This ham fried rice is a savory blend of diced ham, scrambled egg, vegetables and rice, all stir fried together in a flavorful sauce. A quick and easy dinner option that’s great for using up leftovers!
I always make an extra large honey baked ham around the holidays so I have plenty of leftovers for recipes like ham and corn chowder, hearty ham casserole, and this simple but satisfying ham fried rice.
Part of the fun of the holidays is having leftovers! I repurpose my leftovers to make this ham fried rice. It takes just minutes to come together, it’s easy to customize to your tastes, and of course it’s totally delicious. Looking for more great ways to use up ham? Check out my list of 18 leftover ham recipes!
Table of Contents
Ham Fried Rice Ingredients
This recipe contains diced ham, cooked rice, eggs, seasonings and vegetables including onions, carrots and peas. The sauce is made with sesame oil and soy sauce. The finishing touch is a sprinkle of fresh green onions.
How Do You Make Ham Fried Rice?
Cut up your ham into bite sized pieces, then lightly cook the meat in a skillet until it’s golden brown. Remove the ham from the pan, then prepare some scrambled eggs and veggies. Next, add everything back to the skillet along with cooked rice, a drizzle of sesame oil and some soy sauce. Stir fry until all the ingredients are coated in sauce, then add a sprinkling of sliced green onions and serve.
Tips For The Perfect Dish
- If you don’t have leftover ham on hand, most grocery stores sell pre-cooked smoked ham steaks that are perfect for this recipe.
- Frozen peas work great this fried rice, so there’s no need to try and locate fresh peas. That being said, I recommend avoiding canned peas as they don’t have as nice of a color or texture as the frozen variety.
- Fried rice works best with cold rice, so this is the perfect way to use up leftovers. With cold rice, the grains are all separated and firm, so you will get a better texture than you would with freshly cooked rice. Fried rice made with just-cooked rice will have a softer texture.
- To save on prep time, feel free to use some frozen mixed vegetables instead of chopping up fresh veggies.
Quick Tip
I recommend using low sodium soy sauce since ham typically contains a fair amount of sodium.
Recipe FAQs
For restaurant style fried rice, I recommend using a long grain white rice such as jasmine rice. It has the most authentic flavor and texture.
The biggest factor in fried rice is the rice itself. Chilled rice makes for the best texture, as freshly cooked rice can make the dish mushy. In addition, it’s important to cut the ingredients into similar sized pieces. Finally, cook everything at medium-high heat to make sure it all gets nicely caramelized for added flavor.
Leftover fried rice will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen in an airtight container for 2 months.
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Ham Fried Rice Flavor Variations
This recipe is great as-is, but you can absolutely add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
- Protein: Instead of ham, try using diced cooked chicken, shrimp, bacon or even cooked ground beef.
- Grains: Swap out the white rice for cooked brown rice or quinoa.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add extra veggies to the mix such as bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, bok choy, or even fresh spinach.
- Flavorings: Amp up the flavor with some minced ginger, sriracha, chopped cilantro, sesame seeds or add a bit of honey for a sweet and savory flavor.
This is one of my go-to recipes when I need dinner on the table in a flash. It’s always a hit with both the kids and the adults!
More Great Ways To Use Leftover Ham
Ham and Beans Recipe
9 hrs 50 mins
Ham and Cheese Sliders
30 mins
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
1 hr 35 mins
Ham and Potato Soup
40 mins
Ham Salad Recipe
16 mins
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Ham Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons vegetable oil divided use
- 2 cups ham cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 2/3 cup onion chopped
- 1/2 cup carrots peeled, quartered and sliced
- 1/2 cup frozen peas thawed
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 3 cups cooked long grain white rice
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce low sodium
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large pan over medium high heat.
- Place the ham in a single layer in the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until meat is browned.
- Remove the ham from the pan. Place it on a plate. Cover the plate with foil to keep warm.
- Pour 1 teaspoon of oil into the pan, then add the onion and carrots. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the garlic, then cook for 30 seconds.
- Remove the vegetables from the pan. Place them on the plate with the ham and cover to keep warm.
- Pour the remaining teaspoon of oil into the pan. Add the eggs and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up with a spatula, until the eggs are scrambled, about 3 minutes. Season the eggs with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the rice, ham, cooked veggies and peas into the pan. Stir to combine.
- Stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil and cook until everything is thoroughly combined and warmed through, about 4-5 minutes.
- Sprinkle green onions over the top of the fried rice, then serve and enjoy.
Notes
- If you don’t have leftover ham on hand, most grocery stores sell pre-cooked ham steaks that are perfect for this recipe.
- Fried rice works best with cold leftover rice. With cold rice, the grains are all separated and firm, so you will get a better texture than you would with freshly cooked rice.
- I recommend using low sodium soy sauce since ham typically contains a fair amount of sodium.
