Made with whatever you have on hand, it’s always delicious. You can use ham, bacon, chicken sausage or leave the meat out and make a vegan vegetable-only version.
I love Asian food, like, really love it. Growing up I remember having only two restaurants in our small town, a Mexican restaurant and a Chinese restaurant. My brother loved Mexican and I loved Chinese and given a choice I would straight up throw a hissy fit to get my family in the door of that Chinese restaurant. My first job was three doors down from that Chinese restaurant – I ate steamed pork buns and chow mein noodles for lunch everyday for the four years I worked there. Ten years later my wedding rehearsal dinner was catered by that Chinese restaurant.
The funny thing is that the Mexican vs Chinese debate is still a part of my life. My husband’s favorite food is Mexican and even though I have a whole slew of Mexican recipes up my sleeve I serve some sort of Asian dish at least once a week. This quick and easy fried rice recipe is one of my favorites. I love it not only because it can be on the table in less than 15 minutes but because it is totally customizable – something that you can make based on what you have on hand, a real ‘fridge-clearer’. I make it on the day before I go to the grocery store to use up all of the vegetables in the crisper drawer. I also make it when camping – just bring everything already chopped and the rice already cooked and fry it up over the fire.
I love that fried rice is so adaptable! You can easily customize it based on whatever you have available and your personal tastes. This is more of a technique rather than a recipe – you can make it with whatever meat, veggies and rice {or quinoa} you have. Today I am making fried rice with leftover Easter ham, kale, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, celery, brown rice and quinoa – all foods that I had in the fridge that needed to be eaten.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil canola, coconut, olive, etc.
- 2 cups chopped meat ham, bbq pork, bacon, etc.
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced (optional)
- 4 cups chopped vegetables carrots, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, kale, mushrooms, etc.
- 4 cups rice cooked
- 3 large eggs lightly beaten
- ¼ cup toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs cilantro, basil, scallions, etc (optional)
- ¼ cup chopped almonds (optional)
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil in large pan over medium high heat.
- Add meat to pan. When browned add onion, garlic and ginger.
- Add additional oil if necessary and add vegetables. Cook until soft, stirring occasionally.
- Add rice and stir to combine.
- Push the rice mixture to the side of the pan, add more oil if necessary and pour eggs in to the exposed pan. When eggs are scrambled stir everything until combined.
- Add sesame oil and soy sauce and stir until coated.
- Top with herbs, almonds and/or sesame seeds (optional).
Nutrition
crystella
Oh man Tris this was delicious!!! Everyone loved it definitely tastes better than any I have made before and it was so easy too. It made so much I had to switch to a bigger pan, it will be my new go to recipe!!!
Tristin Rieken
Yay! I'm so glad you liked it!!