Spice up your dinner with this delicious Curry Fried Rice recipe, made in only 30 minutes! Made with all of your favorite fried rice ingredients, but this time infused with aromatic curry powder, this unique dish is sure to satisfy your curry cravings and become a new family favorite.
Also try my Easy Egg Fried Rice Recipe!
Not sure what to do with your leftover rice from last night's dinner? Curry fried rice to the rescue! This easy and flavorful recipe uses leftover rice (or if you need to make some, check out my easy Instant Pot Rice Recipe!), comes together in less than 30 minutes, and the curry powder gives it a fun twist from the traditional Egg Fried Rice we all love. I can guarantee your family will love this fun, flavorful dish!
This unique fried rice is super tasty served up with a side of Beef Wontons (don't forget the Easy Sweet and Sour Sauce) and Shortcut Orange Chicken!
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❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Bold Flavor - The yellow curry powder adds warm, comforting spices that turn everyday fried rice into something totally unique and so tasty!
- Quick & Easy - With a few simple ingredients (it doesn't get easier than leftover rice) and one pan, dinner is ready in under 30 minutes-perfect for busy weeknights.
- Great Way to Use Leftovers - Day-old rice and frozen veggies make this an easy, budget-friendly way to use up leftovers while still giving you a delicious, satisfying meal that everyone is sure to love!
🛒Ingredients
- Day old rice: If you use sticky, warm, just-cooked rice, it will give your fried rice a soggy, mushy texture. Allowing cooked rice to sit in the refrigerator overnight will give it time to dry out, and your fried rice will have a much firmer texture.
- Yellow curry powder: Gives this fried rice a unique flavor!
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🔄 Substitutions & Variations
- Frozen peas and carrots: Fresh vegetables can also be used; cooking times will need to be adjusted accordingly.
🔪How to Make Curry Fried Rice
Step 1: Saute onions, garlic, carrots, and peas until tender.
Step 2: Mix in curry powder, salt, and pepper.
Step 3: Push the veggies to one side of the pan, and add the beaten eggs. Stirring until cooked through.
Step 4: Add the rice and soy sauce, stir until everything is combined.
Step 5: Add in the green onions.
Step 6: Serve topped with fresh cilantro.
🌟Expert Tips
- Make sure you use day-old cooked rice. Day-old rice prevents the fried rice from becoming mushy and soggy. If you don't have day-old rice, you can fake it! Cook the rice, spread it on a baking sheet, let it cool at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to dry it out.
- Thaw the veggies out before cooking so they don't water down the fried rice.
- Get creative! Use up what you've got in the fridge. Throw in cooked chicken, shrimp, tofu for extra protein, and any veggies you have on hand. Fried rice is very flexible!
💭 FAQs
Long grain rice is the best rice to use for fried rice as it tends to be less starchy. Jasmine rice is a great option!
Yellow curry powder is a spice blend typically made up of aromatic spices like coriander, fenugreek, turmeric, cumin, black pepper, nutmeg, onion, and ginger.
Curry Fried Rice is very similar to the more traditional Egg Fried Rice, but the curry fried rice contains curry powder to give it a more unique flavor!
🍛 More Curry Recipes to Try
📋 Recipe
Curry Fried Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups frozen peas and carrots thawed
- 1 ½ tablespoons yellow curry powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 3 cups cooked rice day-old
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ cup green onions
- cilantro or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat a large frying pan over medium heat. Pour in the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, and frozen vegetables. Saute the veggies until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the curry powder, salt, and pepper and stir until the vegetables are evenly coated.
- Push the vegetables over to one side of the pan. Pour the lightly beaten eggs onto the other side. Using a spatula, gently stir the eggs until they are cooked through.
- Once the eggs are cooked, mix them in with the vegetables.
- Add the rice and soy sauce to the pan and stir until combined and heated through.
- Stir in the green onions and remove from heat.
- Taste the fried rice, and add more salt and pepper if desired.
- Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- Storage Info: Store fried rice in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5-7 days.
- Fake Day-Old Rice: If you don't have day-old rice, you can fake it! Cook the rice, spread it on a baking sheet, let it cool at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to dry it out.
- Veggies: Fresh vegetables can be used; cooking times will need to be adjusted accordingly.
- Get Creative: Throw in cooked chicken, shrimp, tofu for extra protein, and any veggies you have on hand. Fried rice is very flexible!
Ashley Amundsen says
I love making traditional Chinese fried rice, but sometimes it's fun to switch things up too! This curry fried rice is so unique and flavorful with the addition of the curry powder. And it's so easy to make too! My whole family loves it!
Hayley says
Fried rice loved by all in our family, and for this curry fried rice everyone came for seconds. So easy and delicious recipe.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Quick and easy fried rice recipe! Best part is I always have leftover rice and this is the best recipe to use it. My boys love it for their lunch box as well.
Tristin says
This was the best recipe to use up my leftover rice! It had a great flavor and my kids even loved it.
Ann says
This curry fired rice was delicious! A great side dish to some chicken. Will definitely make this again! Thanks for the recipe share!
Enriqueta says
What a succulent way to take advantage of old rice. I'm making this right know, and the smell is glorious! Thanks for the recipe and the inspiration.
LaKita says
This curry fried rice is so tasty and delicious! I love how simple it is to make and it's filling enough to satisfy me for hours!
Sharon says
This curry fried rice is a fantastic side dish on the side of traditional curry recipes. I love that is was so easy to make too!
Veronika says
We always have leftover rice so we love making fried rice a couple times a week but never tried making it with curry so this was a delicious treat! It's definitely going to become a staple for us.
Colleen says
This fried rice was a perfect way to use some leftover rice that I would have thrown away. The curry is a delicious twist.