Quick egg fried rice
A speedy, fail-safe fried rice that rescues leftover rice — fluffy grains, bright veg and soft scrambled egg in under 30 minutes.
Leftover rice was never born to sit in the fridge. This quick egg fried rice turns yesterday’s grains into a restaurant-style tray of comfort — fluffy bits of rice, sweet peas and silky scrambled egg. It’s fast, forgiving and a brilliant midweek rescue.
Make it as a solo supper or double up for lunchboxes. The recipe leans on cold rice, high heat and a few pantry staples to build maximum flavour with minimal faff.
Ingredients
- 600 g leftover cooked long-grain rice — cold, separated
- 45 ml vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs — lightly beaten
- 1 brown onion — finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves — finely sliced or crushed
- 5 ml fresh root ginger — grated
- 3 spring onions — trimmed and thinly sliced
- 150 g frozen peas
- 1 carrot — finely diced
- 30 ml light soy sauce
- 5 ml sesame oil
- 0 ml white pepper
- salt — to taste
- 15 ml toasted sesame seeds — to finish
Instructions
Tip the cold leftover cooked long-grain rice into a large bowl and use your fingers or a fork to break up any clumps so the grains are loose and separate.
Heat a frying pan over medium–high. Add 15 ml vegetable oil, swirl to coat. Pour in the lightly beaten large eggs and quickly scramble until just set but still glossy, about 90 seconds. Tip the eggs onto a plate and set aside.
Add the remaining vegetable oil to the hot pan. Fry the finely chopped brown onion for 2–3 minutes until translucent and soft.
Stir in the garlic cloves, fresh root ginger and finely diced carrot and fry for 60–90 seconds until fragrant — do not let the garlic burn.
Increase the heat to high. Add the frozen peas and the cold rice. Break up any remaining lumps with the back of a spoon and stir-fry, pressing the rice against the pan so it heats through and dries a little, about 4 minutes.
Push the rice to one side of the pan, add a drizzle more vegetable oil if the pan looks dry. Return the scrambled eggs to the pan, break them up and mix through the rice. Season with light soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper and salt; stir-fry for a further 60–90 seconds so everything is evenly coloured and hot.
Stir in the sliced spring onions, scatter with toasted sesame seeds and check the seasoning. Serve immediately.
Tips
- Always use cold, day-old rice straight from the fridge — it keeps the grains separate and prevents clumping.
- Cook on a very hot pan and keep the rice moving; that’s how you get slight caramelisation without moisture build-up.
- Scramble the eggs separately and return them at the end — it keeps them tender rather than rubbery.
- Make-ahead: cool and refrigerate in a shallow container for up to 2 days; reheat in a hot pan with a splash of water or stock.
- If you like a little char, let the rice sit undisturbed for 20–30 seconds at times to get some crisp edges, then toss.
Substitutions
light soy sauce → tamari, same quantity (30 ml)
Stays closevegetable oil → rapeseed oil, same quantity
Stays closefrozen peas → finely diced sugar snap peas or sweetcorn, 150 g
Noticeably differentlarge eggs → silken tofu, 200 g (stir in at the end for a vegan style — see note)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 385
- Calories
- 11 g
- Protein
- 46 g
- Carbs
- 17 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 450 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use fresh-cooked rice?
Fresh rice tends to be too moist and will clump. If you must, spread it on a tray to cool and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to dry slightly before frying.
How can I make this gluten-free?
Swap the light soy sauce for tamari. Check labels on sesame oil and any packaged ingredients, but tamari keeps flavour very similar.
Can I add leftover meat or prawns?
Yes — add pre-cooked, diced meat or prawns at step 5 so they heat through. Avoid adding raw meat which will need longer cooking.
How do I stop the rice sticking?
Use a well-heated pan, a little extra oil if needed, and keep the rice moving. Cold rice and a hot pan are the key.
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