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thai fried rice and a fried egg in a white bowl
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4.09 from 12 votes

Thai Fried Rice Recipe

Make authentic Thai Fried Rice just like the versions you get at Thai restaurants. Packed with flavorful onions, garlic, chilis, and Thai basil, this dish comes together fast and is easy to customize.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Thai
Keyword: easy dinner, fried rice, weeknight-friendly
Servings: 2 servings
Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
Cost: $6.00

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl
  • Wok or skillet

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked jasmine rice, chilled (see note)
  • 2 Tablespoons oyster sauce (use vegetarian oyster sauce if preferred)
  • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1/2 yellow onion, sliced (about 3/4 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 Thai chilis, thinly sliced (optional, only add these if you want the rice to be spicy)
  • 1 cup lightly packed Thai basil leaves (substitute Italian basil leaves)
  • 1/2 cup roasted cashews (optional)
  • fried eggs, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  • Use your hands to gently separate the cold grains of rice (this will make them easier to add to the pan). Set aside.
  • Whisk together oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, and cooking oil and set aside.
  • Heat oil in a wok or a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until the onions are soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and chilis and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
  • Pour the sauce over the onions. When the sauce is bubbling, add the rice and stir everything together until combined.
  • Spread the rice out in a single layer. Let the rice cook, without stirring, until it is crisp and golden where it meets the pan, 4 to 5 minutes. (Remove a portion of the rice to check for crispness on the bottom.)
  • When the rice is crisp, stir in the basil leaves and cashews. Keep stirring until everything is heated through and the basil is wilted.
  • Serve warm with fried eggs on top if you’d like.

Notes

Rice - One of my favorite fried rice hacks is to buy frozen White Jasmine Rice and microwave it one minute less than the package instructions. There is no need to let the rice cool before using it because it will finish cooking in the pan. If using regular (not frozen) rice that you made ahead, it’s best to let it chill in the refrigerator for at least a day before using it in fried rice. 
Protein - For a complete meal, stir in pre-cooked protein of choice when you add the basil and cashews. Chicken, pork, shrimp, or tofu all work well. 

Nutrition

Calories: 552kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 1476mg | Potassium: 427mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 3mg