Weeknight Spicy Fried Rice
Weeknight Spicy Fried Rice combines leftover rice with lots of vegetables, soft scrambled eggs, and my go-to spicy sauce. This recipe could be served as a side dish, or in my case, the main course!
Skip the take-out and make your own Chinese food! When we’re not making spicy fried rice, we’re whipping up Chicken Vegetable Stir Fry, Thai Beef Noodle Stir Fry, or Shrimp Fried Rice! Try them all!
Best Fried Rice
I made this large batch Weeknight Spicy Fried Rice this week because…hello, lots of hungry movin’ boys in and out of the house. They are eaters, thank goodness because I love to cook for them. Makes my heart super happy to see them enjoying home-cooked meals instead of fast food or that mediocre dorm food.
Since we eat tons of rice here, it’s easy to use the occasional leftovers for this recipe. Two for one is always a good thing!
Other Rice Recipes:
Ingredients Needed
- Rice. You can use your favorite rice here, but it needs to be at least one day old and COLD. I love making mine in the instant pot now – super easy and it turns out EVERY time!
- Frozen Vegetables. Use anything you like. I used an equal amount of peas, corn, and edamame because that’s what I keep on hand.
- Shredded Carrots. Again, super easy, because I bought them already shredded. You could, of course, chop your own.
- Eggs. I used four large eggs in this recipe, but you could use more or less, depending on your preference.
- Oils. You’ll need some peanut oil for the veggies. You might also top everything with a drizzle of sesame oil.
- The spicy seasoning mixture. You’ll need chili paste, oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. If y’all know me well, I like spicy foods, but you could hold back some on the chili paste and red pepper flakes for a milder flavor.
- To top it off. Use some chopped green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds for that final touch.
Did you notice that you don’t even need a knife for this recipe? Nope, no chopping is necessary. 😀
How to make Weeknight Spicy Fried Rice:
Step 1
Make the rice the day before (or use leftover rice). You can make it on your stovetop following the package directions, or use your instant pot (in my case). Just combine 2.5 cups of rinsed long-grain rice and 3.25 cups of lower-sodium chicken broth. Set to pressure cook for 10 minutes, and then do a 10-minute natural release followed by a quick release.
Step 2
Prep the spicy sauce. Combine the chili paste, oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. Mix well.
Step 3
Cook the eggs. Meanwhile, soft scramble the eggs in a separate sauté pan, until they are done. Don’t overcook.
Step 4
Cook the veggies. Using a large stock pan (or wok), heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add the frozen veggies and the shredded carrots. Cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
Step 5
Add the rice and sauce. Then add the cold rice and the spicy sauce to the pan. Continue to stir until everything is well combined. Cook until the rice is warm, about 5-10 more minutes.
Step 6
Finish. Add the eggs to the pan, and stir to combine. Serve with a sprinkle of green onions and sesame seeds. You can also add a drizzle of sesame oil.
Don’t like spicy? Go super light on the chili paste and red pepper flakes, and add more brown sugar!
Expert Tips
- Make sure you use cold rice. Day-old COLD rice is best for fried rice. You want the rice to be dry so that when you cook it, it doesn’t get mushy.
- Cook over high heat. It’s best to cook this dish over relatively high heat. This cooks up super fast, which is great for a weeknight meal!
- Feel free to adjust the sauce. This IS a bit spicy but can be toned down by reducing the chili paste and the red pepper flakes. Adding more brown sugar will also reduce the heat. Tailor it to your liking.
- Add more eggs for extra protein. If you want to add extra eggs and make this a full meal, add extra eggs.
- Add chicken or shrimp for even more protein. Make this an even fuller meal by adding chicken or shrimp!
- This is great for meal prep. We love eating leftovers for lunch all week long.
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
If you are looking for the exact spicy sauce ingredients I use, here they are.
- Huey Fong Sambal Oelek Chili Paste 8 Oz
- Lee Kum Kee Panda Brand Oyster Sauce,18 Ounces (Pack of 2)
- Kikkoman Light Soy Sauce, 10 Ounce (Pack of 2)
- and red pepper flakes (plus a touch of brown sugar)
xoxo ~Sue
Weeknight Spicy Fried Rice
Ingredients
For the rice:
- 4 large eggs
- 2 Tablespoons peanut oil
- 1.5 cups frozen peas
- 1.5 cups frozen shelled edamame
- 1.5 cups frozen corn
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- salt and pepper – to taste
- 7 cups prepared rice (COLD) – day old at least
- chopped green onions, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of sesame oil – to serve
For the sauce:
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons chili paste
- 2 Tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- One day in advance, make the rice. You want it to be nice and cold for this recipe.
- I use my Instant Pot, and combine 2.5 cups of long grained rice with 3.25 cups of chicken broth. High pressure for 15 minutes, followed by 10 minutes natural release.
- Mix up the sauce, by combining the chili paste, oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes (optional).
- Using a wok or a large stock pan, warm the peanut oil over medium high heat. Add the peas, edamame, corn, and carrots, and stir. Let cook for 5-7 minutes, or until vegetables are softened and heated through.
- Add the sauce and the cold rice, and stir well. Reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook until heated through.
- Meanwhile, in a separate small skillet, soft scrambled the eggs.
- When the rice and veggies are nice and warm, add the eggs and stir. Remove from heat.
- To serve, add chopped green onions, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of sesame oil.
Notes
- This is a very large recipe, but can easily be cut in half!
- Feel free to adjust the sauce. This IS a bit spicy, but can be toned down by reducing the chili paste and the red pepper flakes. Adding more brown sugar will also reduce the heat. Tailor it to your liking.
Can I make this recipe a day in advance and reheat in microwave?
I remember eating it at a friend’s dinner and loved it; hope to succeed preparing it this weekend. Thanks for answering my question.
rpcapitain@gmail.com
Yes, you can heat it up. I recommend heating at 50% power in your microwave.
could i not use the oyster sauce if i dont have any
Yes, you can use a little extra soy sauce in it’s place.
This recipe has been a staple in our home the past couple of weeks. We’ve had it probably 4 weeks in a row now (often times using leftover rice from your Honey Siracha Shrimp Bowls). Such an easy, effortless, and yummy weeknight meal! Great as a meatless option but we’ve also added chicken on nights we needed something more filling. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Katelynn! I’m so glad you have been enjoying it. Thanks so much for your feedback!
I love this recipe as a meatless Monday dish! It is filling and yet provides a break from meat….
Agree 100%!