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This crave-worthy Ground Beef Fried Rice is absolutely packed with flavor, and it’s ready to eat in under 20 minutes. Did I mention that it’s a one pan meal? Yep. Quick and easy with almost no dishes to do? Count me in for seconds!
Don’t you just love fried rice?
I can’t tell you how many variations of fried rice I’ve tried, since learning how easy it is to make at home. Not only is homemade way better than take-out fried rice, but it’s also budget-friendly and supremely easy. And, it’s a fantastic way to use up leftover meats and vegetables in the fridge.
Ground Beef Fried Rice
I try my best to keep leftover rice on hand in the refrigerator. And ground beef fried rice is just one more way that I love to make it. So, whenever I cook rice, I double the amount of rice I need for that meal, just to make sure I’ll have plenty leftover.
If that sounds weird, just try this homemade fried rice before judging me. I promise that you’ll find yourself doing it, too! And, since cooked rice will keep for 4-5 days in the refrigerator, it makes it really easy to incorporate fried rice recipes into the weekly menu.
Hamburger Fried Rice
One thing that I like about this hamburger fried rice recipe in particular is that it uses fresh ground beef. Because of that, I don’t have to have any leftover proteins on hand. I just need a package of ground beef, some eggs, and a bag of frozen veggies.
Also, can I confess something to you? I’m pretty tired of false promises when recipes claim to be a “quick” meal. It’s so frustrating to find myself 45 minutes into making dinner, and still be nowhere near finished. So, when I say it takes less than 20 minutes, I mean it!
Easy Fried Rice Recipe
I have a couple tips that really make a difference when it comes to this easy fried rice recipe. The first tip has to do with how you cook the eggs. You will get the best results if you fry them flat like a pancake.
Just pour the whisked eggs into the pan and tilt it around to cover the bottom evenly. Let the eggs cook for a few minutes, then flip the whole thing over and let it cook for another minute. It should slide right out of the skillet onto a cutting board, where you can slice it up into little pieces. I like to use my pizza cutter for this job, but you can also use any old knife.
Fried Rice Tip
If you’ve made fried rice before, you may already know this. However, fried rice is best made with rice that has spent at least one day in the fridge. This helps the rice to easy break apart into individual grains without clumping or sticking. The rice needs to be COLD.
If you’re looking for some more easy fried rice recipes, here are a few of our favorites:
Chicken and bacon fried rice was “officially” declared by my family as the best “unplanned and amazingly delicious” meal to come out of 2020. If your family has never given your recipes wacky award titles, may I suggest the tradition? It’s always a laugh!
Vegetable fried rice is filled with so many great flavors and textures, from crunchy sweet corn to tender-crisp broccoli, green beans, zucchini, and more. Still hearty, but sometimes this option feels a little lighter, or we use it as a side.
Kielbasa and shrimp are added to our favorite fried rice recipe to make it a “two thumbs up, kid-approved, hearty-as-can-be skillet” meal. Maybe it’s just my kids. But, can you see why these titles are a laugh?
Now, there is so much to love about cauliflower fried rice. While you might think of cauliflower “rice” as something you eat in place of grains, this recipe proves that cauliflower rice is delicious and satisfying in its own right.
Mexican fried rice combines the incredible Southwest flavors that my family craves with the incredible versatility of a fried rice recipe. Absolutely one of our kid favorites. Though, I just noticed that they didn’t give me an award for it. Shame.
Pulled pork, steak, and chicken come together in this fried rice skillet that is every meat lover’s dream. I’m telling you, if you have someone in your family who loves meat, this is the one to make.
Ground Beef Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 4 eggs beaten
Beef Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 4 large cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon fresh ginger cut into tiny matchsticks
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 2-3 teaspoons chili paste
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- 1½ cups frozen peas or mixed vegetables
Rice Ingredients
- 4 cups COLD cooked Jasmine rice
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 green onions sliced thin
Instructions
To Cook the Eggs
- Warm a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Swirl the oil to coat the surface of the pan. Pour the eggs into the pan and tilt as needed to spread them across the skillet.
- Let the eggs cook for 2-3 minutes and then flip. Cook one more minute. Slide the egg out of the skillet onto a cutting board and allow it to cool. Cut into 1/2-inch wide strips and then and cut into small pieces.
To Cook the Beef
- Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Brown the beef until cooked through, crumbling it as it browns. Drain thoroughly, then add the garlic and ginger and cook another minute or two until fragrant.
- Whisk together the brown sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, and chili paste. Pour the liquids over the beef, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes to blend the flavors and slightly thicken the sauce. Add the peas, stir and simmer a minute longer. The peas will thaw and warm in the hot skillet. Transfer to a bowl and return the empty pan to the stove.
To Cook the Rice
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet and increase heat to medium high. Add the COLD rice and stir to coat. Continue stirring and cooking for about 2 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir well, to distribute the sauce throughout the rice. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the rice is heated through.
- Return the ground beef and peas to the skillet. Stir and cook an additional 1-2 minutes, until everything is hot. Add the eggs and green onions to the skillet. Stir gently to mix. Taste and add salt, only if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can this be made without eggs? We have someone with an egg allergy
Sure thing. Just skip the eggs.
Really good. I halved it. Can it be frozen?
You can freeze the leftovers! I thaw them and reheat with a tablespoon or two of water in the microwave.