Easy Shrimp Fried Rice
How to Make Shrimp Fried Rice – This classic fried rice recipe includes tender plump shrimp, a bounty of frozen veggies, and leftover rice. It’s an incredibly flavorful and satisfying dish that is easy to make in as little as 30 minutes!
Why We Love This Classic Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe
Fried rice is my all-time favorite quick and easy go-to dinner… In fact, I’ve been known to keep cold rice in the fridge for just such an occasion, or even packets of vacuum-sealed pre-cooked rice!
Although we love classic vegetable fried rice and pork fried rice, this simple Shrimp Fried Rice recipe is more decadent and totally flavor-packed. It rivals any dish from your favorite takeout restaurant, but you have complete control of the ingredients – and this homemade version is much more budget-friendly!
The recipe includes only a handful of ingredients like tender shrimp, fluffy scrambled eggs, and a convenient bag of frozen mixed vegetables. However, you can dress it up as much as you want with extra sauces and sprinkled garnishes! Either way, the fried rice with shrimp will be ready to serve for a scrumptious, satisfying dinner in only about 30 minutes.
Ingredients You Need
- Butter – unsalted
- Eggs – large, at room temperature
- Raw shrimp – fresh, or frozen and thawed in the refrigerator overnight
- Sesame oil – or other high-heat neutral flavored cooking oil like avocado oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil
- Scallions – chopped and separated into greens and whites
- Ginger – freshly grated
- Rice – previously cooked and cooled long-grain jasmine rice
- Soy sauce – low sodium soy sauce, or coconut aminos
- Frozen veggie mix – usually a blend of frozen peas, chopped carrots, and corn kernels
How to Make Fried Rice with Shrimp
- I highly suggest you prep all of the ingredients ahead of time so the rice frying process is quick and easy. Crack the eggs into a measuring cup and beat them thoroughly. Chop and mince all the fresh produce. Clean and de-tail the shrimp. (Check out our easy guide for How to Clean Shrimp!)
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large sauté pan (or wok) set over medium heat. Pour in the eggs and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scramble them. Once the scrambled eggs are cooked through, quickly move the eggs to a holding plate and use the spatula to chop them into small pieces.
- Then add the cleaned shrimp to the pan and season them liberally. Stir fry the shrimp for about 3 minutes until they are pink, and immediately move the shrimp to the holding plate.
Pro Tip: Do not overcook the shrimp – you want them to be soft and juicy!
- Now add the remaining butter and the sesame oil to the skillet. Add the scallion whites and ginger to the pan and stir fry for a few minutes to soften. Then add the cold cooked rice and soy sauce. Stir the rice occasionally, allowing it to fry on the bottom of the pan for a minute or two before stirring again.
- Once the rice is cooked and the soy sauce is evenly distributed, pour in the frozen veggie mix. Continue to stir fry the rice for another few minutes to warm the vegetables.
- Lastly, toss the chopped egg pieces, cooked shrimp, and chopped green onions into the fried rice. Stir fry for another minute or so, until everything is warmed through. Taste, and adjust seasonings as needed.
Get the Complete (Printable) Easy Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe + VIDEO Below. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Variations
- You absolutely need previously cooked and chilled leftover rice to make this fried rice recipe. Ideally, the rice is cooked firm… The rice will continue to be cooked a bit when it is fried, so it will become mushy if already very cooked or it’s warm. Cold rice works best!
- In a rush or don’t have leftover rice? No problem! Make this easy fried rice recipe even easier by using vacuum-sealed precooked rice.
- Change things up and use other types of seafood, if you like! Swap fresh raw shrimp with prawns, chunks of crab meat, or bay scallops.
- Add some pizzaz to the seasonings and sprinkle in a bit of curry powder when stir frying. the ginger and scallions.
- If you have the time or prefer fresh veggies, feel free to use fresh chopped produce in place of a frozen veg blend. Add them in when you stir fry the scallion whites.
- Try changing things up to make a less traditional hibachi rice with chopped broccoli or cauliflower, zucchini, bell peppers, frozen green beans, chopped snow peas, shelled edamame, sliced mushrooms, or whatever veggies you want!
- Be gentle while stirring the fried rice! Leave it to fry, without stirring for a minute or two, so that the rice has a chance to get a bit crispy. This way, the rice cooks without becoming mushy.
Serving Suggestions
Serve as is, or top the best shrimp fried rice with all kinds of sauces and garnishes. It’s delicious with a drizzle of kewpie mayo or yum yum sauce, teriyaki, hoisin sauce, or spicy sriracha or chili garlic sauce.
Add a pop of bright flavor and sprinkle on some fresh chopped herbs like cilantro or mint to finish the dish.
Enjoy a plate of fried rice with shrimp as a main dish with your favorite Asian-inspired sides! We love to pair it with lighter miso soup and Japanese clear soup, or more hearty soups like egg drop soup and chicken wonton soup.
And for freshness on the table, you definitely can’t go wrong with a simple green salad topped with homemade carrot and ginger salad dressing!
Frequently Asked Questions
Be sure to double-check that the soy sauce does not contain gluten. Otherwise, yes, this recipe is GF-friendly.
Yes, cooking fried rice on a Blackstone griddle is very easy! Just follow the same recipe, making sure to use a wooden spoon or flat spatula so as not to damage the griddle surface.
Fried rice with shrimp will keep well for up to 3 days stored in the fridge. Let it cool completely before transferring to an airtight container and refrigerating.
I don’t recommend freezing stir fried rice… The texture of cooked rice will become mushy when frozen, thawed, and reheated.
Looking for More Scrumptious Seafood Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- Garlic Lime Roasted Shrimp Salad
- Thai Shrimp Curry Noodle Bowls
- Easy Instant Pot Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta
- Teriyaki BBQ Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- Spicy Shrimp Ramen Noodles
Easy Shrimp Fried Rice
Video
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 large eggs
- 1 pound raw shrimp cleaned and tails removed
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 bunch scallions chopped and separated into greens and whites
- 1 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
- 5 cups cold cooked white rice or use precooked vacuum-sealed rice
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 cups frozen peas carrots, corn mix
Instructions
- Prep all the ingredients ahead of time so the rice frying process is quick and easy. Crack the eggs into a measuring cup and beat them thoroughly. Chop and mince all the fresh produce. Clean and de-tail the shrimp.
- Place a large sauté pan (or wok) over medium heat. Set a holding plate to the side. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Once melted, pour in the eggs. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to move the eggs around the pan. Once they are cooked through, quickly move the eggs to the holding plate and use the spatula to chop them into small pieces.
- Add the shrimp to the pan. Salt and pepper the shrimp liberally. Stir fry the shrimp for about 3 minutes until they are pink. Move the shrimp to the holding plate. *Make sure not to overcook the shrimp – you want them to be soft and juicy.
- Now add the remaining butter and the sesame oil to the skillet. Add the scallion whites and ginger to the pan. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes to soften. Then add the cold cooked rice. Pour in the soy sauce and stir the rice allowing it to fry on the bottom of the pan for a minute or two before stirring again.
- Once the rice is cooked and the soy sauce is evenly distributed, pour in the frozen peas, carrots, and corn mix. Continue to stir fry the rice for another 2-3 minutes to warm the vegetables.
- Toss the chopped egg pieces, cooked shrimp, and scallion greens into the fried rice. Stir fry for another 1-2 minutes until everything is warmed through.
- Serve as is, or top with all kinds of sauces and garnishes.
Why would you put mayonnaise on fried rice?
Hi LML,
Kewpie Mayo is a classic Japanese condiment to add to all sorts of dishes. (Similar to adding yum yum sauce to hibachi rice.) It’s just a suggestion. You can leave it off if you like! :)