Beef Fried Rice
Updated
Updated
This easy homemade Beef Fried Rice recipe includes tender strips of sirloin, vegetables, eggs, crisp rice, and a rich, full-flavored sauce. Serve as a side or enjoy this stir fry all on its own as a complete meal.
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If ever there was a perfect use for leftover white rice, Chinese Fried Rice is it! We love it so much that when I cook rice for a dish, I almost always double or triple the amount to ensure enough for fried rice the next night. In this case, we’re sharing our Beef Fried Rice recipe, which is my family’s favorite version. Filled with sirloin, vegetables, egg, and a deep, rich sauce, it’s such a fantastic all-in-one meal.
Tips for the Best Fried Rice
- Use day-old cooked, chilled rice. Rice is the star in this dish, obviously, and it’s so important that you use rice that is cooked at least a day proper and completely dry. If it’s at all wet, the rice ends up mushy instead of crisp. Break large rice clumps up with your hands before beginning.
- Slice the beef across the grain. The “grain” are fibers that run through the meat in one direction. Using a sharp knife, slice thinly across (not with) the grain of your beef (perpendicular to the muscle fibers so they become as short as possible.) This helps break down the fibers and make it tender and not chewy.
- Have your ingredients ready to go! Just like any stir fry, have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go because this dish cooks fast.
- Fry the rice. Don’t just simply heat the rice through. (Cook for 4 minutes, alternating 1 minute of rest with 1 minute of tossing.) You want to fry it and allow the oil and sauce to get absorbed, that’s what makes it crispy and flavorful.
- Soy Sauce. If salt levels are not a concern, nothing can beat Chinese dark soy sauce, which is made with a bit of molasses. It has a rich mahogany color and is what gives this dish its deep, rich, authentic fried rice color. It tastes incredible, but definitely more salty. Low-sodium soy sauce can be used instead, if preferred.
- Lightly season with salt and pepper. Soy sauce and oyster sauce are both salty, so don’t be heavy handed with additional salt and pepper. Taste as you go and adjust as necessary.
Beef Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, , divided
- 2 large eggs, , lightly beaten
- 8 ounces beef sirloin, , cut across the grain into long, thin strips
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- 1 medium sweet onion, , diced small
- 2 scallions scallions, , diced small
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 cups day-old cooked, chilled white rice, , any large clumps broken up
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together the dark soy sauce, low-sodium soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil, set aside.
- Warm 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a wok, cast iron pan, or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add egg, and cook until just scrambled, stirring occasionally. Remove egg, and transfer to a separate plate.
- Add the remaining vegetable oil and add the beef; sear until charred and just done, about 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to the plate with the eggs.
- Add in the peas and carrots, onion, and scallions; sauté until vegetables are soft and onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add in the ginger and garlic; sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Stir in the rice and cook for about 4 minutes total (alternating 1 minute of rest, 1 minute of tossing.)
- Give the soy sauce mixture a quick stir to reincorporate and pour it into the rice; continue stirring for another minute.
- Add the cooked beef and egg back in and toss to combine.(If the mixture still seems a little too wet, you can reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook a few minutes longer to dry the rice a little, but watch it carefully, so it doesn't burn or brown too much.)
- Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
- Serve immediately in bowls and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!
How Many Cups Dry Rice for Cooked Rice
Generally, most rice will triple in volume when cooked, so 1 cup of raw rice will yield 3 cups cooked, which is what you need for this recipe.
What to Serve with Beef Fried Rice
Definitely great as a side, but because of the added beef, this fried rice recipe is also an all-in-one dish. For a super delicious and complete Chinese meal, serve with homemade egg rolls or crab rangoon, and egg drop soup.
How to Store and Reheat Fried Rice
- Fridge. Allow any leftovers to cool completely, then store in the refrigerator in an airtight container and eat within 3 days.
- Freezer. Fried rice can be frozen in a tightly sealed container or resealable freezer bags up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat. Fried rice can easily be reheated in a skillet over medium heat on the stovetop, using a little bit of oil and a splash of beef broth or water if it seems dry. Another option is to put a portion in a microwave safe dish and use the microwave, but the rice won’t crisp up.
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Thanks for sharing such a great recipe with us. My family loves this recipe. I made this recipe and served it to my friends at my house.
I’ve made this and variations of this recipe four times in 2023. I got a wok for Christmas and did chicken fried rice using this recipe today. It came out SO much better in a wok. I put the wok on my turkey fryer burner that got it nice and hot really fast. Thanks for the recipe.
I love it so much
This recipe IS perfect!!!
I didn’t expect it to be so good. I made some for my mother but swept a bowl for myself, it was too tempting
I will go and buy the exact ingredients (didn’t have the two different soys or the sesame oil) and try this again because I think it could have been wonderful.
the perfect fried rice recipe