Shrimp Fried Rice is an easy one-pot meal with your favorite Asian flavors. Chock-full of shrimp, green peas, and fluffy eggs, it’s hearty, delicious, and the best use for leftover rice! Plus helpful tips on how to make it perfect anytime every time!
Craving shrimp fried rice? Forget takeout! This Chinese restaurant favorite can be easily whipped up in the comfort of your kitchen. It takes twenty minutes to make and tastes much better than the restaurants. And it’s budget-friendly, too!
Generously studded with plump shrimp, fluffy scrambled eggs, and sweet peas, it is an economical yet satisfying one-pot meal you can have ready on the table in minutes. Plus, it’s a great use for leftovers.
Fried rice is a blank palette you can easily customize with whatever odds and ends you have in the fridge. I used shrimp, frozen green peas, and eggs I already have on hand but feel free to add or swap your choice of proteins and vegetables. Some of my favorite add-ins are cashews, peas and carrots, frozen mixed vegetables, bacon, char sui (BBQ pork), green onions, chicken, or diced ham.
Although a very simple dish to pull together, there are a few tips/tricks on how to take your fried rice from good to great.
Ingredient notes
- Rice- Use cold, leftover cooked rice. Leaving the rice in the refrigerator for at least a day removes excess moisture and allows the grains to firm up, making them easier to separate and preventing the rice from turning into mush. If you need to use freshly cooked rice, spread it in a thin layer on a baking sheet and stick it in the fridge for a few hours to dry and completely cool.
- Shrimp– Marinating the shrimp in a mixture of cornstarch, salt, and pepper keeps them juicy and flavorful. Please do NOT skip this step!
- Eggs– Cook until just set and still slightly wet, as they will continue to cook when returned to the pan with the rest of the ingredients.
- Oil– Do not skimp on the oil. You don’t want the fried rice to be overly greasy but aim for the rice grains to have a slight sheen when stir-fried. Use high smoke points oils such as peanut, avocado, safflower, or vegetable oil.
- Seasonings- Add liquid flavorings such as soy sauce or fish sauce sparingly. You want to limit the amount of liquid or moisture to keep the fried rice from getting mushy.
Cooking tips
- Fried rice is a quick process; ensure all your ingredients are prepared and ready for the brief stir-frying.
- Use a wok for best results. Its unique shape allows for even heat distribution and enough room to move ingredients around without spilling. If you don’t have one, a wide pan with slanted sides will work as well.
- Set burners on high heat and heat your wok until very hot. This will prevent the rice from sticking to the surface and gives the whole dish a nice toasty flavor.
- Do not overcrowd the pan and cook in batches, as necessary, to prevent the temperature of the wok from plummeting and to provide room for the rice grains to toast and caramelize.
How to serve and store
- Give this shrimp fried rice a try for dinner tonight. Pair it with Kung Pao chicken for a Chinese take-out fakeout meal at home!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat in a wide pan over medium heat to 165 F. Or microwave at 1 to 2-minute intervals until completely heated through, stirring well to distribute heat.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cold, day-old cooked rice
- 1/2 pound large shrimps, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
- salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 cup green peas (or peas and carrots) thawed
- 1 tablepoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- With wet hands, break clumps and separate rice grains. Set aside.
- In a bowl, combine shrimp, cornstarch, and salt and pepper to taste. Let stand for about 10 minutes and drain well.
- In a wok over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add eggs and cook, stirring to scramble and break up, until just set and still slightly wet. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Wipe down wok as needed. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl across the bottom of the pan. Add shrimp and cook just until the color changes to pink. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the wok, add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
- Add green peas and cook, stirring regularly, for about 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the wok, add another 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat insides of the wok. Heat until shimmering.
- Add rice and spread over the surface of the wok. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until grains begins to sizzle and then turn. Spread again over surface of wok and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Drizzle soy sauce and sesame oil over rice.
- Return shrimp, green peas, and eggs to wok. Toss rice to evenly distribute ingredients.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes or until completely heated through.
- Remove from pan and garnish with chopped green onions, if desired. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Gary says
Good base recipe here!
Very close to my way of making it. But gotta have minced ginger, at least a tablespoon. And about a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, sprinkled at the end.
And ignore the strange folks in Chicago with their bean sprouts and water chestnuts. All they know is making pizzas as thick as birthday cakes!😂
Gabrielle Anderson-Shattler says
This fried rice recipe is amazing . I couldn’t get enough of it . I added a little milk to my shrimps and it made them very tender . Ultimate Fried Rice Recipe 🙂
Debbie says
I made the recipe “as is” and it is delicious! I love the crunch the green peas give it. I deleted other shrimp fried rice recipes after trying this one. This is the only one needed. Thank you!!!!!
Lalaine says
Awww, thank you so much for your feedback. You made my day 🙂 I am glad you enjoyed it!
Melody says
I’m from Chicago, IL, and I have NEVER had fried rice with peas and carrots until I moved to Las Vegas. I was accustomed to fried rice with chestnuts, bean sprouts, and scallions.
Tamie says
I agree , all my years of ordering fried rice no peas and carrots. I like it better without
Lalaine says
Hello Tamie
You can add or skip any vegetable you like. That’s the beauty of fried rice, you can use almost whatever bits and pieces you have in the fridge 🙂