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Chinese

Fifteen-Minute Egg Fried Rice

Cold rice, eggs, and a bag of frozen peas and carrots become dinner when the pan is hot enough. It is a fast meal that uses rice you already cooked.

Prep
5 min
Cook
10 min
Total
15 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Jump to recipe
Egg fried rice with peas, carrots, and scallions in a wok.

Why you’ll love it

  • Uses cooked rice, so the starch is already done.
  • A hot pan keeps the rice from steaming.
  • Eggs go in first so you can see them.
  • Frozen vegetables mean no extra chopping.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

Rough grocery estimate for the full recipe: about $6–9 at a typical US supermarket if the rice is already cooked. Prices vary by store, region, and season.

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Break up the cold rice with your fingers so the grains are separate.

  2. 2

    Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Scramble the eggs until just set, then move them to a plate.

  3. 3

    Add the remaining oil, the peas and carrots, and the garlic. Stir 1 minute.

  4. 4

    Add the rice. Spread it out and let it sit 30 seconds so a few grains toast, then toss.

  5. 5

    Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper, and eggs. Toss 1 minute.

  6. 6

    Fold in the scallions and serve. The rice should taste seasoned, not wet.

Pro tips

  • Freshly boiled rice turns gummy. Cold rice from the fridge fries better.
  • If you only have warm rice, spread it on a tray for 10 minutes first.
  • High heat is the whole technique. A crowded, cool pan steams it.

Easy substitutions

Soy sauce
Tamari, same amount, for a gluten-free version.
Peas and carrots
Any leftover cooked vegetable, chopped small.
Sesame oil
Another teaspoon of olive oil. You will lose the nutty finish.

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days.

Reheating

Reheat in a hot skillet with a few drops of oil until the grains loosen. A microwave works if you break up the clumps.

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
380
Protein
12 g
Carbs
54 g
Fat
12 g
Fiber
3 g

Budget friendly · Stovetop · 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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Ingredients