This budget-friendly fried rice comes together in under 20 minutes and costs just $1.84 per serve! It is made with simple ingredients that you may already have in your fridge and pantry and is easily adaptable, making it a go-to recipe for busy weeknights.
This recipe is part of my budget-friendly meal series!
With the recent rise in grocery costs I am going back to basics when it comes to making recipes. Fried rice has been my go-to for YEARS and it still is something I always want to eat.
When I first moved out of home I was 17, almost 18 and working part-time so money was definitely a concern. The answer was to cook up a big pot of rice and then fry it in my wok with eggs and whatever vegetables I had that week. Bacon was added when possible because bacon does make things better.
This recipe is my most basic version. I can usually find all the ingredients for this in my house as I like to keep bacon and peas in the freezer and eggs in the fridge. I usually have a few carrots in the bottom of my crisper and always have soy sauce in the pantry.
So bookmark or save this recipe and come back to it next time you think you don’t have any food in the house, I guarantee if you have rice, you can make some version of fried rice!
If you want more fried rice recipes, make sure to also try my chicken fried rice or my prawn fried rice for some different variations!
Key Ingredients
As I mentioned, this is a super flexible recipe and you can easily adapt it based on what you have available. For the base recipe, let’s go through the key ingredients you’ll need.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Eggs – gently scrambled so that we get nice big chunks of egg in each bite. Eggs also add protein and help the rice feel filling.
- Cooked white rice – for the best fried rice, you want to have precooked your rice and allowed it to cool completely in the fridge. This is what is going to give us the best result and ensure the grains don’t stick to each other. The best rice for this recipe is white long grain rice.
- Garlic – optional but adds extra flavour.
- Bacon – because we’re not adding too many ingredients, bacon not only adds extra substance to the meal, but also adds a lot of flavour. I love to also use leftover leg ham in this recipe instead!
- Vegetables – I find the most people have frozen peas, and carrots in the bottom of the crisper, so that’s what I’ve called for in the recipe but this is the most flexible part. Really any frozen vegetables works well or just chop up any leftover vegetables that you have from the week to use them up.
- Soy sauce – this is a super basic recipe so the soy sauce is essential, adding umami flavour and it is the key to ensuring this dish is flavourful not bland. Use tamari for a gluten free option.
- Sesame oil – totally optional but I usually keep it in my pantry so it’s a great option to add a little extra flavour. If you don’t usually use it though just omit.
Step-by-Step Instructions
I mentioned I’ve been making this fried rice since I moved out of home, and for all that time I’ve been using the same wok! I love using a wok over high heat for this recipe because it is going to give us that ‘fried’ taste and little bits of char that you get when ordering from a restaurant. However if all you have is a large frying pan, then just use what you have.
You’ll also need a good metal spatula also known as a wok turner to make things easy as there is a fair bit of volume in this recipe and the key is mixing everything all together.
The first step for any fried rice recipe is to prep your ingredients. Things move fast when using a wok so you want to make sure everything you need is close by.
👉Tip! Make the rice ahead of time, either in the morning or the night before and allow to cool in the fridge for the best results! Freshly cooked rice will still taste good, but your end result will be more sticky. If you can plan ahead, it will be worth it for the best fried rice and as a bonus it will also make the dinner prep much quicker!
Start by gently scrambling the eggs in the base of the wok. Once it’s cooked, remove it from the wok and let it side aside on a plate while you cook together the garlic and bacon, and then add in the vegetables. Cook everything together until the vegetables are soft and the bacon crispy.
Next, add back in the egg and break it up using your spatula. Add in the cooled rice, soy sauce and sesame oil.
Use your spatula or wok turner to scoop the rice mixture from the bottom to the top, stir frying until you can’t see any white grains of rice remaining and the rice has started to brown slightly. You want to keep moving the rice to prevent it burning on the bottom.
And that’s it! Serve it straight away or put it in containers in the fridge until ready to heat. Reheat in the microwave or in a frying pan on the stove.
Recipe FAQs
Common vegetables include peas, carrots, capsicum, onions, and corn. Feel free to use any leftover or budget-friendly vegetables you have on hand.
Yes, you can freeze fried rice. Let it cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bag. It can be reheated directly from the freezer or thawed overnight in the refrigerator.
Use oils with a high smoke point like vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil. These oils handle high heat well and are budget-friendly.
Yes, as I said, this is a super flexible recipe! You can add oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, or a splash of fish sauce for different flavours. Adjust according to your taste and what you have on hand.
Yes, you can use brown rice. It adds a slightly different texture and more nutrients, but ensure it’s cooked and ideally a day old.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More easy and cheap dinner recipes:
Air Fryer Cauliflower Tacos
Easy Vegan Tomato Soup
Chickpea and Lentil Curry
Crispy Black Bean Tacos
Budget-Friendly Fried Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 3 eggs lightly beaten
- 2 cloves garlic
- 200 grams bacon diced
- 1-2 carrots peeled and diced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 4 cups cooked white rice see notes
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Heat ½ a tablespoon of canola oil in a wok over medium-low heat. Pour in the whisked eggs and gently scramble them until they’re just set. Transfer the scrambled eggs to a plate and set aside.
- Add the remaining ½ tablespoon of canola oil to the wok and turn up the heat to high. Toss in the garlic and cook for about a minute until fragrant. Add the diced bacon to the wok and cook for a few minutes until starting to brown. Add the diced carrot and frozen peas and continue to cook until the vegetables are soft and the bacon is crispy.
- Add the scrambled eggs back into the wok and use a spatula to break up the egg and mix everything together. Add the rice, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
- Stir-fry everything together, scraping the bottom of the wok to prevent sticking. Keep stirring until the rice is heated through and starts to brown slightly.
- Once the rice is cooked, transfer it to serving bowls or a plate for sharing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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