This shrimp fried rice is tender seasoned shrimp stir fried with eggs, vegetables and rice. A quick and easy meal or side dish that’s even better than what you’d get from your local Chinese restaurant!
I love to make my favorite Asian dishes at home, such as crab rangoon, sweet and sour chicken and this simple yet satisfying shrimp fried rice.
When I’m cooking rice for dinner, I often make a double batch so that I’ll have enough to make fried rice the next day. This shrimp fried rice is hearty enough to stand on its own as a complete meal, or pair it with some of your other Chinese food favorites for a memorable meal.
How do you make shrimp fried rice?
This recipe starts with shrimp, which are cooked until just pink and opaque. The shrimp are removed from the skillet, then the vegetables and eggs are cooked in the same pan. The next step is to add everything back to the pan along with cooked rice, sesame oil and soy sauce. Cook until everything is coated in sauce, add a sprinkling of sliced green onions, then serve.
Tips for shrimp fried rice
- I use smaller shrimp for this recipe so that you get a bit of shrimp in each bite. I used 31-40 count shrimp. Do not use pre-cooked shrimp, as they’ll get rubbery when you heat them up a second time to make the recipe.
- Frozen peas work perfectly in this fried rice, no need to look for fresh peas. That being said, I don’t recommend 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 repurpose leftover rice. With cold rice, the grains are all separated and firm, and you’ll get a better texture than you would with fresh cooked rice. Fried rice made with just-cooked rice will be softer and won’t have those crispy little bits.
How to peel and devein shrimp
This recipe calls for raw shrimp which are cooked in a hot skillet. Many shrimp come from the store with the shells still attached. If your shrimp have shells on them, you can easily remove them by pulling the main part of the shell off with your fingers, then removing the tail end of the shell. You may also need to devein your shrimp. If you see a dark line running across the top of the the shrimp, you can remove it by using a paring knife to cut a small slit down the shrimp, then use a knife or wooden skewer to remove and discard the vein.
Is fried rice bad for you?
Fried rice does contain some oil, but other than that, the basic ingredients of shrimp, vegetables, eggs and rice are wholesome and packed with nutrients and protein. If you’re looking for ways to make your fried rice healthier, you can use half the amount of vegetable oil, substitute brown rice for white rice, and add more vegetables to the mix.
Shrimp fried rice variations
There are so many different ingredients you can add to your fried rice to customize it to your tastes.
- Protein: You can add other types of protein such as bacon, ham, chicken or tofu.
- Vegetables: I like to add other vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, red bell pepper or green beans.
- Seasonings: You can add other seasonings such as sesame seeds, sriracha sauce for a little kick, or freshly grated ginger.
This shrimp fried rice is so quick and easy that it’s perfect for even the busiest of nights. The whole family is sure to love it!
More Asian food favorites
Shrimp Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons vegetable oil divided use
- 3/4 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cup carrots peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup frozen peas thawed
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 3 cups cooked white rice long grain
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup green onions sliced
Instructions
- Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the shrimp in a single layer in the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until pink and opaque.
- Remove the shrimp from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Add 1 teaspoon of oil to the pan, along with the onion and carrots. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Remove the vegetables from the pan, then 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 and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the rice, shrimp, reserved cooked veggies and peas to the pan. Stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil and mix gently until everything is thoroughly combined and warmed through, 3-4 minutes.
- Sprinkle green onions over the top, then serve.
I have made this a few times and it’s always been fantastic. My husband who is a very picky eater, had seconds on this. Hes even asked me to make it more often. This is great tasting and much better than takeout.
Delish! Robust flavor. Quick and easy to make. Another addition to weeknight rotation.
Better tan take out and really easy to make!
Simple and straightforward…. I had all the ingredients on hand, the entire family enjoyed it! First time making this dish and definitely not my last!
Such a great recipe, the whole family enjoy it. I have made it twice now, used king prawns served as a main. Little prawns when serving as a side dish.
Shrimp fried rice is hands down one of the best ones out there! Love how simple yet delicious it is!
This rice is totally my kind of comfort food and you totally made it even more delicious with the addition of shrimps! So good!
This looks so delicious and tasty! My daughter and I are going to love this recipe! So excited!
This Shrimp Fried Rice is so delicious and very easy to make!! I will be making this again for my family!! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
We just loved this fried rice recipe! I’ve made it with shrimp, chicken and even beef and it comes out perfect each time.