Shrimp fried rice is one of the most popular dishes in Chinese restaurants across America, and it is also widely enjoyed by people from different countries. But did you know that it's easy to make at home? All you need are simple ingredients, a wok, and patience — and in minutes, you'll enjoy freshly made authentic shrimp fried rice at home!
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It's usually made with leftover rice and stir-fried with eggs, mixed vegetables, and shrimp. While it may seem like a simple dish, many things must be done correctly for the best results. Read on:
Ingredients
Fresh large shrimp: Remember to peel the shell off and devein. I bought the pre-deveined ones from the store.
Cooking oil: I used vegetable oil. You can also use olive oil or peanut oil.
Mixed fresh vegetables: This is a great way to serve vegetables to your family. You can easily substitute any vegetable, including bell pepper, snow peas, broccoli even bean sprouts! I use carrots, sweet corn, frozen peas, and green onion. For the green onion, don't forget to separate the white and green parts of the green onions for future use.
Cooked leftover white rice: Cooked long grain rice works great for this recipe; you can also use another type of rice, such as brown rice.
Sauce and seasoning: A list of typical Asian spices, such as light and dark soy sauce, sesame oil, and Shaoxing cooking wine. You can get them in any major grocery store. Some people prefer their shrimp fried rice on a sweeter side. Feel free to add a pinch of sugar; you can adjust the amount of sugar based on your taste preferences. You can add oyster sauce if you want an extra flavor boost for a "fishy-like flavor."
Eggs: Scramble eggs provide protein and make your meal complete!
How to make perfect authentic shrimp fried rice at home
Shrimp fried rice is easy to make, especially if you have leftover cooked rice. You can start by cleaning your shrimp and removing their shells first. Some people like to marinate the shrimp with sauces before cooking, but I did not. If you choose to marinate shrimp first, remember not to over-marinate them because it will negatively affect their texture and taste when cooked. Gather all the ingredients, chop all the vegetables, and line up all the sauces.
Add a little bit of cooking oil to a non-stick skillet. Arrange the raw shrimp in a single layer, and cook for 30 seconds, occasionally stirring until the shrimp change color. Turn off the heat immediately and then transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate. In a wok, mix 1 tablespoon of the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat, pour the beaten eggs in, and break the egg mixture into small pieces. Set aside.
Use the remaining oil on medium heat, add minced onions and the white parts of the green onion, and stir for about 1 minute until fragrant. Push cooked onions to one side, add the carrots, sweet corn, and sweet peas to another side, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir to combine until the veggies soften.
Add the rice to the wok or skillet (large skillet) over the vegetables and egg mixture and stir to combine. Add the white parts of the sliced green onions (except the green ones for garnishing later). Mix it up. If the rice sticks to the pan, slowly add water to the side of the wok.
Fold the cooked tender shrimp and cooked eggs in. Stir the mixture briefly and let it cook for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle light and dark soy sauce, Shaoxing cooking wine, and sesame oil over the rice, and stir until combined—salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with green onion slices (green part). Serve immediately while hot, and enjoy!
The best part about this dish is that it can be made using different types of proteins, such as chicken, pork, or beef. You can also use other types of seafood, like squid or scallops.
Key tips for the best result
The following tips will help you make perfect shrimp fried rice every time:
- Use cold-cooked rice instead of fresh rice. Cold-cooked rice will make your fried rice less sticky once it's been cooked. If you want your fried rice to come out right, refrigerate day-old rice overnight. This way, the starch absorbs water and becomes sticky enough to hold together after cooking.
- If you don’t have any leftover rice from the night before, cook a batch of rice and spread it out on a large baking sheet. Allow the rice to dry for 1 to 2 hours before using it for fried rice. To make perfect Chinese fried rice, I strongly advise leaving the rice in the fridge overnight to eliminate the extra moisture. It is easier this way and requires no effort on your part.
- Make sure to cook your shrimp separately, and add them last to ensure they remain tender and juicy.
- The key to making delicious shrimp fried rice is choosing fresh ingredients and cooking them properly to bring out their natural flavors.
- The shrimp fried rice dish can be cooked with fresh shrimp, frozen shrimp, or dried shrimp.
Storing and reheating
I prefer to eat fried rice the same day I make it, but leftovers don’t taste bad either! You can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. When it’s time to heat the leftover shrimp fried rice the next day, you can put it in a microwave to your desired temperature. Or, if you choose to heat it on the stovetop, sprinkle some water over the rice, and do a quick stir. And turn off the heat immediately after the rice is ready.
Authentic shrimp fried rice: final thoughts
This authentic shrimp fried rice is made with the simplest ingredients but tastes incredible. You don't have to feed your craving by going to Chinese takeout, and you can make your own shrimp fried rice at home! Shrimp fried rice is a great choice to serve as a main dish or side dish, and it's an easy dinner for a weeknight! I hope you enjoyed this post! Give it a try next time! Feel free to check out my other fried rice dishes, such as chicken fried rice, beef fried rice, or bacon fried rice! Happy cooking!
Authentic Shrimp Fried Rice (Better Than Takeout!)
Ingredients
- 5 cups of cooked white rice
- 1 pound fresh jumbo shrimp
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 small size carrot peeled and chopped into small pieces
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ cup sweet corn
- 4 eggs beaten
- 2 green onions sliced separate the white and light green parts from the green part
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 3 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 cup water
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients, chop all the vegetables, and line up all the sauces.
- Add a little bit of cooking oil to a non-stick skillet. Arrange the raw shrimp in a single layer, and cook for 30 seconds, occasionally stirring until the shrimp change color. Turn off the heat immediacy and then transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate.
- In a wok, stir 1 tablespoon of the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat, pour the beaten eggs in, and break the egg mixture into small pieces. Set aside.
- Use the remaining oil on medium heat, add minced onions and the white parts of the green onion, and stir for about 1 minute until fragrant. Push cooked onions to one side, add the carrots, sweet corn, and sweet peas to another side, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir to combine until the veggies soften.
- Add the rice to the wok or skillet over the vegetables and egg mixture and stir to combine. Add the white parts of the sliced green onions (except the green ones for garnishing later). Mix it up. If the rice sticks to the pan, slowly add water to the side of the wok.
- Fold the cooked shrimp and cooked eggs in. Stir the mixture briefly and let it cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Sprinkle light and dark soy sauce, Shaoxing cooking wine, and sesame oil over the rice, and stir until combined—salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with green onion slices (green part). Serve immediately while hot. Enjoy!
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