Who needs take out when you can make Chinese restaurant-style Vegetarian Fried Rice in your own home in 10 minutes? This rice has the best, crispy texture, tender, fluffy eggs, colourful vegetables, and packed with flavour. Plus, it's fully customizable so you can throw in whatever vegetables and protein you have on hand.
Fried rice is one of our favourite dishes, that we eat almost every week. It's Danny's specialty and it's one of the first dishes that he ever cooked when he moved to Canada on his own. Over the years, he has honed his skills and has really elevated his rice game. So today, he is sharing all his tips for creating restaurant-quality fried rice at home. Bye bye take-out!
Why You'll Love This Vegetarian Fried Rice Recipe
- Tried and true. We've made this recipe countless times, and know that it will turn out great for you every time! Each measurement and ingredient is just right. Your dish will taste just like what we make at home!
- So quick to make. Fried rice is surprisingly fast to make since eggs scramble up quickly and you can use frozen veggies to speed up the process. The longest part of the process is making the rice, but even that is pretty quick when you have a good white rice recipe. It's great for a last-minute meal to stick to your ribs.
- Easy to customize. This is one of fried rice's main advantages - it's endlessly customizable. You can change the veggies, add leftover veggie scraps from your fridge, top with fried tofu or protein crumbles, sprinkle with chopped peanuts and fresh herbs, and so much more. Start with a great recipe like this one, and then adjust it to make it your own!
Ingredient Notes
To make this easy Vegetarian Fried Rice, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- vegetable oil
- eggs
- white rice - freshly cooked is best, but you can use leftover rice. You will just need to add some water to soften the rice.
- vegetables - fresh or frozen carrots, green peas, and sweet corn. Carrots and peas are essentials in fried rice. You can get creative with your other vegetable options and use whatever you have on hand. Broccoli and cauliflower are good options. You can even add peanuts or edamame beans.
- seasonings - sesame oil, salt, Italiano seasoning (optional). Another popular seasoning that can be used is cumin, but use sparingly.
- green onions - can be substituted with cilantro (but if using cilantro, it must be added at the end as a topping, as it will wilt under the heat).
- soy sauce - can be substituted for maggi sauce, or teriyaki sauce for a sweeter taste, satay sauce or fish sauce for more of a seafood taste, or curry sauce for a Thai-style fried rice.
- roasted black sesame seeds - this is optional, for serving.
You will also need the following equipment: measuring cups and spoons and a large wok or skillet.
How to Cook the Best Vegetarian Fried Rice
- Make the eggs. Heat oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat for one minute. Add beaten eggs, and stir until scrambled and cooked through, yet still tender.
- Serve. Serve hot and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
Recipe Variations
- Load up on veggies. There's no reason to stick to the basics here. Use your favorite fresh vegetables, like broccoli, snow peas, spring onions, green bell peppers, purple cabbage, fresh ginger, green vegetables (bok choy or kale), bamboo shoots, mushrooms, etc.
- Use brown rice. Since brown rice is higher in fiber than white rice, it can help fill you up a little longer. I recommend using long grain rice, as it holds its shape better after cooking.
- Add protein. For a filling vegetarian main dish, top your homemade fried rice with crispy tofu, plant-based chicken, seitan, and more. Meat lovers will love adding grilled shrimp, leftover chicken, or small pieces of pork or beef cooked separately before adding to the fried rice.
Different Types of Fried Rice
There are so many different ways to make fried rice, whether it be vegetarian, meat or seafood. You can mix together an endless variety of ingredients to keep changing it up. Some common combinations are:
- Beef with broccoli
- Shrimp with cauliflower and broccoli
- Chicken with chopped green beans with curry sauce
- Chicken with peanuts with a black bean sauce
Tofu can also be added to this vegetarian fried rice. Just cut it up into small cubes, similar in size to frozen peas and corns, as all the pieces in the dish should look uniform.
How to Serve
This Vegetarian Fried Rice is delicious served on its own, but is especially good paired with some delicious Chinese entrees including:
- Sweet and Sour Pork
- General Tso's Chicken
- Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Kung Pao Tofu
- Orange Chicken
- Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry
For more recipes, see our 60 Chinese Takeout Recipes at Home.
Tips for Making Fried Rice
- Continuously stir. You will need to continuously stir throughout the cooking process to ensure even distribution of heat across the dish, and even cooking. Fried rice is about uniformity. The rice is supposed to be evenly cooked and all the pieces should have the exact same flavour and texture. I often use 2 spatulas for cooking this dish.
- Cook eggs until tender. Cook the eggs on medium high heat until cooked through, yet tender. You don't want the eggs to get to a very dry stage early on. You want them to be springy and bright in colour.
- Cook fried rice over high heat. Cook fried rice over high heat to achieve the best mix of texture and flavours. Asian fried rice is supposed to be cooked quickly, so cooking over high heat speeds up the cooking process.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Let the fried rice cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container and storing in the refrigerator. It will last for 3-5 days in the fridge.
How to Reheat
The best way to reheat vegetarian fried rice is on a skillet on the stovetop. Preheat the skillet to medium-high heat and add the fried rice. Stir frequently until the rice and veggies are warmed through, a few minutes.
How to Freeze
Allow the fried rice to cool to room temperature first, then transfer it into an airtight container or portion it out into freezer bags and squeeze out as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating according to instructions above.
FAQ
It really depends on the specific recipe. Many versions sneak in chicken or shrimp, so make sure you use a vegetarian fried rice recipe. Always double-check the seasonings and sauces, too. This version uses Maggi sauce, which is made from fermented wheat and doesn't contain any animal products.
There are lots of different opinions on this matter, as well as many regional preferences and variations. After much testing, we found that we prefer to use freshly cooked rice. If you choose to use day-old rice instead, be sure to warm it up well with a little water to plump up and soften the grains.
For a totally plant-based meal, you only need to remove the scrambled eggs. All of the other ingredients are naturally vegetarian unless you use a different sauce besides Maggi.
More Fried Rice Recipes
- 30 Best Rice Recipes
- Pineapple Fried Rice
- Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
- Curry Chicken Fried Rice
- Seafood Fried Rice
- Leftover Turkey Fried Rice
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Recipe
Vegetarian Fried Rice
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Who needs take out when you can make Chinese restaurant-style Vegetarian Fried Rice in your own home in 10 minutes? This rice has the best, crispy texture, tender, fluffy eggs, colourful vegetables, and packed with flavour. Plus, it's fully customizable so you can throw in whatever vegetables and protein you have on hand.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 3 cups freshly cooked white rice (can use leftover rice)
- ½ cup carrots, diced
- ½ cup frozen green peas
- ½ cup frozen sweet corn
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
- ½ tablespoon green onions (approximately 1 full stem), chopped
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce (or maggi sauce)
- 1 teaspoon roasted black sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large wok or skillet over medium high heat for one minute. Add beaten eggs, and stir until scrambled and cooked through, yet still tender.
- Add the rice and turn the heat up to high. It's very important to cook fried rice over high heat to achieve the best texture. If you are using leftover rice, add up to ¼ cup of water to soften the rice.
- Add carrots, sweet corn, and peas to the pan. Continuously stir for 2 minutes to cook and evenly mix and distribute the ingredients.
- Add sesame oil, salt, and Italiano seasoning, and keep stirring, for about 1 minute. Add soy sauce (or maggi sauce) and green onions at the end and stir to combine.
- Serve hot and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
Notes
Tip: You will need to continuously stir throughout the cooking process to ensure even distribution of heat across the dish, and even cooking. Fried rice is about uniformity. The rice is supposed to be evenly cooked and all the pieces should have the exact same flavour and texture.
How to store: Let the fried rice cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container and storing in the refrigerator. It will last for 3-5 days in the fridge.
How to reheat: The best way to reheat vegetarian fried rice is on a skillet on the stovetop. Preheat the skillet to medium-high heat and add the fried rice. Stir frequently until the rice and veggies are warmed through, a few minutes.
How to freeze: Allow the fried rice to cool to room temperature first, then transfer it into an airtight container or portion it out into freezer bags and squeeze out as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating according to instructions above.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Rice
- Method: Stir Fry
- Cuisine: Chinese
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Farah says
Just made it, results are top! I used parboiled rice but it still turned out great. Such a great recipe for the little ones too because of the veggies and eggs.Thank you so much for sharing, Sam.
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you so much for your review Farah! So happy you and the little ones enjoyed the recipe 🙂
georgie says
this looks absolutely heavenly! I am always looking for more vegetarian dishes, this looks hearty and healthy!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you! It's SO easy to make. Let me know if you try it 🙂
Veena Azmanov says
Easy, quick, healthy and delicious option. My kids to love it. Perfect for a Happy Meal planning.
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you for your comment! So happy the kids like it 🙂