Loaded with cubes of smoky ham, ginger, garlic, and my special blend of fried rice seasonings, this Ham Fried Rice is pretty nearly perfect. Ideal on its own as a meal or a side, treat yourself to this easy fried rice dish today!
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There’s just something so hearty and delicious and satisfying about fried rice, and this easy Ham Fried Rice dish is no exception. Packed with flavor and lots of tender, smoky ham, this 1-skillet dish can also be made on a griddle or your Blackstone griddle outside.
Fried rice is an easy dish to master, but in order to make GREAT fried rice, there are a few things you must know and do. It all starts with cold, leftover rice. Read on and I’ll tell you all my secrets for making the best Ham Fried Rice on the planet!
What you’ll love About This Recipe
- It’s a 1-skillet meal with easy cleanup!
- Familiar flavors and easy-to-find ingredients!
- It’s hearty and delicious!
What You’ll Need
- White rice – Cooked the day before and refrigerated.
- Vegetable oil – Or butter. Better yet, use both!
- Ham – Diced ham works better than chopped sliced deli ham.
- Carrots – Diced.
- Onion – Diced small.
- Peas – Frozen peas work well.
- Ginger – Finely chopped fresh ginger.
- Garlic – Finely chopped.
- Sesame oil – A little goes a long way! Store open bottles in your fridge
- Soy sauce – I use low-sodium soy sauce.
- Fish sauce – Optional but highly suggested. It won’t make your rice taste fishy, I promise!
- Egg – Just 1 egg, or 2 if you really like your Ham Fried Rice recipe eggy.
- Green onions – Sliced as a garnish.
- Sesame seeds – Another garnish
How To Make Ham Fried Rice
For a complete list of ingredients and instructions, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Chop all the veggies first because you won’t have time once you start cooking. Dice the onions and carrots, mince the garlic and ginger (use your mini chopper to help), beat the egg, and slice the green onions.
- Heat your skillet and add the oil and/or butter. Add the onions and carrots and cook until they start to soften.
- Add the ginger and garlic and cook until aromatic.
- Add the rice. Keep your skillet pretty hot but not smoking.
- Drizzle the sesame oil and fish sauce on top of the rice and mix well.
- Add the peas and ham and mix again.
- Add the soy sauce and mix well, then make a hole in the center of the rice, add a wee bit of oil (about a tablespoon) then add the lightly whipped egg. Scramble it in the space in the middle of the rice, then work the egg into the rest of the rice.
- Cook another minute or two, then dish it up!
- Garnish the dish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Yum!
Recommended
Secrets to Making the Best Ham Fried Rice
- Use a big skillet or Blackstone Griddle for Ham Fried Rice. The more surface area you have, the more the rice will crisp up.
- Start with day-old rice to make this Ham Fried Rice recipe. Cook the rice, then chill it and keep it in the fridge overnight. This lets the rice dry out a bit and gives the starches time to firm up. Fried rice ALWAYS tastes better with day-old rice.
- Fish sauce. Fish sauce is packed with umami with a rich, meaty flavor. It’s not fishy, but a little goes a long way!
- Soy sauce. Most recipes call for a tablespoon or two of soy sauce. Bah! Fried rice needs soy sauce! I use 1/4 cup to be exact. Use low sodium if you’re worried about the salt.
- Ginger and garlic. More flavor! I won’t even look at a fried rice recipe without this duo of flavor powerhouses. I hate chopping all the garlic and ginger so I use a mini chopper to help.
- Veggies. What veggies you use are optional. I like carrots and peas for the color and crunch.
What To Serve With Ham Fried Rice
I love serving other Asian-inspired dishes with this easy fried rice recipe, like Robin’s Air Fryer Pork Belly. Steaks, smoked chicken, and even shrimp will also pair nicely with this Blackstone fried rice recipe.
Storage
Can you freeze Ham Fried Rice? Yes, you sure can! Thoroughly chill portions of it and pack them into airtight containers or plastic bags and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Otherwise, pack your leftover rice into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days. Can you reheat fried rice? You sure bet you can! Here’s how.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you sure can! Ham lends a lovely smoky flavor to the fried rice and the saltiness of it pairs really well with this Asian rice dish.
You bet! Simply omit the egg in this recipe and it’ll be delicious.
Yes! Not only is this Ham Fried Rice easy (there’s not much chopping and it cooks in 1 skillet), but it’s also the best Ham Fried Rice!
Ham Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked white rice cooked the day before and refrigerated
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 2 cups cooked ham cubed
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1/2 cup carrots diced
- 1/2 cup peas
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce optional
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 egg egg lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and when hot, add a 2 tablespoons of oil.
- Add the onions and carrots to the skillet and cook until they start to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Add the ginger and garlic and cook another minute or until aromatic.
- Add the rice and mix well. Let cook for 2-3 minutes to crisp up the rice.
- Drizzle the sesame oil and fish sauce on top of the rice and mix well.
- Add the peas and ham and mix again, then cook for 1-2 minutes to heat the ham.
- Add the soy sauce and mix well, then make a hole in the center of the rice, add a wee bit of oil (about a tablespoon) then add the lightly whipped egg. Scramble it in the space in the middle of the rice, then work the egg into the rest of the rice. Cook for another minute.
- Garnish your Ham Fried Rice with sesasme seeds and sliced green onions. Yum!
Notes
- Use cooked the day before rice that’s been in the fridge overnight for the best fried rice.
- Use a large skillet so the rice has room to crisp up and not steam.
- Fish sauce is optional but adds so much flavor.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
