10 Easy And Delicious Fried Rice Recipes

Who doesn't crave a simple, tasty fried-rice dinner from time to time? There's everything to love, with aromatic sizzled rice, fresh veggies, muscle-building protein, and splashes of deeply flavored sauces and oils. Fried rice often stands on its own merit as an all-inclusive one-pan dinner but can also complement a broader potpourri of Asian-style dishes. Whichever way it lands on tables and plates, we all know the real magic happens in the family kitchen.

To that end, we've put together a collection of 10 easy and delicious fried rice recipes created with love and skill by Tasting Table recipe developers and collaborators. From simple baseline recipes to ones with a dazzling array of meats, seafood, sauces, spices, and even a few super-healthy rice substitutes, you'll earn some new cooking cred with these fanciful fried rice dishes. Heads up: there's even a fried rice recipe named in honor of the famed anime film, "Weathering With You." The star ingredient in this one is as cheekily delightful as the dish itself — and it's crunchy to boot. 

This easy fried rice dish is as simple as a lazy summer day. Just saunter into the kitchen, pull that leftover rice out of the fridge, and get ready for some sassy stovetop sizzling. Created by recipe developer Alexandra Shytsman, this version of fried rice comes together in about 15 minutes, from chopping to wok-ing and plating. But there's no short-change in authenticity, as classic ingredients and nutty toasted sesame oil immerse you in the deep heart of Asian-style cooking. There's even a surprising technique involving raw egg and savory soy sauce.

Recipe: Easy Fried Rice

For our Deep South readers, let's get one thing settled: This chicken fried rice recipe is nothing like a chicken fried steak, which curiously involves thinly sliced beef fried in batter, similar to deep-fried chicken. This is, instead, a true Asian-inspired fried rice recipe employing actual pieces of diced chicken breast. The creation follows a similar pattern as other fried-rice dishes but with a delightful interpretation by recipe developer Catherine Brookes. In this version, you'll inject subtle bursts of sweet flavor from a starchy vegetable and a common condiment: corn and ketchup.

Recipe: Chicken Fried Rice

This pork fried rice recipe from developer Catherine Brookes bursts into your kitchen with a riot of color, texture, and taste. Ground pork soaks up deliciousness from freshly grated ginger, crushed garlic, and a tantalizing trio of deeply flavored oils and sauces. Brookes reveals that nutty sesame oil is the secret ingredient here, but it works hand in hand with sweet and savory soy and oyster sauces. Not in the mood for pork? It's simple to sub-in chicken, beef, or even shrimp.

Recipe: Pork Fried Rice 

Many recipes have interchangeable components, and this classic shrimp fried rice dish from Tasting Table recipe developer Michelle McGlinn follows course. But it's a bit more specific, with added texture and flavor from mung bean sprouts and Shaoxing wine, or dry sherry if necessary. Another special touch is pre-marinating the shrimp in cornstarch, soy sauce, and sesame oil for a thicker sauce. McGlinn stresses the importance of using cold day-old rice, since warm sticky rice holds moisture, resulting in a mushy fried mess. A fun serving suggestion is topping with a fried egg.

Recipe: Classic Shrimp Fried Rice 

For seafood lovers, shrimp fried rice offers a hearty, one-bowl dinner with no finicky techniques or delicate handmade sauces. With this recipe from developer Catherine Brookes, you'll be highlighting a beloved tropical fruit: the pineapple. Her pineapple shrimp fried rice creation calls for a can of drained pineapple chunks, pre-cooked shrimp, frozen green peas, and a handful of other ingredients, making it one of the most straightforward recipes in this collection. Along with zingy pineapples bites, you'll also enjoy the added splash of pineapple juice and soy sauce.

Recipe: Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice

If you're not yet familiar with cauliflower rice, it's definitely a thing. But just to be clear, there's no actual rice involved in this cauliflower fried rice recipe. While genuine rice is a grain, cauliflower rice comes from that cruciferous white vegetable we either love or hate. In this rendition, you'll use "riced" cauliflower that simulates the size and texture of its grain counterpart. Smoked bacon, ginger, and garlic steal the show, but they've got plenty of supporting cast members, including the likes of honey, sambal, rice wine vinegar, and soy sauce.

Recipe: Cauliflower Fried Rice

Finally, there's a way to reinterpret the Japanese hibachi dining experience in your own kitchen. Admittedly, it's not a theatrical table-side show of flipping knives and roaring flames, but it does involve a large, searing-hot griddle or wok, and the flavor can be remarkably similar. This hibachi-style steak fried rice dish from Tasting Table recipe developer Leah Maroney features sirloin, New York strip, or similar steak, plus a generous douse of teriyaki sauce and, ideally, a Japanese mirin white wine. Then, there's the recommended sauces: We're talking yum yum and ginger. 

Recipe: Hibachi-Style Steak Fried Rice

Chef-hats off to another fried rice recipe that involves no actual rice. This time, it's a gloriously yellow- and orange-hued root vegetable that's "riced" for adaptation. A welcome member of our collection, the autumnal butternut squash fried rice recipe is the brainchild of developer Michelle Bottalico. The fleshy butternut squash serves as an alternative ingredient for chefs seeking low-carb dinner options. It certainly lacks nothing in flavor, with the likes of ginger, apples, and edamame morsels. Tamari and honey close out the grand finale.

Recipe: Autumnal Butternut Squash Fried "Rice"

Do you have a secret penchant for using potato chips in recipes? If so, here's an unforgettable fried rice recipe. Even more intriguing is how this dish gets its moniker from a scene in the Japanese "Weathering With You," anime fantasy film. The movie features seaweed-flavored potato chips, but standard ripple chips work just fine. Our chip-inspired recipe from developer Rika Hoffman mostly leans toward familiar ingredients but with a delightfully crunchy, salty topping of chips and scallions.

Recipe: Weathering With You-Inspired Potato Chip Beef Fried Rice

In a final nod to the stamina of fried rice recipes with an alternative starring ingredient, we present our quinoa fried rice from recipe developer Hayley MacLean. Similar to using leftover rice, you'll need next-day cold quinoa for the same reason, to avoid a mushy texture when fried. Maclean notes an extra nutrition boost in this dish, particularly when it comes to protein and fiber. You'll be scrambling the eggs separately, adding them to the final mix just after the fried quinoa, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and toasted sesame oil.

Recipe: Quinoa Fried Rice