This Shrimp Fried Rice is so incredibly easy and quick to make, yet packed with scrumptious flavor to satisfy your cravings. Packed with shrimp, scrambled eggs with aromas of garlic, onion, and scallions, this fried rice is truly the ultimate comfort meal. Make this delicious weeknight meal in just 15 minutes using only a handful of ingredients!
Shrimp Fried Rice: a true winner for busy weeknights
Fried rice will always be one of my favorite things to make – not only because it is incredibly satisfying but so quick and easy to put together. It’s also one of the most versatile dishes you can make, and a staple in every Asian kitchen.
One of my favorite kinds of fried rice, aside from my Kimchi Fried Rice, is this exact recipe I am sharing with you today. It truly is the perfect shrimp fried rice recipe – bringing together only the essential ingredients to make a batch of fried rice that tastes similar, if not better than many takeout joints!
The biggest mission in my blog is to share recipes that are incredibly easy to make yet truly satisfies your taste buds, and this recipe is truly a testament to that principle. It’s also another one-pan recipe similar to my Chinese Tomato Egg Stir Fry and Shrimp Pad Thai recipes. Less cleanup, the better!
What’s required to make a batch of this fried rice?
This recipe has been simplified enough to make your process easy and quick, yet has all the aromas and flavors needed to satisfy all your cravings. Here is a list of ingredients you will need:
- cooked rice, preferably day old
- small shrimp, pre-cooked or raw
- onion, green onion, garlic, for the aromas
- eggs, to be scrambled before adding the rice
- soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and salt and pepper to taste
How do you make the best shrimp fried rice?
Fried rice is one of the easiest dishes to make, however the essential tips I’ll be sharing with you today will make your procedure a lot more seamless! Here are some important tips to make the best shrimp fried rice:
Which kind of rice should do I use?
- Use day-old rice if possible. The best time to make fried rice is when you have leftover rice! I find it helpful to keep individual portions of rice in the fridge or freezer to use it for these types of cooking, and they are always handy.
- If you don’t have any of these options, you can also add a little less water to your rice when cooking (I use a Korean pressure rice cooker to do the job for me), and let it cool prior to use. Using day-old or cold rice will prevent the grains from sticking together and get mushy during the stir-frying process.
- In your usual cooking sessions, I recommend making more portions of rice than usual, and placing each serving of rice (about 250g) into a freezer-safe storage bag, and storing them in your freezer. When properly stored, cooked rice will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- To reheat the rice, simply pop it into the microwave until heated through, adding about a tablespoon of water when serving it separately. This trick has been a true lifesaver for many years!
- Even though I love my multigrain rice on my usual days, it’s important to use plain white rice for this recipe. The aromas of multigrain or scented rice will overshadow the fragrant notes of the shrimp fried rice, and often ruin the taste.
- In terms of the kind of rice to use, medium to long grain rice (Jasmine, glutinous, etc.) works best.
What other tips are helpful?
- Prepare all the ingredients in advance. Stir fry dishes are meant to be quick and seamless and preparing all your components in advance will make your process a lot easier!
- Pre-season your shrimp. If you are using frozen shrimp which is most likely the case, they will defrost quickly in cold water. Pat them dry with a paper towel, and season with salt and pepper prior to stir-frying. This will ensure the flavors of the shrimp are elevated for the fried rice!
- Optionally add more vegetables of your choice.
- I highly recommend using a non-stick wok like this to ease your cooking process.
- This is an essential cookware to use for any stir-fry dishes, including this one. A wok distributes heat very evenly on the entire surface, and the curvature allows the food to be tossed around without causing a mess.
- If you want to aesthetically plate the fried rice as shown in the photos, it is very easy! All you need is a clean, small rice bowl, which you will add the shrimps into the bottom of the bowl (which will be flipped to be displayed at the top), and pack the rest of the bowl with the rice.
- Pack it tightly with a rice spoon or a regular spoon, place a serving dish on top, and quickly and carefully flip them to plate the rice. Garnish with some parsley if preferred, and voila! A picture-perfect fried rice dish that’s also visually appetizing.
And that’s it! This is one of my most cherished recipes to date, so I truly hope you enjoy it as much as I do! As usual, please feel free to leave a comment below or message me on Instagram for any questions. Happy cooking!
Other easy dinner recipes you may like:
- Korean Marinated Eggs (Mayak Eggs)
- Chinese Tomato Egg Stir Fry
- Bibim Guksu (Korean Spicy Cold Noodles)
- Easy Shrimp Pad Thai
- Kimchi Fried Rice with Tuna
Easy Shrimp Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 servings (500g) cooked rice preferably day-old
- 3 tbsp cooking oil add more if needed
- 3 large eggs
- 20-25 small shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1 green onion chopped
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- salt and pepper to taste
- parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Defrost the shrimp if needed, season with salt and pepper, and set aside. Prepare the garlic, green onion, and onion prior to stir-frying.
- Add 3 tablespoons of oil into the wok over medium heat. Add garlic, green onion, and onion and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
- Add the shrimp and stir until cooked through and pink, about 2-3 minutes. Move the mixture onto one side of the pan, and crack the eggs into the edge of the wok. Season with salt and pepper and lightly scramble the eggs. When the eggs are set, combine everything together.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add rice and mix in well, ensuring all grains are evenly coated. Add oyster sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer onto a serving plate, garnish with parsley if preferred, and enjoy! For plating tips, please refer to the tips section above.