Vibrant Vegetable Fried Rice (Printable)

A vibrant stir-fried rice dish loaded with colorful vegetables, aromatic garlic, and ginger. Ready in just 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Rice

01 - 3 cups cooked jasmine or long-grain rice (preferably day-old, cold)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup carrots, diced
03 - 1 cup bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
05 - 1 cup broccoli florets, small
06 - 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels
07 - 1/2 cup green beans, chopped
08 - 3 green onions, sliced (reserve some for garnish)
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1-inch piece ginger, minced

→ Sauces & Seasonings

11 - 3 tbsp soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
12 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
13 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or canola/sunflower)
14 - 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
15 - 1/2 tsp white pepper or black pepper
16 - Salt, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger; sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
02 - Add the carrots, bell pepper, broccoli, green beans, and corn. Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until just tender but still crisp.
03 - Stir in the peas and most of the green onions; cook for 1 minute.
04 - Increase the heat to high and add the cold cooked rice. Stir-fry, breaking up any clumps, for 2–3 minutes until the rice is heated through.
05 - Drizzle the soy sauce and sesame oil over the rice. Sprinkle with pepper and toss well to combine everything evenly.
06 - Taste and adjust salt or soy sauce as needed.
07 - Remove from heat. Garnish with reserved green onions and sesame seeds if using. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's genuinely faster than deciding what to order for delivery, and tastes infinitely better.
  • Every vegetable stays crisp and colorful instead of turning into mush, which is the actual secret most people miss.
  • Day-old rice is your secret weapon here—fresh rice gets mushy, but cold rice shatters into perfect individual grains.
  • You can customize it endlessly based on what's lurking in your crisper drawer.
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that crowding the pan is the enemy—if your vegetables are piled too high, they steam instead of stir-fry, and you end up with soggy rice instead of the crispy, separated grains you're after.
  • Sesame oil is powerful and can taste bitter if overheated, so add it right at the end when the pan is still hot but you're off the burner—this preserves its delicate, nutty flavor.
03 -
  • Keep everything prepped and within arm's reach before you turn on the heat—fried rice happens fast, and you don't want to scramble for garlic while your pan is screaming hot.
  • If your wok or skillet feels crowded, work in batches; cooking vegetables in one layer with space between them creates the sear and crispness that steaming in a crowded pan never will.
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