Beef fried rice is nourishing, filling, jam packed with veggies and flavor. The perfect quick weeknight meal to prep. A great changeup from traditional fried rice. This is also know as mince fried rice.
Table of contents
Why Make These Beef Fried Rice
This fried rice is a little different than the usual, it has ground beef instead of chicken or tofu. My husband had never heard of beef fried rice, and now it's requested weekly! This dish has a crunch, snappy umami flavors and it's so dang easy to whip up. A no-fuss meal, that's easy to follow and very customizable. This meal is also great to prep ahead and to use up any leftovers in the fridge (you can honestly add so many things to this beef fried rice.)
Ingredients Needed
Sesame Oil. This is found in the international aisle or with the other oils in the grocery store. Sesame oil is traditionally used and it gives a wonderful nutty flavor.
Onion. I typically use yellow or white onion. This add crunch and aromatics.
Ginger. Fresh ginger is best, it adds a nice warm spice to the dish you will love.
Garlic. Fresh garlic cloves are always best, they add great aromatics to the dish.
Jalapeño. Optional! This adds a little heat to the dish (and you know I love my spice).
Lean Ground Beef. I love to use 90/10 beef. You can certainly use what you prefer, just be sure to drain excess fat/oil.
Rice. Day old rice is best! But, this isn't always the case, so you can make fresh rice, just be sure to let it completely cool before using.
Mixed Frozen Veggies. You can use peas or a mixed bag. I love both! No need to thaw, it will cook in the mix.
Eggs. These are the key to beef fried rice! They also add lots of protein.
Sauce Ingredients
Soy Sauce. I go for a rich dark soy sauce like this one but you can certainly use light or low sodium soy sauce. Tamari or coconut aminos will also work.
Hoisin Sauce. This is a rich, sweet, umami flavor of sauce that's thick and salty. This is what i use. Typically fund in the international aisle.
Sriracha. This is to add a little spice and color to the sauce. Typically fund in the international aisle.
White Sugar. This helps to thicken the sauce and crispy the meat a bit when cooking it.
Rice Vinegar. This is a vinegar that is a little sweeter than most others. Typically fund in the international aisle. You can also sub sherry vinegar.
Salt & Pepper.
Recipe Variations
Ground Beef. You can also use round turkey or ground chicken. I have also used ground elk and it's delicious.
Soy Sauce. Use tamari or coconut aminos in place.
Rice Vinegar. This is a bit of a sweeter vinegar so use a sherry vinegar or even a balsamic in place of it.
Day Old Rice. If you don't have leftover rice, use fresh made rice but let it cool completely (and even get chilled) before adding. I like to place it without a cover in the freezer to cool it off and dry it out a bit.
Steps To Make
Step One. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and set aside. Next, dice up jalapeño, onion and green onions. Mince garlic and ginger.
Step Two. In a large skillet or wok, heat sesame oil on high heat. Scramble the eggs in a bowl, add to the hot skillet and scramble for about 3-4 minutes, set eggs to the side on a plate. I scramble the eggs separately for a better texture. I find cooking the egg in the beef mix makes it a little mushy.
Step Three. Add leftover oil to the wok or skillet, add in the onion and jalapeños. Simmer for about 2 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, sauté for another minute then add ground mince (beef) to the hot skillet. Sauté for about 5 minutes until mince (beef) is cooked all the way through.
Step Four. Add the sauce in to the beef. Let it cook down and glaze the beef. Once the sauce is sticking to the ground beef nicely, add in the mixed veggies, sauté for about 4 minutes, add the rice and lastly the scrambled eggs. Heat everything through and serve immediately. Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds and any other toppings of choice. I like avocado and more Sriracha on mine.
Recipe Tips & FAQ's
Yes! This meal is very filling, it is full of protein and nutrients. You can easily make this meal as it is for dinner or ass a side salad.
I like to scramble them separately to keep their texture! I prefer it much more than having them mush into the rice. You can certainly do it any way you'd like!
The secret to preparing fried rice is the rice! Using leftover day old rice is the best way to get the perfect fried rice. It dries out a bit and ends up being te perfect consistency for beef fried rice.
Yes, you can make fresh rice, just be sure to factor in time to let the rice completely cool. I have put it in the freezer for 20 minutes without a lid to help cool and dry out the rice for a better texture.
Recipe Pairings
This recipe is great on it's own, very filling. But you can pair it with steamed broccoli or my Asian Cabbage Salad. You can also make a whole "take out" style night out of it and pair it with Thai Cashew Chicken.
Storage Tips
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or you can freeze this meal for up to 2 months. To reheat, add 1 tsp or 1 ice cube to the leftovers and microwave for 2 -3 minutes (the liquid helps to keep things moistened)
Other Easy Dinners To Try
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Beef Fried Rice
Equipment
- 1 large skillet or wok
Ingredients
Beef Fried Rice
- 3 eggs
- ¼ tsp salt for the scrambeled eggs
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil *see notes
- ½ cup onions, diced
- 1 Jalapeño, diced *optional
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 2 cups day old rice *see notes for measurement help
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- ¼ cup green onions, sliced
- 2 tsp white sesame seeds for garnish
Sauce Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
- ½ Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp white granulated sugar
- ½ Tbsp sriracha
- ½ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Mix the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and set aside. Next, dice up jalapeño, onion and green onions. Mince garlic and ginger.
- In a large skillet or wok, heat sesame oil on high heat. Scramble the eggs in a bowl, add to the hot skillet and scramble for about 3-4 minutes, set eggs to the side on a plate. I scramble the eggs separately for a better texture. I find cooking the egg in the beef mix makes it a little mushy.
- Add leftover oil to the wok or skillet, add in the onion and jalapeños. Simmer for about 2 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, sauté for another minute then add ground mince (beef) to the hot skillet. Sauté for about 5 minutes until mince (beef) is cooked all the way through.
- Add the sauce to the beef. Let it cook down and glaze the beef, about 2 minutes. Once the sauce is sticking to the ground beef nicely, add the mixed veggies, sauté for about 4 minutes, add the rice and lastly the scrambled eggs. Heat everything through and serve immediately. Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds and any other toppings of choice. I like avocado and more Sriracha on mine.
Carly Sanchez
Made this last night and then enjoy the leftovers today I must say it’s one of the best fried rice recipes I have tried, super fresh, and I love that the eggs weren’t mushy.
Jesse
Never thought beef fried rice could be a thing. So happy I got out of my comfort zone and tried this!
Tonya C
This was delicious and very easy to make. I used only 1 cup of rice for my diet and still excellent. Going to add more spice next time.
Karen
I made this beef fried rice this evening! It was so good! I didnt want to cook rice so I used cauliflower rice, still yummy. I added chili pepper flakes when done. I enjoyed this recipe and had everything on hand which made the process so easy! Thank you, going to share this recipe and will enjoy leftovers at work the next day! 🙏♥️
Bailey
Hi Karen, I am thrilled to hear you loved this as much as we did! Thanks for letting me know and Happy Eating. Xoxo
Cam
Super easy and flavorful recipe. Our family loves this one.