Have you been searching for a Vegan Fried Rice recipe that is similar to the Hibachi-style rice or takeout fried rice you love? If so, look no further than this delicious & homemade fried rice recipe without eggs that contains 10 simple ingredients and can be made in 30 minutes or less!
Fried rice actually reminds me of one of my favorite traditions growing up-going out to Hibachi on Christmas Eve. As a Jewish American, most restaurants are closed on Christmas Eve in my hometown. Luckily, our local Hibachi restaurant was always open so we made a new tradition of going out to eat there with friends and family. It truly made the Holiday just as special for us as it did for everyone celebrating Christmas.
If I'm being honest, the reason I loved going out to Hibachi was really because of the buttery, flavorful, & CRAZY DELICIOUS fried rice we always got. Even when I did eat meat, I always shoved that to the side just so I could eat another serving of delicious crispy fried rice.
Since it was one of my favorite foods growing up, I knew it was time to make a vegan vegetable fried rice recipe!
The best vegan fried rice
If you loved my Black Pepper Tofu and my Vegan Lo Mein, get ready for the next great recipe to come to SGTO. Grab the ingredients, cook the white rice, and prep that wok because it's time to make some epic homemade fried rice!
Ingredients:
- Sushi rice (or any rice variety rice- I prefer short grain rice but long grain also works)
- Vegan Butter (I use Miyokos brand)
- Soy sauce (or coconut aminos to keep this dish soy-free)
- Rice wine vinegar
- Sugar (can be subbed with maple syrup or coconut sugar to be refined sugar-free)
- Onions, diced
- Frozen or fresh peas
- Carrots, diced
- Frozen or fresh edamame (optional, but gives this dish tons of protein!)
- Furikake seasoning (optional, a mix of white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, and dried seaweed)
As you can probably guess from that list my secret to the BEST vegetable fried rice is... using vegan butter! Seriously, skip the oil and use vegan butter to make this recipe go from good to great. My other secret is to add a little rice wine vinegar to my soy sauce for a little flavor twist.
Tools:
There is only ONE tool I absolutely recommend for this recipe and it is a high-quality Wok. Using a wok does wonders for stir fry recipes because it can evenly distribute high-heat. That leads to really crispy and perfectly cooked fried rice.
For reference, I have the BergHOFF cast iron wok. I've had it for over 5 years (splurged on it before I even had this blog). It is truly my kitchen go-to for making stir-fries, curries like my Vegan Eggplant Lentil Curry, and even pasta dishes like my Vegan Lemon Butter Pasta.
How to cook Japanese short grain rice on a stove
The first step to making delicious eggless fried rice is cooking rice on a stove or in a rice cooker. Before we even jump in, let me start this off by saying that day-old rice ALWAYS works best for fried rice. However, here are the additional steps to make short-grain Japanese rice on a stove:
Rinse rice before cooking
- This removes the outer layer of starch from the rice and will help prevent any rice from clumping together.
- Do this until the water is completely clear!
Then, soak rice before cooking
- Soaking white rice before cooking helps to reduce the cooking time
- It will also bring out more of the sweetness of the rice
- Do not soak for more than 10-15 minutes and, if you are short on time, it's totally fine to skip this step
Cook rice until the water is completely absorbed
- Bring the rice and water to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook covered until the water has completely absorbed
- While some bags say to cook for 20 minutes, my rice usually cooks in as little as 10 minutes because of the washing and soaking process, so check the rice at the 10-minute mark.
- Also, make sure to cook your rice with the lid on to trap in the steam.
Use the right rice-to-water ratio
- I cook my rice using 1 cup of short grain rice to 1 cup+ 2 tablespoon of water
- Please note- long grain or brown rice requires a different ratio so please follow package instructions if using another variety of rice
Always cook fried rice with cold rice
- This will help prevent the rice from clumping together and help it get nice and crispy!
- As mentioned above, day-old cold rice is best, but if you can't do that there is a trick First, layer a baking tray with parchment paper. Then, spread the warm cooked rice on top. Add to the fridge for 15-20 minutes until cold. Remove and use in your fried rice recipe!
Steps to cook this recipe:
First, cook the white rice
Follow the steps above to cook the rice to perfection. If you are making the rice the day of, make sure to wait until it is cold before adding it to the fried rice. Just to reiterate it once more, day-old cold rice works best in this recipe!
Next, prep the veggies & make the sauce
Before cooking this recipe, make sure to chop and prep every ingredient. Fried rice really only takes around 8 minutes from start to finish, so you need everything prepped before starting.
This means adding the vegan butter to the wok, chopping & dicing the veggies, and mixing together the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sugar for the vegan fried rice sauce.
Cook everything in a Wok!
First, add the vegan butter and turn on the heat. Once it has melted, add in the onions and sauté for about 2 minutes. Then, add in the carrots, edamame, & peas and sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes.
After that, pour in the sauce and the cold cooked rice. Mix everything together and break apart any rice clumps that may form. The rice only needs to cook for about 2 more minutes before you can remove it from the heat and serve.
Remember, everything is getting cooked at a super high heat so that's what makes this process so fast!
What is Nori Furikake Seasoning?
One of the ingredients I use to season this fried rice is furikake seasoning. I buy mine at Trader Joe's, but essentially it is a mix of black sesame seeds, white sesame seeds, salt, and Nori- which is dried black seaweed! If you have ever eaten sushi, you will definitely recognize nori as the thin black seaweed layer in sushi rolls.
I like adding furikake seasoning to this recipe because it gives it an extra kick, although, it is TOTALLY optional. I really love the taste the black seaweed gives to this dish as it gives it a more earthy, seawater flavor.
Plus, it actually makes this fried rice taste exactly like a copycat recipe for Trader Joe’s popular Japanese Fried Rice with Edamame and Seaweed!
PS- Some Furikake brands have bonito flakes added in (which come from fish), so avoid this if you are trying to keep the recipe vegetarian/vegan.
I truly can't wait for you to try this easy & delicious Vegan Fried Rice! This plant-based recipe has tons of protein thanks to the added peas and edamame and it is truly SO flavorful while being incredibly simple to make. Enjoy!
-TSG
Looking for more easy vegan weeknight dinner ideas? Check out these recipes!
If you loved this recipe, please leave a 5-star review on the recipe card. I always appreciate your feedback and support! You can also follow along on my Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest, or sign up for our newsletter!
The Best Vegan Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked white rice
- 2 tablespoon vegan butter
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup chopped onion about ½ onion
- ½ cup frozen or fresh peas
- ½ cup frozen or fresh carrots finely chopped
- ½ cup frozen or fresh shelled edamame
- 2 tablespoon furikake seasoning optional, as topping
- 2 tablespoon green onions optional, as topping
Instructions
- First, cook the rice according to package instructions. You will need 3 cups of cooked white rice total. I prefer short grain/sushi rice for this recipe and have tips and tricks in the blog post on how to cook rice, but any rice works. If using short grain/sushi rice it is 1 ½ cups of uncooked rice & 2 cups water needed for this amount of cooked rice. If using a different rice, follow package instructions. The rice can also be made the day before and is actually better if cold and refrigerated!
- Once the rice is has been cooked, prep the rest of the ingredients. First, chop all the vegetables including the carrots and onions and set aside the peas and edamame. Then, whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sugar to form a thin sauce.
- Next, add the vegan butter to a wok and turn on the heat. Once the butter has melted and the wok is hot, add in the onion and cook for 2 minutes on high heat until translucent. Then, add in the rest of the vegetables (edamame, peas, carrots), and cook another 2 minutes.
- Next, add in the stir fry sauce and cooked white rice and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes . Make sure to stir to evenly mix in the sauce and break up any rice clumps that may form.
- Remove the fried rice from the heat and serve immediately. Top with furikake seasoning or sliced green onions for extra flavor. Enjoy!
Notes
- Fried rice can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 weeks. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warm throughout.
- If you do not have time to make the rice a day ahead of time, lay the warm cooked rice on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper and add it to the fridge or freezer. This will help to cool the rice down quickly before adding it to the dish.
Kate says
Delicious, and the husband enjoyed it too, bonus! Will definitely make again. Relatively low maintenance which is nice during the week. I also used microwavable Japanese rice and then put in the refrigerator for an hour since I made it all in one evening. I found a frozen pea/carrot mix to cut down on the amount of chopping too. Such good flavor overall, looking forward to the leftovers! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
W says
I don’t love cooking but this recipe was so simple and so delicious, I was volunteering to make it again and again. Thank you so much Megan! Will keep on coming here for recipes and inspo
Suzie says
Any tips for keeping the rice from getting mushy?
Megan says
There are some tips to cook rice in the blog post, but the best way is to make sure to rinse the rice until the water runs clear before cooking the rice.
Kareliz says
I liked this recipe. I don’t know if I am missing something but the veggies were undercooked. I suspected I needed to cook them before using but I didn’t want to ruin the recipe. I regret. They were hard to digest. Next time I will.
Jamie says
It should have been mentioned that “fresh” veggies ( especially carrots should be steamed first. I usually use a bag of frozen veggies to cut down time.
Isa says
I didn't like the buttery taste.
Megan says
You can substitute oil next time if you prefer that. Sesame oil is a great option for more flavor
Carole says
This vegan fried rice recipe was delicious. My children loved it as well, will definitely be making it again and again! I also freely added the following spices; basil, pepper, garlic and pinch of another hot spice. Plus tofu.
Thank you for this yummy recipe!😊
darlene tenopala says
Just made this , delicious and quick and easy and I’ve tried so many fried rice recipes !
Megan says
So so happy to hear that! 🙂
Marie says
Great recipe! I used sesame oil instead of the vegan butter and it was delicious! This really is the best vegan fried rice and so easy!
Megan says
So glad you enjoyed it and that it tasted just as good with sesame oil!
Kimmythevegan says
So I played this game tonight (the night before grocery night haha) and was trying to find recipes based off the few ingredients I had left in my fridge. And this was it. Ohmygosh! So simple but so delicious! This will easily make it into my regular rotation.
Megan says
What a fun idea and so glad this is the recipe you choose 🙂 Thanks for the review!
Star says
Very good, will make again with cashews or tofu
Megan says
Thanks for sharing 🙂 Tofu and/or cashews would be a great addition!
Kelly says
Hi! This may be a stupid question but is this a good recipe to make in bulk and save for lazy cooking days? Thanks.
Megan says
Yes it definitely is- you can store fried rice in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 3 weeks and it reheats really well.
Monica V. says
Super easy and great tasting recipe, was ready in 10 minutes, and have so far made it twice this week. HIGHLY RECOMMEND
Elizabeth says
Oh my! it was soooo good, all my boys liked it!
Megan says
Thanks for sharing, I'm SO happy to hear that 🙂
Angela Jones says
I made rice and I can truly say it was better than any fried rice I have eaten. I made a few substitutions because I didn't have some items at home. I will definitely cook this one weekly!
Lauren Rogers says
This fried rice was so good that we made it twice in a row - and it's so nice that it includes all common, household ingreds! Super quick and easy, and a hit with everyone who had some. Love it!
Kerri P. says
This recipe was so good! Definitely a keeper for our family! Knowing the base is so good- I’m looking forward to making some variations of this by adding other veggies, water chestnuts, tofu, etc! THANK YOU!
Kerri P. says
This recipe was so good! Definitely a keeper for our family! Knowing the base is so good- I’m looking forward to making some variations of this by adding other veggies, water chestnuts, tofu, etc! THANK YOU!
Megan Horowitch says
So glad you liked it! Yes it's so great with more veggies and crispy tofu too 🙂
Brittany says
Can you use a rice cooker for this recipe or is it best to cook the rice in a pot on the stove?
Megan Horowitch says
I don't own a rice cooker so I really couldn't say, but I would imagine you can cook the rice however works best for you! The key to this recipe is making sure it's cold once you use the rice and ideally a day old. Hope that helps!
DH says
So delicious and quick. That's a definite keeper. Thanks.
DH says
So delicious and quick. That's a definite keeper. Thanks.
Megan Horowitch says
Thank you so much!