This Air Fryer Fried Rice is a quick dinner idea using leftover rice and is a great side dish with all your Asian dishes. It is totally customizable with whatever you have on hand!
Making fried rice without a stove top is revolutionary! In fact, we have several fried rice recipes made in Instant Pot like shrimp and rice or Egg Fried Rice and now with the air fryer!
This Chinese inspired Fried Rice makes a great dinner option on those nights you crave for for your favorite Chinese take out, but without all the extra mess and effort (pair it with Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce). Traditional recipes include scrambling the eggs first, cooking the veggies / protein and then tossing rice with the sauces. We have come up with a creative one-step approach of making the easiest fried rice.
The viral Golden Egg Fried Rice in Tik Tok was inspiring - It uses a method of mixing in egg yolk along with cooked rice and stir frying in a pan. We borrowed that method of mixing in the egg along with rice, which makes it easy to cook in the air fryer, since there is no constant stir frying like in a wok.
We have used egg and a basic mix of frozen chopped vegetables - Just carrots, peas and corn (still frozen, don’t even need to thaw) ----> A great pantry recipe that is perfect if you are in a hurry or college students.
Air Fryer Fried Rice
- No stovetop needed
- Customizable with whatever you have on hand
- Made with or without egg
- No fuss method
- Quick and Easy
- Made without a wok
- Ready in under 10 minutes
Ingredients
Rice - Cooked and cooled white rice
Eggs - Use 1 or 2 eggs or make it without eggs.
Vegetables - Any chopped frozen or fresh vegetables or make it without any vegetables.
Seasoning - Traditional fried rice seasonings such as soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, salt and black pepper.
Butter - Though not a classic fried rice ingredient, it adds a lovely taste ----> Butter does make everything better!
What to add to air fryer rice?
VEGETABLES
Any frozen vegetable combination you have on hand will work with this recipe. When using fresh vegetables (like carrot or green beans), make sure to chop them about ¼-inch dice and not bigger. Or skip vegetables all together.
Chicken fried rice
Stir ½ to 1 cup chopped rotisserie chicken when mixing in vegetables.
Shrimp fried rice
Place raw, peeled and patted dry shrimp on top of the mixed rice (in a single layer) before placing in the air fryer. Stir every 2 to 3 minutes as instructed.
Kimchi fried rice
Fresh kimchi adds a major flavor boost to fried rice. Just chop and stir it in to make kimchi fried rice.
Egg fried rice
If you'd like pieces of egg like a traditional fried rice, then skip mixing the egg along with rice. Toss rice with sauces/vegetables and transfer to the baking dish, evenly pour beaten eggs on top of the rice, cook, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes as mentioned.
Sriracha fried rice
Stir in some sriracha sauce along with butter.
How to make?
This is a very easy method to make fried rice if you you have leftover cooked rice.
Coat rice with seasoning & Egg - Mix egg, soy sauce, oyster sauce (if using), sesame oil and black pepper together and mix with cooked rice.
Stir in chopped onion and vegetables - Stir in chopped onion and fresh or frozen vegetables (if using).
Want To Save This Recipe?
Air Fry - Cook in a pre heated 350 degree air fryer for 6 to 7 minutes, making sure to stir every 2 to 3 minutes.
Finish - Mix in butter and chopped scallions.
Expert tips
Butter - If you have devoured fried rice from Japanese steak house, then you know that is the right way to go! It adds a wonderful creaminess, moisture and flavor.
Cold rice – Cold refrigerated rice, preferably day old is perfect. Hot cooked rice will turn slightly mushy when stirred together.
Soy sauce is your best friend. Little to a lot is all up to you. Don’t be afraid to go wild or stay true to the recipe.
Oyster Sauce – It is a key ingredient in making this delicious rice. If you do not eat seafood, you can leave out the sauce and your fried rice will still be great. Oyster sauce can be found at the Asian section of all major US grocery stores / Asian super markets / Amazon. However.
Toasted Sesame oil – Essential in making an authentic tasting fried rice, but a little goes a long way.
Make it gluten free– Use gluten free soy sauce and oyster sauce
Air fryer - We used Instant Vortex 6 quart air fryer to make this recipe.
Baking pan - We used an 8-inch round baking pan that fit perfectly in the 6 quart air fryer.
What to serve with fried rice?
It is delicious plain for lunch or dinner, with a squirt of Sriracha (if you like it spicy) or as a side dish for along with –
- Tomato Egg Soup
- Asian Cucumber Salad
- Instant Pot Cashew Chicken
- Sweet & Spicy Sriracha Roasted Cauliflower and Cashews
How to store leftovers?
Refrigerate cooled fried rice in a sealed air tight container for 2 to 3 days.
How to re heat?
To re heat in the air fryer, transfer cold fried rice to an air fryer safe dish, sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons water and then cook at in a pre heated 350 degrees air fryer for few minutes, until warmed through. Cooking time will depend on the amount of rice.
Can you freeze?
Place cooked fried rice in air tight containers or ziplock bags. When ready to reheat, we recommend a microwave instead of an air fryer.
Frequently asked questions
It will depend on the type of vegetables or protein used - One serving will range from 400 to 550 calories per serving.
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Air Fryer Fried Rice (with or without Egg)
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked leftover rice
- 2 eggs
- ½ to 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or use as per taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce optional
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 scallions chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
Items used
Instructions
- Grease a 8-inch oven safe round cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Add eggs, soy sauce, vegetable oil, oyster sauce (if using), sesame oil and ground black pepper into a large bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. Stir in rice, until evenly combined. Stir in vegetables and chopped onion.
- Transfer rice into the greased baking dish and spread evenly.
- Pre heat air fryer to 350 degrees F for 6 minutes.
- When hot, place the baking pan in the air fryer basket and cook, STIRRING every 2 to 3 minutes. When done, stir in butter and chopped scallion. Serve hot.
- Optional finishes - A squirt of Sriracha and/or more soy sauce
Notes
VEGETABLES
Any frozen vegetable combination you have on hand will work with this recipe. When using fresh vegetables (like carrot or green beans), make sure to chop them about ¼-inch dice and not bigger. Or skip vegetables all together. Variations Chicken fried rice - Stir ½ to 1 cup chopped rotisserie chicken when mixing in vegetables. Shrimp fried rice - Place raw, peeled and patted dry shrimp on top of the mixed rice (in a single layer) before placing in the air fryer. Stir every 2 to 3 minutes as instructed. Kimchi fried rice - Fresh kimchi adds a major flavor boost to fried rice. Just chop and stir it in to make kimchi fried rice. Egg fried rice - If you’d like pieces of egg like a traditional fried rice, then skip mixing the egg along with rice. Toss rice with sauces/vegetables and transfer to the baking dish, evenly pour beaten eggs on top of the rice, cook, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes as mentioned. Sriracha fried rice - Stir in sriracha at the along with butter Cold rice – Cold refrigerated rice, preferably day old is perfect. Hot cooked rice will turn slightly mushy when stirred together. Soy sauce is your best friend. Little to a lot is all up to you. Don’t be afraid to go wild or stay true to the recipe. Oyster Sauce – It is a key ingredient in making this delicious rice. If you do not eat seafood, you can leave out the sauce and your fried rice will still be great. Oyster sauce can be found at the Asian section of all major US grocery stores / Asian super markets / Amazon. However. Toasted Sesame oil – Essential in making an authentic tasting fried rice, but a little goes a long way. Make it gluten free– Use gluten free soy sauce and oyster sauceAir fryer – We used Instant Vortex 6 quart air fryer to make this recipe. Baking pan – We used an 8-inch round baking pan that fit perfectly in the 6 quart air fryer.Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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