Transform leftover rice and Char Siu into a quick, flavorful meal with this easy Char Siu Fried Rice recipe! Packed with sweet and savory Chinese BBQ pork, vibrant veggies, and perfectly seasoned rice; it’s just like dining at your favorite Chinese restaurant!
Fried Rice is the ultimate way to turn simple ingredients into something truly comforting and delicious, especially when you’ve got some leftover Chinese BBQ Pork and rice in the fridge.
This Char Siu Fried Rice recipe takes the ordinary to the extraordinary with savory, caramelized Char Siu that adds a rich flavor to every bite. Tossed with vibrant vegetables like peas, carrots, and corn, and seasoned to perfection with soy sauce, sesame oil, and a dash of white pepper, this dish delivers the kind of flavor you would expect from your favorite Chinese restaurants.
If you love the bold flavors of Chinese take-out, this recipe is perfect for recreating those comforting, savory dishes right in your own kitchen. It’s quick, easy, and ideal for busy weeknights, transforming leftovers into a hearty, satisfying meal packed with bold flavors your whole family will love.
Ingredients for Chinese BBQ Pork Fried Rice
- Eggs: Scrambled egg adds a nice, fluffy texture and a rich flavor to the dish, balancing the savory and sweet notes of the Char Siu
- Diced Onion: The slight crunch of the onion contrasts nicely with the tender Char Siu. It also provides a sweet, aromatic base.
- Frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, and corn): This colorful blend adds a pop of color, sweetness, and a variety of textures to the dish. There’s no need to thaw them beforehand; they can go straight from the freezer to the wok.
- Diced Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork): The star of the dish! Its caramelized edges add a touch of sweetness and richness, perfectly balanced by a savory depth that enhances every bite. With its tender texture blending seamlessly into the rice, this dish transforms leftover Char Siu pork into a flavorful and satisfying meal. Char Siu made with pork tenderloin, pork shoulder (aka pork butt), or pork belly works best for this recipe.
- Cooked rice (kept overnight in the fridge): Using leftover rice is the key to good fried rice. Refrigerated rice is drier and separates easily, allowing for better seasoning and a light and fluffy texture after it is fried. A medium grain or long grain type of white rice like Jasmine rice works best for this recipe. You could also experiment with healthier options like brown rice. PS – if you don’t have a rice cooker, you can learn how to cook rice on your stovetop here at this link.
- Salt: Even though soy sauce is utilized in fried rice, it is not salty enough to season the dish, so salt is added to enhance the overall flavor.
- Soy Sauce: Soy sauce provides a savory base and a hint of umami
- Dark soy sauce: Dark soy sauce adds a deeper color and a touch of sweetness
- Sesame oil: Just a small drizzle of sesame oil adds a nutty aroma to enhance the overall flavor profile of the dish.
- Cooking oil: While sesame oil is used to flavor the rice, a good, neutral cooking oil is essential for stir-frying the ingredients at high heat without overpowering the dish’s delicate flavors. Vegetable, canola, peanut oil or even a light olive oil give the best results as they have a high smoking point. This is the ideal base for cooking the eggs, vegetables, and the rice.
- Ground white pepper: White pepper brings a gentle heat and earthy flavor to the dish without overpowering it
- Chopped scallions: Scallions (aka green onions) bring a fresh and slightly pungent kick that brightens up the dish
How to Make Chinese BBQ Pork Fried Rice
Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat. A hot wok is essential to prevent the egg from sticking, so wait until it starts to smoke lightly—this is your cue that it’s ready for cooking.
Pour in 2 lightly beaten eggs and let them sit undisturbed for about 30 seconds to give them some time to set. Using your wok spatula, gently scramble the eggs.
Once they are cooked through, remove the scrambled eggs from the wok and set them aside.
Add 2 more tablespoons of cooking oil to the wok, then add the diced onion (1/2 an onion), 1 cup of frozen vegetables (peas, carrots, and corn).
Stir-fry until the onions turn translucent and the vegetables are cooked through.
Then, add 1 cup of diced or thinly sliced Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork), stirring well to combine and allowing the flavors to meld.
Next, pour in 4 cups of cooked, day-old rice to the wok.
Tip: After removing the rice from the fridge, wet your fingers and gently break apart any clumps. The moisture on your fingers helps prevent the rice grains from sticking to your hands, making the process easier.
Return the eggs to the wok, along with a dash of ground white pepper.
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil over the rice.
Stir-fry the mixture thoroughly, ensuring every grain of rice is evenly coated with the sauce. Take your time here, as the sauce will give the rice its beautiful color and depth of flavor.
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Once all of the ingredients are well-combined, turn off the heat and sprinkle in 1/3 cup of chopped scallions over the rice. Stir gently to combine. The residual heat will wilt the scallions slightly and release their fresh, mild oniony aroma.
Transfer the rice to a serving bowl, and serve while it is hot.
Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Fresh vegetables like diced carrots, peas, or corn also work. Other options include snow peas, green beans and mushrooms. Just make sure to chop them small, so they cook quickly. You can also add other veggies like bean sprouts and edamame if you wish.
A medium or long grain rice like jasmine rice works best because it stays fluffy and doesn’t clump together. You can also use brown rice for a healthier option or if you want to switch things up. Short grain rice may also work as long as it is properly broken apart before cooking, but it will result in a stickier texture compared to the medium or long grain varieties.
Day-old rice is ideal because it’s drier, which helps it absorb seasonings and prevents clumping. If you only have freshly cooked rice, spread it out on a tray to cool completely before using. This will help remove some of the moisture. When stir-frying, you can add a bit more cooking oil to ensure the rice seasons evenly
This recipe can be made gluten-free by substituting soy sauce with tamari, coconut aminos, or gluten-free soy sauce. You will also want to ensure that your Char Siu does not contain any gluten-based marinades and sauces.
You can store leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. To re-heat, add just a small splash of water to the rice, then microwave for 1 – 2 minutes. You can also re-heat it in your wok.
No Char Siu? No problem! You can substitute with other leftover proteins like cooked leftover chicken, shrimp, or beef. While the flavor will be different, the result will still be delicious!
Jumped straight here to the recipe? Please consider coming back to read the whole post when you have the time as I have included step-by-step instructions with photos.
Chinese BBQ Pork (Char Siu) Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil (divided)
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1 cup frozen vegetable mix (peas, carrots and corn)
- 1 cup char siu diced or sliced thinly
- 4 cups cooked rice day-old, kept in the fridge
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 dash ground white pepper
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/3 chopped scallions
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat.
- Pour in the eggs and let them sit undisturbed for about 30 seconds to give them some time to set. Gently scramble the eggs. Once they are cooked through, remove them from the wok and set aside.
- Add the remaining cooking oil (2 tablespoon) to the wok, then add the diced onion and frozen vegetables. Stir-fry until the onions turn translucent and the vegetables are cooked through.
- Add the Char Siu to the wok, then stir to combine all ingredients
- Pour the rice into the wok (see notes below on how to handle the rice). Use your wok spatula to break up any remaining clumps.
- Return the eggs to the wok, along with the salt and white pepper
- Drizzle soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sesame oil over the rice. Stir-fry the mixture thoroughly, ensuring every grain of rice is evenly coated with the sauce.
- Turn off the heat and sprinkle the chopped scallions over the rice. Stir gently to combine.
- Transfer the rice to a serving bowl, and serve while it is still hot. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
- Shrimp Fried Rice
- Indonesian Fried Rice (Nasi Goreng)
- Rice Cooker Hainanese Chicken Rice
- 17 Classic and Unique Fried Rice Recipes
- Sizzling Rice Soup
Christine
Monday 25th of November 2024
I am not able to find different color soy sauces in my market. Can I use Kikoman regular soy sauce for this recipe? It looks so good!
Char
Monday 25th of November 2024
Hi Christine. Yes, absolutely! Kikoman regular soy sauce works just fine. I can't wait for you to try this recipe!