This Vegan Fried Rice recipe is the perfect weeknight meal! It is packed with flavor and vegetables and is ready in 20 minutes. And it only requires 10 simple ingredients to make.
Weeknight meals have to be fast. I am too busy to make anything that requires more than 30 minutes! Some of the meals in my regular rotation are quick recipes like my Vegan Stir Fry, Vegan Peanut Udon Noodles, or an easy pasta recipe like my Miso Butter Pasta!
But, if I have leftover rice on hand, I always make this Vegan Fried Rice! It is fast, easy, and packed with plenty of vegetables and tons of flavor. And best of all, it's ready in 20 minutes. Say goodbye to boring weeknight meals for good!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This recipe only requires 10 simple ingredients.
- And you only need 20 minutes to make it!
- This Vegan Fried Rice contains no egg and is completely gluten-free, so anyone can enjoy it.
- It is packed with vegetables like onions, carrots, and peas.
- And most importantly, it is absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
Day-Old Cold White Rice: I really like jasmine rice for my vegan fried rice. But, the most important part of this recipe is that the rice is cold and day old! This allows time for the starches in the rice to gelatinize, so you can actually fry the rice. If the rice is warm, it will become mushy instantly.
Vegetables: A combination of onion, carrot, garlic, and frozen peas adds so much flavor to this recipe. It is important to chop the carrot really small because it takes the longest to cook.
Tofu: This fried rice recipe has no egg, so I use tofu instead! It is a delicious and simple swap. Use your hands to crumble the tofu like you would for Tofu Scramble.
Soy Sauce: I like to use a lower-sodium soy sauce so this recipe doesn't get too salty.
Instructions
Step 1. Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a large stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat.
Then, add the chopped onion, carrot, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until the vegetables begin to soften, 3-5 minutes.
Step 2. Add the frozen peas, and stir to combine, then push the vegetables to the perimeter of the pan.
Into the center of the pan, add another tablespoon of canola oil, followed by the crumbled tofu. Season the tofu with a small pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper and cook, stirring the tofu occasionally until it is hot and begins to brown, about 2 minutes.
Step 3. Add the day-old cold rice to the pan and use the spoon to break up any clumps.
Then, stir the rice into the vegetables and tofu until it is distributed.
Step 4. Add soy sauce and rice vinegar and stir to combine, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Continue cooking until the mixture is hot, about 1 minute. Then, remove from heat, top with sliced scallion, and serve.
Recipe FAQs
Transfer any leftover fried rice into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I like to reheat it in a hot skillet.
Using cold rice is important because the starches of the rice are cold, so they can actually fry in the oil. The starches of warm rice melt immediately, turning the mixture into a mushy mess.
Crumbled tofu is a great substitute for eggs in fried rice!
Using fresh rice will make your fried rice mushy. And not using high enough heat can lead to the same result. I ike medium-high heat. It cooks fast, without burning.
Expert Recipe Tips
This Vegan Fried Rice recipe moves really fast, so I highly recommend prepping and measuring all of your ingredients before beginning the recipe. If you are trying to measure or find ingredients as you are cooking, you may miss a step!
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Fried Rice
Equipment
- 1 10-12 Inch Stainless Steel Skillet
- 1 Wooden Spoon
- 1 Chefs Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Canola Oil, divided
- 1 Small Onion, finely chopped
- 1 Medium Carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 Medium Cloves of Garlic, minced
- ½ Cup Frozen Peas
- ¾ Cup Tofu, crumbled see note
- 3 Cups Cold, Day-Old Cooked White Rice see note
- 3-4 tablespoon Lower Sodium Soy Sauce
- 2 teaspoon Rice Vinegar
- 1 Medium Scallion, thinly sliced
- Salt and Black Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- Heat one tablespoon of canola oil in a large, stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, carrot, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3-5 minutes.1 Small Onion, finely chopped, 1 Medium Carrot, peeled and finely chopped, 3 Medium Cloves of Garlic, minced
- Add the peas and stir to combine, then use a wooden spoon to push the vegetables to the perimeter of the pan to leave a space in the center. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the center of the pan, then add the crumbled tofu.½ Cup Frozen Peas, ¾ Cup Tofu, crumbled
- Season the tofu with a small pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper and cook the tofu, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is hot and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes.Salt and Black Pepper to Taste
- Add the cold cooked rice to the pan and stir to combine it with the tofu and vegetables. You will probably need to break up clumps of rice with your spoon. Then, add 3 tablespoons of soy sauce and the rice vinegar. Stir to distribute using your pan to scrape up any bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan.3 Cups Cold, Day-Old Cooked White Rice, 3-4 tablespoon Lower Sodium Soy Sauce, 2 teaspoon Rice Vinegar
- Continue cooking until the mixture is hot, about 1 minute longer, then remove from the heat and taste to see if you need the remaining tablespoon of soy sauce. Then, top with sliced scallions and serve.1 Medium Scallion, thinly sliced
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