Fried rice is one of my favorite things to make when I don’t have much left in the fridge, I’m short on time, or I’m craving something comforting. It’s also a dish my two-year-old loves and consistently eats, so I always make a big plate and share it with him. Some of my favorite fried rice recipes include egg fried rice, soy sauce fried rice, and ground pork fried rice, because they come together so fast and are satisfying enough to serve as a main dish.
I developed this Sichuan fried rice the other day because I had leftover Sui Mi Ya Cai in the fridge. If you’ve never cooked with it before, Sui Mi Ya Cai is a Sichuan preserved mustard green that’s famous for its role in dishes like Dan Dan Noodles and Dry-Fried Green Beans. It has a salty, lightly sweet, deeply savory flavor that instantly seasons a dish and makes it incredibly fragrant. Once you have a packet in the fridge, you’ll find you don’t need much else to build a rich, satisfying dish.
To make the dish, I first sear the ground beef until deeply browned, then cook the green beans with Sui Mi Ya Cai to build a savory base. Next, I fry the eggs with the rice and season everything with soy sauce and plenty of scallions. Finally, I toss everything together and finish the fried rice with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil and a sprinkle of freshly ground Sichuan peppercorn. The combination of beef, green beans, and Sui Mi Ya Cai is a classic in Sichuan cooking because the rich beef balances the salty preserved vegetables, while the green beans add freshness and texture. Turning those familiar flavors into fried rice feels like a natural extension of the original dish.
Ingredients
Most of the ingredients in Sichuan fried rice are pantry staples for me.
Ground beef and green beans: I prefer ground meat in fried rice because it cooks quickly, doesn’t require marinating, and seasons the rice beautifully. I used 80% lean ground beef in this recipe, but ground chicken and ground pork work just as well. I added thinly sliced green beans to the dish, which is a classic pairing with sui mi ya cai. They add a fresh crunch that contrasts nicely with the tender beef. But you can also use a cup of frozen vegetables to replace it.
Sui Mi Ya Cai: This Sichuan preserved mustard green is the signature ingredient. It’s salty, savory, and deeply aromatic. It acts as the primary seasoning, adding layers of savory, fermented flavor with very little effort.You’ll usually find it in small vacuum-sealed packets at Chinese grocery stores or online. Once opened, store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Other seasonings: I used Shaoxing wine to deglaze the pan and add an earthy umami, light soy sauce to slightly season the rice, toasted sesame oil to add nuttiness, and freshly ground Sichuan peppercorn at the end to give the dish a bright aroma. It adds a subtle tingling sensation that makes the fried rice unmistakably Sichuan.
Day-old jasmine rice: Cold leftover rice is ideal because the grains stay separate during stir-frying. Fresh rice tends to be too moist and can become sticky.
Oil and aromatics: I used a neutral oil in this recipe, but I also recommend using peanut oil due to its high smoking point and the nutty flavor you get from it. Scallions are my favorite aromatic ingredient for fried rice because they add fragrance and a gentle sweetness without overpowering the dish.
How to make Sichuan beef fried rice
The key to great fried rice is to cook each component separately before combining everything. This ensures the beef develops a good sear, the green beans stay crisp, the eggs coat the rice evenly, and the rice has a chance to become lightly toasted.
1. Cook the beef: Brown the ground beef over high heat until it develops deeply caramelized edges. The key is to spread out the ground beef in a hot wok quickly when you add it, then not move it for at least a minute, to develop the char. Then you can break up the beef into small pieces. I don’t wait until the beef cooks through fully, because it will keep cooking after you add the green beans.
2. Cook the green beans: Add the green beans to cook with the beef until they’re crisp-tender, then stir in the ya cai for a quick sear to release the aroma. Deglazing with Shaoxing wine lifts all the flavorful browned bits from the wok.
3. Cook the eggs: I like to use a generous amount of oil in a hot pan, so the eggs fluff up and develop a golden char on the bottom. I cook until they’re mostly set.
4. Cook the rice: I add the rice onto the runny part of the egg then break it apart. Stir until every grain is coated with egg before seasoning with soy sauce. Mix in the scallion whites and allow the rice to cook undisturbed for short periods so parts of it become lightly toasted and crispy.
5. Toss everything together: Return the beef mixture to the wok and toss everything together.
6. Finish up and serve: Finish with toasted sesame oil, scallions, and freshly ground Sichuan peppercorns off the heat, because sesame oil loses its fragrance if cooked with high heat, and the flavor of the Sichuan peppercorns becomes much more muted when cooked. Once everything is combined, I usually taste the dish and adjust seasoning by sprinkling a bit more salt or Sichuan peppercorn if needed.
How to serve Sichuan fried rice
I like to serve Sichuan fried rice as a complete meal, especially for lunch, when I’m short on time. I sometimes like to increase the green beans to 1/2 pound, making the dish a little more veggie heavy for a balanced meal. For a quick dinner, I might pair it with a quick stir fry or a salad, such as bok choy and mushroom stir fry or Chinese coleslaw. For a dinner spread, I prepare a protein dish such as crispy salmon with ginger soy sauce or Chinese braised chicken with mushrooms (which I often make ahead on the weekend and freeze) and pair with a soup, like vegetarian hot and sour soup.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use freshly cooked rice?
Day-old rice produces the best texture, but you can use freshly cooked rice if needed. Spread it on a baking sheet and refrigerate it for 1 to 2 hours until completely cooled before stir-frying.
Do I need a wok?
A carbon steel wok is the easiest if you have a good gas stove, because the sloped sides make it easy to toss the rice over high heat while keeping everything in the pan. If you don’t have one, a large stainless steel, cast iron or nonstick skillet works as well. When cooking the rice, avoid stirring constantly and give it enough time to toast and get crispy, and you’ll get a great result as well.
Can I make the dish spicy?
Yes! Sui Mi Ya Cai and Sichuan peppercorn pair very well with spicy seasonings. The easiest way is to add some chili oil or chili crisp to individual serving bowls. You can also add chili flakes into the rice, during the step that you add the soy sauce. Doubanjiang is another great addition if you don’t mind a deeper flavor. Add the doubanjiang along with the sui mi ya cai if using.
How do I store leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 2 months. Frozen fried rice reheats surprisingly well. I usually microwave it straight from frozen without thawing, and the texture stays fluffy and satisfying.
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Sichuan Fried Rice with Ya Cai
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 lb ground beef (or other type of ground meat)
- 4 tablespoons Sui Mi Ya Cai Sichuan preserved mustard greens
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 4 oz green beans , sliced into 1/4” (6 mm) thin pieces on a bias
- 3 eggs , beaten with a pinch of salt
- 3 cups cooked day-old jasmine rice
- 4 scallions , thinly sliced, white and green parts divided
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground Sichuan peppercorn
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Add ground beef, spread with your spatula into a thin layer. Let cook without moving until the bottom is browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Then break the beef into small pieces.
- Add the green beans. Cook and stir until the green bean just starts to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add Sui Mi Ya Cai, stir and cook for another 30 seconds. Pour in the Shaoxing wine to deglaze, scraping any brown bits off. Transfer everything to a plate.
- Pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the eggs. Cook until the bottom is just set and the top is almost cooked through but still a little runny. Add the jasmine rice. Cook and stir to break up the rice and coat the rice with eggs. Pour in the soy sauce and stir to mix well. Add the scallion whites. Keep cooking, stirring occasionally, until the rice starts to crisp up, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add back the beef and green bean mixture. Cook and stir for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, swirl in the sesame oil, add the scallion greens and sprinkle with Sichuan peppercorn. Stir again to mix well. Taste the rice and adjust seasoning by adding another pinch of salt, if needed. Transfer to serving bowls and serve hot.
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