This shrimp fried rice recipe makes leftover rice and juicy shrimp right into a meal in simply 25 minutes! It’s the last word weeknight dinner consolation meals.

Right here’s a weeknight dinner that offers me that cozy feeling each time I make it: shrimp fried rice! The sizzle of garlic hitting the oil, the intoxicating aroma of ginger, the burst of shade from peas and carrots: and all of it comes collectively in beneath half-hour!
You don’t want a protracted listing of groceries, and you may even deplete no matter greens you’ve in your fridge. I even preserve frozen shrimp and frozen peas available for nights like this! It’s a meal that feels particular whereas additionally cleansing out the fridge (a win, in my guide).
Key Substances for Shrimp Fried Rice
Fried rice is in style in lots of Asian cuisines: Chinese language, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Cambodian, and Indonesian, each served in eating places and made by house cooks. This shrimp fried rice recipe is a spin on my vegetable fried rice that provides shrimp for added protein, which turns it right into a filling meal. Listed here are the substances you’ll want:
- Rice: Medium or lengthy grain rice is finest, as a result of quick grain rice can change into clumpy. Basmati rice is a pleasant possibility. You should use both white rice or brown rice (I choose the flavour of white).
- Sesame oil: For cooking; use the usual selection, not toasted sesame oil.
- Onion and garlic: These fragrant veggies kind the bottom.
- Contemporary ginger: Essential for the perfect taste: yow will discover ginger root within the produce part.
- Carrots, peas, and inexperienced cabbage (elective): Carrots and peas are basic. Inexperienced cabbage is elective, however it provides a pleasant contrasting texture.
- Eggs: Eggs make for the proper chewy, savory texture.
- Soy sauce: Important for the ultimate flavoring.
- Fish sauce (elective): It actually amps the flavors to the subsequent stage, in case you have it available.
- Shrimp: I like utilizing shelled shrimp right here: you should utilize medium small to small dimension for finest outcomes integrating into the rice. Contemporary or frozen work equally properly: frozen shrimp may be even more energizing than the fish counter if it’s flash frozen proper after it’s caught.

Professional Suggestions for Excellent Outcomes
After making dozens of batches, listed here are just a few of my knowledgeable ideas for the very best home made fried rice:
- Use day previous rice. Utilizing leftover rice is finest as a result of it’s dried out: the grains keep separate for the proper fried rice texture. For those who use recent rice, it clumps up and will get very soggy.
- For those who don’t have leftover rice, use my shortcut: Cook dinner the rice and as quickly because it’s accomplished, unfold it onto a rimmed sheet pan or tray. Place it within the freezer and freeze for about quarter-hour till the grains change into cool to the contact.
- Get your pan highly regarded. That is essential: you need excessive warmth to create a slight char on the rice and greens.
- Don’t crowd the pan. In case your skillet appears to be like packed, make this in two batches. Crowding creates steam as an alternative of searing the veggies.
- Push substances to the facet when including eggs. This lets the eggs scramble earlier than mixing them into the rice and offers you ribbons of egg all through, as an alternative of tiny egg bits.
Simple Variations to Attempt
- Quinoa fried rice: Use quinoa as an alternative of rice for a singular spin.
- Cauliflower fried rice: Go grain free! Use cauliflower rice as an alternative of the rice.
- Add extra greens: Bell peppers, snap peas, mushrooms, or broccoli all work: simply chop them very small to combine into the feel.
- Spice it up: Add a teaspoon of sriracha when you like warmth.

Excellent Pairings and Aspect Dishes
Shrimp fried rice is a meal in itself: however add just a few facet dishes and also you’ve received a feast! Listed here are just a few facet dishes I like pairing alongside:
- Edamame: Attempt our Simple Edamame or Spicy Edamame. You might additionally attempt 5-Minute Shelled Edamame, however it’s most enjoyable to serve them within the pods.
- Broccoli: Attempt Easy Sauteed Broccoli with soy sauce (omit the Italian seasoning). In case you have ample prep time and range house, serve with Broccoli Stir Fry.
- Brussels sprouts: Make Crispy Brussels Sprouts however use hoisin as an alternative of balsamic vinegar.
- Egg rolls: Bought baked natural egg rolls make a pleasant pairing.
Storage and Reheating
Leftover shrimp fried rice retains properly within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Personally I often don’t like shrimp as leftovers, however I don’t thoughts it in shrimp fried rice!
To reheat, use a big skillet over medium warmth with a splash of oil to stop sticking. Stir a couple of minutes till heated via. I don’t advocate freezing, because the shrimp can get rubbery after thawing.
Dietary Notes
This shrimp fried rice recipe is pescatarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free (with tamari).
Continuously Requested Questions
Completely! Brown rice works nice right here. Personally I like white rice for the very best basic taste, however brown rice has a nuttier taste and chewier texture. Simply be certain that it’s fully cooled and dried out earlier than utilizing.
Day-old rice needs to be barely dry: that’s what makes it fry! But when it appears too dry after cooking, splash in a tablespoon of water whereas stirring on the finish.
Sure, however the taste gained’t be fairly as complicated. For those who skip it, add a bit of additional soy sauce or a splash of Worcestershire sauce for added umami.
Undoubtedly! Skip the shrimp and add crispy baked tofu for protein. Or, make my Tofu Fried Rice recipe.
Simple Shrimp Fried Rice
This shrimp fried rice recipe makes leftover rice and juicy shrimp right into a meal in simply 25 minutes! It’s the last word weeknight dinner consolation meals.
- Prep Time: quarter-hour
- Cook dinner Time: 10 minutes
- Whole Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Class: Important Dish
- Methodology: Stir Fry
- Delicacies: Asian
- Eating regimen: Gluten Free
Substances
- 1 pound medium small shrimp (dimension 51 to 60), shelled and deveined, frozen or recent
- 1/2 yellow or white onion
- 2 massive garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger (about 1 inch nub)
- 2 massive carrots
- 2 cups chopped inexperienced cabbage (elective)
- 5 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
- 4 eggs*
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 4 cups cooked rice, at the very least 1 day previous (use Methods to Cook dinner Rice or Prompt Pot Rice), or use shortcut**
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari or liquid aminos)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce (elective)
- Inexperienced onion, for garnish (elective)
Directions
- Thaw the shrimp.
- Mince the onion. Mince the garlic. Mince the ginger. Peel the carrots, then cube them. If utilizing, chop the cabbage.
- Pat the shrimp dry. In a big skillet, warmth 2 tablespoons sesame oil on medium excessive warmth. Add the shrimp for about 1 minute per facet till simply opaque cooked via, turning them with tongs. They are often barely undercooked since you’ll be including them to the rice later. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Take away to a bowl and put aside.
- In a big skillet or wok, warmth 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil medium excessive. Saute the carrots and onion for two minutes. Add the cabbage, garlic and ginger and saute for two minutes. Stir within the rice, peas and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt for 1 minute.
- Push the rice to the facet. Add 1 tablespoon extra oil. Add the eggs and pinch of salt, and scramble them in for 1 to 2 minutes till cooked via.
- Add the soy sauce and fish sauce, if utilizing. Use tongs so as to add the shrimp (to take away them from liquid that accrued within the bowl) and warmth for a minute or two, stirring, till all rice is coated. Style and add extra soy sauce if mandatory. Serve sizzling.
Notes
Leftover shrimp fried rice retains properly within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Personally I often don’t like shrimp as leftovers, however I don’t thoughts leftover shrimp fried rice!
To reheat, use a big skillet over medium warmth with a splash of oil to stop sticking. Stir a couple of minutes till heated via. I don’t advocate freezing, because the shrimp can get rubbery after thawing.
