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By Chris Joe
5 from 15 votes
Jan 12, 2023, Updated Nov 20, 2023
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This Shrimp Fried Rice recipe is an easy at-home meal that will taste better than takeout! I have a couple key tips to make a restaurant quality fried rice, while still keeping it quick, delicious and easily adjustable to your preferences!
Watch the Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe Video Below!
Marinating The Shrimp
I love this shrimp marinade because it’s so simple! your shrimp for at least 10 minutes will ensure they turn out succulent and delicious! Here is what you’ll need for the marinade:
- 1 lb shrimp (I like using smaller U50-60 shrimp so I get some shrimp in every bite!)
- white pepper
- kosher salt
- light soy sauce
- baking soda
- neutral oil (I prefer Avocado oil)
- cornstarch
Tips for Restaurant Quality Shrimp Fried Rice
Key Tip: Ensure all your ingredients are prepped ahead of time BEFORE you begin cooking. This dish comes together fast, so preparing your ingredients in bowls right next to your pan will ensure the dish comes together smoothly and nothing is overcooked.
INGREDIENTS TIPS
RICE
Do not use freshly steamed rice! The rice should be at least one day old to avoid having too much moisture; too much moisture in the rice will make your fried rice soggy and mushy.
WHAT VEGGIES CAN I USE?
The beauty of this dish is that you can use any vegetable you like! I mix it up based on what is in my refrigerator and what I am feeling like. Here are some vegetables I’ve used in the past:
-Mushrooms
-Broccoli
-Asparagus
-Corn
MSG
This is always optional 🙂
NEUTRAL OIL
My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil! I don’t use olive oil when cooking Chinese food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. The flavor profile does not go.
Searing The Shrimp
You want to sear your shrimp in about 4 tablespoons of neutral oil over high heat for 2-3 minutes or until just cooked through. I purposely like to re-use the oil the shrimp was cooked in to fry my aromatics, vegetables, eggs, and rice to reinforce them with more of that delicious shrimp flavor!
Why I Suggest Cooking in a Wok
Cooking in a wok will give your dish that signature “wok hei” or “breath of the wok”, which is a beautiful smoky flavor profile to your dish. The best part is, the wok will only get more seasoned with time, adding more flavor to your food!
Key Recipe Tips for Shrimp Fried Rice
RECIPE TIPS
MARINATE YOUR SHRIMP!
If you can spare the extra 10 minutes, I highly recommend you marinate your shrimp. This extra step will take your fried rice to the next level! It gives the shrimp a delicious flavor and texture that mimics the quality of restaurant fried rice! The baking soda is a key ingredient that changes the pH level of the shrimp, making them crispier and more plump. Do not skip this step!
CUT YOUR VEGETABLES!
I always recommend cutting your vegetables into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly – this little step makes a huge difference! In this recipe, I cut the carrots into small cubes so they would cook evenly with the peas!
CRUMBLE YOUR OLD RICE
I like to crumble my rice (I’ve found that dried out rice gets clumpy) – this helps each rice grain get cooked and coated in all of the delicious flavors!
5 from 15 votes
Shrimp Fried Rice
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 10 minutes mins
Save
My ultimate shrimp fried rice! This is such a quick and easy recipe that makes a large amount of food and is always a crowd pleaser. I hope you enjoy it!
Ingredients
Shrimp Marinade
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
Other Ingredients
- 2 cups white rice, long grain rice such as jasmine or basmati, cooked and dried out overnight in the refrigerator
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- 4 scallions, chopped, greens and whites separated
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp msg
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
In a bowl, marinate the shrimp with salt, white pepper, soy sauce, baking soda, neutral oil and cornstarch for 10 minutes.
Chop your vegetables and beat eggs and set aside along with your rice. Prepare soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, salt, and msg next to your pan for easy access.
Over high heat, add the neutral oil until shimmering and cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes until just cooked through. Remove and set aside.
In the remaining oil, fry garlic, onion, and scallion whites for 1 minute, add in rice and cook until the grains are dry and separated, about 2 minutes.
Add eggs over rice and cook until the eggs are cooked through.
Add peas and carrots, cooked shrimp, and dry seasonings. Mix and cook for 2 minutes. Drizzle soy sauce around the edge of the pan and add scallion greens. Cook for 3-4 minutes then finish with sesame oil.
Nutrition
Calories: 463kcalCarbohydrates: 79gProtein: 31gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.5gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 183mgSodium: 1441mgPotassium: 500mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 120IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 120mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Tried this recipe?Mention @cj.eats_ or tag #cjeatsrecipes!
