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Home / Asian Food

Best Ever Fried Rice

This quick and easy recipe makes a delicious Chinese dinner or side dish for your favorite stir-fry.

Erren Hart

|

last Updated:

03/25/2025
4.97 from 33 votes
Jump to Recipe Video
Serves: 4 people
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 8 minutes mins
A close up of a bowl of fried rice with chop sticks next to it
A bowl of fried rice with chop sticks next to it
A close up of a bowl of fried rice with chop sticks next to it

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On the table in just 20 minutes, this homemade recipe for the Best Ever Fried Rice with egg is just as good as your favorite restaurant!

A bowl of fried rice with chop sticks next to it
Pin This Recipe For Later!

This recipe a budget-friendly, one-pot meal that will satisfy anyone you serve it to!

Who doesn’t love fried rice with egg? Whether it’s chicken, vegetarian, or pork, it’s loved around the world, but making it at home isn’t always easy.  With this guide, you can make it at home any time you want!

Why This Recipe Works

  • Using cold, precooked rice keeps the rice from getting overcooked and mushy.
  • The anchovy paste adds an authentic flavor that makes this dish stand out from other recipes.
  • Low sodium soy sauce keeps the recipe from being too salty.

When homemade Chinese food, you don’t have to use a lot of vegetables (although you can add some if you’d like).  Just basic, aromatic vegetables like onions or shallots, green onions, and garlic are all that’s needed.

A cutting board with two green onions, unpeeled, whole shallots and a head of garlic

What Rice is Best

white rice in a black bowl

Long or medium-grain rice like parboiled white, basmati or brown rice can all be used for fried rice. Just be sure to always use cold cooked rice.  The key to a perfect result is starting with chilled, day-old cooked rice that’s cooked with just a little less water than usual to keep the rice firm. 

How to Make Fried Rice

Heat your wok over high heat for a couple of minutes. Add about a tablespoon of oil (it will smoke).  Then, add the egg.

scrambled eggs cooking in a wok

Cook the egg until just undercooked, remove from the wok and set aside.

onions, green onions and garlic cooking with anchovy paste

Next, cook the onion, green onion, and garlic just until they’re fragrant, followed by the anchovy paste.

Add the cold rice.

The rice added to the wok with the aromatics

As soon as you add in the rice, increase the temperature, and add the soy sauce.

The soy sauce added to the rice mixture in the wok

Add whatever cooked meat you’re using along with the egg you fried earlier.  Mix to combine.

The best fried rice in the wok

Taste and season as needed.  Serve and enjoy.

A close up of a bowl of fried rice with chop sticks next to it

Tips for Best Results

  • Don’t use freshly cooked rice. It becomes overcooked and too soft.
  • Make the rice ahead and chill before frying.  The key is starting with chilled, day-old cooked rice that’s made with just a little less water than usual to keep the rice firm. 
  • Cook the egg until just undercooked, remove from the pan and set aside to add at the end. this prevents the eggs from becoming rubbery.
  • Don’t make ahead of time and reheat.  This will result in overcooked rice.
  • Dark soy sauce should not be high in sodium.  It’s used to add color.  Be sure to check your brand’s label and alter the amounts accordingly.
  • Don’t have anchovy paste? You can use fish sauce instead, but be careful – It’s salty!

More Delicious Chinese Recipes

  • Glazed Broiled Salmon
  • Chicken with Chinese Mushrooms
  • Chinese Chicken & Broccoli
  • Quick & Easy Chinese Noodle Soup

Rate This Recipe

Click here to leave a star rating!

A close up of a bowl of fried rice with chop sticks next to it

Recipe

Best Ever Fried Rice

This quick and easy recipe makes a delicious Chinese dinner or side dish for your favorite stir-fry.
4.97 from 33 votes
Print Pin
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 8 minutes mins
Total Time: 18 minutes mins
Serves 4 people

Ingredients

  • Vegetable oil (or any mild oil of your choice)
  • 6 eggs (lightly beaten)
  • 1 small onion (chopped)
  • 2 green onions (trimmed and sliced into rounds)
  • 1 clove garlic (chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon anchovy paste
  • 2 cups long-grain rice (cooked and chilled)
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (or more depending on taste)
  • 1 tablespoon low sodium dark soy sauce
  • Ground black pepper
  • 1 cup leftover chicken (or whatever meat you want to use)

Instructions

  • Heat your wok over high heat (although not all the way up) for a couple of minutes. Add about a tablespoon of oil (it will get smoky).  
  • Pour in the eggs and scramble, scraping the bits that stick to the wok. Once cooked, remove from the wok and set aside.
  • If needed, add a bit more oil. Add the onion, green onion, and garlic.  Cook just until they’re fragrant.  Stir in the anchovy paste.
  • Add in the rice, increase the temperature and add the soy sauce, seasoning, egg, and any precooked meat you are using. Stir-fry scraping the sides on the wok until heated through (2 or 3 minutes)
  • Taste and add more soy sauce or seasoning needed and serve hot. 

Tips

  • Don’t use freshly cooked rice. If you try to use freshly cooked rice, it becomes overcooked and too soft.
  • Make the rice ahead and chill before frying.  The key is starting with chilled, day-old cooked rice that’s made with just a little less water than usual to keep the rice firm. 
  • Cook the egg until just undercooked, remove from the pan and set aside to add at the end. this prevents the eggs from becoming rubbery.
  • Don’t make ahead of time and reheat.  This will result in overcooked rice.
  • Dark soy sauce should not be high in sodium.  It’s used to add color.  Be sure to check your brand’s label and alter the amounts accordingly.
  • Don’t have anchovy paste? You can use fish sauce instead, but be careful – It’s salty!
Show Nutrition Hide Nutrition

Nutrition

Calories: 520 | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 270mg | Sodium: 769mg | Potassium: 348mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 455IU | Vitamin C: 3.9mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 2.7mg
Created by Erren Hart
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Update Notes:  This recipe was originally posted in 2014, but was updated in March of 2019 with slight changes to the recipe, nutritional information, and a video and with new photos and tips in 2020.

4.97 from 33 votes (17 ratings without comment)

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53 responses

  1. Rose Avatar
    Rose
    06/06/2024

    Hi Erren,
    Can toasted sesame oil be added to this recipe?
    Rose

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      06/07/2024

      Sure, use it to finish not to stir fry and add it in small amounts at a time to finish and taste as you go.

      Reply
  2. Ruby Avatar
    Ruby
    12/06/2021

    We have “fakeout” night once a week and it’s now been improved since I discovered your recipes! Thank you so much

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      12/06/2021

      I love to hear this, so pleased you enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply
  3. Pat Havenaar Avatar
    Pat Havenaar
    10/23/2021

    I will make this again, I loved it

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      10/24/2021

      I’m so pleased you enjoyed it Pat 🙂

      Reply
  4. Mat Avatar
    Mat
    08/20/2021

    What temperature?
    For how long?

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      08/23/2021

      Hi Mat, it specifies in the recipe instructions, you start with a medium heat and it changes through the different stages of the recipe. I hope this helps 🙂

      Reply
  5. LANNI Avatar
    LANNI
    04/01/2021

    We all loved this! I used just one bag of frozen broccoli stir fry veggies. Delicious!

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      04/01/2021

      I’m so delighted to hear you liked it! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Ellie Avatar
    Ellie
    03/24/2021

    This is my family’s favorite recipe! I could never mention the anchovies, but that could be our secret! Thanks, Erren! 🙂

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      03/24/2021

      Thanks so much for leaving such lovely feedback!

      Reply
  7. Liz Gray Avatar
    Liz Gray
    08/24/2020

    I never would have guessed it!! Anchovy paste!?! Crazy but it absolutely was the missing ingredient I’ve looked for all these years of making fried rice that lacked SOMETHING. I’ve bought things at asian market locally suggested to me but none of them were it. Anchovy paste. Well, I’m a new fan of it!

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      08/25/2020

      That’s great Liz! I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply
    2. Libba Gray Avatar
      Libba Gray
      06/11/2021

      Me too! I’ve worked on my fried rice for YEARS and it just wasn’t right. Ordered my light & dark soy sauces (yes, having both itmakes a huge difference)from Amazon, anchovy paste from. Kroge and toasted sesame oil and I finally got it right! YES!!!!!!

      Reply
      1. Erren Hart Avatar
        Erren Hart
        06/11/2021

        Thanks so much for backing this up! So many people skip the anchovy paste and it makes all the difference to the recipe! So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

  8. Donna Avatar
    Donna
    06/24/2020

    One of the better recipes for fried rice. I didnt have anchovy paste or fish sauce but did have oyster sauce and it came out very good. Precooked, cold rice is a must. I had leftover smoked pork butt and it added great flavor.

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      06/24/2020

      That sounds amazing Donna, thank you for the compliment 🙂

      Reply
  9. john Avatar
    john
    04/19/2020

    thanks for sharing

    Reply
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