Easy Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe

I share a clever shortcut for Shrimp Fried Rice that gets dinner on the table in 20 minutes using just a few pantry staples.

I grew up expecting takeout boxes, but this Shrimp Fried Rice convinced me home food can beat the joint. In about twenty minutes you get bright bites from raw shrimp and the sharp pop of green onions that somehow makes plain food exciting again.

It’s a Fried Rice Recipe Easy that doesn’t act like it’s simple, like it knows its worth and keeps secrets in the pan. I still cant explain why it tastes so close to the real deal, maybe its the quick heat, maybe luck, but either way I’m hooked and keep making it when i need dinner fast.

Ingredients

• Shrimp are lean protein low in fat, cook fast and add briny sweet flavor
• Cold day old rice gives great texture, mostly carbs and crisps better in a pan
• Eggs add silkiness and protein, help bind the rice and make it richer
• Veggies add fiber, color and sweetness, they give bites of freshness and balance
• Soy sauce gives salty umami, oyster sauce adds rounder sweet savory depth
• Toasted sesame oil is strong, nutty aroma, use just a little as finishing oil
• Lime brings bright acidity, cuts grease and saltiness, totally optional but helpful though

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 lb (450 g) raw shrimp peeled and deveined
• 4 cups (about 800 g) cooked long grain rice preferably day old and cold
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 1 cup (150 g) frozen peas and carrots thawed
• 3 green onions sliced thin white and green parts
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced optional
• 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce optional
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil like vegetable or canola
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 lime wedge for serving optional

How to Make this

1. Prep everything first so you move fast: pat shrimp dry and season with salt and black pepper, beat the eggs, thaw peas and carrots, slice the green onions keeping whites and greens separate, mince garlic and ginger, and have the cold rice ready (best if made the day before).

2. Heat a large wok or heavy skillet over high heat until very hot, add 1 tablespoon neutral oil and swirl.

3. Add shrimp in a single layer, cook about 1 to 2 minutes per side until just pink and opaque, then transfer to a bowl and set aside so they dont overcook.

4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon neutral oil to the pan, drop in the white parts of the green onions, garlic and ginger, stir for 20 to 30 seconds until fragrant but not burnt.

5. Add the peas and carrots and stir for 1 to 2 minutes to warm through.

6. Push veggies to one side of the pan, pour in the beaten eggs on the empty side, scramble quickly until just set, then mix the eggs with the veggies.

7. Crumble and add the cold rice, break up any clumps with your spatula, toss and press the rice into the pan so it heats evenly, keep the heat high and keep stirring so nothing sticks.

8. Pour in the soy sauce, oyster sauce if using, and sprinkle the sugar, toss everything to coat well; taste and add a little more soy or salt and pepper if needed. Drizzle the toasted sesame oil near the end for flavor.

9. Return the shrimp and the green parts of the onions to the pan, toss for 30 to 60 seconds until everything is hot and combined.

10. Serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing if you like, and a little extra green onion on top.

Equipment Needed

1. Large wok or heavy skillet, big enough to toss and get very hot
2. Sturdy heatproof spatula or turner for breaking rice clumps and stirring
3. Chef knife for slicing onions and chopping garlic and ginger
4. Cutting board, preferably one for veggies and one for raw shrimp if you want to avoid cross contamination
5. Mixing bowl and a fork or whisk to beat the eggs
6. Small bowls or plates to hold prepped shrimp, green parts of onions, and thawed peas/carrots
7. Measuring spoons and measuring cups for soy, oil and seasonings
8. Tongs or a slotted spoon to move shrimp without splashing oil
9. Microplane or small grater for ginger, plus a spoon to mince garlic finely

FAQ

Easy Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Shrimp: swap with diced chicken breast or thigh (cook through), firm tofu (press and cube) or scallops if you still want seafood.
• Cooked long grain rice: use day old jasmine or basmati, leftover brown rice, or even quinoa for fewer carbs just know the texture will change.
• Eggs: skip for vegan, or use crumbled firm tofu to mimic scrambled eggs, or a whisked chickpea flour batter for binding.
• Light soy sauce: replace with tamari for gluten free, coconut aminos for soy free, or low sodium soy sauce to cut salt.

Pro Tips

– Dry rice is everything. If you only have fresh rice, spread it thin on a sheet and chill or leave it to dry for 30-60 minutes so it wont clump and go mushy when you fry it.

– Dont overcrowd the pan. Cook shrimp fast in a single layer so they sear instead of steam, take them out as soon as theyre opaque then finish everything else and add them back at the end.

– Add sauces slowly and taste as you go. A little sugar balances soy, but if it still tastes flat a squeeze of lime or a splash of rice vinegar wakes it up without making it sour.

– Use real heat and move fast. Keep the wok or pan smoking hot, press the rice down for 10-20 seconds now and then so you get tiny crispy bits, and drizzle the toasted sesame oil only at the end for the best aroma.

Easy Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe

Recipe by Noel Matthews

0.0 from 0 votes

I share a clever shortcut for Shrimp Fried Rice that gets dinner on the table in 20 minutes using just a few pantry staples.

Pin

Servings

4

servings

Calories

520

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large wok or heavy skillet, big enough to toss and get very hot
2. Sturdy heatproof spatula or turner for breaking rice clumps and stirring
3. Chef knife for slicing onions and chopping garlic and ginger
4. Cutting board, preferably one for veggies and one for raw shrimp if you want to avoid cross contamination
5. Mixing bowl and a fork or whisk to beat the eggs
6. Small bowls or plates to hold prepped shrimp, green parts of onions, and thawed peas/carrots
7. Measuring spoons and measuring cups for soy, oil and seasonings
8. Tongs or a slotted spoon to move shrimp without splashing oil
9. Microplane or small grater for ginger, plus a spoon to mince garlic finely

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450 g) raw shrimp peeled and deveined

• 4 cups (about 800 g) cooked long grain rice preferably day old and cold

• 2 large eggs beaten

• 1 cup (150 g) frozen peas and carrots thawed

• 3 green onions sliced thin white and green parts

• 3 cloves garlic minced

• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced optional

• 3 tablespoons light soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce optional

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil like vegetable or canola

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

• Salt and black pepper

• 1 lime wedge for serving optional

Directions

• Prep everything first so you move fast: pat shrimp dry and season with salt and black pepper, beat the eggs, thaw peas and carrots, slice the green onions keeping whites and greens separate, mince garlic and ginger, and have the cold rice ready (best if made the day before).
• Heat a large wok or heavy skillet over high heat until very hot, add 1 tablespoon neutral oil and swirl.
• Add shrimp in a single layer, cook about 1 to 2 minutes per side until just pink and opaque, then transfer to a bowl and set aside so they dont overcook.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon neutral oil to the pan, drop in the white parts of the green onions, garlic and ginger, stir for 20 to 30 seconds until fragrant but not burnt.
• Add the peas and carrots and stir for 1 to 2 minutes to warm through.
• Push veggies to one side of the pan, pour in the beaten eggs on the empty side, scramble quickly until just set, then mix the eggs with the veggies.
• Crumble and add the cold rice, break up any clumps with your spatula, toss and press the rice into the pan so it heats evenly, keep the heat high and keep stirring so nothing sticks.
• Pour in the soy sauce, oyster sauce if using, and sprinkle the sugar, toss everything to coat well; taste and add a little more soy or salt and pepper if needed. Drizzle the toasted sesame oil near the end for flavor.
• Return the shrimp and the green parts of the onions to the pan, toss for 30 to 60 seconds until everything is hot and combined.
• Serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing if you like, and a little extra green onion on top.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 405g
• Total number of serves: 4
• Calories: 520kcal
• Fat: 12.4g
• Saturated Fat: 1.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Polyunsaturated: 1.8g
• Monounsaturated: 3g
• Cholesterol: 312mg
• Sodium: 925mg
• Potassium: 538mg
• Carbohydrates: 60.8g
• Fiber: 3.5g
• Sugar: 2.5g
• Protein: 37.9g
• Vitamin A: 1500IU
• Vitamin C: 5mg
• Calcium: 119mg
• Iron: 3.7mg