This Low-Effort Weeknight Dinner Virtually Makes Itself

I’m all the time chasing crispy. It is certainly one of my favourite textures in meals. I’ve been recognized to take issues too far within the pursuit of deep browning (see my ultra-crispy fried egg experiments). In relation to fried rice, I would like that very same distinction: nutty, golden grains with loads of crispy edges. That’s the enchantment of this sheet-pan model—it’s about rethinking the strategy to work across the limitations and challenges of stir-frying at residence whereas creating an exquisite texture within the grains.

Why Use A Sheet Pan?

In a typical stir-fried rice, the purpose is fluffy, separate grains, calmly coated in oil, and evenly seasoned. A sizzling wok can create a little bit of texture the place the rice meets the pan, however the purpose is not sometimes crispy rice. For these of us who prefer to push the crispy issue additional, there’s undoubtedly room for extra. Plus, it would not assist in the hunt for additional crisp that the majority of us aren’t cooking on high-BTU wok burners at residence. 

This recipe borrows from Kenji’s straightforward fried rice approach however ditches the stovetop in favor of a sizzling oven and a preheated sheet pan. That swap does imply giving up wok hei, but when we’re being actual, that’s fairly exhausting to realize at residence anyway. The at-home stovetop methodology additionally usually requires stir-frying in smaller batches, lest the elements pile up and steam.

By utilizing a sheet pan, you get extra floor space for browning, a principally hands-off course of, and the power to cook dinner double the quantity of rice—4 cups as a substitute of the standard two. It’s not an alternative choice to basic wok-fried rice, and it’s not attempting to be. It’s a sensible, scalable methodology that delivers large taste and a crispy texture that some (like me) desire.

Suggestions for Sheet-Pan Fried Rice Success

Preserve It Easy 

I preserve the ingredient checklist restrained, very similar to Kenji’s authentic recipe, as a result of good fried rice doesn’t want a lot. Onion and carrot carry sweetness and a young crunch, garlic and scallions spherical out the fragrant base, and frozen peas add a young, barely snappy chunk that contrasts with the rice.

May you utilize a bag of frozen combined greens as a substitute of dicing carrots? Completely. Any mixture will work: peas and carrots, peas with inexperienced beans, perhaps some corn tossed in. Simply be certain they’re totally defrosted and drained earlier than including. I’d skip mixes with broccoli and mushrooms; each are likely to have excessive water content material, which turns to steam when heated and prevents the rice from browning. 

Keep in mind That The Rice Is the Actual Star 

Should you’ve ever made fried rice, you in all probability know that day-old rice is right, particularly if it’s had an opportunity to dry out. However with this methodology, you may get nice outcomes from recent rice, too, although some drying of the grains first helps the ultimate texture of the dish. Simply unfold the cooked rice out on a sheet pan whereas it’s nonetheless sizzling to permit the floor moisture to evaporate.

What issues most is that the rice is damaged into particular person grains earlier than tossing it with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and fish sauce, then spreading it on the pan. That is the way you keep away from bare patches of rice that flip into gummy clumps whereas making certain golden, crispy edges. It’s not closely sauced or spice-forward—if that’s what you’re after, attempt nasi goreng or our kimchi fried rice as a substitute.

If You Do Need to up the Ante, Add a Protein and, Possibly, a Little Warmth 

Simply because this sheet pan methodology makes it tough so as to add bits of scrambled egg to the rice doesn’t imply you possibly can’t add an egg one other method—like placing a fried one on high. I like to recommend utilizing an extra-crispy one which’s frizzled on the perimeters however nonetheless has a runny yolk.

Need to add a protein? We’ve bought recipes for shrimp fried rice, pork fried rice, and Chinese language sausage fried rice which you can look to for inspiration, although many cooked proteins will work. Should you’re including one thing like shredded hen, small shrimp, or cubed tofu, be certain they’re minimize into bite-sized items. Prepare dinner it individually first (sure, this does complicate the sheet-pan recipe a bit), then stir it in with the peas on the finish—simply lengthy sufficient to heat by means of with out overcooking. 

You may even add some warmth, in the event you want. A squirt of sriracha, a spoonful of gochujang, or my private favourite, a drizzle of chili crisp. Does it want it? No. However that does not imply you will not get pleasure from it.

This isn’t a standard methodology for fried rice, but it surely’s low-effort and high-reward, with no particular set-up required. And when you style these nutty, golden, crispy grains scraped from the sheet pan, you won’t return to the stovetop methodology anytime quickly.

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