Shrimp Fried Rice

This shrimp fried rice is easier to make than ordering takeout, and boasts fresh flavors and delicious textures. Whip it up for a quick lunch or dinner any day of the week.

Shrimp Fried Rice featured

Every time I am in the mood for Chinese food, this recipe comes to mind. You all know that I love cooking with rice. And this rice dish is by far one of the easiest dishes to prepare, needing just a few minutes to cook before you can sit down to devour it as a side or main. Not only is this shrimp fried rice easy to make, but it is pretty healthy, too! Lots of veggies and protein add up to a filling and nourishing dish.

Whenever I make this shrimp fried rice, I end up with nose poking into the kitchen because it smells so darn good. When you need a meal that is an easy people pleaser, be it on a Sunday afternoon or for a mid-week dinner, you can count on this recipe to satisfy.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

  • This shrimp fried rice is super quick and easy to make at home.
  • It is great eaten as a side dish or just by itself as a main dish.
  • There is nothing better than the combination of eggs, crunchy vegetables, tender shrimp, and fried rice with a hint of savory soy sauce. 
  • This recipe is a family favorite that will make everyone happy and full!

Ingredients

This is a great recipe for using any leftover ingredients in your fridge from another meal.

  • ½ lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 ½ cups cooked white rice, chilled
  • ½ cup frozen edamame
  • ½ onion, diced
  • ½ carrot, diced
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • pinch of freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
  • ½ lime
Shrimp Fried Rice ingredients

How to Make Shrimp Fried Rice – The Steps

Step 1: Heat a large skillet on high heat. Add the vegetable oil and the shrimp to the skillet. Cook the shrimp for 2 minutes until pink and beginning to curl, then remove from the skillet.

Shrimp Fried Rice step

Step 2: Add the vegetables and garlic to the same skillet and fry until tender, about 5 minutes, then remove from pan. Add the beaten eggs and scramble until cooked. Combine the vegetables with the cooked egg.

Shrimp Fried Rice step

Step 3: Add the rice and the cooked shrimp to the vegetables and mix until combined well. Add the soy sauce and season with fresh black pepper. Stir and fry the rice until heated and well combined. 

Shrimp Fried Rice step

Step 4: Transfer the shrimp fried rice to plates and garnish with a lime wedge. Enjoy! 

Shrimp Fried Rice step

Variations

This is another one of those recipes that you can adapt as you like. Feel free to chuck in any ingredients you have to hand, or you can build new and unique flavors with altogether different ingredients. Here’s some ideas:

  • Seafood fried rice: Add in more seafood to this recipe for a seafood fried rice. You could include shrimp, scallops, calamari, crab meat, fish sauce, and vegetables.
  • Chicken fried rice: Some cooked, diced or shredded chicken go great in this fried rice recipe. Bulk it out with some peas, carrots, and green onions.
  • Vegan fried rice: Omit the meat and eggs in this recipe for a vegan-friendly dish! You can pack it full of more vegetables, like broccoli, cabbage, peas, and onions if you like, or keep it simple.
  • Curry fried rice: Keep this recipe the same or substitute the shrimp for cooked chicken. Then, add some curry powder as you’re cooking for an extra bit of spice.

Top Tips

  • The best fried rice comes from leftover, cooked rice that has been chilled.
  • If you don’t have the time to let your cooked rice sit in the refrigerator overnight, spread it out onto a baking tray and place it in the fridge for at least an hour.
  • Don’t overcook your ingredients. Everything needs to be cooked for just a few minutes before you combine your ingredients.
  • Buy your shrimp pre-peeled and deveined. Unless you have a lot of practice, doing it yourself can be a difficult and time consuming process.

FAQs

Which rice is best to use?

You can use either brown or white rice. Whichever rice you use, make sure to use cold, leftover rice for this recipe. Cold rice separates more easily and will cook more quickly. If you use fresh, warm rice it will get soggy and clump together.

Can I use other vegetables?

Sure, feel free to use your favorite vegetable for this recipe. You can use broccoli, cauliflower, or even spinach. You can be creative here, or simply use up any leftover vegetables you have on hand!

My shrimp tastes bland. Why?

Make sure to use fresh shrimp, instead of pre-cooked shrimp. Pre-cooked shrimp will taste bland and will get rubbery while cooking. Also, make sure not to overcook them as they will become tough and chewy. Shrimp always cooks quickly, usually needing just a few minutes.

Shrimp fried rice

How to Store Shrimp Fried Rice

This is an easy recipe to double up for the week ahead. Let everything cool before placing your shrimp fried rice into a food storage container or plastic bag. You can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or the freezer for up to 3 months, depending on when you plan on eating your leftovers.

To reheat, let defrost in the refrigerator if frozen, then put it all back into a skillet with a little bit of oil. If you notice your rice is still dry once heated through, add a teaspoon or two of water. Alternatively, you can stick your shrimp fried rice in the microwave for a couple of minutes.

Shrimp Fried Rice featured

Shrimp Fried Rice

Baked Bree
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course dinner
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 2
Calories 558 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • ½ lb shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 ½ cups white rice cooked
  • ½ cup frozen edamame
  • ½ onion diced
  • ½ carrot diced
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • pinch of freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
  • ½ lime

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large skillet on high heat. Add the vegetable oil and the shrimp to the skillet. Cook the shrimp for 2 minutes until pink and beginning to curl, then remove from the skillet.
  • Add the vegetables and garlic to the same skillet and fry until tender, about 5 minutes, then remove from pan.
  • Add the beaten eggs and scramble until cooked. Combine the vegetables with the cooked egg.
  • Add the rice and the cooked shrimp to the vegetables and mix until combined well. Add the soy sauce and season with fresh black pepper. Stir and fry the rice until heated and well combined. 
  • Transfer the shrimp fried rice to plates and garnish with a wedge of lime. Enjoy! 

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 558kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 42gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 425mgSodium: 1816mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3g
Keyword fried rice, shrimp fried rice, shrimp fried rice recipe
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