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Vegan Fried Rice

Name: Vegan Fried Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 cup chopped yellow or sweet onion; 2 cloves garlic (, finely chopped); 2 teaspoons sesame oil (, can use drizzle of broth to keep oil-free); 1 cup chopped carrots; 1 cup frozen peas; 1 cup chopped red pepper; 4 cups cooked rice; ¼ cup Tamari (, or soy sauce if not gluten-free (see note)); 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (, or rice vinegar); ½ cup sliced green onion (, for garnish); vegan egg (, optional (equivalent to 3 eggs)); Black pepper to taste (, optional)

By Sophia DeSantis, Reviewed by Anjali Shah on April 28, 2025

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This Veggie Fried Rice recipe is perfect when I need the quickest and easiest meal that the whole family will love. It is ready in just 25 minutes and packed with simple ingredients like cooked rice, carrots, vegan egg and peas. I love that it is easy to customize with whatever veggies I have sitting in the fridge.

Dark plate with veggie fried rice and a fork in it on a striped towel

In my house, we eat a lot of rice, mostly because I am always cooking recipes like Mexican rice casseroles and tofu fried rice that are healthy and filling for my big family. When I make this vegan fried rice with vegan egg, I usually just grab whatever leftover veggies we have and toss them in. It is one of my favorite ways to make sure nothing goes to waste and still end up with a meal everyone loves!

Table of Contents hide

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Love This Recipe

🍽 Serving Suggestions

🧊 Storage Directions

❓Recipe FAQs

🍛 More Vegan And Rice Recipes!

📋 Recipe Card

The mix of tender veggies, fluffy rice, and a little tamari gives it that classic takeout taste but made right at home with healthy ingredients. If you have some rice and a handful of veggies sitting around, you have got everything you need to make this. I promise once you try it, you will want to keep it on repeat just like we do.

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Love This Recipe

Whenever I am in a rush and have no idea what to make, this vegan fried rice is the first thing that pops into my head. It uses all the basics I usually have on hand like cooked rice, peas, carrots, onion, and tamari, and it always comes together fast. My boys know the smell of the garlic and onion hitting the pan means dinner is coming soon, and they never complain when it is a fried rice night.

I love that it is so flexible, some nights I throw in extra veggies like zucchini, mushrooms, or whatever is about to get too soft in the fridge. Other times I keep it super simple with just peas and carrots if that is all we have. I like stirring in a little vegan egg when I want to add more protein, but even without it, the rice gets crispy and flavorful just from the tamari and vinegar. It cooks up quick, it is easy to stir around while multitasking, and it saves dinner when I really need it.

Only one pan to wash? Say no more, I am in! That is a big reason why I love this recipe so much. You still get all that restaurant-style fried rice flavor, but with healthy ingredients that make it way better for you and your family.

🥘 Ingredients

Here is what I use to make this vegan fried rice, but honestly, you can always mix it up with whatever you have sitting in your fridge. I do it all the time when I need to use up extra veggies and it always turns out great.

Veggies: I use chopped onion, garlic, carrots, peas, and red pepper to pack in color and flavor.

Grains and Protein: Cooked rice is the base, and I add a vegan egg for extra protein.

Sauces and Seasonings: I use tamari to keep it gluten-free, or sometimes soy sauce if that is what I have. A splash of apple cider vinegar and a little black pepper finish it off perfectly.

Fresh greens: I like to top it off with fresh green onion for a little crunch.

🔪 How To Make

Let me show you how I throw together this easy vegan fried rice recipe. It is simple, fast, and honestly one of my favorite ways to use up whatever veggies are hanging around.

Sauté the aromatics: I add the chopped onion and garlic to a large pan with a little sesame oil and cook them over medium heat until they start to smell amazing and turn a little golden.

A wooden spoon mixing white onion in a pan and colorful bowls with ingredients around it

Mix in the veggies: I toss in the carrots, peas, and red pepper and stir everything around until the veggies start to soften.

Wooden spoon mixing veggies cooking in a pan surrounded by bowls

Add the egg: I push the veggies to one side of the pan, pour the vegan egg onto the empty side, and scramble it until it is cooked through before mixing it all together.

A wooden spoon mixing scrambled eggs in a pan next to chopped veggies with small bowls surrounding it

Stir in the rice and seasonings: I add the cooked rice, tamari, and vinegar to the pan and stir everything together until it is well mixed.

Garnish and serve: I sprinkle sliced green onions on top, add a little black pepper if I want, and serve it up nice and hot.

Rice and veggies being cooked in a pan and mixed with a wooden spoon

💭 Expert Tips

My #1 Secret Tip for making this vegan fried rice is to always use cold leftover rice. Why? well, fresh hot rice just turns into a sticky mess, but when I use cold rice, it stays firm and gets those little crispy bits that make the whole meal so good. Now I always plan ahead and make extra rice just so I can have some ready for fried rice nights.

Other Tips To Keep In Mind:

Prep everything before you start: This recipe moves fast once you start cooking, so I like to have all my veggies chopped and my sauces ready to go.
Taste and adjust: Right before serving, I always taste a little and add a splash more tamari or a pinch of pepper if it needs it.
Use a big pan or wok: I pull out my biggest pan so the rice and veggies have room to cook without steaming. A crowded pan will make everything soggy instead of crispy.
Chop veggies the same size: I always try to chop the carrots, peppers, and anything else into small, even pieces.

📖 Variations

Even the best fried rice recipe can be switched up to fit whatever you are craving. It is really easy to tweak this one to make it work for you and your family. Here are a few of my favorite variations to help you mix things up too:

Mix in cauliflower rice: Sometimes I swap half of the regular rice for cauliflower rice to sneak in more veggies. I do the same trick in this vegan tikka masala and my kids never notice.

Use brown rice: I often use brown rice instead of white rice because we love the chewy texture and the little nutty flavor.

Add sriracha for spice: When I want to make it spicy, I just add a good squeeze of sriracha. It gives the fried rice a big flavor boost and I love the little heat.

Use frozen veggies: If I am short on time, I grab a bag of frozen mixed veggies and toss them right in. It makes the recipe even faster without giving up any flavor.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

There are so many dishes you can serve with vegan fried rice, depending on what you are in the mood for. You can go all out and make a few sides for that full takeout experience. Some of my favorite recipes to serve alongside this fried rice are:

Side Dishes: I love serving this fried rice with some fresh vegan summer rolls for a light bite. Miso mushrooms are another favorite because they are quick, savory, and so easy to make.

Soups: A simple bowl of miso soup always goes perfectly with fried rice and keeps dinner easy. When we want something a little richer, I make this mushroom soup without cream and everyone loves it.

Salads: For something fresh and crunchy, I toss together a cucumber avocado salad. It only takes a few minutes and adds the perfect refreshing touch to the meal.

🧊 Storage Directions

Refrigeration: I store any leftover fried rice in an airtight container in the fridge and it stays good for about 3 to 5 days.

Freezing: If I know we will not eat it all right away, I seal the leftover fried rice in a freezer-safe airtight container. It freezes really well for up to 3 months.

Reheating: For the best results, I reheat the fried rice on the stovetop. I add a few tablespoons of water or a little drizzle of oil to a pan, then toss the rice around as it slowly heats up. If we are short on time, I also pop it into the microwave for a quick warm-up and it still tastes great.

❓Recipe FAQs

How do I keep my fried rice from getting mushy?

The best trick I have learned is to always use cold, leftover rice. Fresh rice is too soft and sticky, but cold rice stays firm and lets the pan do its job to crisp it up. I even make extra rice on purpose sometimes just so I have it ready for fried rice later in the week.

Can I make this recipe with frozen vegetables?

Absolutely. When I am running around and do not have time to chop fresh veggies, I grab a bag of frozen mixed veggies straight from the freezer. I toss them right into the pan and they cook up quickly without any extra prep, which saves me a lot of time.

Can I use any type of rice for this fried rice?

Yes, you can use whatever rice you have at home. I usually make it with either white or brown rice depending on what we cooked earlier in the week. Sometimes I even mix in a little cauliflower rice to sneak in extra veggies and my boys never notice.

Wooden spoon serving fried rice onto a dark plate

🍛 More Vegan And Rice Recipes!

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