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5 from 4 votes

Shrimp Fried Rice

Try this game-changing Shrimp Fried Rice recipe, that's loaded with tender garlicky shrimp, fluffy rice, and veggies, it's a better alternative to takeout and can be ready in 30 minutes.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 4
Calories: 598kcal
Author: Joyce Lee

Ingredients

  • 3 cups leftover rice
  • 10 shrimp (21/25, if you're using smaller shrimp add a few more)
  • ½ teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 cup frozen vegetables
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoon ginger (finely grated)
  • ½ tablespoon garlic (finely grated, 2 cloves)
  • 2 stalks green onions

Shrimp Fried Rice Seasoning

Instructions

Preparation

  • Break up the 3 cups leftover rice into small pieces by hand. Aim for individual grains if possible.
    Breaking chunks of rice by hand into individual grains for fried rice.
  • In a small bowl, beat 2 large eggs with 1 teaspoon of oil and set it aside.
    eggs beaten with a bit of oil in a beige bowl.
  • In another bowl, combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or fish sauce) and ½ teaspoon salt and set it aside.
    a small bowl of sauce in a glass bowl.
  • Finely mince or grate ½ teaspoon ginger and ½ tablespoon garlic and set it aside. Next, finely mince 2 stalks green onions, separate the whites and the greens and set them aside for later.
    green onions, garlic and ginger being prepared by grating it.

Prepare the Shrimp

  • Make sure your shrimp has fully thawed if you're using frozen shrimp, then peel the shrimp. You can also de-vein them as well, but it is optional.
    Peel the shrimp.
  • (Optional) Cut the Shrimp Smaller: I like to use large shrimp, sized 21/25 since it's what I always have at home. I cut them into bite sized pieces by cutting them in half length-wise so it is easier to eat, you can also chop them in half down as well. If you are using smaller shrimp, or like larger shrimp in your fried rice, then you can skip this step.
    slicing shrimp length wise to make them smaller for yeung chow fried rice.
  • Add ½ teaspoon cornstarch to the shrimp and gently mix it by hand until everything is coated. This will seal in some of the juices.
    metal bowl with shrimp mixed with cornstarch.

Cook the Shrimp Fried Rice

  • Set a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add a bit of oil to it.
  • Add in 1 cup frozen vegetables, and stir fry them for 2 minutes until the veggies are soft.
    stir frying vegetables for shrimp fried rice
  • Add in the shrimp and cook it until it turns opaque and fully cooked, about 2 minutes.
    adding shrimp into frying pan and cooking it.
  • Add in the minced garlic, ginger, and the whites of the green onions and stir fry everything for 1 minute until it is fragrant.
    added garlic and ginger and stir frying everything together.
  • Push aside the veggies and shrimp, add a bit of oil to the pan, and pour in the beaten egg. Let it cook for about 30 seconds until it's about 50% cooked.
    added egg and cooking it until its about 70% done.
  • Place the rice on top of the half-cooked eggs. Stir the only rice and egg together until the egg is fully cooked and the eggs looks dry. This should take about 2-3 minutes. If there are still chunks of rice, use the back of your spatula to break them up.
    stir frying rice with just the scrambled egg.
  • Combine the shrimp and veggies back into the rice and egg mix and stir everything together.
  • Drizzle the sauce evenly over the rice and stir everything together until it's all evenly seasoned.
    chinese shrimp fried rice finished cooking in a frying pan.
  • Turn off the heat, mix in the green part of the green onions, and your delicious take-out style shrimp fried rice is ready to enjoy!
    chinese shrimp fried rice on a wooden plate on wooden table.

Notes

  • Use Day-Old Rice: For this rice recipe, it's best to use leftover cold cooked rice. Freshly cooked rice tends to be too soft and can turn mushy when stir-fried. Day-old rice has had time to dry out a bit, making it perfect for stir-fries.
  • Break Up Rice Grains Ahead of Time: Fried rice cooks really quickly, so it's important to try to break up the grains beforehand so that it can cook more evenly. Try to aim to break them down into individual grains if possible.
  • Don't Be Shy with the Oil: Adding a good amount of oil will not only help the ingredients stick less to the pan or wok, but it will also help each grain of rice fry up evenly as well.
  • Use a Wok or Large Skillet: To make good fried rice, it's important not to overcrowd the pan so that the ingredients don't steam, which will make mushy textured rice. By using a large skillet or a wok, all the ingredients have a chance to make contact with the direct heat from the pan.
  • Frozen Shrimp: If you are using frozen shrimp, make sure it is fully thawed before you use it so that it cooks evenly and all the way through.

Nutrition

Calories: 598kcal | Carbohydrates: 119g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 785mg | Potassium: 369mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 2550IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 2mg