Chinese Egg Fried Rice Recipe

This egg fried rice is my go-to recipe whenever I need to whip up a quick, flavorful side dish. My family almost always has leftover rice sitting in the fridge, so it’s practically become part of the weekly rotation. This version comes together with loads of fluffy eggs, mixed vegetables, and simple seasonings to give you that perfectly umami, restaurant-quality taste!

Ingredients and Substitutions

*The Recipe Card below includes all the full measurements for these ingredients!

Cooked rice: Day-old, refrigerated rice works best because the grains are drier and separate more easily, allowing them to take on more seasoning. Freshly cooked rice typically contains more moisture, which can make the fried rice clumpy or mushy. I like using long-grain varieties, such as jasmine, but you can use whichever cooked rice you have available.

*Quick tip: If you don’t have day-old rice, just spread freshly cooked rice across a large plate or baking tray and let it chill in the refrigerator uncovered for at least 30 minutes, or until the rice is cold and the surface moisture has evaporated. This helps to achieve a similar texture without having to wait until the next day!

Eggs: Four large eggs gives this rice plenty of scrambled egg and protein throughout.

Vegetables and green onions: My family loves using the frozen mixed vegetables that come in the large packs. No need to thaw them for this recipe, just throw them straight in. Feel free to also use whatever vegetables you have available.

Seasonings: Soy sauce and oyster sauce adds savory depth, chicken bouillon and white pepper round out the flavor, and a little sugar helps to balance everything out. Chicken bouillon powder can be substituted with MSG, and white pepper with ground black pepper.

Instructions

*The Recipe Card below includes all the full detailed instructions!

In a large wok or skillet, sauté the green onions.

Add in the eggs and scramble.

Add in the rice, vegetables, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, chicken bouillon, and white pepper. Continue to stir fry until evenly combined.

Top with more green onions and serve warm.

Cooking Tips

Use a hot wok or skillet: A well-preheated wok helps the rice fry quickly instead of steaming, which gives it that toasty, smoky flavor. Most restaurants use extremely powerful burners to achieve that effect, and since it’s harder to replicate at home, using a hot carbon-steel wok or large skillet can still produce excellent results!

Avoid overcrowding: If your wok or skillet is on the smaller side, it’s best to fry the rice in batches. Overcrowding the rice in a small pan causes steaming, preventing you from adequately frying the rice and getting that iconic toasty flavor.

Adjust the seasoning to taste: Feel free to taste the rice at the end of cooking, and drizzle in more soy sauce for saltiness or chicken bouillon for added umami. You can also toss in some chili flakes or oil for added heat.

Looking for more classic takeout meals? Here’s a couple recipes from the viral series:

• Orange Chicken
• Beijing Beef
• Sesame Chicken
• Crab Rangoon