Shrimp Fried Rice
Day-old rice tossed in a smoking-hot wok with juicy shrimp, fluffy egg, peas and scallions until every grain is separate and lightly toasted. Ready in 20 minutes and better than takeout.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Prepare the rice
Break up the chilled rice with your fingers until there are no clumps. Cold, dry rice is essential, or it will turn mushy when fried.
- 600g cooked chilled rice
✅ Done when: No clumps remain and the grains are loose.
Cook the shrimp
Heat 1 tbsp of the neutral oil in a 12-inch (30cm) wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Stir-fry the shrimp for 1-2 minutes, then remove to a plate.
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 300g raw shrimp
✅ Done when: Shrimp are pink and opaque throughout.
Scramble the eggs
Add another 1 tbsp of oil to the same wok over high heat. Pour in the eggs and stir gently for about 30 seconds, then add them to the plate with the shrimp.
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 3 beaten eggs
✅ Done when: Eggs form soft, barely set pieces.
Fry the rice
Add the last 1 tbsp of oil, then the garlic, scallion whites and carrot; stir-fry 30 seconds over high heat. Add the cold rice and toss constantly for 3-4 minutes, pressing it against the hot wok, until the grains separate and steam.
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- whites of 4 scallions scallion whites
- 1 diced carrot
- 600g chilled rice
✅ Done when: Rice is hot, separate and lightly toasted.
Combine and season
Add the peas, soy sauce and white pepper; toss over high heat for 1 minute. Return the shrimp and egg, stir in the scallion greens and sesame oil, toss once more, then taste and add salt if needed before serving immediately.
- 100g frozen peas
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 300g cooked shrimp
- 3 cooked eggs
- greens of 4 scallions scallion greens
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- to taste salt
✅ Done when: Peas are bright green and everything is heated through and well combined, with no liquid pooling at the bottom.
Prepare the rice
Break up the chilled rice with your fingers until there are no clumps. Cold, dry rice is essential, or it will turn mushy when fried.
- 600g cooked chilled rice
✅ Done when: No clumps remain and the grains are loose.
Cook the shrimp
Heat 1 tbsp of the neutral oil in a 12-inch (30cm) wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Stir-fry the shrimp for 1-2 minutes, then remove to a plate.
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 300g raw shrimp
✅ Done when: Shrimp are pink and opaque throughout.
Scramble the eggs
Add another 1 tbsp of oil to the same wok over high heat. Pour in the eggs and stir gently for about 30 seconds, then add them to the plate with the shrimp.
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 3 beaten eggs
✅ Done when: Eggs form soft, barely set pieces.
Fry the rice
Add the last 1 tbsp of oil, then the garlic, scallion whites and carrot; stir-fry 30 seconds over high heat. Add the cold rice and toss constantly for 3-4 minutes, pressing it against the hot wok, until the grains separate and steam.
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- whites of 4 scallions scallion whites
- 1 diced carrot
- 600g chilled rice
✅ Done when: Rice is hot, separate and lightly toasted.
Combine and season
Add the peas, soy sauce and white pepper; toss over high heat for 1 minute. Return the shrimp and egg, stir in the scallion greens and sesame oil, toss once more, then taste and add salt if needed before serving immediately.
- 100g frozen peas
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 300g cooked shrimp
- 3 cooked eggs
- greens of 4 scallions scallion greens
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- to taste salt
✅ Done when: Peas are bright green and everything is heated through and well combined, with no liquid pooling at the bottom.
The Story Behind the Dish
Fried rice began as a thrifty way to use leftover rice, and records of it go back over 1,400 years. The most celebrated version comes from Yangzhou, where cooks refined it with shrimp, egg and diced ham.
Cantonese cooks carried it around the world, and today shrimp fried rice is on almost every Chinese restaurant menu.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It turns yesterday's rice into something better than it was the first time — fast, cheap and endlessly adaptable.
💡 Fun Fact
Chinese chefs test a cook's skill with plain egg fried rice: every grain should be separate, glossy and evenly coated.
Yangzhou, Jiangsu
32.39°N, 119.41°E
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