There’s no need to waste money and order out! This easy ham fried rice is fresh, flavorful and ready to go in just 30 minutes.
I love takeout but by the time I place my order and go pick it up, I can have made my own dishes that taste so much better and fresher! I love to make this easy ham fried rice to go along with my Better than takeout cashew chicken, Better than takeout orange chicken or Better than takeout sweet and sour chicken!
Fried Rice with Ham
This recipe is great for busy weeknights because it only takes 30 minutes to make and it’s easily customizable! We like to have it as a side dish and sometimes the main dish, depending on the protein we decide to add!
We’re constantly mixing things up and adding in ingredients like broccoli, tomato, pineapple, and cashews. We use leftover ham or grab a few thick-cut slices from the deli or sometimes bacon!
This recipe really is super easy but there are 4 key things/ingredients you need! First is an extra-large non-stick skillet (preferably with tall sides) or a wok. The other three are low-sodium soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. I always have these on hand (hoisin too) because they are staples in Asian cuisine.
How to Make Ham Fried Rice
A quick tip before we begin:
- Make sure your rice has chilled before making this dish preferably overnight or for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator. Leftover rice is perfect for this recipe! Just make sure that you separate the cold and stuck together grains with wet hands. Doing this prevents you from destroying the rice grains.
The process is really pretty simple.
- Scramble the eggs and then set them to the side.
- Then saute carrots, then onion and ham and finally add in the garlic.
- Turn the heat up and add your cold rice-let it cook for 2 minutes and then stir, repeating this 2 more times
- Finally, add in your sauces, oil, eggs, peas and green onions and cook until the peas are cooked through (about 2 minutes)
See I told you is was easy!!
Changing It Up + Storing
Fried rice although extremely tasty is not the healthiest of side dishes but with some simple swaps and additions, you can increase the nutrient factor quite a bit! Here are some of our favorite :
Swaps + Additions
- Brown Rice
- Cauliflower rice
- quinoa
- Bean sprouts
- Mushrooms
- Red pepper flakes
- Bell peppers
- Pineapple
- cashews
- tomatoes
- pulled pork
- shredded chicken
- bacon
- shrimp
Storing Tips
When I make this dish I rarely ever have leftovers, because we are usually scraping the pan for every last bit! But if you are lucky enough to have some just store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 5-6 days. When you are ready to eat, just give it a quick zap in the microwave or re-warm it in a pan (with a little oil) on the stove!
You can also freeze fried rice by packing it into ziplock bags and removing all the air from them. Keep in the freezer for 3-6 months. To reheat dump your frozen fried rice into a microwave-safe bowl and reheat with 1-2 tablespoons of water sprinkled on top of it to keep the moisture in it. Or place it in a hot oiled skillet and cook until warmed through!
I hope you enjoy this super simple and straight forward recipe! And I hope you have some leftovers, but don’t count on it!!
For more similar recipes, check out:
Easy Ham Fried Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp canola oil - OR peanut, or avocado oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 4 eggs - lightly beaten
- 2 large carrots - peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 1 small white onion - diced
- 2/3 cup cubed ham
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 4 1/2 cups rice - cooked and chilled*
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce - more to taste
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 3 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 4 green onions - thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat an extra large skillet or wok to medium heat (I've used both a nonstick and a regular skillet, I prefer a nonstick for this rice). Add 1 tbsp. of the butter into the pan. Once the butter has melted, add the lightly beaten eggs. Let them cook for about 30-40 seconds or until set, then scramble. Once the eggs are fully cooked, remove them and set them aside.
- Add the oil to the pan, when the oil is hot, add the carrot and cook for 1 minute. Add onion and ham, cook until onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, taking care not to brown.
- Turn the heat up slightly and add the cold rice. Cook the the mixture for about 2 minutes, then stir. Repeat two more times. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil and oyster sauce. Sprinkle in the egg, peas, and green onion, cook for an additional 2 minutes or until the peas are cooked throughout.
- Remove and season to taste.