Shrimp Fried Rice

close up horizontal photo of fried rice with shrimp

Tender shrimp, crisp hot vegetables, and a whole lot of flavor come together to make this Shrimp Fried Rice in just 20 minutes.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Mary Younkin

Ingredients

4 cups COLD cooked Jasmine rice
3 tablespoons bacon grease or the oil of your choice
3 eggs beaten
1-2 pounds raw, deveined shrimp
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 cup frozen peas and carrots or mixed vegetables
3 green onions sliced thin
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper adjust to taste
1 tablespoon butter
kosher salt to taste ONLY if needed.
1-3 teaspoons Sriracha hot sauce or chili paste OPTIONAL

Instructions

Warm a tablespoon of bacon grease, or oil, in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Swirl the oil to coat the surface of the pan. Pour the eggs into the pan and tilt as needed to spread across the skillet. Let the eggs cook for 2-3 minutes and then flip. Cook one more minute. Slide the egg out of the skillet onto a cutting board and allow it to cool. Cut into ½-inch wide strips and then cut into small pieces.
Add about ½ a tablespoon of grease, or oil, to the skillet. Add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir, flipping each shrimp over, and increase the heat to high. Cook for 1-2 minutes more, transfer the shrimp to the plate with the eggs when it's pink and cooked through. Take care not to overcook.
Add the remaining 1½ tablespoons of grease, or oil, to the skillet and increase heat to medium high. Add the rice and stir to coat. Continue stirring and cooking for about 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir well, to distribute the sauce throughout the rice. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the rice is heated through.
Add the peas and carrots. Stir and cook an additional 3-4 minutes, until everything is hot. Add the eggs, shrimp, and green onions to the skillet. Sprinkle with pepper. Stir gently to mix.
Push the rice out of the center of the skillet and add the butter. Allow it to melt and stir to distribute the melted butter throughout the rice. Taste the rice and add salt and hot sauce or chili paste, only if desired..

Notes

The rice for this recipe needs to be completely chilled, so that it can be easily broken apart into individual grains without any clumping or sticking. I suggest making the rice a day or two (even as much as 2-3 days) before you want to use it. The key to great fried rice is using rice that is as dry as possible, so that your fried rice won't be mushy or soft.

Nutrition