Beef Fried Rice is an easy one pot meal that is done in just 25 minutes. Made with simple ingredients, your family will love this delicious stove top comfort food.
It was incredibly rare when I was a kid that my parents ordered takeout. But when they did, one of my very favorite things to order was fried rice. There was something about it – especially when eaten right from the paper pail – that was like total comfort food.
If you are like me, you will be delighted to know that fried rice is incredibly easy to make at home. It is done in less than 30 minutes and takes just a handful of ingredients, most of which you can store in the pantry. This ground beef fried rice recipe is no different, and I know you family is going to love it.
We love this dish! It has great flavor, is delicious, and budget friendly. I followed the recipe exactly, well, sometimes I halve the ingredients.
How to Make Beef Fried Rice
Here is a brief overview of how this simple fried rice with beef comes together. The flavor and ease of the recipe will make it a regular recipe in your dinner rotation. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full recipe, including all ingredients and measurements.
- Start with leftover rice. Read why this is important below.
- Scramble the eggs. Cook the eggs in a hot skillet with butter just until done. Remove them from the pan and cover to keep warm.
- Cook the beef. Add the ground beef to the skillet and break it up as it cooks. Once fully browned, drain any excess grease.
- Cook the vegetables. Add the sesame oil to the skillet, then add in the carrots and garlic, cooking until the carrots are tender, about five to seven minutes. When the carrots have about a minute left to cook, add in the green onions.
- Add the rice. Toss to fully coat the rice in the oil and break up any large clumps, then add the reserved eggs and the soy sauce.
- Add the frozen peas. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the frozen peas. They will thaw perfectly in the hot rice.
Rinsing Rice
Whenever I make this recipe, I use long grain white rice. It has the best texture. To make sure the rice is fluffy and doesn’t get overly sticky while it cooks, rinse it before cooking to remove excess starch. This is especially important with fried rice because it will help you achieve those nice singular grains of fried rice in the dish.
Rinse the rice about three times under cold water. You can do this by using a metal sieve, or you can add the rice to a bowl, fill it with water, and mix. then drain the water and repeat two more times.
To get four cups of cooked rice, you will start with about 1 1/3 cups of dry rice.
Using Old Rice
A key part of making fried rice is using day-old rice. You can use rice that was made the day before and kept in the refrigerator, or rice that has been refrigerated for at least four hours. This allows the rice to cool and dry out slightly, which gives fried rice the perfect consistency. If you use fresh rice which is soft and fluffy, it will turn into a mushy mess.
Tips and Tricks
- Make it gluten free. Soy sauce contains gluten, so to make this recipe gluten-free, just use a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari instead.
- Leave out the egg. If someone in your house is allergic to eggs and can’t have them, just leave them out and start the recipe with Step 3.
- Add other veggies. If you don’t like some of the vegetables I included, leave them out and replace them with something else. Broccoli, diced bell peppers, or mushrooms would all be delicious. Just sauté them in the oil with the carrots.
- Don’t thaw the peas. Adding frozen peas to the rice at the end gives them the perfect heat and time to thaw right in the dish. Since frozen peas are fully cooked, thawing them before adding them will make them mushy.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftover ground beef fried rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in the microwave or in a small skillet until heated through. You may need to add a splash of water or beef broth if the rice looks too dry.
While you can freeze fried rice, it of course won’t be as delicious as when you made it fresh. It can be stored in an airtight container and frozen for up to three months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and see reheating instructions above.
Other Fried Rice Recipes
If you make this beef fried rice recipe or any of my other recipes, please let me know what you think by leaving a comment. I love hearing from you!
Beef Fried Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 eggs whisked
- 1 pound ground beef 80/20
- 4 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced into small 1/2 inch cubes
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 5 green onions diced
- 4 cups rice (cooked, cooled, and refrigerated at least four hours)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and allow it to melt.2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add the eggs. Using a spatula, scrape from the outsides to the center, flipping them as you cook them. Cook until just done, remove from the pan and cover to keep warm. (If the skillet has a lot of residual eggs, clean it and then return it to the heat.)3 eggs
- Over medium heat, add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up as it cooks. Once it has browned, drain the excess grease. I like to do this by putting a lid on the skillet, slightly ajar, and draining it into an old pickle jar.1 pound ground beef
- Add the sesame oil to the skillet, then add in the carrots and garlic, cooking until the carrots are tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. When the carrots have about a minute left to cook, add in the green onions.2 medium carrots, 4 cloves garlic, 5 green onions, 4 tablespoons sesame oil
- Add the rice and toss to fully coat it in the oil, breaking up any chunks. Then stir in the reserved eggs and soy sauce.4 cups rice, 1/4 cup soy sauce
- Remove from the heat and stir in the frozen peas. If you stir in the peas as soon as you turn off the heat, the heat of the dish will thaw them perfectly.1 cup frozen peas
drl says
hardly a 30 minute recipe,the rice takes 4 hours!
If you have leftover rice it does indeed take less than 30 minutes.
Trayce Zander says
We love this dish! It has great flavor, is delicious, and budget friendly. I followed the recipe exactly, well, sometimes I halve the ingredients.
I’m so glad to hear it, Trayce!
Sarah says
What drink is paired with it in the photos? Thanks.
Sparkling water with a slice of lime.