Garlic fried rice, sinangag in Filipino, is the side dish I make more than anything else. Day old rice, a lot of garlic cooked until crispy, and cold butter that makes every grain fluffy and rich. It goes with everything and takes 10 minutes.
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Growing up this was always on the table. In the Philippines rice is at every meal and sinangag is how you make leftover rice taste even better than the day before. Crispy garlic is everything. Do not skip it and do not rush it.
This is the most versatile side dish I make. Full stop. Pair it with Easy Filipino Chicken Adobo, Authentic Filipino Pork Tocino, or Chicken Tinola for a full Filipino meal. Or serve it next to any protein on this site. It goes with everything.
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Ingredients
- rice
- garlic
- green onions or spring onions
- avocado oil
- butter
- salt
- white pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Garlic Fried Rice
- Fry the garlic. Heat a large wok or skillet over medium heat. Add 4 tablespoons of avocado oil. Add all the minced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and crispy. Watch it closely. It goes from golden to burnt quickly. Remove the crispy garlic and set aside. It will continue to cook slightly as it cools.
- Fry the rice. Leave 2 tablespoons of the garlic-infused oil in the pan. Discard or save the rest. Add the cold day old rice to the pan. Toss and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, breaking up any clumps, until the rice is heated through and starting to get a little colour.
- Add cold butter. Add the cold butter directly to the rice. Toss until it melts and coats every grain. This is what makes it fluffy and rich. Season.
- Add salt and white pepper. Taste and adjust.
- Add crispy garlic. Add the crispy garlic back into the rice and toss. Save some for garnishing on top.
- Serve. Top with green onions and extra crispy garlic. Serve immediately.
Substitutions
- Avocado oil → any neutral high smoke point oil; grapeseed or vegetable oil work great
- Cold butter → vegan butter works; cold is the key, not the brand
- White pepper → black pepper works but white pepper is more traditional for sinangag
- Day old rice → fresh rice spread on a tray and chilled for 30 minutes in a pinch
WHAT TO SERVE WITH IT
- Easy Filipino Chicken Adobo the most classic pairing and the one Carmen grew up eating alongside this
- Authentic Filipino Pork Tocino for a full Filipino breakfast with eggs on the side
- Gochujang Baked Chicken Legs for a Korean-Filipino fusion plate that works surprisingly well
- Fried egg on top for a full Filipino breakfast moment
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Top Tips
- Cold butter is the whole point. Room temperature butter melts too fast and goes greasy. Cold butter emulsifies into the rice as it melts and gives you a fluffy glossy finish that nothing else replicates. This is my papa's pro tip and it changed everything for me.
- Do not rush the garlic. Low and slow is how you get evenly golden crispy garlic without burning it. Burnt garlic goes bitter and there is no coming back from that. The second it hits deep golden pull it out. It keeps cooking off the heat.
- Use the garlic-infused oil to fry the rice. That oil left in the pan after the garlic is done is where all the flavor is. Two tablespoons of that goes back in with the rice. Do not throw it away.
- Day old cold rice only. Freshly cooked rice has too much moisture. It will steam and clump instead of frying. Cold rice from the fridge gives you the best texture every time.
- Use more garlic than you think. A quarter cup feels like a lot. It is not. This is sinangag. Garlic is the star.
Related
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Pairing
Filipino Fried Rice goes with everything. These are my favorite dishes to serve with sinangag:
Easy Filipino Garlic Fried Rice Recipe (Sinangag)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat a large wok or skillet over medium heat. Add 4 tablespoons of avocado oil. Add all the minced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and crispy. Watch it closely. It goes from golden to burnt quickly. Remove the crispy garlic and set aside. It will continue to cook slightly as it cools.2 tbsp of avocado oil, 12 cloves of garlic
- Leave 2 tablespoons of the garlic-infused oil in the pan. Discard or save the rest. Add the cold day old rice to the pan. Toss and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, breaking up any clumps, until the rice is heated through and starting to get a little colour.2 cups of day old rice
- Add the cold butter directly to the rice. Toss until it melts and coats every grain. This is what makes it fluffy and rich.2 tbsp of butter
- Add salt and white pepper. Taste and adjust.1 tsp of salt, 1 tsp white pepper
- Add the crispy garlic back into the rice and toss. Save some for garnishing on top.
- Top with green onions and extra crispy garlic. Serve immediately.2 stalks of sliced green onions
Notes
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @eatwithcarmen in all social platformsFrequently Asked Questions for Filipino Garlic Fried Rice, Sinangag
What is sinangag? Filipino garlic fried rice. Day old rice, a generous amount of garlic fried in oil until crispy, and cold butter to finish. One of the most beloved dishes in Filipino cooking and eaten at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Why does my garlic burn before the rice is done? Because in this recipe the garlic and rice cook separately. The garlic gets fried first then removed. The rice goes into the garlic-infused oil. This way the garlic stays crispy and never burns.
Can I use fresh rice? Day old cold rice only. Fresh rice steams instead of fries. If you only have fresh rice spread it on a tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes before cooking. It is not the same but it works in a pinch.
What makes this different from regular fried rice? Sinangag is much simpler than Chinese-style fried rice. No eggs, no vegetables, no soy sauce. Just rice, a lot of garlic, oil, and butter. The flavour comes entirely from the crispy garlic and the cold butter finish. That is it and that is enough.
Is this spicy? Not at all. Pure garlic flavour, no heat. Add chili oil on top if you want spice.
Can I make this for meal prep? Yes. Make a full batch and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a wok with a drizzle of oil to get some of the texture back. Microwave works but the wok is better.
Marga says
This dish brings back filipino morning memories of mine🥹
Laica says
One of the easiest fried rice recipes ever!
Carmen says
Thank you!!!