Quick Ketchup Fried Rice

Name: Quick Ketchup Fried Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 3 cups day-old cooked rice (350 g/ 12 oz, Notes 1,2,3); 2 tablespoons oil (divided); 3 eggs; ½ onion (finely chopped, about 50 g); 2 garlic cloves (large); ½ cup carrots (diced about 50 g); ½ cup red bell peppers (diced about 50 g); ½ cup peas (about 50 g); 2 tablespoons ketchup; 1 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 tablespoon fish sauce; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; 2 green onions; 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (roasted); a few sprigs of parsley (optional); fine sea salt and ground black pepper

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Quick ketchup fried rice – this is the perfect recipe for using leftover cooked rice or vegetables. A no-fuss rice dish that’s ready in about 20 minutes.

overhead view of a bowl of veggie rice with chop sticks and bowl of sesame seeds beside it.

The ketchup fried rice is a quick and comforting meal, comforting and delicious after a long day, and perfect for using any kind of leftovers you might have in your refrigerator.

And if you like fried rice, check out our Simple Tuna Fried Rice or the Fried Rice with Spam and Eggs.

Why will you love this recipe?

Quick: Dinner should be on the table in less than 30 minutes.
Super versatile: You can use any veggies you happen to have in your fridge, you can use frozen or canned vegetables, can add chicken, other cooked meats, or deli meats.
Family-favorite: The kind of food that kids love. Rice, ketchup, eggs, carrots, and green peas – that’s children’s food all the way.
Lunch box: Ketchup fried rice is suitable for taking to work or school in a box, for picnics, and so on.

Recipe ingredients

listed ingredients for making fried rice with ketchup, vegetables and eggs.

Basmati or Jasmine rice are both great for making fried rice.
- You can also use brown rice or a mixture of Basmati and wild rice, just keep in mind that the texture will be slightly different (chewier but delicious) and that these sorts of rice need to be cooked for longer (check the package instructions, they usually need about 30 minutes).

Vegetables: Carrots, onions, garlic, bell pepper, peas. However, you can use most anything you have in the refrigerator. See below for more ideas.

Sauce ingredients: Ketchup, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, and ground black pepper.

Garnish with green or spring onions, toasted sesame seeds, and a few sprigs of parsley, if you have any.

Swaps or add-in ingredients

Use other vegetables, like zucchini, mushrooms, sugar snap peas, broccoli, green beans, or cauliflower.
Use canned veggies like corn, peas, or frozen vegetables.
Add cooked chicken pieces, pork, or beef (leftovers from any roast).
Chopped ham, bacon, or other deli meats are great as well.
Leave the eggs or replace the scrambled eggs with fried eggs.
Add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, sriracha, sambal oelek, or another hot chili sauce to make the dish spicy.

white bowl full of fried rice on a black cloth.

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Step-by-step instructions

Prepare everything before you start cooking: Chop the vegetables. Whisk the eggs with a bit of salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Eggs: Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or a large pan and cook the eggs on medium heat for a few minutes until cooked yet slightly wet (1,2). Remove them from the pan.

collage of two pictures of scrambling eggs in a nonstick pan.

Cook the vegetables (onions, garlic, carrots, pepper, and peas) in the remaining oil for about 2 minutes (3).

frying diced vegetables in a nonstick pan.

Add the cold rice, ketchup, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, and a generous amount of black pepper (4).
Stir fry on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes or until the rice is heated through.
Adjust the taste, if necessary, but it probably won’t be required.
Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and a bit of chopped parsley (5).

collage of two pictures of adding ketchup and eggs to fried rice.

Expert Tips

Using day-old rice is mandatory for making good fried rice; freshly cooked grains will make the dish soggy.
You can use leftover rice, otherwise, plan ahead and cook the grains the day before. Chill the rice quickly and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to cook.

Get everything ready before cooking; the cooking steps are fast, and you will not have enough time to chop or measure anything once the cooking starts.

Don’t overcook the vegetables; they should not become mushy.

Recipe FAQ

What is the best rice for making fried rice?

Long-grain rice, like Basmati or Jasmine. For best results, cook it one day ahead.

How to store?

Refrigerate ketchup rice in an airtight container; it will keep for about 3 days.
Freeze the meal in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

How to serve?

Serve with a bit of extra ketchup if you like it.
Make a salad, steam or roast some vegetables, and serve them with ketchup fried rice.

bowl of orange-colored rice fried with vegetables and ketchup.

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