Thai Fried Rice
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Sep. 11, 2025
This Thai fried rice is one of the first things I make with leftover rice. It’s packed with succulent flavors in every bite. I love how it comes together in one pan in under 30 minutes!
In This Article
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Amy’s Notes
This Thai Fried Rice is my go-to when I want a better than takeout family meal everyone will love. Here’s why I make it so often:
- Bold, Balanced Sauce: The mix of tamari, fish sauce, palm sugar, and oyster sauce creates deep flavor with just the right balance of salty and sweet.
- Perfect Texture: Using cold, day-old jasmine rice gives the fried rice that ideal chewy texture. Like my Chinese Style Fried Rice, it fries up beautifully.
- One Pan Only: Everything from the shrimp to the scrambled eggs and herbs cooks in one big pan. It keeps cleanup minimal.
- Fresh and Herby: Thai basil and scallions go in right at the end, adding a fresh pop that brightens the entire dish.
- Fast, Filling Dinner: It’s one of our favorite under 30-minute meals.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Sauce Mixture – A blend of tamari or soy sauce, fish sauce, palm sugar, and oyster sauce adds authentic salty-sweet umami flavor to every bite of the rice.
- Cold Cooked Jasmine Rice – Day-old long grain rice is key to perfect texture; it stays fluffy and never mushy when stir-fried.
- Shrimp – Lightly cooked shrimp add juicy, savory protein that pairs beautifully with the punchy sauce and aromatic rice.
- Garlic, Onion & Carrots – This trio forms the savory, slightly sweet flavor base and adds hearty texture to the stir-fry.
- Eggs – Scrambled directly into the pan, eggs add richness and protein while helping bind the ingredients together.
- Thai Basil & Scallions – Stirred in at the end, fresh basil and scallions give a burst of bold, bright flavor without overpowering the dish.
- Cherry Tomatoes – Halved tomatoes offer juicy bursts of sweetness and color throughout the fried rice.
Substitutions And Variations
Here are some of our favorite substitutions and variations:
- Protein Swaps: I love making this with shrimp, but it works just as well with shredded rotisserie chicken or thinly sliced beef.
- Rice Alternatives: Cold jasmine rice is ideal here because of its fluffy texture, but you can also use leftover basmati or long grain white rice. I don’t recommend using short grain or brown rice since it tends to clump more and changes the texture.
- Vegetable Add-Ins: This recipe is flexible with veggies. Sometimes I’ll toss in snap peas, chopped green beans, or diced bell peppers depending on what I have on hand.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- Sauté onion and garlic, then add carrots and tomatoes.
- Stir in shrimp and cook until opaque.
- Add cold cooked rice and sauce mixture.
- Toss in Thai basil and scallions.
- Push rice aside, scramble eggs in the center, and mix into rice.
- Season to taste and garnish with cucumbers or lime.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How To Prep Ahead
Take a look at our best prep-ahead strategies for this recipe:
- Prep the Sauce First: The sauce mixture can be whisked together and stored in an airtight jar or container in the fridge up to 3 days in advance. This saves time when you’re ready to cook.
- Chop and Store Veggies: You can chop the onions, garlic, carrots, and tomatoes ahead of time and store them in airtight containers in the fridge. This makes it easy to toss everything into the pan when cooking.
What To Serve with Thai Fried Rice
Stir Fries
- We like serving Thai Fried Rice alongside stir-fried favorites like Thai Basil Chicken with Peppers or Easy Teriyaki Chicken for a vibrant, satisfying meal.
- If you’re in the mood for something saucier, try it with Extra Crispy Orange Chicken to add a sweet-savory balance to your plate.
Other Thai Favorites
- Pair it with Crunchy Thai Salad for extra texture and freshness, or serve it with Thai Green Curry Noodles to build a bold and flavorful spread.
- Thai Peanut Noodles also make a great companion if you’re feeding a crowd and want multiple noodle options on the table.
Video: Watch Us Make This Recipe
Thai Fried Rice
One-Pan Thai Fried Rice is done in under 20 minutes. It’s easy, healthy, and tastes authentically delicious. Avoid the takeout and whip up this quick, tasty dish that’s sure to become a family favorite.
Ingredients
For the Sauce Mixture:
- 2 tablespoons Tamari soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar
- 1 tablespoon Asian oyster sauce
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Fried Rice:
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup matchstick carrots
- ½ lb large raw shrimp, pre-shelled and deveined
- 6 cups cold, cooked long grain rice such as jasmine
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves
- ½ cup chopped scallions
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- Garnishes: sliced cucumber, sliced tomatoes, or lime wedges
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients for sauce in a small bowl and whisk. Set aside.
- In a large, deep pan (or wok) add the cooking oil and heat over medium-high until hot. Add onions and garlic, stirring frequently until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add carrots and stir until tender, 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir to combine well. Once vegetables are softened, add shrimp and stir until no longer opaque, about 1 minute (don't overcook the shrimp.)
- Add cooked cold rice, breaking up clumps if needed, and stirring to incorporate. Add your Sauce Mixture and stir to combine well.
- Use spatula to push fried rice to the edges of pan, making a well in the center of pan. Crack eggs into the well and scramble them, trying not to disturb the fried rice. Once eggs are cooked, stir it into the fried rice.
- Add Thai basil and scallions, stirring just to incorporate don't fully cook the herbs. Add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Garnish as desired.
Notes
- Tamari Soy Sauce is often found in Asian aisles of grocery stores, and is typically GF. Look for the GF labeling.
- If you haven’t tried Asian Fish Sauce, we promise it doesn’t make the dish taste fishy at all. It imparts a wonderful “umami” flavor that adds to the authentic taste of this dish. Try not to omit.
- Palm sugar has subtle caramel tones to it, and has a deeper richer flavor than granulated sugar. However, you can use granulated sugar if you can’t find palm sugar.
- Shredded cooked chicken can be used instead of shrimp. Omit meat if making it vegetarian.
- This recipe is part of our Thai Recipes Collection.
- We like serving Thai Fried Rice alongside stir-fried favorites like Thai Basil Chicken with Peppers or Easy Teriyaki Chicken
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 153mg | Sodium: 2031mg | Potassium: 715mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 5149IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 18mg
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of rice is best for Thai Fried Rice?
Cold, day-old jasmine rice is ideal. It’s dry enough to absorb the sauce and stir-fry evenly without turning mushy. Freshly cooked rice is too soft and can get clumpy.
What does fish sauce do, and can I leave it out?
Fish sauce adds that essential salty umami depth that gives this dish its signature flavor. It doesn’t make the dish taste fishy at all. If possible, try not to skip it.
How spicy is this dish?
The recipe isn’t spicy as written, but you can always add fresh chili, chili oil, or serve with Sriracha on the side if you like extra heat.
How should I store leftovers, and how long will it keep?
Leftover Thai fried rice should be cooled completely, then stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave before serving.
More to Cook And Eat
- Easy Pad Thai Recipe – This Easy Pad Thai Recipe is loaded with flavor and ready in just over 30 minutes, it’s a healthy, protein-packed, homemade version of everyone’s favorite restaurant dish!
- Mongolian Beef Recipe – I make this Mongolian beef recipe whenever I’m craving takeout without the wait. It’s rich, saucy, and comes together in 30 minutes.
- Korean Beef Bowl Recipe – This Korean Beef Bowl Recipe is what I make on on busy weeknights, between shuttling the boys to soccer and hockey and swim.
- Mochiko Chicken Recipe – This Mochiko Chicken Recipe is Hawaii’s fried chicken at its best! This succulent chicken recipe is huge on flavor, super tender, and an instant family favorite dinner!