How to Cook Vietnamese Fried Rice (2024)

Table of Contents
Ingredients Steps to Make It Tips Recipe Variations How to Store What can I use as a substitute for lap cheong? FAQs References
  • Southeast Asian Sides
  • Beans, Peas or Rice Sides
  • Pork Recipes
  • Citrus Recipes
  • Vegetable Recipes

By

Connie Veneracion

How to Cook Vietnamese Fried Rice (1)

Connie Veneracion

Food writer and blogger living in the Philippines and specializing in Southeast Asian home cooking and travel.

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Updated on 08/16/21

Tested by

Diana Rattray

How to Cook Vietnamese Fried Rice (2)

Tested byDiana Rattray

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

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Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 12 mins

Total: 27 mins

Servings: 3to 4 servings

Yield: 4 cups

22 ratings

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Fact: Every cuisine in Southeast Asia has been influenced by the Chinese in one or more ways.

Fact: Vietnamese cooking—with its sweet, spicy, salty, sour, and bitter flavors—is heavily influenced by the Wu Xing philosophy with each flavor corresponding with earth, metal, water, wood, and fire, respectively, or the Five Elements.

From those two facts alone, it is easy to glean how much Chinese cuisine has influenced Vietnamese cooking.

When it comes to fried rice, is there adifference between Chinese and Vietnamese fried rice? Yes, there is. Vietnamese fried rice has milder flavors because of its seasonings.

In this recipe, the sweetness of the lap cheong(dried fatty Chinese sausage) and the barbecued pork, and the saltiness of the fish sauce are balanced by a bit of lime juice.

"The rice was flavorful, and I loved the combination of barbecued pork and Chinese sausage. It was an easy preparation with a bit of chopping and slicing. Cooking is quick, so it's best to have all of the ingredients ready before you begin to cook." —Diana Rattray

How to Cook Vietnamese Fried Rice (4)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil

  • 2 large eggs, beaten with a drizzle of fish sauce

  • 1 stalk lemongrass (white portion only), finely chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 medium shallots, finely chopped

  • 1/4 cup chopped carrot

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  • 1/4 cup sweet peas, thawed if frozen

  • 1 link Chinese sausage, lap cheong, about 1 1/2 ounces, thinly sliced

  • 1/2 cup barbecued pork, such as char siu, cut into thin strips

  • 3 cups cooked rice, cold jasmine or long-grain, preferably not freshly cooked, rubbed to separate the grains

  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce, or more to taste

  • 1/2 tablespoon lime juice

  • 1/2 cup cilantro, or Thai lemon basil or mint, to garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    How to Cook Vietnamese Fried Rice (5)

  2. Heat the peanut oil in a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat.

    How to Cook Vietnamese Fried Rice (6)

  3. Pour in the beaten eggs. Cook, swirling often to form a flat egg pancake, just until set, about 1 1/2 minutes.

    How to Cook Vietnamese Fried Rice (7)

  4. Scoop out egg pancake and transfer to a cutting board.

    How to Cook Vietnamese Fried Rice (8)

  5. Over medium heat, saute the lemongrass, garlic, and shallots until softened and aromatic.

    How to Cook Vietnamese Fried Rice (9)

  6. Turn up the heat, add the chopped carrot and sweet peas, and stir fry for half a minute.

    How to Cook Vietnamese Fried Rice (10)

  7. Add the sliced lap cheong and the barbecued pork. Stir fry for about a minute.

    How to Cook Vietnamese Fried Rice (11)

  8. Add the rice. Drizzle in the fish sauce. Stir fry until the rice is heated through. Turn off the heat.

    How to Cook Vietnamese Fried Rice (12)

  9. Roll up the egg like a cigar and cut into thin slices.

    How to Cook Vietnamese Fried Rice (13)

  10. Add egg slices to the rice. Toss. Add the lime juice and toss a few more times.

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  11. Serve hot, garnished with cilantro, lemon basil, or mint, or all three.

    How to Cook Vietnamese Fried Rice (15)

Tips

  • Always rinse the rice thoroughly before cooking on the stovetop, in a rice cooker, or in an Instant Pot.
  • If using fresh-cooked rice, spread it out on a baking sheet to let the moisture evaporate. Once it has cooled, refrigerate it or make the fried rice.
  • Make sure that clumps are broken up before adding the rice to the wok.

Recipe Variations

  • If you like heat, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes along with the lemongrass, garlic, and shallots.
  • Replace the frozen peas and fresh diced carrots with 1/2 cup of frozen peas and carrots.
  • For additional protein and flavor, add 8 to 10 medium peeled and deveined shrimp to the stir-fry along with the meat.

How to Store

  • Refrigerate leftover fried rice in an airtight container within 2 hours and eat within 5 days.
  • To freeze, transfer the cooled fried rice to zip-close freezer bags; label with the name and date and freeze for up to 6 months.
  • To reheat leftover fried rice on the stovetop, transfer it to a skillet with a small amount of water or broth and cook over medium-low heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until it reaches 165 F.
  • To microwave leftover fried rice, put it in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with a damp paper towel; microwave for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, or until it reaches 165 F.

What can I use as a substitute for lap cheong?

You may substitute with about 1 1/2 to 2 ounces of Chinese or other Asian sausage, or salami, chorizo, or ham in a pinch.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
407Calories
17g Fat
47g Carbs
17g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3to 4
Amount per serving
Calories407
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g21%
Saturated Fat 4g22%
Cholesterol 124mg41%
Sodium 271mg12%
Total Carbohydrate 47g17%
Dietary Fiber 2g9%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 6mg32%
Calcium 67mg5%
Iron 3mg18%
Potassium 541mg12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • Carrot
  • beef fried rice
  • entree
  • asian

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How to Cook Vietnamese Fried Rice (2024)

FAQs

Why is Vietnamese fried rice so good? ›

Vietnamese-style fried rice is a lot paler than a lot of the saucier fried rices you can find. Using the simplicity of vegetables, mushroom broth powder and a touch of soy sauce, this Vietnamese fried rice is savoury and a perfect side dish to any meal.

View Details ›
What is the difference between Chinese fried rice and Vietnamese fried rice? ›

The main difference between the 2 types of fried rice is how they are seasoned. Vietnamese fried rice uses fish oil or fish sauce as the main seasoning, while Chinese fried rice typically uses soy sauce. The flavors are also milder for Vietnamese fried rice due to the seasonings.

Know More ›
What makes fried rice taste better? ›

To give your dish that signature fried rice taste, you'll need to drizzle in sesame oil and soy sauce, but feel free to use as much or as little as you wish. You can even mix in things like garlic powder, ginger root, or Sriracha sauce and chili pepper for a bit of a kick.

Keep Reading ›
Why is Vietnamese food so healthy? ›

Vegetables are an indispensable ingredient in a normal meal in Vietnam, it is often a balance between vegetables and meat. Dishes are usually low in fat, are mostly made from fresh food, and the ratio of fried and grilled dishes is not much. Therefore, Vietnamese cuisine is one of the healthiest cuisines.

Read The Full Story ›
How to do Vietnamese rice? ›

directions
  1. Wash rice until water runs clear, then drain.
  2. Mix rice, water, salt, and oil in a nonstick saucepan and bring to a boil.
  3. Turn heat down to very low, stir gently, cover tightly, and cook until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
  4. Add lemon zest and juice and mix lightly with chopsticks or a fork.

View Details ›
What do Vietnamese eat with rice? ›

Rice is a staple food in Vietnam. Many types of rice noodles are eaten throughout the day, whether it's in pho – a rice noodle soup – in stir-fry with coconut milk and vegetables, or with grilled pork. Rice is also made into rice paper and used to make salad rolls.

Read The Full Story ›
Why is Vietnamese fried rice yellow? ›

No egg is involved. Turmeric will color the rice a beautiful bright yellow. Make sure you break up the rice really well when cooking, so all grains get a nice even coating.

Discover More Details ›
What is the secret ingredient to restaurant fried rice? ›

Cooking bits of chopped vegetables, seasoning, soy sauce, and oil, seems easy enough. However, when making fried rice at home, there's one ingredient you may be overlooking: Sugar.

Learn More ›
What to add to fried rice to make it better? ›

Eggs: Which add great flavor, texture and protein. Carrots, onions, green onions and peas: This is the base mix of veggies that I always use for fried rice, but feel free to add in other stir-fry veggies you love (see ideas below). Garlic: Freshly-minced. Soy sauce: I created this recipe using low-sodium soy sauce.

Discover More ›
Why does Vietnamese food taste so good? ›

Fresh ingredients: Vietnamese cuisine heavily relies on fresh and locally sourced ingredients. The abundance of herbs, vegetables, fruits, and seafood ensures that the dishes are packed with vibrant flavors.

Discover More Details ›

Does Vietnam have the best rice? ›

The ST25 rice from Vietnam became the winner of the competition, followed by Cambodian and Indian rice varieties. This is the second time Vietnam has won the contest's top award.

Explore More ›
Why does Thai fried rice taste so good? ›

Thai Fried Rice gets its unique flavor from the fish sauce, soy sauce, and chili peppers, and the jasmine rice is a must. They also added tomatoes to their rice which gives it a subtle hint of sweetness.

Discover More Details ›

References

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