This Beef Fried Rice is loaded with tender stir-fried marinated steak, eggs, veggies, and fried rice, all in a sweet and savory ginger sauce. Even a novice cook can manage this recipe and master the art of making perfectly fried rice.
This fried rice is quick, easy, and tastes better than takeout. This tasty recipe can be on your table in just a few simple steps. This is a hearty meal, but sometimes I like to serve it with an appetizer like coconut shrimp, homemade egg rolls, bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, or lettuce wraps.
The Most Important Tip for Successful Fried Rice
If I were to give you just one piece of advice on making the best fried rice, it would be to prepare your rice a day ahead and refrigerate it. Working with cold, dried rice is best, so it does not stick or clump when stir-fried. Leftover rice from takeout works well, too. Just ensure you put it in an airtight container in the fridge. Those little takeout boxes are not meant for preserving food in the refrigerator. Cooked white rice will last 3-4 days when properly stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Mirin: It is sweetened sake and can be found in the Asian food section of some grocery stores. Substitutions for the mirin include 2 tablespoons of sherry mixed with 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar.
- Grated ginger: Freshly grated or ginger paste. Ginger paste works just as well as fresh ginger, and once opened, it lasts about a month in the fridge.
- Beef steak: The best cuts of beef for this recipe are strip steak, flank steak, or sirloin. If you prefer, you can make this delicious recipe with ground beef.
- Oil: vegetable, canola, or peanut
- Rice: Use cooked, chilled day-old rice. Use any long-grain rice, including white rice, brown rice, or jasmine rice. Cook it 1-2 days before and chill it in the fridge. Freshly cooked rice does not fry well at all. It clumps up and turns into a gooey mess. Leftover rice is perfect for this recipe.
- Peas: Frozen work best. Do not thaw.
How to make Beef Fried Rice
This is the summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.
Marinate the beef for about 30 minutes. Heat a little oil and cook the beef over medium-high heat until browned.
Cook the eggs over low heat and plate them. Cut the scrambled eggs into bite-sized pieces. Heat more oil if needed. Over medium-high heat, cook the veggies until crisp-tender. Plate the vegetables.
Melt half the butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add half the rice and cook undisturbed for a minute, then flip and cook for another minute. Drizzle the rice with half of the sauce mixture you set aside and cook for several minutes, stirring several times. Plate the rice and cover to keep warm.
Melt the remaining butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining rice and the frozen peas, cook undisturbed for a minute, then flip and cook for another minute. Drizzle the rice with the remaining sauce mixture and cook for several minutes, stirring several times. Return everything to the skillet over medium-low heat and stir to warm. Add the green onions and stir to combine.
Preparation Tips
- Everything moves fast with stir fry, so be prepared. Have everything you need close by and in some cooking order.
- There is no need to thaw the peas. Pull the peas out of the freezer when you start the recipe, and add them frozen when needed. They will quickly thaw in the skillet and stir-fry up just perfectly. Canned peas are not recommended.
- Other veggies that work well in this dish are broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms, green beans, and bell peppers.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power or in a skillet on the stovetop over low heat.
What to Serve with Beef Fried Rice
- Appetizers: classic egg rolls, potstickers, crab rangoon, and chicken lettuce wraps
- Soup: egg drop soup, hot and sour soup, wonton soup
- Salad: Asian cucumber salad, Asian slaw, and Asian chopped salad
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Beef Fried Rice
Ingredients
Marinade and Sauce
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice cooking wine
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger or ginger paste
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
Beef Stir Fry
- 1¼ lbs. strip steak, flank steak, or sirloin cut into bite size pieces
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil substitute peanut oil or canola oil
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and finely chopped
- 4 cups cooked and chilled rice
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
Instructions
- Whisk together the low-sodium soy sauce, rice-cooking wine (rice wine), mirin, ginger, and sesame oil in a large Pyrex measuring cup or in a medium bowl. Then pour half of that mixture into a separate medium bowl, add the cut-up steak, and stir to coat. Cover and set that bowl aside for 30 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Using tongs remove the beef from the marinade. letting any excess marinade drip back into the bowl. Add the beef to the skillet in a single layer with some space between the pieces. Cook undisturbed for a couple of minutes or until browned. Then flip and brown the other side. Remove the beef to a plate and cover to keep warm. Work in batches, and do not crowd the pan.
- Very carefully wipe the pan clean with paper towels if needed. It will be hot, so wear some ovenproof gloves. Melt a tablespoon of butter over low heat. Add the beaten eggs and cook scrambled style. Remove the eggs, place them on a plate, and cover to keep them warm.
- Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet over medium-high heat and add the onion and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Remove the veggies from the pan and place them on top of the cooked beef. Cover to keep warm.
- Cut the scrambled eggs into bite size pieces and cover to keep warm. Melt half the butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add half the rice and cook undisturbed for a minute, then flip and cook for another minute. Drizzle the rice with half of the sauce mixture that you set aside and cook for several minutes, stirring several times. Spoon the fried rice on top of the cut eggs and cover to keep warm.
- Melt the remaining butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining rice and the frozen peas, cook undisturbed for a minute, then flip and cook for another minute. Drizzle the rice with the remaining sauce mixture and cook for several minutes, stirring several times.
- Return everything to the skillet over medium-low heat and stir to warm. Add the green onions and stir to combine. For best results sever promptly.
Notes
- Everything moves fast with stir fry, so be prepared. Have everything you need close by and in some cooking order.
- There is no need to thaw the peas. Pull the peas out of the freezer when you start the recipe, and add them frozen when needed. They will quickly thaw in the skillet and stir-fry up just perfectly. Canned peas are not recommended.
- Other veggies that work well in this dish are broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms, green beans, and bell peppers.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power or in a skillet on the stovetop over low heat.
Nutrition
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Beth
Great beef fried rice recipe. It was even better than my favorite Chinese restaurant and now I know how to make it. Thanks for all the inspiration and tips.
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Beth!
ReeAnn
Best beef fried rice ever! Hubby and I lovd it! It is on regular rotation at our house from now on.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, ReeAnn! We love it too!
Maria
This beef fried rice was so dog gone good. You always share the best recipes with us. Thank you, Beth!
Michelle
I love anything stir fry or similar to stir fry. What a great beef fried rice recipe. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We will make it again. Thanks for the recipe, Beth!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Michelle!
Aditi
I love beef and fried rice separately but never tried making them together till now. It was delicious and my husband I loved it. Thank you for such great recipes.
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Aditi!
Melanie
I do love a rice dish that is both easy to make and full of flavour. This beef fried rice checked all my boxes. Two thumbs up from hubby! Thanks for the recipe, Beth
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Melanie!
Kristy
So delicious, flavorful, and comforting. This dish is in heavy rotation at our house. It’s so much healthier than take-out!
Beth Pierce
I agree 100%
Karen
Your recipe turned out delicious…The whole meal disappeared within 15 minutes lol…I am definitely doing this again and again. Thank you so much.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Karen!
Jaishree
Beth, I love your recipes! This one looks absolutely delicious too! I love how easy and flavorful it sounds—definitely a great way to use up leftover rice. I’ll be trying a vegetarian version soon!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Jaishree! Enjoy!