Egg Fried Rice Classic (Printable)

Quick Asian-style stir-fry with fluffy eggs, vegetables, and savory soy sauce over crispy rice.

# What You Need:

→ Rice & Eggs

01 - 4 cups cold cooked white rice, preferably day-old
02 - 3 large eggs
03 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
05 - ½ cup scallions, finely sliced, reserve some for garnish
06 - ½ red bell pepper, diced

→ Seasonings & Sauces

07 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium preferred
08 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
09 - ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced
11 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

# How-To:

01 - Whisk eggs with a pinch of salt in a small bowl until well combined.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in beaten eggs and scramble gently until just set but still moist. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - Add remaining oil to the wok. Sauté garlic, ginger, and white parts of scallions for 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly.
04 - Add peas, carrots, and bell pepper to the wok. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until vegetables are just tender-crisp.
05 - Increase heat to high. Add cold rice, breaking up any clumps with a spatula. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until rice is heated through and beginning to crisp at edges.
06 - Return scrambled eggs to the wok, breaking into small pieces. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper. Toss everything together until evenly coated and heated through.
07 - Garnish with reserved scallion greens. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything comes together in twenty minutes making it perfect for those nights when takeout feels like too much effort but you want something better than plain leftovers
  • The technique of scrambling eggs separately creates fluffy ribbons throughout rather than rubbery bits that often happen when eggs are cooked directly into the rice
  • Customizable with whatever vegetables or proteins languishing in your crisper drawer meaning no two batches ever taste exactly the same
02 -
  • Cold rice is non negotiable here, as freshly cooked rice contains too much moisture and will turn into a sticky gluggy mess instead of separate grains
  • Let your wok get properly hot before adding ingredients, otherwise the rice will steam instead of fry and you will miss those crispy edges
  • Have all ingredients prepped and within reach before you start cooking because once you begin stir frying, everything moves too quickly for chopping
03 -
  • Cook your rice the day before or spread freshly cooked rice on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes to achieve the proper texture
  • Use a wok if you have one but a large skillet works perfectly fine, just avoid overcrowding the pan which causes steaming instead of frying
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