Pork Fried Rice

Our pork fried rice is on the table in 15 minutes—and it’s a flexible dish that uses up leftovers. Day-old rice simply tastes and works better than freshly cooked rice in this favorite quick meal. We use ground pork here, but if you have leftover roast pork or pork chops, cut them into small pieces and add them at the end. (Other proteins like chicken, crumbled tofu, or shrimp work great as well.) Similarly, you can add whatever vegetables you have on hand, adding cooked ones right at the end to warm through or raw ones earlier in the cooking process. We add a thin omelet made with eggs and soy sauce, then cut it into small pieces before stirring into the dish, and you can skip that if you don't have or don't like eggs. The whole dish is seasoned with soy sauce and plain rice vinegar for serving—add some chili crisp if you like it spicy. 

Ingredient Needs for Pork Fried Rice

Rice: Day-old white rice is the preferred pick for fried rice (more on that below), but you can use brown rice instead if you prefer. Be sure to break up any large clumps before frying to ensure that each grain gets coated evenly with oil.

Want to make this recipe but don’t have leftover rice? Make a fresh batch (start with three-quarters of a cup of uncooked rice), then spread the cooked rice out on a baking sheet to cool—it'll help remove excess moisture before stir-frying.

Pork: Half of a pound of ground pork is all the meat you'll need for four servings. If you don't eat pork or would prefer a lighter protein, use an equal amount of ground chicken. You can also swap in 1 to 1 1/4 cups of leftover cooked pork, chopped rotisserie chicken, or peeled and deveined shrimp instead. If you are using an already cooked protein, add it with the vegetables to prevent it from drying out.

Vegetables: We opt for a classic mix of peas and carrots which cook up in no time, but this recipe is also excellent for using up various bits from your freezer and crisper drawer (think frozen edamame, corn, chopped mushrooms, or diced zucchini). Most raw vegetables will need some extra time in the pan, so cook and remove them before browning the pork, then add them back in with the egg at the end.

Aromatics: A fragrant mix of scallion whites, ginger, and garlic add plenty of flavor yet require minimal effort. Hang onto the scallion greens for tossing in at the very end for a bright touch. In place of scallions, you can add diced onion or minced shallot.

The seasonings: Our recipe keeps the seasonings simple by sticking to just two pantry staples: soy sauce and rice vinegar. A touch of soy sauce seasons the egg mixture, and the rest is added to the rice for an umami boost. For a gluten-free alternative, use tamari or coconut aminos instead. Unseasoned rice vinegar (also called rice wine vinegar), meanwhile, provides a subtle tanginess and lift—if you don't have any on hand, you can use only soy sauce and the fried rice will still be delicious.

The eggs: While eggs aren't crucial for fried rice, we love the texture and additional protein they provide. Unlike when making scrambled eggs for breakfast—which typically relies on a lower heat for tender, fluffy curds—we're looking for a quickly fried omelet using high heat. You can tilt the pan while the omelet cooks to help move the runny eggs around, but avoid stirring. Once the eggs are almost set, use a rubber spatula to fold the omelet into thirds and quickly slide it out of the pan, then slice or chop it into bite size pieces.

4 Tips for Perfect Fried Rice

Start with leftover rice: Rice that’s had a chance to dry out and firm after a day or so in the fridge won’t clump up in your pan or turn to mush while being stir-fried. Instead, those day-old grains will separate more easily, incorporate better with the other ingredients, and take on a pleasantly chewy texture. You can use rice that’s been in the fridge for a couple days or a container you’ve been stashing in the freezer (just defrost it first).

Use a large enough pan: Whether you're using a wok or a skillet when making fried rice, it's crucial that your pan is large enough to hold all of your ingredients with room to spare. A crowded pan will cause the individual components to steam, rather than sizzle.

Keep your heat high: From start to finish, you'll use high heat for this recipe, which will give your fried rice the best finished flavor and texture—think lightly browned rice, crisp-tender vegetables, and fluffy strips of egg, all mingling with fragrant aromatics. Things will move fast, so you'll want to make sure all of your ingredients are prepped before you start cooking.

Taste and adjust seasoning: Before serving, give your fried rice a taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Depending on what vegetables and proteins you've added, you may find that it could use a touch more soy sauce, a spoonful of chili crisp, a sprinkle of salt, or some ground white or black pepper.