Fried Rice with Eggs and Peas
Do you ever have one of those days when figuring out what to make for dinner just seems like an impossible task?
Today was one of those days for me, but I persevered!
I woke up wondering what to make for dinner. I ate breakfast, still wondering what I should be pulling out of the freezer. I got distracted by a few (thousand) things and before I knew it, it was lunchtime and I still didn't know what I was making. By 3:00 I started to really wrack my brain, and my blog. By now it was too late to thaw anything, so I looked over the list of ideas for some meatless meals and the only one that jumped out at me was the fried rice.
Plus, as you probably know by now, I’m always trying to find ways to get more homemade broth into our meals – read more about the benefits of homemade broth.
Fried Rice with Eggs and Peas (Meat is Optional)
Yield 6-8 servings
Ingredients
Note that this recipe fed my family of six, with second helpings for most of us. Adjust it to your family's needs, or just make the full amount and enjoy the leftovers.
- 3 cups dry/ uncooked rice, this rice is my favorite lately.
- Homemade chicken or beef broth or just water if you don't have broth, but it won't be as flavorful. Use whatever amount of liquid it says for the type of rice you're using. (Don't have any broth made? Try this kind, it's the only one I'll use when I run out of my own.)
- 1/4 cup expeller pressed sesame oil (you may need more of this as you're stirring everything around)
- Another 1/4 cup butter or more, pastured butter is best
- 1-2 Tablespoons chopped green onions
- 3/4-1 cup thawed frozen peas
- 1/2 cup or so of carrots cut very small, optional
- 1/8 – 1/4 cup Tamari (a fermented soy sauce) or try this soy-free alternative
- 3-4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon or more garlic powder (or chop some fresh if you prefer)
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- Optional extras: corn, small pieces of broccoli, chopped asparagus, kale
- Pastured meats if desired: Steak, chicken, or pork (if you don't have a good source for safe, pastured meats, you can order online here) -- amounts depend on how many you're feeding. You could use leftover/already cooked meat and add in toward the end with the vegetables just to get it hot, cook it on the grill, OR cook it first in more oil (or butter or ghee) then set aside while you make the rest.
Only the rice and liquid ratios have to be right so the rice cooks well, the other ingredient amounts can be shifted if you like more or less.
Instructions
Following the directions for the rice you're using, cook it in your homemade broth, or part broth/part water. While it simmers, you can get all the other ingredients prepared.
Once the rice has cooked and all the broth has been absorbed, get your frying pan hot (that link has my fav pan that I use, we have the 16”) and add butter and sesame oil. Add optional veggies and cook until soft. Add green onions and peas and cook 'til hot, just a few seconds or so. Add rice and garlic powder, then continue stirring to get the flavors all mixed together and keep scraping the pan as it fries up and makes more yummy crispy parts of the rice. Add in some sea salt and pepper, keeping in mind that the Tamari will also add some saltiness so not too much at first, and continue to stir. Add Tamari and continue turning the rice over to make sure all of it is getting blended well. Add meat if desired.
Now push all of your rice to the sides of the pan, creating a hole in the middle and crack your eggs into the hole you just made. Stir the eggs (only) at this point and allow them to cook through and then stir the eggs into the rice mixture blending it all well. Add more sea salt and pepper if needed. Enjoy!
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We served it with a few apple slices, and the kids were all over this dinner. It took a little work in the last half hour, but I love having another meal that I can throw together easily at the end of a long day of lists and errands.
More you might like:
- More fast last-minute kid-friendly meal ideas
- Homemade egg rolls fried in healthy fat!
- More Asian recipes
- Egg whites and skim milk? A favorite book excerpt
Meal Planning Help!
Sick of planning meals and answering the question, “What am I going to feed these people?” No matter what kind of eater you are or what allergies you have… Check out these affordable interactive easy-to-use meal plans where the work is done for you! Also read over my review to see what I thought of it.
Liz says
Hi Kel, I just wanted to thank you! I’ve been battling a flu and needed something easy to make and healthy but still fun and this fit the bill perfectly. I happened to have all the ingredients handy and battled a few wild bunnies to get what was left of our green onions.😄🐰 It’s so nice to have a stash of this when you don’t feel like cooking much!
KitchenKop says
You’re welcome Liz and I’m glad it helped you out! 🙂 Hope you’re feeling better soon!
Cathy Finnesgard says
Here’s another idea…
Make up a big pot of rice, divide it into meal size containers and freeze for later. It that’s quickly but can also be tossed into dishes while still frozen if need be.
I found myself with a gallon of bone broth and not enough glass jars to store it in, so I used a quart of it to make some savory rice, which is now packed into my tiny freezer in (my bad) plastic freezer bags.
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
Good idea and time-saver for later Cathy Finnesgard!
Cathy Finnesgard says
Kelly the Kitchen Kop, it “thaws quickly” is what I meant to say.
Kelly says
Yes, I definitely have to make more next time so we have leftovers!
jeanne says
My family also likes fried rice, infact we had it for dinner tonight.
I make it when I need to clean out the frig. Tonights version had a little bit of steak and chicken, green peas, carrots, diced potatoes, red peppers, onions, mushrooms. I always try to make extra because my children will eat it for breakfast!
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
Hi Erin,
There’s not much my brain retains these days without writing everything down, but FOOD, now THAT I remember! 🙂
Kelly
Erin says
Hey Kel,
I did a similar dinner last night, except I made a stir fry with Noodles & I'm pleased to say say, no one noticed it was meatless & I enjoyed the leftovers for lunch today – now, if only I can remember what I did to post a recipe..hhmmmm…;)
How DO you do it?
Carrie at NaturalMomsTalkRadio says
Fried rice is one of my favorite quick, easy and cheap meals. The kids like green peas in it. I love sugar snap peas, diced carrots, onions and whatever else I have lying around.