A quick and delicious dish, Steak Fried Rice is made with either fresh or leftover steak and is ready in just minutes. It offers a perfect balance of savory flavors, making it a crowd-pleaser for even the pickiest eaters. Prepare the rice the night before to make dinner even faster!
Ever opened your fridge and found leftover rice, unsure what to do with it? That’s how this dish came to be! One evening, after staring at some leftover steak and rice, I decided to get creative and turn it into a flavorful meal. And trust me, I haven’t looked back. This recipe is all about hearty, savory flavors, with just the right crispy texture from the hot pan. Whether using fresh steak or repurposing last night’s leftovers, this dish is my go-to for a quick and tasty meal.
Ingredients
- Cooked rice – Chilled. I make extra rice and store it in the fridge. Jasmine rice is perfect, but basmati works well too.
- Cooking oil
- Steak – Sliced. Raw or leftover, both work. If it’s cooked, add it toward the end of the cooking time.
- Butter – Salted butter is what I use, but unsalted works fine; you might just need extra salt.
- Sesame oil
- Onion – Diced. I prefer yellow onions, but any type will do. Not a fan of onion? Replace it with 1/2 teaspoon onion powder.
- Carrot – Diced. Fresh works best, but frozen is fine if added at the same time as the peas.
- Ginger – Peeled knob. Chop or grate. A mini chopper makes it easy!
- Garlic – Cloves, finely chopped Fresh garlic adds the best flavor.
- Eggs – Lightly beaten.
- Soy sauce
- Peas – Frozen and thawed works well.
- Green onions – Sliced. Use both white and green parts for garnish.
How To Make Steak Fried Rice
- Dice the onion and carrot, chop the garlic, grate the ginger, and slice the green onions. For raw steak, cut it into bite-sized pieces. If using leftover steak, thinly slice it and set it aside for later.
- Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add cooking oil. Once it shimmers, add the raw steak. Sear for about 2–3 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside. For leftover steak, add it later in the process.
- Add butter and sesame oil to the pan. Once melted, toss in the onion, carrot, ginger, and garlic. Cook for 3–4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add the cold rice, breaking up any clumps with a spatula. Let it sit in the pan for a minute or two without stirring so it can crisp up a bit.
- Push the rice to one side of the pan. Pour the beaten eggs into the empty side and let them cook for about a minute before scrambling and mixing them into the rice.
- Add the peas and soy sauce. Stir to combine everything. If using leftover steak, add it now. Let the mixture heat through, then remove from the heat.
- Garnish with green onions. For an extra touch, drizzle with chili oil or sriracha if you like some heat.
Step-by-step process
Serve and enjoy!
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Use cold rice for the best texture. Fresh rice steams and makes the dish soggy.
- You don’t need a wok! A large skillet will do the job just fine.
- If your steak is already cooked, add it at the end to prevent overcooking.
- To get the crispy texture, let the rice sit in the pan without stirring too much. The crispy bits are the best part!
- Taste before adding more soy sauce, especially if using leftover steak, which might already be seasoned.
Recommended
Make It A Meal
Pair your steak fried rice with steamed vegetables like broccoli or bok choy to balance the meal. For a refreshing side, a quick cucumber salad with rice vinegar and sesame seeds works great. Want a full takeout-style spread? Add some potstickers or spring rolls on the side for a delicious feast
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet to maintain the texture. Freezing is an option, but the rice may soften when thawed. Let the fried rice cool completely before freezing in freezer-safe bags. Flatten the bags to save space and make reheating easier.
Steak Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked rice chilled
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- ½ pound steak sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter salted
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ cup onion diced
- ½ cup carrot diced
- 1 inch ginger knob, peeled.
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ cup peas frozen and thawed
- 2 green onions sliced for garnish
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients: dice the onion and carrot, chop the garlic, grate the ginger, and slice the green onions. For raw steak, cut it into bite-sized pieces. If using leftover steak, thinly slice it and set it aside for later.
- Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add cooking oil. Once it shimmers, add the raw steak. Sear for about 2–3 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside. For leftover steak, add it later in the process.
- Add butter and sesame oil to the pan. Once melted, toss in the onion, carrot, ginger, and garlic. Cook for 3–4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add the cold rice, breaking up any clumps with a spatula. Let it sit in the pan for a minute or two without stirring so it can crisp up a bit.
- Push the rice to one side of the pan. Pour the beaten eggs into the empty side and let them cook for about a minute before scrambling and mixing them into the rice.
- Add the peas and soy sauce. Stir to combine everything. If using leftover steak, add it now. Let the mixture heat through, then remove from the heat.
- Garnish with green onions. For an extra touch, drizzle with chili oil or sriracha if you like some heat.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Use cold rice for the best texture. Fresh rice steams and makes the dish soggy.
- You don’t need a wok! A large skillet will do the job just fine.
- If your steak is already cooked, add it at the end to prevent overcooking.
- To get the crispy texture, let the rice sit in the pan without stirring too much. The crispy bits are the best part!
- Taste before adding more soy sauce, especially if using leftover steak, which might already be seasoned.
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.