Shanghai fried rice is a delicious stir-fry from China that combines fluffy rice, savory meats or seafood, crisp vegetables, and a rich sauce. The best part? It's surprisingly easy to make at home with just a few simple ingredients.
Serve it with my Cashew Chicken for a takeout-style meal at home, the saucy chicken and crunchy cashews pair perfectly with this savory fried rice.
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A staple of Shanghainese cuisine, Shanghai fried rice is a comforting dish with origins dating back centuries. Traditionally made with leftover cooked rice, it's a great way to use up odds and ends in your fridge just like what I do in my chicken adobo fried rice, anchovies fried rice and beef kimchi fried rice recipes.
The key to this dish is using cold, cooked rice, which results in separate fluffy grains instead of mush. Packed with vegetables, protein from meat, and carbs from the rice, Shanghai fried rice can be a complete and satisfying meal on its own.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Authentic flavors: Our recipe captures the true essence of Shanghai fried rice, with a perfect balance of savory and umami flavors.
- Homemade goodness: We use only the freshest ingredients and traditional cooking techniques to create a truly homemade taste. Versatile meal: Enjoy Shanghai fried rice as a main course, a side dish, or even a late-night snack.
- Easy to make: Our recipe is simple and straightforward, making it easy for anyone to cook at home.
- Satisfying and filling: Our generous portions and hearty ingredients will leave you feeling full and satisfied.
Ingredients
This recipe makes a delicious and satisfying Shanghai fried rice for four. You can easily adjust the quantities for more people.
- Cooked cold white rice (preferably day-old): This might seem odd, but trust me! Cold rice fries up nice and separate, stopping it from turning into a gloopy mess. Leftover rice from yesterday's dinner is perfect!
- Oil (avocado, canola or any neutral oil): We need a high smoke point oil that can handle the heat of our stir-fry without burning. These neutral oils won't overpower the other flavours.
- Chinese style sausage: These add a salty, savory kick that's classic in Shanghai Fried Rice. You can slice or chop them up nice and small so they get nice and crispy in the pan.
- Ground beef (or any protein of your choice): This is your protein party! Ground beef is a great choice, but feel free to sub in chicken, shrimp, tofu โ whatever you fancy!
- Garlic: The magic ingredient in pretty much everything, garlic adds a delicious depth of flavour. Mincing it nice and small means it gets infused throughout the rice.
- Light soy sauce: This is our salty base, adding that umami goodness. Light soy sauce is a bit less intense than dark soy sauce, so it won't overpower the dish.
- Oyster sauce: This adds a rich, savory depth that complements the soy sauce beautifully. Think of it like a flavour booster!
- Sweet soy sauce: A touch of sweetness balances out the salty and savory flavours, keeping things interesting on the taste bud rollercoaster.
- Bunches of bok choy, chopped: These leafy greens add a fresh, vibrant crunch and some essential vitamins. Bok choy cooks down quickly, keeping things nice and snappy.
- Salt and pepper: Season to taste at the end โ you can always add more, but you can't take it away!
How to Make Shanghai Fried Rice
Shanghai Fried Rice in a Jiffy! This crazy-easy stir-fry is packed with flavor and ready to devour in no time.
- Rescue that Leftover Rice โ Use cold, day-old rice for best results, but fresh rice works too! Just break it up with a fork to avoid clumping in your Shanghai fried rice.
- Heat Up the Oil โ Add a generous amount of neutral oil (like vegetable or canola) to your hot wok, and get it sizzling before adding the other ingredients.
- Sizzle the Chinese Sausage โ Slice or dice Chinese sausage and let it cook until crispy, releasing all its savory goodness into the dish.
- Cook the Protein โ Add ground beef or your protein of choice, breaking it apart as it cooks thoroughly in the wok.
- Add Garlic for Flavor โ Toss in minced garlic and stir for about a minute to infuse the fried rice with that irresistible garlic aroma.
- Sauce it Up โ Pour in light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sweet soy sauce to give your fried rice that perfect umami-rich flavor.
- Toss in the Bok Choy โ Stir-fry chopped bok choy until just wilted but still crisp, adding a fresh and crunchy element to the rice.
- Season to Perfection โ Sprinkle with salt and pepper, adjusting to taste. Remember, start small, you can always add more seasoning later!
- Fry Until Perfection โ Give everything one last stir-fry to ensure the rice is heated through and packed with flavor. Now youโve got a quick, tasty Shanghai Fried Rice ready to impress!
Substitutions
Here's the skinny on substitutions for your Shanghai Fried Rice:
- Protein: Don't have ground beef? No worries! Sub in chicken, shrimp, tofu, or even some leftover roast veggies.
- Veggie Swap: Not a fan of bok choy? Peas, carrots, or chopped green beans would all be brilliant substitutes.
- Soy Sauce: If you only have dark soy sauce, use a bit less (it's stronger) and maybe add a touch of sugar for the sweetness. Don't have oyster sauce? A splash of fish sauce can work in a pinch.
Variations
Shanghai Fried Rice is a playground for customization. Here are some flavorful variations to try:
- Add Seafood : Swap the ground beef for diced shrimp or scallops. Add a splash of fish sauce for an extra umami kick.
- Spicy Szechuan: Feeling fiery? Add a chopped red chili pepper (seeds removed for less heat) with the garlic for a spicy kick. Drizzle in a teaspoon of chili crisp sauce for an extra punch.
- Kimchi Kick: For a Korean twist, add a cup of chopped kimchi with the bok choy. The fermented cabbage adds a tangy, spicy flavour. Check out my Kimchi Fried Rice for a whole other level of deliciousness!
- Make it Vegetarian: Ditch the meat altogether! Up the veg by adding sliced mushrooms, bell peppers, or bean sprouts. A crumbled block of tofu adds protein and texture.
- Add Pineapple: For a sweet and savory twist, add some diced fresh pineapple with the vegetables. Trust me, it works!
What to Serve With This
- Dim sum: Enjoy a variety of small, steamed or fried dumplings to complement the savory flavors of the fried rice.
- Soup: A warm and comforting soup, such as wonton soup or hot and sour soup, broccoli soup, or kabocha squash soup can be a great accompaniment to the fried rice.
- Stir-fry: A flavorful stir-fry dish, like garlic green beans stir fry, okra stir fry, kung- pao chicken or beef and broccoli, can be a delicious and satisfying pairing.
- Spring rolls: Crispy spring rolls filled with vegetables or meat like chicken lumpiang shanghai can add a textural contrast to the fried rice.
- Simple Green Salad: A fresh and light salad can help balance the richness of the fried rice.
- Gyoza: Pan-fried dumplings filled with a savory filling can be a delicious appetizer or side dish.
- Edamame: Steamed or boiled edamame can add a healthy and protein-packed element to your meal.
- Sweet and sour pork (with pineapple): A Filipino version of a classic Chinese dish that pairs well with fried rice.
- Egg drop soup: A simple and comforting soup that is easy to make and pairs well with fried rice.
- Chicken wings: Crispy and flavorful chicken wings can be a delicious and satisfying side dish.
What Can You Use Chorizo For?
Got More Extra Chorizo? Here's What You Can Use It For:
- Adobong Sitaw with Chorizo: Create a flavorful and hearty Filipino dish by adding chorizo to your adobo with string beans.
- Spanish Omelette: Incorporate chorizo into a classic Spanish omelette for a savory and satisfying breakfast or brunch.
- Chorizo and Potato Hash: Make a delicious and filling breakfast or side dish by combining chorizo with potatoes, onions, and peppers.
- Chorizo Tacos: Create a delicious and customizable taco filling with chorizo, salsa, and your favorite toppings.
- Chorizo Quesadillas: Fill tortillas with chorizo, cheese, and your favorite toppings for a quick and easy meal.
- Chorizo and Egg Scramble: Create a quick and easy breakfast by scrambling eggs with chorizo.
- Chorizo Burritos: Wrap chorizo, rice, beans, and your favorite toppings in a burrito for a satisfying meal.
Equipment
This recipe is a one-wok wonder. Just grab your wok and get ready to stir-fry your way to deliciousness.
Storage Instruction
The beauty of Shanghai Fried Rice is you can enjoy leftovers! If you foresee any extras, let the rice cool completely first. Then transfer it to an airtight container or a sealable freezer bag (remove as much air as possible). Stashed in the fridge, it'll keep for up to 3-4 days, perfect for a quick and easy lunch.
Rose's Top Tip
The top tip for this Shanghai Fried Rice recipe is to use cold, cooked rice. Freshly cooked rice will be too sticky and won't fry up separate and fluffy. Leftover rice from yesterday's dinner is perfect, or you can spread freshly cooked rice on a baking sheet and chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes before using. This ensures those beautiful, distinct grains for the best texture!
More Easy Chicken and Rice Recipes
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Shanghai Fried Rice
Equipment
- 1 wok
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked cold white rice preferably day old
- 2 tablespoon oil avocado, canola oil or any neutral oil
- 3 chinese style sausage, sliced
- 1 cup ground beef or any protein of your choice
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce
- 3 bunches of bokchoy chopped
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
- Add Chinese-style sausages to the skillet and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add ground beef (or protein of choice) and minced garlic. Cook until meat is browned and garlic is fragrant.
- Stir in cooked cold white rice and break up any clumps with a spatula.
- Add light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sweet soy sauce to the skillet. Mix well to evenly coat the rice and meat.
- Add chopped bok choy to the skillet and cook until wilted and tender.
- Slice cooked Chinese-style sausages and add them back to the skillet. Mix everything together.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook for a few more minutes until everything is heated through and well combined.
- Serve hot and enjoy your delicious Chinese-style sausage fried rice!
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Notes
- No Day-Old Rice? No Problem! โ If youโre working with fresh rice, simply spread it out on a baking sheet and let it sit for 30 minutes. This helps dry it out a bit, giving you that perfect fried rice texture.
- For Extra Crispy Chorizo โ Want even crispier bites of chorizo? Chop it into smaller pieces before frying to maximize those golden, crunchy edges.
- Wok on High Heat โ Always use a wok and crank up the heat! High fire is key for that authentic, smoky flavor and perfectly stir-fried rice.
