Name: Easy Egg Fried Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: ¼ cup oyster sauce*; 1 tablespoon soy sauce (I use low-sodium) (plus additional to taste); 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided, or butter with canola oil spread); 3 large eggs (lightly beaten); 1 tablespoon canola oil; 1 large red, yellow, or orange bell pepper (cut into ¼-inch dice (about 1 ¼ cups)); 1 bag frozen peas and carrots (thawed (12 ounces)); 1 cup frozen shelled edamame (thawed (optional, but great for extra protein)); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 2 ½ cups COLD cooked brown rice (break up large clumps with your fingers); ½ cup chopped green onions (about 3 medium); Red pepper flakes (Sriracha, or hot sauce of choice (optional))

This easy Egg Fried Rice recipe tastes BETTER than what you can get at a restaurant, with that perfect crispy rice and plenty of seasoned scrambled eggs. On the table after just 15 minutes of cooking!

Why You’ll Love This Easy Egg Fried Rice Recipe

Quick and Easy. Mastering this simple technique for making egg fried rice at home not only yields tasty results but adds an easy, flavorful meal to your recipe arsenal that can be ready in 15 minutes flat.
Fully Loaded. Unlike the disappointing, lackluster versions of fried rice you’ve experienced in the past, this recipe doesn’t skimp on the good stuff: veggies and eggs. And you can switch it up based on what you have on hand!
Authentic Flavor, But Lightened Up. With a few easy tips (use cold rice; a bit of butter), you can make restaurant-style egg fried rice from scratch—but because you’re making it at home, it’s much healthier than the takeout version.
Leftover Friendly. Once you learn how to make it, you’ll want to go ahead and double this egg fried rice recipe. It’s the trifecta of sweet, sticky, and savory, and it tastes even better reheated.

a close of up Chinese egg fried rice with vegetables

5 Star Review

“Absolutely DELICIOUS. This is such a flexible dish too, you can literally mold it to whatever flavor profile you want.”
— Stephen —

How to Make Egg Fried Rice

The Ingredients

Leftover COLD Rice. I cannot stress the COLD part enough. You must cool rice to make the best fried rice. Cold rice is the secret to great egg fried rice, whether it’s brown rice, white rice, or jasmine rice.
Vegetables. For freshness and color, I used red bell pepper. For speed and ease, I added a 10-ounce bag of frozen peas and carrots. Whichever vegetables you choose, chop them small.
Butter. Another of my best-ever fried rice secrets! Adding butter to fried rice is a pro tip that no restaurant will tell you but is oh-so-true.
Oyster Sauce. Think of oyster sauce as an umami bomb of instant flavor. You can find oyster sauce in the Asian food aisle of any major grocery store.
Soy Sauce. I recommend low-sodium soy sauce so that the rice doesn’t become too salty. For gluten-free egg fried rice, swap the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos. (I would also suggest checking the label of your oyster sauce since some brands may add gluten-containing additives.)
Edamame. A quick and easy way to add protein to fried rice. Look for shelled edamame in the freezer section of the grocery store.
Green Onions + Garlic. For freshness, bite, and zing.
Eggs. Another source of protein! This means you can have this fried rice recipe as a side or as a main.

Market Swap

You can use any mix of fresh OR FROZEN vegetables that you prefer! Here are a few other tasty veggies that work well in homemade fried rice:

Pea Pods
Broccoli
Slice Onions
Eggplant
Yellow Squash
Zucchini
Mushrooms
Corn
Green beans

The Directions

Make the Sauce. Mix the oyster sauce and soy sauce. That good umami flavor.

a pan with scrambled eggs for fried rice

Cook the Eggs. Scramble the eggs in butter.

Stir Fry the Peppers. Sauté fresh veggies over medium-high heat in peanut oil or a similar high-temp cooking oil until crisp-tender.

a wok with carrots, edamame, and bell peppers

Stir Fry the Frozen Veggies. Add the frozen vegetables and edamame. Stir constantly for 30 seconds, then add the garlic.

Finish. Add the brown rice and pour in the fried rice sauce. Stir until the rice is heated through and coated with saucy goodness. Fold in the eggs and scallions, and serve. ENJOY!

a bowl with homemade fried rice with leftover rice and vegetables

Recipe Variations

Add More Protein. Try this Chicken Fried Rice, Pork Fried Rice, or Shrimp Fried Rice.
Make Pineapple Fried Rice. When you add your chopped red bell pepper to the pan, also add about 2 cups of chopped fresh or drained canned pineapple. YUM!
Go Low Carb. You can also swap out the brown rice entirely! Try this Cauliflower Fried Rice.
Give It a Kick. Add a big pinch of red pepper flakes or top with sriracha for spicy egg fried rice.

What to Serve with Egg Fried Rice

Chicken. Chicken is the perfect complement to a side of homemade fried rice! Try serving it with Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken or Sweet and Sour Chicken.
Salmon. Elevate your homemade fried rice by pairing it with Soy Ginger Salmon.
Beef. Tasty Crockpot Beef and Broccoli would be a wonderful main dish to serve with your homemade fried rice.
Tofu. For a delicious option, serve your fried rice recipe with Tofu Stir Fry or Air Fryer Tofu.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Use a Large Pan or Wok. Make sure your pan is big enough to cook all the ingredients evenly and stir easily without spills. Nothing worse than losing some of this precious dish off the side of the pan!
Keep Your Pan HOT. A hot pan is critical for achieving that crispy, toasty deliciousness that comes from perfect fried rice. If your pan isn’t hot enough, you may end up steaming everything instead of frying it.
Do Not Stir the Eggs Until They’ve Started to Set. Use a rubber spatula to break the eggs into little, bite-sized pieces. Take care not to overcook!
A Note on Using Fresh Rice. You can make fried rice with fresh rice, but let the rice chill completely in the refrigerator before starting the recipe. This is CRUCIAL for the recipe to turn out properly. For best results, stick to day-old rice (or rice that’s been in the freezer and then thawed).

Chinese fried rice restaurant style in a bowl

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