Veggie Fried Rice is an easy, healthy dinner to have in your back pocket. It’s the perfect way to use up leftover cold rice, and if you’re trying to sneak more vegetables into your life, you’re going to love the ratio of rice to veggies!
Just like cabbage becomes noodle-like in dishes like Singapore Noodles and Pad Thai, it also feels rather sneaky when you cook it with rice. Using green cabbage is key– the color blends right in with the rice, and so does the flavor!
You can also use any other veggies you have on hand, such as snow peas, edamame, broccoli, and more.
Ingredients You’ll Need
What’s in veggie fried rice?
- Cooked rice
- Chopped vegetables
- Soy Sauce (I use tamari, to keep it gluten-free)
- Eggs (or use scrambled tofu to make it vegan)
- Sesame oil
Just like any other stir fry dish, you can make this your own and use up any veggies you may want to use up. I love it with bean sprouts when I have those available, and if you’re a fan of mushrooms, you can stir those in, too.
How to Make Vegetable Fried Rice
1. Saute the veggies. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, and saute the onion, carrots, and cabbage until tender, about 8 minutes.
Add in the garlic and ginger, and stir for 1 more minute.
2. Scramble the eggs. Move the sauteed veggies to the edge of the pan, making a well in the center.
Add the eggs to the center of the pan, and scramble them there, until they are cooked through.
3. Time for the rice! Add in the rice and tamari, and stir well, until the rice is heated through. At this point, you can taste the stir-fry and add any seasoning, as needed.
Fold in the green onions, black pepper, and toasted sesame oil right before serving.
4. Enjoy! Serve the veggie fried rice warm, right away.
You can serve it with extra soy sauce or tamari on the side, for extra seasoning.
Leftover fried rice can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, and you can reheat it quickly in a hot skillet for a fast meal later. It’s one of my favorite types of leftovers, because it’s even delicious cold.
(Though cold fried rice doesn’t have the best texture, FYI. It’s definitely better warm!)
Tips for Success
What’s the secret to making fried rice?
- Start with cold rice. Cold rice is easier to stir-fry, so it doesn’t clump together like freshly cooked rice might. This is the perfect recipe to use when you have leftover rice in the fridge! You can use white or brown rice, and I always cook mine in the Instant Pot. (I have tutorials for Instant Pot White Rice and Instant Pot Brown Rice, if you need it.)
- Sauté the veggies first. The rice doesn’t need much time to warm up, so the veggies are your first priority. Cook them until tender, adding in the fragrant garlic and ginger towards the end, to bring out their flavor. This will ensure the extra veggies, like shredded cabbage, are perfectly tender and less noticeable for anyone who might shy away from eating such a large serving of vegetables.
- Season well. Soy sauce (or tamari, for a gluten-free recipe) will add some sodium to this dish, but I also season the veggies with salt as I go, to make sure every bite is packed with flavor. Since brands of soy sauce can vary, be sure to taste as you go, so you can make sure this dish turns out exactly how you like it. I also like to add a hefty pinch of black pepper, for extra flavor.
- Add the toasted sesame oil at the end. Toasted sesame oil is a finishing oil, because it has a lower smoke point than regular sesame oil. Save this ingredient for the very end of cooking, to add a rich flavor. It makes it taste like it came from a restaurant!
I can’t wait to hear how you like this vegetable fried rice recipe. I could eat it every night!
Veggie Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 2 carrots , chopped
- 3 cups shredded cabbage
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (I use Real Salt brand)
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger , minced
- 2 large eggs (optional)
- 2 cups cooked rice , chilled from the fridge
- 2 tablespoon tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 green onions , chopped
- black pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet, or wok, over medium-high heat and add in the onion, carrots, cabbage, and salt. Stir well, cooking until the veggies are tender, about 8 minutes. Add in the garlic and ginger, and stir for 1 more minute.
- Move the veggies to the edge of the pan, creating space in the center. Crack the 2 eggs into the center of the pan, and scramble them until cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add in the chilled rice and tamari, then stir well, until the rice is heated through.
- Finish the dish by adding in the sesame oil, green onions, and black pepper, to taste. Stir well, and serve warm right away. Leftover fried rice will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can heat it up in a skillet again for a fast meal later!
Notes
Nutrition
If you try this veggie fried rice recipe, please leave a comment below letting me know how you like it!
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Reader Feedback:What’s your favorite fast weeknight meal? Let me know if you have any recipe requests in the comments below.
As always another delicious recipe Megan. Easy and healthy. It’s a very customizable recipe. Seasoning was on point. Thanks
Just wondering if this would work with cauli rice? If so, I assume it would be precooked and cold. Or is it possible to cook it for the first time with this recipe. Thanks!
Absolutely delicious! I’m with you Megan–I could eat this every day. I have also made this with half rice and half cauliflower rice and it still turned out so yummy. Thanks for the recipe.
This came together so quickly. I added snow peas and broccoli, since I had them on hand. Delicious weeknight meal!
This was delicious. I added some fresh kale along with the green onions at the end to add a nice bright splash of colour. It was so good.
I love this recipe and so does my husband. I will definitely make it again.