Budget Fried Rice with Egg and Frozen Peas
Leftover rice + eggs + soy sauce = dinner. Under $3 and 20 minutes flat.
This is the recipe for the night your wallet is thin and your patience is thinner. If you have leftover rice in the fridge — even day-old takeout rice — you are already most of the way there. Eggs and frozen peas do the rest of the heavy lifting, and a splash of soy sauce ties it all together. No special technique required, no fancy equipment, no trip to the store. You'll get a hot, savory, filling bowl of food in about 20 minutes. It won't win any awards, but it will absolutely get you through tonight without spending another dollar or making another decision.
Ingredients
- 2 cup cooked white rice — day-old or leftover is ideal — fresh rice gets mushy
- 3 unit large eggs
- 1 cup frozen peas — no need to thaw
- 3 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 2 tbsp soy sauce — low-sodium if you have it
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil — or any neutral oil
- 1 tsp sesame oil — optional but adds a lot of flavor
- 2 unit green onions — sliced thin, for topping
- 1 pinch black pepper
Method
- 1 Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until hot. Add the vegetable oil and swirl to coat.
- 2 Add the minced garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant — don't let it burn.
- 3 Add the frozen peas directly to the pan. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until they're warmed through and starting to look bright green.
- 4 Push everything to one side of the pan. Crack the eggs into the empty side and scramble them with a spatula, cooking until just set but still slightly glossy, about 1 minute.
- 5 Add the cooked rice to the pan. Use the back of your spatula to break up any clumps and toss everything together — eggs, peas, garlic, and rice — until well combined.
- 6 Drizzle the soy sauce over the rice and toss to coat evenly. Let the rice sit undisturbed for 1–2 minutes to get a little color on the bottom, then toss again.
- 7 Remove from heat. Drizzle with sesame oil if using, and season with black pepper.
- 8 Serve topped with sliced green onions.
Variations
- Add whatever protein you have — Dice up leftover chicken, a few slices of deli ham, or crumble in some cooked ground beef. Add it after the garlic and heat through before continuing.
- Make it vegan — Skip the eggs entirely and toss in an extra cup of frozen peas or any other frozen veggie you have on hand. It's still filling and satisfying.
- Use whatever frozen veggies you have — Frozen corn, edamame, or a mixed stir-fry blend all work perfectly in place of peas — use whatever is already in your freezer.
Notes
Day-old rice is the single biggest factor in good fried rice — it's drier, so it fries instead of steams. If you only have fresh rice, spread it on a baking sheet and let it sit uncovered in the fridge for 30 minutes before cooking. Don't crowd the pan or the rice will steam and get gluey. Medium-high heat the whole time.
Equipment that helps
- Large skillet or wok — A wide, heavy surface gets hot enough to actually fry the rice instead of steaming it, which is what separates good fried rice from sad fried rice.
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