Jazz Up Leftover Fried Rice With One Canned Ingredient

An easy fried rice recipe is always a hit when you're hosting friends for dinner, aided by the fact that the dish is budget-friendly for feeding a small crowd. Partly because of this, it's easy to cook too much. So, if you're currently eyeing last night's fried rice, wondering how to spruce it up to become today's tasty dinner, we got you covered — all you need is a can of tuna.

Leftover fried rice can be very dry because it soaks up the sauce as it cools down. Therefore, adding moisture is the key to reviving the dish. Canned tuna will bring natural moisture to the leftovers, along with the distinct savory flavor and a heap of helpful protein. With that dryness in mind, don't drain the tuna when you add it to leftover rice — this goes for both oil- and water-packed tuna. Water-packed tuna is the better choice if you're reheating fried rice in the microwave or in the oven, while oil-packed is the superior choice when reheating those leftovers on the stovetop or in the air fryer. You can check out our ranking of the best canned tuna brands if you're not sure which to purchase or fancy a change from your usual variety. Then simply mix the tuna with your rice and heat the whole dish together.

While the tuna itself already boosts the flavor of your fried rice leftovers, there are still oh-so-many unique ingredients you could add to fried rice. For one, you can elevate the meal further by pairing it with your favorite sauces and toppings. Thanks to its meaty flavor profile, tuna goes well with most savory sauces. Soy sauce is the obvious choice, as the leftover rice has likely soaked up most of the one it was originally made with. If you want to build on the core fish flavor, add a mix of fish sauce and oyster sauce. But the ultimate sauce for jazzing up tuna fried rice might just be a dash of sriracha — it's spicy sweetness is pretty hard to beat.

For the toppings, any crispy veggies that you have at hand are a good starting point. They'll bring color and freshness to the leftover rice, along with satisfying crunch. If we had to cast a vote for favorites, scallions and edamame beans would win, followed closely by bell peppers. If you're in the mood for something sour, top the fried rice with classic homemade kimchi. As a final touch, sprinkle on some sesame seeds or chili flakes, and your unrivaled leftover fried rice is complete.