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This is the best way to use up leftover rice in the world. A medley of colorful vegetables and some simple Asian pantry ingredients add up to the perfect vegetable stir fried rice. Once everything is chopped up, this dish comes together in about 15 minutes!
All stir-fries are really great springboards for adaptation. You can switch up the vegetables depending on what you have around (and what you and your family likes!).
You can use brown or white rice, you can play around with various Asian ingredients you may have in your pantry – a great use for those open bottles of hoisin sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, black bean sauce, and so on. Here for another layer of flavor, you can add a couple of tablespoons of hoisin or oyster sauce along with the soy sauce.
Vegetarian Fried Rice
This is a vegetarian fried rice, but if you are not needing to stick with all vegetables, feel free to add some leftover small cubes of pork or beef or chicken. Or little shrimp.
When it comes to stir-fried rice I tend towards simple seasonings, preferring to let the vegetables take center stage. And I use a lot of vegetables proportionately to the rice – not always the case in take out. If you wanted to skip a vegetable or two, no one would be the wiser.
You can add the edamame or peas straight from the freezer, no need to defrost.
Best Rice for Stir-Fried Rice
Day old cooked rice is best for stir-fried rice dishes, a little bit fried out so it doesn’t get clumpy. If you are cooking rice specifically for this dish use a bit less water than usual and let it cook until it is quite dry, so that it stays separate. If you have both time and forethought, you can also spread out freshly cooked rice on a cookie tray and leave it uncovered for an hour or two so that it dries out somewhat.
Vegetable Stir Fried Rice: This healthy vegetable-packed stir fried rice recipe is highly adaptable, allowing you to use whatever rice or vegetables are at hand.
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What to Serve with Vegetable Stir Fried Rice
This certainly could be a meal on its own, but it would also make a great or partner for all kinds of Asian dishes. Some recipes to try:
- Simple Asian Salmon
- Chicken Katsu
- Chicken, Broccoli and Sugar Snap Pea Stir Fry
- Korean Pork Chops
- Lemon and Scallion Chicken Stir Fry
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Vegetable Stir Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 1 cup roughly chopped broccoli
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup slivered cabbage
- 1 cup diced zucchini
- ½ cup thinly sliced bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup shelled edamame or peas
- 3 large eggs beaten
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 3 cups cooked and cooled white or brown rice
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce or 3 tablespoons regular soy sauce and 1 tablespoon water, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil regular or spicy
- ½ cup thinly sliced scallions white and light green parts, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a wok or a large saucepan over high heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, and then add the broccoli, carrots, cabbage, zucchini, peppers and edamame. Stir often until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Remove them to a plate and set aside.
- Heat 1 more tablespoon of oil in the same wok or saucepan over high heat. Add the beaten eggs and scramble quickly, just about 1 minute in all, sliding them out onto the plate with the vegetables when they are just cooked through.
- Return the wok to the burner over high heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil, then add the cooled rice and stir fry, stirring occasionally, until it is lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Add ginger and the garlic and stir until you can smell the seasonings, about 1 minute. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil and 1/2 cup scallions, then dump in the cooked vegetables and eggs and cook until everything is well combined and hot and the vegetables are just tender, about 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Garnish with the additional scallions and serve right away, passing soy sauce on the side for those who want a bit more.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love vegetarian fried rice.My question is how to make it if you don’t or can’t afford to buy all the ingredients to make your fried rice. I don’t have all the oils or spices or even frozen vegetables. I am on a fixed income and can only afford can vegetables. My question is couldn’t I take the canned vegetables drain the juice dry them out and fry them into the rice that way and maybe substitutes and spices and oils. Can you tell me what your thoughts would be on that thank you
Hi Rhonda – you could use canned vegetables, but the texture might not be as crisp-tender as fresh or frozen. Try those little canned corns or regular canned corn, and canned peas. Also water chestnuts and bamboo shoots would be good! If you can find canned spinach or other greens, please add that at the end.