This Quick Vegetable Fried Brown Rice is such an easy dinner to throw together and the perfect way to give leftover rice new life. We generally eat brown rice at home, so that’s what I like to use for this, but if you have cooked white rice on hand, that will work just fine too. And whatever vegetables you have can be subbed in as well. The point with this dish is to have a fast, easy, delicious and nutritious meal on the table in no time. And yes, I think this can be classified as healthy. Much healthier at least than take-out variety fried rice but tastes just as good. And even more so if you’re using brown rice. If you have cooked quinoa or cauliflower rice on hand, those would definitely kick up the health factor (I’ve got a great cauli-fried rice recipe coming soon.)
And to add another good-for-you element, I like to serve this on top of shredded purple cabbage. It gives great crunch and turns this into a nice salad. Add a dash of Sriracha, a bit more scallions, maybe even a little cilantro and instant gourmet perfection. And if you want it to be a little more filling, it tastes delicious with chicken, beef, sauteed tofu, or any other protein you want to add on top.
One thing I think is important to note when you make fried rice, is that you really need to use at least day old, cold rice. If you make fresh rice and then try to turn it into fried rice, you end up with mushy results. But, if you’re really craving fried rice but don’t have any cooked rice at home, you can make rice, spread it out onto a sheet pan and stick it in the freezer for about 15 minutes then proceed.
As far as the process goes, I like to do this in steps for best results. It’s a one pan recipe, but dividing it up is recommended. I first scramble the egg in a little butter, then transfer it to a plate. Give the pan a quick wipe down for any dried egg bits, then saute the veggies and aromatics and add in the soy sauce and rice. Then quickly incorporate the sesame oil, green onions and the scrambled egg. You can give it a quick taste for seasoning, then presto, done-so. Serve atop a bed of shredded cabbage, or stir in some baby spinach leaves and dinner is ready. It really is amazing how quickly this is to make from start to finish.
The last time I had made this, I completely forgot about dinner. Something that was never really a big deal until I had kids. (A bowl of cereal sometimes did the trick for me, but I think maybe the munchkins should prob get something a little more substantial. Though I know they’d welcome the idea.) But with this recipe, if you have leftover rice, a few veggies and eggs in the fridge, you’re all set for a dinner on the table in under 20 minutes. Almost as quick as a bowl of cereal.
A few of the ingredients that I think are a must are the sesame oil and soy sauce for the classic flavor and butter for the eggs and sauteeing to really add that restaurant-style element. With that said, be creative with your veggie and protein add-ins because you really can’t go wrong. Some options I think would be great that I didn’t have on hand- julienned bell pepper, sugar snap peas, green beans or broccoli.
Let me know if you give this a try and what kind of delicious substitutions you made that worked.
Quick Vegetable Fried Brown Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tbsps unsalted butter or ghee, divided
- 1-2 lg eggs, lightly whisked (if not serving with another protein, go with 2)
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
- 1 lg carrot, finely diced (3/4c)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-2 tsps minced fresh ginger (add to your liking)
- 3/4 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas
- 2 cups cold, leftover brown rice (white can be used too)
- 2-3 tbsps low-sodium soy sauce, divided
- pinch kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
To Garnish & Serve-
- 1-2 cups shredded purpled cabbage (green is fine too)
- more sliced green onions
- red pepper flakes
- Sriracha sauce
- cilantro if desired
Instructions
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Begin by melting 1 tbsp of the butter in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the whisked egg/s and scramble for just a minute. Scrape onto a plate and set aside. With a paper towl, wipe any dried egg from the pan.
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Melt the other tbsp of butter and add the onions and carrots and saute until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, using a fork, gently break up the scrambled egg into small bits and keep on the plate. ( I break mine up pretty small so my youngest won't detect them, but feel free to leave them slightly bigger.)
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Then add the garlic, ginger and peas and cook, while stirring for another 3 minutes or so more. Add in the rice, 2 tbps of the soy sauce and season with a little salt and pepper. Give everything a good stir.
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Last, stir in the sesame oil, 1/4 cup scallions and add the egg back in. Then taste if more salt, pepper or soy sauce is needed.
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If desired serve on top of the shredded cabbage, and add a few more chopped scallions, a dash of Sriracha or red pepper flakes and chopped cilantro if using.
Recipe Notes
*Day old, cold rice gives best results.
*If you’re not a fan of cabbage, fresh baby spinach leaves are a nice & healthy stir-in option to the finished rice.
*White rice, quinoa, or riced cauliflower can all be subbed for the brown rice.
*Whatever veggies you have on hand can be subbed as well.
