Vegetable Fried Rice

I love a simple dinner that uses up leftovers in the fridge and in our house that’s Vegetable Fried Rice. Like most families, we started making this with the leftover rice we’d had from dinner or take-out the night before. We warmed it back up and added it to a skillet with egg, vegetables, and flavorings. It was so easy and it has remained popular in our family ever since. 

The cool thing about this dish is that it can really hold almost any leftover vegetable you have in your fridge. If you have a single pepper, carrot, and shallot left, they all can join right in the fun. Sometimes I lean into the freezer and use up the end of a bag of peas, baby corns, and even chopped spinach. There’s almost no end to what you can add. It will all taste good with the fried rice and flavorings. 

This is also a great vegetarian dish if you’re ever in the need to feed vegetarian a protein-rich meal. The egg adds a good amount of protein without any overpowering flavor. You could also add tofu or tempeh if you want. I like to make this for quick weeknight meals or it also works well in a lunchbox or to take to work. Since it has every food group in it you don’t have to worry about packing anything else with it! 

Once you get in the mode of making Vegetable Fried Rice you’ll get excited to play with it. Craft your own favorite flavors and have a great time topping it with a fried egg or fresh diced avocado if you’d like. It also makes a great dish for kids to learn how to make. It’s not hard to pull together and it’s resilient enough for first time cooks. 

Enjoy this simple weeknight meal soon, your family will thank you for it! 

Vegetable Fried Rice 

This recipe is a simple and delicious vegetable fried rice recipe packed with flavor and ready in minutes. I love making it mid-week when we have lots of vegetables on hand and everyone wants a quick meal! 

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups cooked jasmine rice (preferably day-old) 

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 

• ½ cup carrots, diced 

• ½ cup bell peppers, diced 

• ½ cup peas (fresh or frozen) 

• ½ cup corn kernels 

• ¼ cup green onions, chopped 

• 2 cloves garlic, minced 

• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced 

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce 

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil 

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten 

• ½ teaspoon black pepper 

• Salt to taste 

Instructions: 

1. Bring the rice to room temperature. If using freshly cooked rice, spread it on a tray and let it cool to prevent clumping. 

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large pan or wok. Pour in the beaten eggs and scramble them. Once cooked, remove them from the pan and set aside. 

3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Sauté garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add carrots, bell peppers, peas, and corn. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes. 

4. Stir in the cooked rice, breaking up any clumps. 

5. Pour in soy sauce, and black pepper. Stir well to coat the rice evenly. 

6. Return the scrambled eggs to the pan and toss everything together. Add green onions and sesame oil for extra flavor. 

7. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot! 

Nikki Glekas is the owner of Nikki Glekas Events, a full-service catering and events company located in Stamford, CT.. To discuss further please contact team@nikkiglekascollective.com or call 203.658.8659.