Enjoy my take on the best Shrimp Fried Rice! It's a mix of juicy plump shrimp, colorful veggies, and perfectly cooked rice. This dish is quick and tasty. You'll want to make it again and again!
Want to add chicken too? Make my shrimp and chicken fried rice.
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Shrimp Fried Rice is a flexible meal, great for lunch or busy dinners. It combines shrimp, veggies, and rice for a balanced dish. It is ready in 15 minutes so enjoy it anytime!
Try this delicious Shrimp Fried Rice, inspired by another fantastic easy recipe on this site. It pairs wonderfully with a standout dish. Enjoy them with Honey Sesame Chicken or Lemon Butter Chicken Skewers for a delicious and satisfying meal.
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How to make shrimp fried rice
Cook the shrimp with some oil and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Remove and set aside after the shrimp is cooked through.
With a little more oil, saute the garlic. Add in the rice. Make a well and crack the eggs. Let the eggs cook a little bit and scramble. Saute well.
Add the frozen vegetables. Season with some soy sauce, salt, and white pepper or black pepper.
Add back the shrimp and butter. Saute until everything is incorporated well.
What to Serve with Shrimp Fried Rice
Shrimp fried rice can hold its own as a light meal, but it really earns its keep as the sidekick to a bigger spread. Here's what I put next to it when I want to turn it into dinner.
Pair it with a saucy main:
- Korean Fried Chicken is your move when you want crunch on the table.
- Honey Sesame Chicken is sticky, sweet, and made for spooning over rice.
- Lemon Butter Chicken Skewers are bright and buttery, straight from the air fryer.
- Garlic Miso Chicken brings deep savory flavor from just eight ingredients.
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
Easy Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe - better than takeout
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Get everything ready before the pan gets hot. Fried rice moves fast and won't wait for you. Break up the day-old rice with your hands so there are no clumps. Pat the shrimp dry and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Separate the white and green parts of the green onions.15 pieces of peeled and deveined shrimp, 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 cups rice, 2 eggs lightly beaten, 1 cup of frozen vegetables, 4 cloves of minced garlic, 2 stalks of green onions
- Sear the shrimp first, then get them out of the way. Heat the wok over medium-high and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Toss in 2 cloves of minced garlic, then the shrimp. Cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove and set aside.1 tbsp neutral oil
- Fry the rice. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the same wok. Add the remaining 4 cloves of garlic and the white parts of the green onions. Cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the rice and press it into the pan, breaking up any last clumps.2 tbsp of neutral oil
- Scramble the eggs right into it. Push the rice to one side, pour the beaten eggs into the empty space, and let them set for a few seconds. Scramble, then fold everything together.
- Add the veg. Stir in the frozen vegetables and cook 2 minutes until heated through. No need to thaw first.
- Sauce it. Pour in the soy sauce and sesame oil. Toss until every grain is coated.2 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil
- Finish with shrimp and butter. Add the shrimp back in with the green parts of the onions and the cold butter. Stir-fry 1 minute until the butter melts and everything turns glossy.1 tbsp butter
- Serve hot. Top with extra green onions and eat right away. This is a right-now kind of dish.
Notes
- Prep before you turn the stove on. This whole thing cooks in minutes, so there's no time to be chopping garlic while the shrimp burns. Break up the rice, chop everything, get the shrimp peeled and deveined, and line it all up ready to go.
- Get the pan screaming hot. A properly heated wok or skillet is what gives fried rice that smoky takeout flavor. A lukewarm pan just steams everything into a sad mush.
- Cook in stages and don't crowd the pan. Shrimp first, then rice, eggs, and veg. Pile it all in at once and nothing sears, it just sweats.
- Season with a light hand. It doesn't need much. A little soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper is all it takes to load this up with umami. Taste before you add more.
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @eatwithcarmen in all social platformsEasy Shrimp Fried Rice - FAQs
What kind of rice is best for shrimp fried rice?
Day-old rice is best. Cold rice that's spent a night in the fridge dries out just enough to fry up separate and chewy instead of clumping into mush. No day-old rice on hand? Cook a fresh batch, spread it thin on a tray, and chill it uncovered for at least an hour before you start.
Why is my fried rice mushy?
Mushy fried rice comes down to two things: wet rice or a cold pan. Freshly cooked rice holds too much moisture, so it steams instead of fries. Use chilled day-old rice and get the wok properly hot before anything hits it.
Do I need to cook the shrimp first?
Yes, sear the shrimp first and set them aside. Cooking them before the rice gives you a real golden sear, and pulling them out keeps them from turning rubbery while everything else finishes. They go back in at the very end.
Can I use frozen or pre-cooked shrimp?
Frozen raw shrimp work great. Just thaw and pat them dry so they sear instead of steam. Pre-cooked shrimp work too, but skip the searing and toss them in at the end only to warm through, or they'll go tough.
Can I swap the shrimp for chicken or another protein?
Absolutely. Diced chicken, pork, or crispy tofu all work with the exact same method. Cook the protein first, set it aside, and add it back at the end just like the shrimp.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a hot pan with a splash of oil to bring the texture back, or microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each. A little extra soy sauce wakes it back up if it tastes flat.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes. Swap the soy sauce for tamari or a certified gluten-free soy sauce and check your sesame oil is pure. Everything else in the recipe is already gluten-free.
Mari says
Delicious mornings with another great fried rice recipe.
Beatrice says
Love how easy for lazy like me😂
Reid says
So Easy!