything together and allow the juices to evaporate, a few minutes.
- Once the juices have evaporated, toss in rice followed by dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, ketchup, sesame oil and cooked eggs. Toss everything together until every rice granule is colored brown. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
- Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing tomato egg fried rice as the freezer will change the texture of the eggs making them taste rubbery.
Pairing Suggestions
Tomato egg fried rice serves well with:
- starters like egg rolls, egg drop soup, hot and sour soup
- cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
- noodle dishes like Bihun Goreng, Bami Goreng or Mee Goreng
- protein dishes like Curry Chicken, Curry Chicken Wings, Curry Fried Fish, and Curry Tofu
FAQ
This 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.
This is due to various reasons and they can include not:
- using a high enough heat
- using cold day-old rice
- evaporating the tomato juices in the pan
Other recipes you may like
- 10 Minute Egg Fried Rice
- Vegan Mushroom Kimchi Fried Rice
- Thai Railway Fried Rice
- Pineapple Ham Fried Rice
- Shrimp Fried Rice
📖 Recipe
15-min. Easy Tomato Egg Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked jasmine rice cold day-old rice recommended
- 4 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup tomato diced
- ½ cup spam or sliced hot dogs/ham/chicken/pork/beef/shrimp (optional)
- 1 green onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 2 tablespoon ketchup or add 1 more tablespoon if you prefer it tangier
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce or vegetarian stir fry sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Break up day-old cooked rice into granules with clean hands or a rice paddle and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Add beaten eggs and scramble them until they take shape. Once they take shape and are still moist, quickly remove and set aside.
- Into the pan, add remaining vegetable oil followed by green onions and cook for 10-15 seconds or until fragrant. (Optional: if you're adding protein, add it at this point and cook until it's 75% cooked through).
- Then add diced tomatoes and minced garlic. Mix everything together and allow the juices to evaporate, a few minutes.
- Once the juices have evaporated, toss in rice followed by dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, ketchup, sesame oil and cooked eggs. Toss everything together until every rice granule is colored brown. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Katie
This looks so good, I am craving it. Can you use canned diced tomatoes?
Christie Lai
Thank you! You may but the canned diced tomatoes will be more potent in tanginess so I recommend using fresh ripe tomatoes if possible.
Sirjana
This was just what my pregnant belly was craving. I used fish sauce <3
Christie Lai
So thrilled to hear this! Thank you so much for making my recipe and for sharing your experience with it 🙂
Jackie
This recipe was so good! I used frozen cauliflower rice and added it in at the same time as the diced tomatoes so the liquids would evaporate at the same time. Your seasoning and sauce combo is magical, because once done, I couldn’t even tell it was cauliflower rice! I can’t wait to try it with some Vietnamese Shaking Beef next time (this dish usually calls for tomato ketchup rice). My toddler devoured it without realizing he was eating a ton of cauliflower. Thank you for a great recipe! It’s a keeper!
christieathome
Thank you so much Jackie for leaving such a nice review for me to read! I really am so grateful you enjoyed my recipe with a delicious substitute. Cauliflower rice is so good and happy this worked out well. Even happier that your toddler loved it too! Have a lovely day!
Rosemary
This is the best way to use up those last tomatoes of the summer season! And so unique because you don't see too many Asian recipes with tomatoes!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
Your amazing photos of the fried rice draw me right in! That was a great tip for using the dark soy sauce for color.
Caleb - Never Ending Journeys
This tomato and egg fried rice looks absolutely delicious! I love a good fried rice recipe, but haven't tried the tomato yet - sounds delicious!