Egg Fried Rice Flavorful (Print)

A fast stir-fry with eggs, fresh veggies, and savory soy sauce for a vibrant meal.

# What You Need:

→ Rice

01 - 2 cups cooked leftover cold rice

→ Eggs

02 - 2 large eggs

→ Vegetables

03 - 1/2 cup diced carrots
04 - 1/2 cup thawed frozen peas
05 - 1/4 cup chopped scallions
06 - 1/2 cup diced bell pepper (optional)

→ Sauces & Seasonings

07 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (low-sodium recommended)
08 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
10 - Salt to taste (optional)

→ Oils

11 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or neutral oil

# Steps:

01 - Dice vegetables, thaw peas, and beat the eggs in a small bowl.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add beaten eggs and scramble quickly until just set. Transfer eggs to a plate and set aside.
03 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Sauté diced carrots and bell pepper for 2 minutes until slightly tender.
04 - Stir in thawed peas and half of the chopped scallions; cook for 1 minute.
05 - Add cold rice to the pan, breaking up clumps with a spatula. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until rice is heated through.
06 - Drizzle soy sauce and sesame oil evenly over the rice; toss to combine thoroughly.
07 - Return scrambled eggs to the pan and stir-fry everything together for 1 minute. Season with ground pepper and salt as desired.
08 - Remove from heat and sprinkle with remaining scallions. Serve immediately while hot.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It transforms boring leftover rice into something that tastes like takeout, but costs pennies and takes less time than ordering.
  • There's barely any cleanup and you only dirty one pan, which is honestly the real victory on a tired weeknight.
  • You can throw in whatever vegetables are lurking in your crisper drawer, so it's never the same meal twice.
02 -
  • Cold rice is non-negotiable—warm or wet rice will turn into a mushy mess because the moisture prevents it from getting separated and crispy.
  • The pan needs to actually be hot before the rice goes in, or it'll absorb all the oil and turn gluey instead of fluffy.
  • Don't overcrowd the pan or stir too slowly or you'll end up steaming the rice instead of frying it—high heat and constant motion are your friends here.
03 -
  • The reason restaurant fried rice tastes so good is because they use way higher heat than home cooks typically use—your burner should be at maximum for this, and if you're not getting a little sizzle and some burnt-smelling bits, turn it up higher.
  • Separate each grain of rice with your fingers before it goes into the pan if you have time—it sounds fussy but it actually speeds up the process by keeping the rice from sticking together in clusters.
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