Skillet Shrimp Fried Rice
You don't need to rely on a wok or take-out to enjoy great fried rice. Simply grab a hot skillet and some cold cooked rice to get that restaurant-style crispness we crave! Toss in a hearty dose of vegetables and shrimp and you've got a batch of Skillet Shrimp Fried Rice ready for a quick and tasty dinner.
My favorite thing about getting Chinese take-out for dinner is the egg rolls. You thought I was going to say the fried rice, didn't you? Well, truth-be-told, it's the egg rolls. -- But fried rice is indeed a very close second.
Fortunately, we don't have to rely on take-out to enjoy delicious fried rice at home.
No, it's totally doable to make your own homemade fried rice -- with all that wonderful restaurant-style crispness -- at home. Even if you don't have a wok, which I don't. I mean seriously, how many of us do? A skillet will do just fine.
It's totally doable to make your own homemade fried rice -- with all that wonderful restaurant-style crispness -- at home.
Not only does a skillet do just fine to make fried rice, homemade fried rice is actually really flavorful and really easy to make. Which makes it a great easy dinner recipe that's perfect for those busy weeknight meals. We enjoy it quite frequently at our house!
Follow these steps and tips to whip up a pan of easy flavor-loaded Skillet Shrimp Fried Rice for dinner tonight -- no take-out involved.
One of the tricks to making perfectly crisp fried rice at home is to never use freshly-cooked warm rice. Always use chilled rice, preferably that has been cooked the day before.
Why, you ask?
Because rice that's just been cooked still contains a lot of moisture and can create sticky fried rice. Chilled day-old rice has lost a good bit of its moisture while it's been in the refrigerator, which works best for creating perfectly-textured fried rice.
One of the tricks to making perfectly crisp fried rice at home is to never use freshly-cooked warm rice.
So for best results, one day in advance, cook white rice according to package directions, cool it, cover loosely, and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
Another great option? When you do get that take-out, use the leftover white rice to make your batch of Shrimp Fried Rice. This is exactly what I do all the time. Anytime we get Chinese take-out, it's guaranteed I'm using that leftover rice to make a batch of skillet fried rice within the next couple of days.
Prepare the Egg
Fried rice usually has egg in it as an added bit of protein. But cooking the egg actually in and with the rice makes the rice soggy. So the egg is generally cooked separately, diced, and then added into the fried rice at the end of its preparation.
To prepare the egg for this Skillet Shrimp Fried Rice, heat a little oil in a skillet. Then add in two beaten eggs.
Tilt the pan in different directions a couple times to spread the eggs in a thin, even layer. Cook them for 2 minutes and then flip the sheet of eggs over. Cook on the second side for about 30 seconds until the eggs are cooked through.
Fried rice usually has egg in it as an added bit of protein. But cooking the egg actually in and with the rice makes the rice soggy. So the egg is generally cooked separately, diced, and then added into the fried rice at the end of its preparation.
To prepare the egg for this Skillet Shrimp Fried Rice, heat a little oil in a skillet. Then add in two beaten eggs.
Tilt the pan in different directions a couple times to spread the eggs in a thin, even layer. Cook them for 2 minutes and then flip the sheet of eggs over. Cook on the second side for about 30 seconds until the eggs are cooked through.
Remove the cooked eggs from the pan and dice them up.
Set the diced eggs aside to be added to the fried rice pan later.
Cook the Vegetables & Shrimp
First saute chopped onion, diced fresh carrot, and two cloves of garlic together until the onion is limp and tender.
Then add in thawed frozen peas and the shrimp. Saute these together with the carrots and onions for about 3 to 4 minutes until the shrimp are no longer translucent and just turning pink.
Shrimp do not take long to cook, and quickly become rubbery when overcooked. For tender shrimp, trust that they're cooked when they have just barely turned pink and move on to the next recipe step of adding in the rice.
On another note, we love our fried rice with shrimp, lots of onion, diced fresh carrot, and peas as in the photo above. But one of the beauties of this dish is its versatility it tastes fabulous with so many kinds of vegetables and meats.
Try adding about 1/2 cup of other chopped veggies, like scallions, green or red bell pepper, napa cabbage, corn, or bean sprouts, to the mix. For a meat, stir in about 1 cup cooked diced chicken, pork, or ham, instead of shrimp if you'd like.
Fry & Season the Rice
Another trick to making perfectly crisp fried rice at home is to have the skillet hot when you add the rice, and to keep it that way while frying it.
Try adding about 1/2 cup of other chopped veggies, like scallions, green or red bell pepper, napa cabbage, corn, or bean sprouts, to the mix. For a meat, stir in about 1 cup cooked diced chicken, pork, or ham, instead of shrimp if you'd like.
Another trick to making perfectly crisp fried rice at home is to have the skillet hot when you add the rice, and to keep it that way while frying it.
Fry & Season the Rice
Another trick to making perfectly crisp fried rice at home is to have the skillet hot when you add the rice, and to keep it that way while frying it.
For the best texture, think like you're searing meat -- and be sure that pan is hot before adding the rice. This helps the rice develop that bit of crispness we love as it fries.
Once the shrimp are pink, turn up the heat on the skillet a little. Then break up the chilled rice with a fork to remove lumps and add it to the hot pan.
Season the mixture with some soy sauce and a bit of salt and pepper. Stir and sauté the rice for at least 3 minutes until the seasonings and rice are well combined, and some of the rice grains get a bit crispy.
Add in the diced egg to finish the dish off, and you're ready to serve it up.
Once the shrimp are pink, turn up the heat on the skillet a little. Then break up the chilled rice with a fork to remove lumps and add it to the hot pan.
Season the mixture with some soy sauce and a bit of salt and pepper. Stir and sauté the rice for at least 3 minutes until the seasonings and rice are well combined, and some of the rice grains get a bit crispy.
Add in the diced egg to finish the dish off, and you're ready to serve it up.
So the next time you've got a hankering for some fried rice, there's no need to pick up the phone to call in for take-out.
Simply grab a hot skillet and some cold cooked rice to get that restaurant-style crispness we crave! Because this Skillet Shrimp Fried Rice is one quick and tasty dinner the whole family will love.
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Yield: About 6 servings
Skillet Shrimp Fried Rice
You don't need to rely on a wok or take-out to enjoy great fried rice. Simply grab a hot skillet and some cold cooked rice to get that restaurant-style crispness we crave! Toss in a hearty dose of vegetables and shrimp and you've got a batch of Skillet Shrimp Fried Rice ready for a quick and tasty dinner.
prep time: 20 Mcook time: 15 Mtotal time: 35 M
ingredients:
- 4 c. cold cooked rice (about 1c. to 1 1/4 c. uncooked)
- 1 & 1/2 T. canola oil, divided
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 c. chopped onion (about 1 large onion)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 c. diced carrots (about 1 large carrot)
- 1/2 c. frozen peas, thawed
- 3/4 lb. to 1 lb. medium or large shrimp, peeled & deveined
- 2 T. soy sauce
- 1 tsp. sesame oil {optional}
- salt & pepper, to taste
instructions:
How to cook Skillet Shrimp Fried Rice
- Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beaten eggs and tilt pan to spread eggs in a thin, even layer. Cook for 2 minutes and then flip. Cook on the second side for about 30 seconds until eggs are cooked through.
- Remove eggs from pan. Dice and set aside.
- In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, garlic, and diced carrots; sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes until onion is limp.
- Add thawed frozen peas and shrimp. Saute about 3 to 4 minutes until shrimp are no longer translucent and just turning pink.
- Break up the chilled rice with a fork to remove lumps. Add to the hot pan. Season with soy sauce, sesame oil (if using), and a bit of salt and pepper.
- Stir and sauté the rice for at least 3 minutes until the seasonings and rice are well combined, and some of the rice grains get a bit crispy.
- Add the diced eggs and toss to combine.
- Adjust salt, pepper, and soy sauce to taste.
TRACEY'S NOTES:
- Chilled day-old rice that's lost some of its moisture works best for fried rice. Rice that's just been cooked can create a sticky fried rice. One day in advance, cook white rice according to package directions to yield 4 cups cooked rice. Cool, cover loosely, and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
- Another option is to use leftover take-out rice ... like I do all the time! Whenever we get Chinese take-out, I use the leftover rice to make fried rice.
- For the best fried rice texture, think like you're searing meat and be sure the pan is hot before adding the cold cooked rice. This will help the rice develop a bit of crispness as it fries.
- One of the beauties of this dish is its versatility it tastes fabulous with so many kinds of vegetables and meats. Try adding about 1/2 cup of other chopped veggies, like scallions, green or red bell pepper, napa cabbage, corn, or bean sprouts, to the mix. For a meat, stir in about 1 cup cooked diced chicken, pork, or ham, instead of shrimp if you'd like.
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