Vegetable Fried Rice (蔬菜炒饭)

This homemade vegetable fried rice is loaded with colorful vegetables, uses less oil than takeout, and is super easy to put together. 

Having grown up eating fried rice, I’m very particular about recipes for it. In my world, a fried rice recipe should always take 15 minutes or less, including prep time. It is a snack that I can eat at any time of day, using whatever is in my fridge, or with standard ingredients that are always in my pantry. For me, fried rice is designed to solve hunger or cravings immediately.

That’s the reason you see frozen vegetables in this recipe, which I always keep in my freezer and which require zero prep time. Of course you can use fresh vegetables instead, if you like. I will explain how to do it in the paragraph below.

Vegetable fried rice ingredients

What type of rice to use

My favorite is cooked jasmine rice (or other medium grain rice) that has been left in the fridge for a couple of days. When you use rice that is slightly stale, the grains will have lost some moisture. So the rice will separate better during the stir frying and create a crispy result.

If you’ve just made fresh rice, you can spread it into a thin layer on a large plate so it cools off faster. Once it has cooled off a bit, transfer it to the fridge (without covering it) and let it sit until it has cooled completely before covering it. This will let more moisture out and make the rice more suitable for vegetable fried rice.

You can always cook extra rice and freeze portions for fried rice in ziplock bags. The rice will lose more moisture in the freezer and will become perfect for fried rice.

Seasonings

I like my vegetable fried rice to have a bold and rich flavor. So I used:

• Chili oil
• Black bean sauce
• Soy sauce
• Garlic and green onion 

My secret ingredients, chili oil and black bean sauce, will make your vegetable fried rice stand out and taste extra satisfying. 

I highly recommend my homemade black bean sauce if you have any on hand, because it is more flavorful. But if not, you can totally use store-bought black bean sauce. 

What vegetable to use

I always prefer to use frozen vegetables for my vegetable fried rice, because they’re super convenient. I used a mix that contains green peas, corn, green beans and carrots when cooking this recipe. You can always use other mixtures such as the ones containing pepper or broccoli.

You can also use fresh vegetables if you prefer. For example:

• Small diced carrot
• Broccoli, separated into small bite sized pieces
• Small diced pepper or chili pepper
• Asparagus, thinly sliced
• Snow peas, slice into small pieces 

The cooking process for fresh vegetables is almost the same. In the recipe below, you should add your fresh veggies during step 2. But note, you could cook the vegetables according to their texture. Carrot and broccoli will take a bit longer to cook and you should add them first. Other vegetables such as pepper, asparagus, and snow peas take a shorter time to cook. And you should only cook the vegetables until al dente, so they won’t be overcooked at the end. 

How to make vegetable fried rice

Making vegetable fried rice is super easy:

1. Lightly scramble the eggs and transfer them to a plate
2. Saute the garlic
3. Cook the vegetables until fully thawed (or al dente if using fresh veggies)
4. Add the rice. Cook until well toasted.
5. Mix in the sauce.
6. Add back the cooked egg and green onion. Give it a final stir.

What pan to use

I like to use my DeBuyer Country Chef 9″ pan to make vegetable fried rice. It is a carbon steel pan that is shaped like a small flat-bottom wok. It is quite nonstick if you season the pan well. It gives the rice a nice char and a bit of a smoky flavor if your gas stove is powerful enough.

Alternatively, you can simply use a large nonstick pan to cook vegetable fried rice. When using a nonstick pan, the key is to let the rice sear without stirring it too often, to create a crispier result. 

I hope you enjoy this quick vegetable fried rice!

More fast delicious fried rice recipes

• Yang Zhou Fried Rice (扬州炒饭)
• Soy Sauce Fried Rice (酱油炒饭)
• Chicken Fried Rice
• Kimchi Fried Rice
• Peking Duck Fried Rice (using leftover chicken)

Vegetable Fried Rice (蔬菜炒饭)

By Maggie Zhu

4.41 from 5 votes

Prep Time: 7 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 to 4 servings

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An easy vegetable fried rice that you can cook in 10 minutes and it is bursting with flavor. It is a great choice, no matter whether you're preparing a healthy side or a one-bowl dinner. {Vegetarian, Gluten-Free Adaptable}

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

Ingredients 

• 1 tablespoon chili oil
• 1 tablespoon black bean sauce
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
• 4 eggs , beaten
• 3 cloves garlic , minced
• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (*Footnote 1)
• 3 cups cooked white rice refrigerated medium grain rice works best
• 4 green onions , sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

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Instructions

• Combine the chili oil, black bean sauce, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Stir to mix well.
• Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add the eggs. Wait until the bottom is cooked, then scramble slightly until just cooked. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the garlic. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.
• Add the vegetables. Stir and cook until thawed and all the liquid has evaporated.
• Add the rice. Stir and cook until the rice is heated through and lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Pour in the chili oil mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is evenly coated with the rice, 2 minutes or so.
• Return the eggs to the pan, add the green onions, and sprinkle the salt. Keep stirring to mix everything well, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn to low heat and taste the rice. Adjust the seasoning by adding more salt, if needed.
• Transfer everything to a plate and serve hot as a main dish or side dish.

Video

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Notes

1. You can use a frozen vegetable mix that contains diced or small pieces of vegetables such as carrot, snow peas, bell peppers, etc. No thawing needed. You can also use fresh vegetables. Cook them until al dente in the same step.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 400kcal, Carbohydrates: 53g, Protein: 12.3g, Fat: 15.3g, Saturated Fat: 3.1g, Cholesterol: 164mg, Sodium: 448mg, Potassium: 336mg, Fiber: 5.2g, Sugar: 4.9g, Calcium: 74mg, Iron: 4mg

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