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With this Ham Fried Rice you don’t have to even leave your kitchen to have restaurant worthy Chinese food. This is the secret to ham fried rice faux takeout style.
Is Fried Rice Gluten Free?
If the rice is fried with soy sauce, it is most likely made with gluten-containing soy sauce. It can also be made with other sauces that may contain gluten.
If you are making fried rice at home, gluten free soy sauce is available in most stores.
Frying rice with just oil and salt and the other fresh ingredients is gluten free.
My mom is probably a lot like your mom, she sacrifices the heck out of everything to make sure that we all have what we need and taking the time to teach us everything she knows so that one day we could walk on our own as kind, contributing citizens. Most of all she just loves us dearly and what more could we want, well other than her cheesy ham and potato bacon bake or busy day casserole?
There’s only two things Mom ever wanted other than the gift of us kids not fighting for one whole day (or nothing at all, as she often said for holidays), and that was hot french fries or a meal at The Great Wall, her favorite restaurant. I may not know how to recreate her favorite Won Ton soup, but I can help out with the secret to ham fried rice.
Actually there’s a story about Safeway too, but I’ll leave that for the upcoming Sesame Chicken post. And do stay tuned because I believe it turned out pretty fantastic.
The Secret to Ham Fried Rice
The secret to ham fried rice is actually to use 1 to 2 day old rice. Trust me, it’s the best way to ensure that your rice absorbs all of that flavor and fries up nicely in the pan.
Start with the rice a day or two ahead (which is why I love that I can use it in one meal, make extra and have my next meal started already).
What Rice is Best to Use for Fried Rice?
Medium to Long grain white rice works best with fried rice.
Short grain rice is stickier and best to use with sushi.
What Vegetables go in Ham Fried Rice?
The most commonly used vegetables in ham fried rice or fried rice is carrots and peas, with some green onions to garnish.
You can’t go wrong adding in some sautéed onions for additional flavor.
Next, you’ll want to whisk up a little sweetened soy sauce mixture and then once you’ve “fried” your rice in a little oil just add the sauce, stir and the remaining ingredients. Last, sprinkle a little green onion to brighten the whole dish and voila!
Can Fried Rice be Frozen?
Now how much do you love that you can make perfect rice by using leftovers?! Get on this recipe my friends. You’ll love it! Best part is fried rice can be frozen, make sure you use freezer bags to press out all the air.
More HAM RECIPES You Will Love:
- World’s Best Brown Sugar Ham
- Honey Baked Ham
- Ham Dipping Sauces
- Spring Ham and Asparagus Lemon Cream Sauce
- Cheesy Ham and Potato Bacon Casserole
- Ham Lemon Orzo with Parmesan and Peas
- Garlic Honey Mustard Ham
- Ham and Cheese Sliders
- Hawaiian Ham and Pineapple Casserole
- Ham and Cheese Breakfast Stromboli
- Hash Browns Ham Frittata
- Ham Hock Soup
- Easy Ham and Cheese Scones
- Ham and Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese
- How to Make Ham in a Slow Cooker
- How to Carve a Spiral Ham
- All our BEST PORK RECIPES here!
The Secret to Ham Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Cups Carrots, cubed
- 1 1/2 Cups Peas
- 2 Tablespoons Oil
- 2 Eggs
- 1/3 Cup Soy Sauce
- 1 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon White Sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1 Pinch Crushed Red Pepper
- 4 Cups Cooked Rice
- 2 Cups Ham, chopped
- 2 Green Onions, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Up to 2 days prior cook your white rice, we prefer Calrose
- Steam the carrots and peas and set aside.1 1/2 Cups Peas, 1 1/2 Cups Carrots
- In a small fry pan add a little oil and heat to medium heat.2 Tablespoons Oil
- In a small bowl, lightly whisk together the eggs and add to the pan, lifting and tilting the egg and pan until all of the liquid is touching the pan and cooking and none is sitting on top of the egg.2 Eggs
- Carefully flip and cook until set.
- Remove the egg and chop.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, ginger and crushed red pepper.1/3 Cup Soy Sauce, 1 Tablespoons Brown Sugar, 1/2 teaspoon White Sugar, 1/8 teaspoon Ground Ginger, 1 Pinch Crushed Red Pepper
- Set aside.
- In a large saute pan, over medium heat add the rice and oil, cooking until hot and the rice is beginning to pop.4 Cups Cooked Rice
- Add the sauce mixture, stirring to combine.
- Add the eggs, ham, carrots and peas and stir until heated through.2 Cups Ham
- Top with green onion and serve immediately.2 Green Onions
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Looking for more faux takeout recipes? Read on before you grab the secret to ham fried rice recipe.
Your recipes look great! I want to make the Teriyaki chicken casserole … and would like to know how to make the fried rice you mention “in the link above”…. Is that the Ham fried rice with all the ingredients? Sorry to be confused… I’ll really appreciate your help. Thanks! Have a happy day!
Yes, this is the ham fried rice for the teriyaki chicken casserole, so first you’ll make this and then proceed with the casserole
I was wondering what kind of ginger you used in the recipe. Was it the grated ginger root or ground ginger? Thank you for your time, have a Happy New Year and I hope to hear from you soon.
Hi Michelle, just ground ginger. I’ll edit the recipe now. Thanks for the heads up!
Wow! it is colurful! and I love it!
Here’s just a little tid bit of info for you and your followers. Yes, always best to use at least day old cooked rice, but here’s some really good news. Did you know that once you cook rice and chill it it loses 1/2 it’s calories? It’s a fact from the break down it goes through! Awesome! So there’s a bonus for all the people who are watching what they eat! Thought you would like this info.
Thank you Diana!
I think the rice has to be cooked with a little coconut oil and be refrigerated overnight for it to have 1/2 the calories. Google it.
Is there any way to substitute the egg for people allergic to eggs? Thanks
Hi Grace,
The rice is still delicious without the egg, so I would just skip it.
Have you tried duck eggs? Many people that are allergic to chicken eggs can tolerate duck eggs quite nicely. Go slow & check with your doctor. Good luck
I am wondering if I could make a big batch of this a freeze it?
Hi Val, I’ve never frozen eggs, but the rest certainly could be and then throw in fresh egg when you reheat.
You can freeze cooked egg. I make scrambled egg, bacon, sausage burritos ahead of time and freeze them so my family can pull one out and microwave it for a quick, hot breakfast! 🙂
Jen, no. way. That is so smart!! Totally going to try it!
Is there a specific oil to use for this? I’m assuming peanut, but I’d prefer olive if it won’t drastically change the outcome.
Hi Emily,
Canola or peanut work best as olive oil gives it a totally different flavor.
Adding sesame oil gives it that great smoky taste you find in good Chinese restaurants.
I’m making this tonight and can’t wait!! Quick question though – do you use fresh ginger or ground? Thanks!!
Oh! Ground ginger!
Can you please tell me if you can substitute orzo pasta for the rice. I have two household members that hate rice. Why? I have no idea. I would like to make this and other recipes calling for rice. Please help me!!!
Ya know, I haven’t tried it with orzo so you could attempt it but I would need to test it myself before I’d feel comfortable recommending it.
I didn’t have any ham, but I fried up some chopped bacon instead. This is a wonderful recipe! So good! Thanks for sharing! Even my 3 year old ate it, veggies and all 🙂
Katie @ Being Dawson’s Mom
Don’t you love when the little ones eat dinner? I feel like it is such a win!!