This shrimp fried rice recipe makes leftover rice and juicy shrimp into a meal in just 25 minutes! It’s the ultimate weeknight dinner comfort food.
Here’s a weeknight dinner that gives me that cozy feeling every time I make it: shrimp fried rice! The sizzle of garlic hitting the oil, the intoxicating aroma of ginger, the burst of color from peas and carrots: and it all comes together in under 30 minutes!
You don’t need a long list of groceries, and you can even use up whatever vegetables you have in your fridge. I even keep frozen shrimp and frozen peas on hand for nights like this! It’s a meal that feels special while also cleaning out the fridge (a win, in my book).
Key Ingredients for Shrimp Fried Rice
Fried rice is popular in many Asian cuisines: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Cambodian, and Indonesian, both served in restaurants and made by home cooks. This shrimp fried rice recipe is a spin on my vegetable fried rice that adds shrimp for added protein, which turns it into a filling meal. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Rice: Medium or long grain rice is best, because short grain rice can become clumpy. Basmati rice is a nice option. You can use either white rice or brown rice (I prefer the flavor of white).
- Sesame oil: For cooking; use the standard variety, not toasted sesame oil.
- Onion and garlic: These aromatic veggies form the base.
- Fresh ginger: Important for the very best flavor: you can find ginger root in the produce section.
- Carrots, peas, and green cabbage (optional): Carrots and peas are classic. Green cabbage is optional, but it adds a nice contrasting texture.
- Eggs: Eggs make for the perfect chewy, savory texture.
- Soy sauce: Essential for the final flavoring.
- Fish sauce (optional): It really amps the flavors to the next level, if you have it on hand.
- Shrimp: I like using shelled shrimp here: you can use medium small to small size for best results integrating into the rice. Fresh or frozen work equally well: frozen shrimp can be even fresher than the fish counter if it’s flash frozen right after it’s caught.
Pro Tips for Perfect Results
After making dozens of batches, here are a few of my expert tips for the best homemade fried rice:
- Use day old rice. Using leftover rice is best because it’s dried out: the grains stay separate for the perfect fried rice texture. If you use fresh rice, it clumps up and gets very soggy.
- If you don’t have leftover rice, use my shortcut: Cook the rice and as soon as it’s done, spread it onto a rimmed sheet pan or tray. Place it in the freezer and freeze for about 15 minutes until the grains become cool to the touch.
- Get your pan very hot. This is crucial: you want high heat to create a slight char on the rice and vegetables.
- Don’t crowd the pan. If your skillet looks packed, make this in two batches. Crowding creates steam instead of searing the veggies.
- Push ingredients to the side when adding eggs. This lets the eggs scramble before mixing them into the rice and gives you ribbons of egg throughout, instead of tiny egg bits.
Easy Variations to Try
- Quinoa fried rice: Use quinoa instead of rice for a unique spin.
- Cauliflower fried rice: Go grain free! Use cauliflower rice instead of the rice.
- Add more vegetables: Bell peppers, snap peas, mushrooms, or broccoli all work: just chop them very small to integrate into the texture.
- Spice it up: Add a teaspoon of sriracha if you like heat.
Perfect Pairings and Side Dishes
Shrimp fried rice is a meal in itself: but add a few side dishes and you’ve got a feast! Here are a few side dishes I like pairing alongside:
- Edamame: Try our Easy Edamame or Spicy Edamame. You could also try 5-Minute Shelled Edamame, but it’s most fun to serve them in the pods.
- Broccoli: Try Simple Sauteed Broccoli with soy sauce (omit the Italian seasoning). If you have ample prep time and stove space, serve with Broccoli Stir Fry.
- Brussels sprouts: Make Crispy Brussels Sprouts but use hoisin instead of balsamic vinegar.
- Egg rolls: Purchased baked organic egg rolls make a nice pairing.
Storage and Reheating
Leftover shrimp fried rice keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Personally I usually don’t like shrimp as leftovers, but I don’t mind it in shrimp fried rice!
To reheat, use a large skillet over medium heat with a splash of oil to prevent sticking. Stir a few minutes until heated through. I don’t recommend freezing, since the shrimp can get rubbery after thawing.
Dietary Notes
This shrimp fried rice recipe is pescatarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free (with tamari).
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Brown rice works great here. Personally I like white rice for the best classic flavor, but brown rice has a nuttier flavor and chewier texture. Just make sure it’s completely cooled and dried out before using.
Day-old rice should be slightly dry: that’s what makes it fry! But if it seems too dry after cooking, splash in a tablespoon of water while stirring at the end.
Yes, but the flavor won’t be quite as complex. If you skip it, add a bit of extra soy sauce or a splash of Worcestershire sauce for added umami.
Definitely! Skip the shrimp and add crispy baked tofu for protein. Or, make my Tofu Fried Rice recipe.
Easy Shrimp Fried Rice
Pin RecipeThis shrimp fried rice recipe makes leftover rice and juicy shrimp into a meal in just 25 minutes! It’s the ultimate weeknight dinner comfort food.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stir Fry
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium small shrimp (size 51 to 60), shelled and deveined, frozen or fresh
- 1/2 yellow or white onion
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger (about 1 inch nub)
- 2 large carrots
- 2 cups chopped green cabbage (optional)
- 5 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
- 4 eggs*
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 4 cups cooked rice, at least 1 day old (use How to Cook Rice or Instant Pot Rice), or use shortcut**
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari or liquid aminos)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
- Green onion, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Thaw the shrimp.
- Mince the onion. Mince the garlic. Mince the ginger. Peel the carrots, then dice them. If using, chop the cabbage.
- Pat the shrimp dry. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil on medium high heat. Add the shrimp for about 1 minute per side until just opaque cooked through, turning them with tongs. They can be slightly undercooked because you’ll be adding them to the rice later. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
- In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil medium high. Saute the carrots and onion for 2 minutes. Add the cabbage, garlic and ginger and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the rice, peas and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt for 1 minute.
- Push the rice to the side. Add 1 tablespoon more oil. Add the eggs and pinch of salt, and scramble them in for 1 to 2 minutes until cooked through.
- Add the soy sauce and fish sauce, if using. Use tongs to add the shrimp (to remove them from liquid that accumulated in the bowl) and heat for a minute or two, stirring, until all rice is coated. Taste and add additional soy sauce if necessary. Serve hot.
Notes
Leftover shrimp fried rice keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Personally I usually don’t like shrimp as leftovers, but I don’t mind leftover shrimp fried rice!
To reheat, use a large skillet over medium heat with a splash of oil to prevent sticking. Stir a few minutes until heated through. I don’t recommend freezing, since the shrimp can get rubbery after thawing.
from A Couple Cooks https://ift.tt/8yQzgDC
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