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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
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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
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. Ana Avatar
    Ana
    09/29/2018

    Vietnamese people just use fish sauce which is made from anchovies anyways…

    Reply
  2. Alice Avatar
    Alice
    09/25/2018

    Really enjoyed this, especially since it was relatively quick and easy. I think I don’t normally use enough soy sauce. The two tablespoons here really added the “umami” taste, I think (just guessing). I added 8 oz of sliced mushrooms sauteed. I didn’t have quite enough anchovy paste so I added a tsp of Thai chili paste. I used a cup of mashed tofu (the organic sprouted kind) which I added to the veggies before adding the rice since I wanted the tofu to absorb some of the veggie/salty/soy flavor. Will definitely be making this again. Very simple and easy and tasty, yum.
    P.S. I always have cooked rice frozen in 1 cup portions in my freezer for quick meals. Just needed to be defrosted. That added to the simplicity. Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Erren Avatar
      Erren
      09/25/2018

      Sounds great, Alice! Thanks so much for the great feedback!

      Reply
    2. Libba Gray Avatar
      Libba Gray
      06/29/2022

      I learn something new in reader comments all the time and this was another one regarding the rice. I had no idea you could freeze it! So how do you use it just thaw it and throw it in the pan as directed or what? And thanks for the tip!

      Reply
  3. Chrissy Ernst Avatar
    Chrissy Ernst
    07/27/2018

    This is really good. I will try anchovy sauce the next time I make it. I did use beef, chicken and shrimp with a bag of froxen peas and carrots. Really good. I have an instant pot that made my rice prior to and the rice was very firm. I almost thought to firm but turned out the best I’ve had.

    Reply
  4. Chrissy Ernst Avatar
    Chrissy Ernst
    07/27/2018

    This is really good. I will try anchovy sauce the next time I make it. I did use beef, chicken and shrimp with a bag of froxen peas and carrots. Really good.

    Reply
  5. Nigel Avatar
    Nigel
    07/25/2018

    I use fish sauce which is made from anchovies so has the same taste but is cheaper and ready available. It’s also widely used in Chinese restaurants for its ease of use.

    Reply
  6. Wayne Avatar
    Wayne
    09/25/2017

    We make this all the time! Love it! Thanks so much!

    Reply
    1. Erren Avatar
      Erren
      09/25/2017

      That’s so great to hear! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Amanda Avatar
    Amanda
    08/15/2017

    This recipe is really fantastic! The anchovy paste really makes it! Thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply
  8. pat Avatar
    pat
    12/30/2016

    My secret ingredient is kecap manis. Don’t need too much. It gives me that certain smokyness. As far as anchovies, I use a high quality fish sauce. Again, not too much. These two ingredients will put your fried rice ahead of most anything you’ve ever tasted. And I have tried many different recipe combinations.

    Reply
  9. Marlene. k Avatar
    Marlene. k
    03/10/2016

    Anchovy is too fishy ..I can’t have anything fishy..can it be substituted with something else??

    Reply
    1. Erren Avatar
      Erren
      03/11/2016

      You can omit it if you really don’t like them.

      Reply
  10. Inge Avatar
    Inge
    08/27/2014

    I have never used anchovy paste. With all the soy sauce wouldn’t it be too salty? I do use some ginger and garlic in mine.

    Reply
    1. Erren Avatar
      Erren
      08/29/2014

      Hi Inge, If you’re worried about salt content, add the anchovy paste and then taste as you add the soy sauce. Dark soy sauce shouldn’t be salty though it’s just for color and some flavor. Hope this helps!

      Reply
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