Thai Style Crab Fried Rice

Ever get in one of those moods where you want something that truly satisfies your craving for a luxe meal without all the fuss? I know I do, which is why you’re going to love this crab fried rice recipe. You only need one pan, too, which means cleanup is just as breezy as putting this together.

With this crab fried rice, the rice is lightly seasoned so that it won’t take away from that delicate crab flavor. It’s for this reason that I served it with a side sauce.

Ingredients

Don’t be fooled by the lengthy ingredient list. It’s mostly items you’ll already have on hand, with just a few you’d need to plan on picking up from the store. It comes together so easily that you’ll have it prepped in 10 minutes and it’s just another 5 minutes until it’s ready. 

Traditionally, in Thai crab fried rice recipes, it calls for fish roe to further boost the flavor. However, I’ve found that some restaurant versions use minced carrot instead, to mimic the shape and reduce the cost. That’s how I tried it. And I really liked this result quite a bit, since the carrots add a nice, sweet taste and texture to the rice.

I will say that the quality of your crab fried rice definitely depends on the crab you can find. There are cheaper canned lump crab options in the Asian markets. But you can also go for the fancier ones at organic grocery stores too. If you really want to elevate the flavor, choose the best lump crab meat you can find and you’ll be swooning over this luxuriously flavored dish any night you crave it!

Cooking process

1. Lightly brown the aromatics, then add the beaten eggs
2. Once the bottom of the eggs is set, add the rice. 
3. Cook the rice until lightly toasted, then drizzle in the sauce
4. Add the butter and continue toasting the rice
5. Add the crab meat and the veggies
6. Give it a final stir and serve it with the sauce

More delicious Thai recipes to serve with

This Thai crab fried rice is quite light and refreshing, yet satisfying. No matter whether you’re a seafood lover or simply want a light yet filling one-pot dinner, this is a perfect option for you. If you’re feeling fancy, here are some of my favorite Thai dishes to serve with this one:

• Thai Beef Salad
• Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)
• Thai Sweet Chili Chicken
• Thai Fish Cakes (Tod Mun Pla)
• Thai-Style Salmon Curry

Thai Style Crab Fried Rice

By Maggie Zhu

5 from 7 votes

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 to 4 servings

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For something ultra-delicious in minutes, try this crab fried rice for a one-pan meal that is bursting with delicate seafood flavor! {Gluten-Free adaptable}

To make the dish gluten-free, use tamari to replace the soy sauce.

Ingredients 

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 cloves garlic , minced
• 2 eggs , beaten
• 3 cups day-old long grain rice (*Footnote 1)
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (*Footnote 2)
• 1 can lump crab meat (6-oz / 170 g can) , drained (yield 1/2 cup)
• 1/3 cup finely diced carrots (or frozen carrots) (*Footnote 3)
• 1/4 white onion , finely chopped
• 2 green onions , sliced (or 1/2 small white onion, diced)

Side Sauce (Prik Nam Pla) (Optional)

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoon lime juice
• 1 clove garlic , sliced
• 1 bird's eye chili , sliced (or 1/2 small serrano pepper)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Garnish (Optional)

• 1 persian cucumber , sliced on a bias
• 1 lime wedge
• Sprig of cilantro

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Instructions

• Combine all the side sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high-heat until hot.
• Add the garlic and stir fry until just starting to brown.
• Pour in the beaten eggs. Cook until the bottom is set, then and scramble lightly.
• Once the eggs are mostly cooked, add the rice. Chop and stir the rice to break it apart and mix it with the eggs. Cook until the rice is fully separated and lightly toasted.
• Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and pepper. Stir to mix well.
• Stir in the butter. Toast, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.
• Add the crab, carrots, white onion, and green onion. Stir for another minute to mix everything together. Adjust the seasoning by adding a pinch of salt if needed.
• Transfer the rice to a serving bowl. Garnish with a sprig of cilantro if using. Serve hot with cucumber slices, a lime wedge, and the side sauce.

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Notes

1. The older and drier the rice is, the better. Sometimes I freeze leftover rice in a ziplock bag. It will dry out a bit more once thawed, which is perfect for making fried rice because the grains are less likely to stick together.
2. You can skip the butter and use peanut oil as well.
3. Chopping the carrots into tiny pieces creates a beautiful appearance and an interesting texture. If the chopping is too much work for you, add coarsely chopped carrot into a small food processor or blender to cut them into rice-sized pieces. You can use frozen carrot as well, although the texture of the final dish will change slightly.
4. The nutrition information does not include the side sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 334kcal, Carbohydrates: 41.8g, Protein: 13.1g, Fat: 15.5g, Saturated Fat: 3.8g, Cholesterol: 113mg, Sodium: 738mg, Potassium: 164mg, Fiber: 1.2g, Sugar: 2.1g, Calcium: 178mg, Iron: 3mg

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Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.