When we say Fried Brown Rice, we don’t mean white rice fried in a classic brown sauce, we’re talking about actual brown rice fried rice!
Why Brown Rice?
When you eat white rice, the tough outer husk, bran and germ have been removed for a pearly white grain with great texture, but it doesn’t deliver on health. Brown rice has only had the tough outer husk removed and the bran and germ intact. That means more fiber and nutrients, and slower digestion. It’s also more filling than white rice.
We enjoy it not only for health reasons, but also the chewy texture, which is what I personally enjoy most about Fried Brown Rice.
These days, most Chinese restaurants offer brown rice as an alternative to the usual white rice. More and more, we’re ordering brown rice to go with dinners out. Upon request, many Chinese restaurants will make fried rice using brown rice instead of white rice, but you can make it at home with this recipe!
The Secret to Great Fried Brown Rice
Making fried brown rice is simple if you prepare everything to have at your fingertips before turning on the stove.
Follow these steps in the order below, and you’ll make perfect fried brown rice every time.
- Steam the brown rice
- Marinate the meat
- Prepare the sauce
- Scramble eggs
- Sear the meat (Beef Fried Rice is Judy’s favorite, so that’s what we made for this recipe!)
- Stir fry all the Fried Brown Rice ingredients together
If you’re not sold, and you’re looking for a classic fried rice, we’ve got plenty of versions of that. Some of our favorites? Young Chow Fried Rice, Pork Fried Rice, and Egg Fried Rice.
Brown Fried Rice Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Steam the brown rice
Brown rice is easy to cook. We have detailed instructions in our post on How to Make Perfect Brown Rice, either on the stove, or in any rice cooker.
If you are making brown rice fresh the same day, let the cooked rice cool completely before using it. It’s best to transfer the rice from the pot to a sheet pan and fluff it with a fork, so it can dry out and cool simultaneously.
Day-old brown rice also works nicely, as cold rice clumps are drier and easily broken apart in the wok. Simply take the brown rice out of the refrigerator, wet your hands with a little water, and break up any clumps so you have individual rice grains. Rinse your hands with a little more water if rice sticks to your hands.
Step 2: Marinate the meat
If using beef, chicken, or pork, add 1 tablespoon water, 1¼ teaspoons dark mushroom soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil to the meat. Mix until all the liquid is absorbed by the meat to tenderize and add moisture. If you’re using shrimp, just omit the dark mushroom soy sauce.
Next, mix in 1 teaspoon cornstarch and set aside. We made a version with beef, but you can pick any meat of your choosing or go vegetarian with a vegetable fried brown rice.
Step 3: Prepare the sauce
Mixing your sauce ahead of time is much easier than adding everything individually to a hot wok. In a small bowl, mix 2 teaspoons hot water and ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar until dissolved. Stir in ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper, ½ teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, and ½ teaspoon MSG if using. Set aside.
Step 4: Scramble the eggs
Heat the wok until just smoking. Spread two tablespoons of vegetable oil evenly around the wok, and add the beaten eggs. Turn the heat down and stir the eggs until scrambled. Transfer back to the same bowl, and set aside.
Step 5: Sear the meat
Heat the wok until smoking. Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the marinated meat to the wok. Spread it out in one single layer, and sear for 30 seconds on each side. Scoop it back into the bowl and set aside.
Step 6: Stir-fry all the ingredients together
With the heat on high, add the chopped onions to the wok (there should be some oil remaining from searing the meat). Cook until translucent.
If using fresh carrots, add them at the same time you add the onions. If using frozen carrots, add them after the onions turn translucent.Continue stir frying until the carrots are heated through.
Add the cooked brown rice. Your heat should be really high at this point to prevent sticking. Use your metal wok spatula to stir-fry the rice, scraping from the bottom of the wok to prevent sticking. This is an essential technique for fried rice.
Once the brown rice is warmed (after 1 to 2 minutes of stir-frying), pour the prepared sauce evenly over the rice.
Stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes to evenly distribute the sauce.
Add in the seared meat. Spread 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok, and give everything a quick stir.
Next, stir in the frozen peas until heated through.
Stir in the scrambled eggs.
Toss in the chopped scallions and stir fry for another 15 seconds.
Use a clean spoon to taste the rice, and re-season with more soy sauce or salt if needed.
Plate and serve immediately!
This makes a great one-pan meal or side dish! It’s especially good with a little (or big) dollop of homemade chili oil or chiu chow chili sauce.
Fried Brown Rice
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked brown rice
- 8 ounces beef, chicken or pork (225g, cut into small 1/2-inch pieces; if using shrimp, use 70-90 size peeled shrimp)
- 1 tablespoon water (plus 2 teaspoons hot water, divided)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dark mushroom soy sauce (or regular dark soy sauce)
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG (totally optional)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- 1 medium onion (about 165g, chopped)
- 3/4 cup carrots (chopped, fresh or frozen)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 cup frozen peas (135g)
- 1 scallion (chopped)
Instructions
Steam the brown rice
- Brown rice is easy to cook. We have detailed instructions in our post on How to Make Perfect Brown Rice, either on the stove, or in any rice cooker.
- If you are making brown rice fresh the same day, let the cooked rice cool completely before using it. It’s best to transfer the rice from the pot to a sheet pan and fluff it with a fork, so it can dry out and cool simultaneously.
- Day-old brown rice also works nicely, as cold rice clumps are drier and easily broken apart in the wok. Simply take the brown rice out of the refrigerator, wet your hands with a little water, and break up any clumps so you have individual rice grains. Rinse your hands with a little more water if rice sticks to your hands.
Marinate the meat
- If using beef, chicken, or pork, add 1 tablespoon water, 1¼ teaspoons dark mushroom soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil to the meat. Mix until all the liquid is absorbed by the meat to tenderize and add moisture. If you’re using shrimp, just omit the dark mushroom soy sauce.
- Next, mix in 1 teaspoon cornstarch and set aside. We made a version with beef, but you can pick any meat of your choosing or go vegetarian with a vegetable fried brown rice.
Prepare sauce
- Mixing your sauce ahead of time is much easier than adding everything individually to a hot wok. In a small bowl, mix 2 teaspoons hot water and ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar until dissolved. Stir in ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper, ½ teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, and ½ teaspoon MSG if using. Set aside.
Scramble eggs
- Heat the wok until just smoking. Spread two tablespoons of vegetable oil evenly around the wok, and add the beaten eggs. Turn the heat down and stir the eggs until scrambled. Transfer back to the same bowl, and set aside.
Sear meat
- Heat the wok until smoking. Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the marinated meat to the wok. Spread it out in one single layer, and sear for 30 seconds on each side. Scoop it back into the bowl and set aside.
Stir-fry everything together
- With the heat on high, add the chopped onions to the wok (there should be some oil remaining from searing the meat). Cook until translucent. If using fresh carrots, add them at the same time you add the onions. If using frozen carrots, add them after the onions turn translucent.Continue stir frying until the carrots are heated through.
- Add the cooked brown rice. Your heat should be really high at this point to prevent sticking. Use your metal wok spatula to stir-fry the rice, scraping from the bottom of the wok to prevent sticking. This is an essential technique for fried rice.
- Once the brown rice is warmed (after 1 to 2 minutes of stir-frying), pour the prepared sauce evenly over the rice. Stir fry for another 1-2 minutes to evenly distribute the sauce.
- Add in the seared meat. Spread 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok, and give everything a quick stir.
- Next, stir in the scrambled eggs. Then, stir in the frozen peas until heated through. Toss in the chopped scallions and stir fry for another 15 seconds. Use a clean spoon to taste the rice, and re-season with more soy sauce or salt if needed.
- Plate and serve immediately.
I love all the new Chinese recipes, that I have been getting from your site – and this is no exception. I have to really focus on eating whole wheat and brown rice and have been searching for a good fried brown rice recipe. So seeing a recipe like this makes me so happy. I hated brown rice before but your way of making it just makes me love it.
Would you say that you can switch from white rice to brown rice for most recipes?
Hi Ricki, true that you can use brown rice in many recipes but it does require soaking before cooking and usually takes a bit longer to cook.
A verry nice recepie, But we missed the bite is it an option to use a teaspoon of 5 spicecs in the chikken?
and some plumpsaus in the dish?
I would like to here from you
Greetings Cees
Hi Cees, Not sure if you were trying to comment on our five spiced chicken recipe? If you want to use chicken, a pinch of 5 spice powder to marinate it would definitely be nice. As for plum sauce, you could serve it on the side or try our Chinese duck sauce recipe.
This was AMAZING. Easy, fast, and packed full of flavor. Keeping this recipe in our family favorites!
Thanks Tiffany and excellent to hear you and your family enjoyed it!
Where can I buy this type of wok?
Hi Tiffany, the wok we used for this dish is an 18-inch carbon steel wok with two small handles. It’s the same wok we show in our post on the best wok to buy. We bought it at a Chinese kitchen supply store in NYC Chinatown, but there are many configurations of Carbon steel woks on Amazon.
What cut of beef would you recommend? Thanks!
Hi Rie, almost any cut of beef will work for this dish, since the meat is cut into small pieces. Even economical cuts like chuck steak work fine, but if you want to splurge, use flank steak or even a skirt steak for more beefy flavor.
One of my very close Taiwanese friends grew up using ketchup in her fried rice. Is this common practice? She says it is an easy shortcut to add sweetness to the dish. Just wondering if y’all have used ketchup before when making fried rice!
Hi Emily, we have not used ketchup in any of our fried rice recipes, but as a kid, I do remember mixing ketchup and soy sauce together with rice!
Great rendition. We do our fried rice similarly. We add some oyster sauce too. One of our favorite proteins is to add bacon crumbled, or even bacon bits. but just about anything from shrimp to ham does for us. Keep up the great recipes.
Thanks Carlton!