Made with tender pan-seared shrimp, fluffy scrambled eggs, nutty sesame oil and juicy peas, this easy Shrimp Fried Rice will outshine your favorite takeout version. Here’s to a healthy home-cooked dinner!
Quick & Easy Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe
Why bother driving all the way to that Chinese restaurant when you can whip up your favorite dish in a fraction of the time? And with very little effort! This classic shrimp fried rice will have you showing hectic weeknights who’s boss.
Everything comes together in one pan, which always makes life easier when it’s time to wash the dishes. Leftovers can be stored for later, but having them is quite unlikely – this fried rice is flat-out irresistible! It’s sure to satisfy your craving for a savory meal, and it’ll fuel up your body with a wide variety of nutrients in the meantime.
What You’ll Need
Gather the following ingredients and get ready for some next-level grub. You’ll find the amounts included in the recipe card below this post.
- Large Eggs
- Salt & Pepper: To season the eggs and shrimp.
- Large Shrimp: Peeled and deveined. I prefer wild-caught shrimp, but farm-raised ones work well too and tend to be more affordable.
- Sesame Oil: I love the extra boost of antioxidants you get from this nutty cooking oil.
- Scallions: Thinly sliced, whites and greens separated.
- Fresh Minced Garlic
- Fresh Minced Ginger
- Pre-Cooked Rice: Both brown and white rice will work for this recipe – I use organic microwaveable jasmine rice.
- Frozen Peas
- Soy Sauce: Or gluten-free tamari.
What Kind of Shrimp Should I Use?
You might think that fresh shrimp are preferable to frozen ones, but this isn’t necessarily the case. Frozen shrimp are almost always frozen as soon as they’re caught, whereas the refrigerated shrimp you can buy at the grocery store have likely been sitting around and diminishing in quality. The only exception is the daily catches available in certain areas close to a coast.
How to Make Shrimp Fried Rice
Ready to get cooking? Since this dish comes together so quickly, I recommend portioning out your ingredients in advance. This makes it super easy to follow the process!
- Whisk & Season Eggs: Crack the eggs into a small bowl, season them with salt and pepper, then whisk them with a fork until they’re broken up with no streaks of white.
- Dry & Season Shrimp: Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels, then season them lightly with salt and pepper.
- Simmer Sesame Oil: Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a large wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it’s simmering.
- Sear Shrimp: Add the shrimp and sear it undisturbed until it’s browned on the bottom, 2-3 minutes.
- Flip & Add Scallion Whites, Garlic & Ginger: Flip the shrimp and immediately add in the scallion whites, garlic and ginger, stir-frying until the shrimp are opaque and pink, about 30 seconds.
- Add More Sesame Oil: Push the shrimp mixture to the perimeter of the pan, exposing the center. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of sesame oil into the open space and heat it for a few seconds.
- Add Rice, Peas & Soy Sauce: Add in the rice, peas and soy sauce, stir-frying until the rice is heated through, 2-3 minutes.
- Add Remaining Sesame Oil & Eggs: Push the rice and pea mixture to the perimeter of the pan along with the shrimp mixture and drizzle the open space with the remaining teaspoon of sesame oil. Add in the eggs and cook while stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula, until the eggs are almost set, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove From Heat & Add Green Scallions: Once the eggs are softly cooked, remove the pan from the heat and stir everything together. Top the fried rice with scallion greens.
- Enjoy! Taste your rice and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Tips for Success
These helpful tips will have you stir-frying like a seasoned pro! Don’t forget to give them a glance.
- Dry the Shrimp Well: It’s important to pat down the shrimp with a cloth or paper towel before you season and cook them. This helps you get a flawless sear.
- Use Day-Old Rice: For the best results, use rice that has already cooled completely – preferably some that’s been sitting in the fridge for a day or so. Freshly cooked rice contains far too much moisture.
- Avoid Overcooking the Shrimp: If you notice that your shrimp are starting to look white or gray, remove them from the heat immediately. This color change is a sign of overcooking, and no one wants tough, hard-to-chew shrimp.
Variation Ideas
This recipe is as flexible as it is convenient. Feel free to take it in a different direction if you’d like.
- Use Another Protein: Not the biggest fan of shrimp? Go ahead and opt for chicken, pork, beef or tofu instead.
- Add More Veggies: Carrots, corn, bell peppers, green beans and broccoli are often incorporated into fried rice. Any of these hearty vegetables would make a great addition to this classic dish.
- Swap Out the Sesame Oil: If you don’t have any sesame oil on hand, you can use grapeseed oil, walnut oil, olive oil or peanut oil instead. Just be sure to stick with something that has a high smoke point since you’ll be working with intense heat.
Serving Suggestions
Shrimp fried rice can be partnered up with just about anything. I like to enjoy it alongside an Asian-inspired side dish like Roasted Bok Choy or this Healthy Potato Salad. If you’re serving a buffet-style feast and need another main course for the menu, look no further than this Paleo Chicken Stir Fry. Quench your thirst with a refreshing Watermelon Vodka Cooler to round out the meal.
Storage and Reheating
Let your fried rice cool completely, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat it over low or medium-low heat, stirring in a splash of water or oil to rehydrate it. Alternatively, you can warm up individual servings in the microwave (still add a splash of water or oil to bring back moisture).
Can I Freeze Fried Rice?
Sure you can! Transfer the cooled rice to a freezer-safe container or storage bag and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it out in the fridge before you reheat it.
More Seafood Dinner Ideas
Shrimp Fried Rice
Equipment
- Stove
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- pinch of kosher salt
- pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb large raw shrimp (31 to 40 count) peeled and deveined
- 3 tbsp plus 1 teaspoon sesame oil divided
- 1 small bunch scallions (4 to 6) thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp minced ginger from a 3/4-inch piece
- 2 cups cooked white or brown rice I use Organic Microwavable Jasmine Rice
- 2/3 cup frozen peas
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
Instructions
- Place the eggs in a small bowl, season with salt and pepper, and whisk with a fork until broken up with no streaks of egg white.
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels, then season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil in a large wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until simmering.
- Add the shrimp and sear undisturbed until browned on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Flip shrimp and immediately add the scallion whites, garlic, and ginger, and stir-fry until the shrimp are opaque and pink, 30 seconds more.
- Push the shrimp mixture to the perimeter of the pan, exposing the center.
- Drizzle the open space with 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil and let heat for a few seconds. Add the rice and peas, drizzle with the soy sauce, and stir-fry until the rice is heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Push the rice and pea mixture to the perimeter of the pan along with the shrimp mixture, exposing the center.
- Drizzle the open space with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, add the eggs, and cook, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula, until almost set, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Once the eggs are softly cooked, remove the pan from heat and stir all the ingredients together. Top with chopped green scallions.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Makes 4-6 servings.
- To Store & Reheat: Refrigerate cooled leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat over low or medium-low heat, stirring in a splash of water or oil to rehydrate. Alternatively, warm up individual servings in the microwave.
- To Freeze: Freeze cooled rice in a freezer-safe container or storage bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
