Extra Vegetable Fried Rice
Learn how to make vegetable fried rice—it's a simple and satisfying dinner! This recipe features extra vegetables and brown rice. Vegetarian/gluten free.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
I set out to create a more interesting take on greasy take-out vegetable fried rice. Here it is in full glory, and it’s as flavorful as it is colorful. Hooray!
I used brown rice, naturally, and even threw in a handful of greens, which offer even more health bonus points. (The greens are optional.)
I also played around with a variety of vegetables, and all of them worked well as long as they were cut into very small pieces.
This is exactly what you should make when you have leftover rice and some random raw vegetables in your fridge. You’re going to love it!
The Best Vegetable Fried Rice
I designed this recipe to work well in a regular skillet (preferably cast iron), since most of us don’t have woks at home.
The only tricky part, which really isn’t so difficult, is to cook the eggs, vegetables and rice separately, and combine them all at the end.
That way, each component will be cooked just right, and the vegetables and rice will get a chance to develop those delicious golden edges.
Delicious veggie fried rice, coming up! As always, please let me know how you like this recipe in the comments. I’m always so eager for your feedback.
Craving more? Check out my Thai pineapple fried rice. If you’re looking for more versatile recipes to use up the last of your vegetables, don’t miss this roundup.
Watch How to Make Vegetable Fried Rice
Extra Vegetable Fried Rice
Learn how to make vegetable fried rice—it’s a simple and satisfying dinner! This vegetarian recipe features extra vegetables and brown rice. Recipe yields 2 large or 3 moderate servings (I think you could double it if you have a large enough skillet, but you might not get as much caramelization on the edges of the veggies and rice).
Ingredients
- 1 ½ teaspoons + 2 tablespoons avocado oil or safflower oil, divided
- 2 eggs, whisked together
- 1 small white onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 medium carrots, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
- 2 cups additional veggies, cut into very small pieces for quick cooking (see photos for size reference; options include snow peas, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, bell pepper, and/or fresh or frozen peas—no need to thaw first)
- ¼ teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1 tablespoon grated or finely minced fresh ginger
- 2 large cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 2 cups cooked brown rice (*see notes!)
- 1 cup greens (optional), such as spinach, baby kale or tatsoi
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce**
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- Chili-garlic sauce or sriracha, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- This recipe comes together quickly. Before you get started, make sure that all of your ingredients are prepped and within an arm’s reach from the stove. Also have an empty bowl nearby for holding the cooked eggs and veggies. I’m suggesting that you start over medium-high heat, but if at any point you catch a whiff of oil or food burning, reduce the heat to medium.
- Warm a large cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat until a few drops of water evaporate within a couple of seconds. Immediately add 1 ½ teaspoons of oil and swirl the pan to coat the bottom. Add the scrambled eggs and swirl the pan so they cover the bottom. Cook until they are just lightly set, flipping or stirring along the way. Transfer the eggs to a bowl and wipe out the pan with a heat-proof spatula.
- Return the pan to heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and the carrots are tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining veggies and salt. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally (don’t stir too often, or the veggies won’t have a chance to turn golden on the edges), until the veggies are cooked through and turning golden, about 3 to 5 more minutes. In the meantime, use the edge of your spatula or a spoon to break up the scrambled eggs into smaller pieces.
- Use a big spatula or spoon to transfer the contents of the pan to the bowl with the cooked eggs. Return the pan to heat and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and mix it all together. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is hot and starting to turn golden on the edges, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the greens (if using) and green onions, and stir to combine. Add the cooked veggies and eggs and stir to combine. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the tamari and sesame oil. Taste, and add a little more tamari if you’d like more soy flavor (don’t overdo it or it will drown out the other flavors) or salt, if the dish needs an extra boost of overall flavor.
- Divide into bowls and serve immediately. I usually serve mine with chili-garlic sauce or sriracha on the side. Leftovers store well in the refrigerator, covered, for 3 to 4 days (if you used purple cabbage, it might stain your scrambled eggs a funny blue color, but it’s fine to eat).
Notes
*Rice notes: You’ll need to cook about 1 cup dry rice to yield enough for this recipe; be sure not to over-cook it or it will stick to the pan. I prefer short-grain brown rice since it’s a little chewy, but medium-grain or jasmine rice will work, too. Here’s how I cook brown rice. You can use freshly cooked rice if you spread it onto a large tray and let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes first (this gives it a chance to dry out a bit so it doesn’t steam itself in the pan). Day-old leftover, refrigerator rice is great, too. Just break up any clumps of rice before you add it to the pan. Credit goes to Serious Eats for the rice tips!
**Make it gluten free: Be sure to use gluten-free tamari, not regular soy sauce.
Make it vegan: Omit the eggs and the 1 ½ teaspoons oil that goes with them. For extra protein, you could mix in 1 cup edamame (thawed if necessary) or a batch of my crispy baked tofu with the cooked veggies at the end.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Delicious! I added one pound of cooked shrimp for a bit of a twist but the basic recipe you’ve put together is excellent.
Thanks, Susan!
This tasted great! Better than ant Chinese restaurant. I added a half teaspoon of fish sauce to the recipe.
Thank you!
This is a great recipe! I substituted peas for zucchini. Thank you for sharing such a flavorful dish. My mother loved it! She doesn’t like anything I cook.
You made me look good, Thanks again Kate.
Stace
Great recipe! My 13 year old son and I heartily enjoyed it.
Hooray!
I have made it twice & love it! Even my meat eating husband asked for seconds!
Wonderful!
New to your recipes. Discovered this fried rice recipe and just tried it tonight. It came out amazing, way better than I anticipated for my first time. I also found your vegetarian chili which I’ll be making soon. Thanks so much for such tasty and easy to follow and make recipes. Cookie is adorable also! :)
Let me know what you think!
Hi Kate, Looks really good. How would you reheat this if I made it the day before for a church pot luck?
You could reheat gently on the stove top!
I made this rice last night and it was delicious, although it almost tastes better tonight! I didn’t really measure the veggies or rice, I just used as much as would fit in the pan (maybe a little too much)–and it still turned our great! Will definitely make this again.
Leftovers are really good with this one, I agree! Thanks for sharing, Alex.
Just made this with tofu instead of scrambled eggs and it was yum – what to do with leftovers though? Are they to be eaten cold or reheated? I know rice can be a bit hazoursous!
You can do either way! Gently warm or eat cold, up to your preference!
This was delicious – and so easy to make! Plus I could prep the veggies the day beforehand, which made cooking a breeze. I used an extra egg simply because I had three left in the package, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. I could have happily eaten this alone, but served with a baked asian chicken for the others at my table who prefer a bit more protein. Thank you! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Abby! I love that you thought to prep the vegetables ahead. Saves so much time! Thanks for your review. :)
Delicious dinner inspiration!
Thank you, April!
Hello Kate,
I am making your extra veg fried rice for a potluck right after work so I have to make it the night before. Will this work? And how would I reheat it. Love all the comments. Looking forward to making it. Sounds YUM!
Thank you,
Alison
That will work! The dish might turn a little purple tint from the cabbage but it will taste great. It depends on what you have access to warm it up with. On the stove top, but I would think a crockpot may work? I haven’t tried it myself, though.
This recipe is great, I’ve made a few times now with veggies only or adding in shredded left over cooked chicken , it’s super tasty.
Thanks for sharing!
Easy to make and delicious! I used cauliflower, broccoli, bellpepers and edamame as my extra veggies and also threw in some celery with my carrot and onion. I did forgo the wilted greens but can see a nice place for bok choy here, added sesame seeds at the end too–will make again!
Thanks for your review, Vaishali!
Dear Kate,
me and my boyfriend were sick of eating meat all the time. So I decided to look up a vegeterian recipe for tonight’s dinner and found your delicious vegetable fried rice. Both of us absolutely enjoyed the variety of fresh vegetables. This totally motivated us to use more veggies when cooking and eat healthier! Thanks for a great recipe :)
I love that! I’m glad you both enjoyed this recipe, Marketa. I appreciate the review!
Made this tonight and it wss easy and amazing! I’m probably going to make it again tomorrow. I used uncle Bens 2 min basmati rice and the whole process took around 40 min. I added celery, which was good. Next time I will put 4 eggs instead of 2!
Thanks for sharing, Rachel!
Wow!! This was so easy to make and so delicious. I made it as directed, and it was perfect….way better than something from take out!
2nd time making this. So yummy, thank you!
You’re welcome, Shelly!
Awesome recipe, hubby and I loved it. Delicious
Thank you, Jade!
Hi there,
I’m living in my own apartment for the first time and still figuring out cooking. This has become such a staple for me. Thank you! I love your blog.
Best,
Jessie
How exciting! I’m excited the blog and this recipe are becoming a staple for you. Have fun!
I had not made fried rice for years – it was white rice and a few other ingredients – but since then I have developed my cooking skills with vegetarian cooking and had some left over brown rice and went on the hunt for a great recipe – and found it here! I would never have thought of adding grated ginger and garlic and chilli to this dish – wow! I absolutely loved the end result – left over veg and freshly grown veg from the garden just enhanced this meal – thank you Kate! (By the way, I think that Cookie is incredibly cute. Love your website, thank you for sharing your recipes. Looking forward to trying out more of them. X
Perfect for leftover rice! I’m glad you loved it, Janet.
Thanks for sharing your recipes with us.
Its not big deal that it takes a little bit extra time in boiling separate items but it results in a very delicious.
You’re welcome, Rishi!
I love all your recipes and your cookbook is one of my favorites. I gave each of my daughters one for mother’s day last year.
What do you think about using cauliflower rice in this one?
Hi Annie! Great question. I believe others have tried it, although cauliflower rice can be tricky so I don’t have specific tips for you. Sorry! I recommend searching the comments to see what has worked for other readers.
One of my favorites! It is perfect when you have random odd veggies left in the fridge that you need to use! I usually make a batch of crispy tofu and add that on top…so good!
I love adding tofu to this! Thanks for sharing, Jen.
Extra Vegetable Fried Rice : instead of using Rice I used faro one time and then Cauliflower. I think it has a better taste and lower carbs,
Thanks for sharing, Ross!
I love the design of your website – your Jump to Recipe is useful and hassel free because the reader of course ultimately is after the recipe-I have asked for Love real Food for my birthday -hoping my kids follow suit with these fantastic ideas with healthy food and recipes!
Thank you! I’m glad you like that feature. Fingers crossed you get the cookbook. Happy early Birthday, Cathie!
The “jump to recipe” feature here is, indeed, very handy as is the quantity multiplier buttons on some of your instructions. Extraordinarily innovative elements make this an unusually cutting-edge site. But the heart of it all is what comes out of your mind and how you express it. You write beautifully. Parts of your cookbook read like a delicious novel. This vegetable fried recipe is so versatile and just plain addictive. A go-to something as a side dish or full-on single-course meal.
It tasted fabulous! I will file away and definitely make this recipe again. Thank you Kate!
You’re welcome, Jessica!
i made this tonight for supper, had to make changes because i didn’t have a couple ingredients,(no sesame oil or red pepper flakes) but otherwise, i stayed true to the recipe…. it was really satisfying and delicious…and even better, i have leftover AND my produce didn’t dry up and die in the veggie bin!!!! WIN!
thanks very much!
risha
You’re welcome!
Made this tonight. It was great!! A messy, fun meal.
I love the variety of veggies and the doggie in the picture is so adorable! Great recipe!
Thank you, Amy!
Could I use olive oil or coconut oil instead of avocado or safflower oil???
It’s my first time trying this recipe out :)
Sure, I believe others have tried it and it’s worked out. Just be careful it doesn’t get too hot.
This was fabulous! Definitely no leftovers :)
That’s great, Jennifer! I’m glad you loved it.
I was so excited all week to make this and it did not disappoint. Hands-down one of the yummiest things I’ve made in ages! I used bagged shredded carrots to save myself a little time, and they worked perfectly. Marinated some cut-up chicken in soy sauce, garlic and sesame oil, then cooked and served that on the side as an add-on for those who wanted. Personally, I loved it as is. I can’t stop thinking about it, and I want to make it again RIGHT NOW! Absolutely fantastically delicious!
I’m happy to hear it didn’t disappoint, Liz! Thanks so much for your review.
Delicious! Only slight hitch was slight sticking of egg to CI pan. Next time a little lower heat and faster. Subbed peanut oil,red onion, basmati rice & omitted salt. Also added 3 cups of spinach leaves. Topped rice XX with toasted sesame seeds.As you suggested served with chili sauce and sriracha on side. The dish looked and tasted great. Will definitely make again and again.
Thanks for sharing, Carol!
i made this this week. it was really really tasty. just a little more work than i wanted for a weekday dinner…
I’m glad you enjoyed it! You can always prep the vegetables a head of time too. Thanks for your feedback, Amy!
I think I am going to give this recipe a try this week! Do the eggs taste okay reheated as leftovers? I’m never sure how eggs will taste reheated. I guess since they’re not the main ingredient it should be okay?
I think this recipe makes pretty good leftovers. Note if you are using purple cabbage, the color will change some but it still tastes delicious!
The family were all getting over colds and flu and this dish was just what the doctor ordered. Delicious flavors and lots of vegetables were terrific! I’ve never been disappointed in a recipe from the blog or Love Real Food.
Feel better soon! I’m glad this helped some.
Yum! Pretty good! Wish I could add a picture!
This recipe was so good I went to your website and printed 20 more (sorry trees!). Your vegetarian recipes are exactly what I’ve been looking for as I work towards eliminating meat from my diet – you don’t feel like you’re missing out on anything!
I’m so excited you are going to try so many! Thanks for your comment and review. :) :)
Used a bag of peas and a bag of broccoli slaw ( sauted first) it was delicious! The garlic, ginger, soy
Thanks for the review and for trying this recipe, Jessica!
Love the recipes and practical hints. Also inexpensive. Thanks
You’re welcome, Susan! Thanks for your review!
I’m going to try to make this tonight and would like to use some left over spinach, however, it is frozen. Do you think it could still work or should i leave it out? Thank you!
I could still work, although can be extra wet. Make sure you drain any excess water.
Yum! Full disclosure, this is a cinch to pull together IF, big IF, you prep all your veggies beforehand. Depending on what and how many veggies you use, this will easily take you an hour or more. That being said, if you have the time it’s totally worth it. I used napa cabbage, snow peas, broccoli, yellow bell pepper, white onion, carrot, asparagus and shelled edamame for a little added protein. I also added a much more generous amount of soy sauce and a little more sesame oil. Garlic chili sauce on the side and serve with a salad, good stuff.
Thanks so much for sharing, Lisa!
Wow what a wonderful recipe, the whole family loved it.
Thank you, Herman!
Just made this with carrots, green pepper, eggplant, broccoli and greens! Didn’t quite get the mixing right and added a bit too much spice, but still delicious. Will have to try again!
I’m glad to hear it was still delicious, Julia!
love the extra veggies in the rice, I make this dish once a week, super good!!.
Thank you, Marcy!
What can be subbed for eggs?
See the recipe notes about making it vegan :) Omit the eggs and the 1 ½ teaspoons oil that goes with them. For extra protein, you could mix in 1 cup edamame (thawed if necessary) or a batch of my crispy baked tofu with the cooked veggies at the end.
Wow, this was the first time I cooked something Thai-ish myself, and I love the way it came out! I mixed a lot of different vegetables and really like how they taste together with the egg, the aroma of the oil and the rice (I used jasmine rice). It was quite a bit of work (chopping!), but now I have food for at least two more meals that I can take to work. Will definitely make this again and experiment a little with different veggies and maybe add some cashews.
I’m glad you thought it was worth the effort and loved it! Let me know what other veggies you try. It’s a great one to use what you have on hand.
Hi, thanks so much for the great recipe.SHORTCUTS: I put 1/2 large sweet onion, the garlic and alot of fresh ginger to the food processor to coarsely chop with EASE!!!!, then processor chopped carrots, cut up red pepper, . I sauteed the onion(with garlic and ginger in it now) and carrot in sesame oil, then scooped it into a bowl. then I scrambled 3 large eggs,soft,put out of pan onto pile, washed pan, sauteed mushrooms first with tad of water, it speeds that up alot, then added chopped red pepper, to avoid over cooking, when not quite done, turned off flame and will toss all together when hubby gets home, into the pan for heating and adding the tbs or so of soysauce and reheat and serve. There is too much food to use the RICE, so it’s low carb now!!!!!!!! and there’s a huge portion for my big eater husband!!!!!
Thanks for sharing, Sally! I’m glad it worked so well for you!
Best recipe ever!! I made it first time today having very little cooking skills and it was perfect! I will definitely make it again :)
I’m excited you think so! Thanks for the review, Justyna!
Made this dish last night for the family. Made 2 versions, one with tofu and one with baked chicken breast. I used coconut aminos which I think offers the best taste with far less saltiness than traditional soy sauce or tamari. I followed most of the directions, and choice of veggies was green peppers, red peppers, onions, carrots, spinach, and topped with green onions. Tofu was browned and flavored with coconut aminos. Didn’t have sriracha sauce, but used a little bit of red hot. Fairly quick meal, very tasty. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thank you for sharing, RJ!