Better-Than-Takeout Shrimp Fried Rice

Got Leftover Rice? Make Shrimp Fried Rice!

Rice is a staple at our house. Whether it’s white rice, brown rice, wild rice, short-grain rice, or long-grain rice, it’s easy to say that we love this vitamin-packed grain! Seriously. Between Evan and I, we buy the giant 20-pound bag of rice every other month, and eat some form of rice just about EVERY. SINGLE. DAY! Call us crazy, but hey, we love it!

Anyways, I recently found a large bowl of rice in our refrigerator from dinner the night before, where we feasted on this incredibly flavor-packed chicken curry. So of course, lunch today was another one of our go-to meal: fried rice! This time, we made our “better-than-takeout” shrimp fried rice – and I really mean it when I say it’s better! Made with whole ingredients, our Shrimp Fried Rice recipe not only tastes better, but is also better-for-you (aka healthier) than its restaurant counterparts! Plus, this recipe is full of whole grains, healthy fats, lean protein, and veggies! In just 25 minutes, you can have a hearty and healthy meal without the piles of dishes afterwards!

Ready to make some DELICIOUS Shrimp Fried Rice??

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn)
• ½ cup mushrooms , sliced
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 4 large eggs
• ½ tsp salt, to taste
• ½ tsp pepper, to taste
• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, sub tamari if GF
• ¼-½ tsp crushed red pepper
• 4 cups cooked cold rice
• ½ cup chopped cilantro, to serve

How to Make the Best Shrimp Fried Rice

1. On medium-high heat, add olive oil and shrimp into a large skillet. Stir until cooked, about 3 minutes. Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon, then set aside.
2. Into the same skillet, add in the frozen vegetables and mushrooms until softened, about 2 minutes. Then add the garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper. Stir for another minute.
3. Using a spatula, push the vegetables to make space in the skillet and crack in the eggs. Scramble until cooked.
4. Add in the rice and cooked shrimp, then add soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Stir until combined, about 3 minutes.
5. Divide into 4 bowls and serve immediately. Garnish with chopped cilantro. ENJOY!

Tips for the Best Fried Rice

1) Use cold leftover rice

As my momma always says, leftover rice makes for the best fried rice! Why, you ask? A fresh batch of warm rice is often too “soft” and will result in soggy fried rice. That’s a huge no-no in our book! That being said, I totally understand that sometimes you just want fried rice now – but what do you do if you don’t have rice made the day before?

You have 2 options:

a) cook a fresh batch of rice, spread it out on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and put it in the freezer for 15 minutes.

b) buy some ready-cook rice (like this one), skip the on-package cooking instructions, and use immediately in place of the leftover rice called for in this recipe!

2) Don’t be afraid of large-batch rice cooking

While we certainly love our tiny rice cooker for smaller meals, Evan and I usually end up using our Instant Pot because it allows us to cook larger batches of rice! If you’re new to cooking rice in an Instant Pot, here’s a helpful article from our friends at Kitchn. Follow these steps, and you’ll have lots of rice to serve with all kinds of meals – perfect for a family or for rice-lovers like us! Plus, cooking in large batches mean you may end up with rice leftovers to make into delicious fried rice recipes like this one the next day!

3) Mix up the veggies/meat

Besides adding some color to the meal, the veggies and meat add so much flavor and texture to the this fried rice! While we are keeping it simple with shrimp, mushrooms, and frozen veggie mix here (peas, carrots, and corn), feel free to use other veggies like broccoli, baby corn, onions, sugar snap peas, and water chestnuts! You can also add in or swap other meat into this recipe, such as chicken, beef, sausages, tofu, pork, and more!

4) Use toasted sesame oil

Be careful not to confuse regular sesame oil with toasted sesame oil. Trust me, it makes a difference! Not only will using toasted sesame oil make your kitchen smell AMAZING, it also adds a depth of flavor in the final product! Don’t skip this 🙂 

5) Feel free to adjust seasonings

I get it: not everyone likes their fried rice the same way, and for good reasons! Some people like their fried rice more salty, while some like it less. Some people prefer it more spicy, and some don’t like it spicy at all. Feel free to adjust the seasonings to fit your tastebuds!

Looking for More Asian Meal Recipes?

• Rendang Sapi (Indonesian Spicy Beef Stew)
• Easy Bibimbap (Korean Mixed Rice Bowl)
• Indonesian Tempeh Rice Bowl (Vegan & Gluten-Free!)
• Glazed Honey Garlic Salmon with Roasted Zucchini
• Easy Chicken Curry (GF, DF)
• Chinese Pork Dumplings (With Pictures!)
• Vietnamese Spring Rolls (Shrimp & Vegan Options)

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If you make this recipe, feel free to drop a comment below! I’d LOVE to know what you think!

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