Chinese
Cabbage Fried Rice
Cold rice, a heap of cabbage, and eggs fried in a hot pan. The cabbage is doing the job of a more expensive vegetable.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 22 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy

Why you’ll love it
- Cold rice, or it clumps.
- Cabbage in first so it wilts.
- Eggs scrambled in the same pan.
- High heat at the end.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Stir-fry the cabbage in oil until wilted, about 3 minutes.
- 2
Add the rice and press it flat for a minute so a few grains toast. Toss.
- 3
Push the rice aside, scramble the eggs in the empty space, then mix them through.
- 4
Add soy sauce, salt, scallions, and sesame oil.
Pro tips
- Day-old rice is better than rice you just boiled.
- If it looks wet, keep the pan hot and uncovered.
- A handful of frozen peas can go in with the cabbage.
Easy substitutions
- Cabbage
- Shredded Brussels sprouts
- Eggs
- A cup of frozen edamame
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Reheating
Stir-fry until hot. Add a few drops of water if it is dry.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 280
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop · Vegetarian, Dairy-Free
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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