Vibrant Vegetable Fried Rice (Printable)

Colorful stir-fried jasmine rice with crisp vegetables, garlic, ginger, and savory soy sauce. Ready in 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Rice Base

01 - 3 cups cooked jasmine or long-grain rice, preferably day-old and cold

→ Fresh Vegetables

02 - 1 cup carrots, diced into small pieces
03 - 1 cup bell pepper, any color, diced
04 - 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
05 - 1 cup broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
06 - 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels
07 - 1/2 cup green beans, chopped into 1-inch pieces
08 - 3 green onions, sliced (reserve some for garnish)
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced

→ Sauces and Seasonings

11 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free option)
12 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
13 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or canola oil
14 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, optional
15 - 1/2 teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
16 - Salt to taste

# Steps:

01 - Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
02 - Add the minced garlic and ginger to the hot oil. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
03 - Add the diced carrots, bell pepper, broccoli florets, chopped green beans, and corn kernels. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are just tender but still crisp.
04 - Stir in the thawed peas and most of the sliced green onions. Cook for 1 minute until combined and heated through.
05 - Increase heat to high. Add the cold cooked rice to the wok. Stir-fry vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, breaking up any clumps with your spatula, until the rice is thoroughly heated and slightly toasted.
06 - Drizzle the soy sauce and sesame oil evenly over the rice. Sprinkle with pepper. Toss everything together well to distribute the seasonings evenly throughout the dish.
07 - Taste the fried rice and adjust with additional salt or soy sauce as needed to achieve the desired flavor balance.
08 - Remove from heat. Garnish with the reserved green onion slices and toasted sesame seeds if using. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The trick of using day-old rice creates those coveted crispy bits that restaurant fried rice always has but homemade versions often miss.
  • You can completely customize the vegetable medley based on what needs rescuing from your crisper drawer, making it both budget-friendly and incredibly satisfying.
02 -
  • Trying to use freshly cooked rice once led to a gummy disaster that no amount of stirring could fix, which taught me that patience pays off when it comes to letting rice chill overnight.
  • Cooking the vegetables in stages according to their density completely transformed the texture of this dish, giving each vegetable its perfect doneness rather than having some overcooked and others undercooked.
03 -
  • Breaking up cold rice with slightly damp hands before adding it to the wok prevents those stubborn clumps that refuse to separate during cooking.
  • Adding a tiny splash of water along with the soy sauce creates instant steam that helps distribute the seasonings more evenly throughout the dish without needing excessive oil.
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