Easy Shrimp Fried Rice is an affordable recipe that cooks all in one pan in less than 30 minutes to make a favorite weeknight meal. I serve it with egg rolls and sweet chili sauce for dipping.
Easy Shrimp Fried Rice gets a spot among the top 10 recipes that my family loves the most! This recipe is not only a favorite meal to eat, but a favorite meal to make. It cooks all in one pan and takes only 30 minutes from beginning to end.
Serve it with Air Fryer Egg Rolls to add some crunch and texture to the meal. We like to dip our egg rolls in sweet chili sauce. My family just can’t seem to get enough of this easy weeknight meal. And yours will love it, too!
More Tasty Weeknight Meals
What is velveting?
Velveting is a process used to lock in moisture to the shrimp before cooking them. Add the cleaned and deveined shrimp to a medium bowl and stir in cornstarch, salt and white pepper. Mix to coat the shrimp and allow them to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
The salt and cornstarch coat the shrimp and block the heat from interacting with the muscle fibers, preventing the shrimp from becoming tough and dry. Velveting keeps the shrimp moist and plump when cooking. The starchy coating also helps the sauce to stick to the shrimp.
Easy Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe
Key Ingredients:
- SHRIMP– One pound of shrimp that has been peeled and deveined is used for this recipe. Add cornstarch, salt and white pepper to the shrimp before cooking to improve texture and lock in moisture.
- RICE– One cup of rice, rinsed thoroughly and drained, is cooked according to package instructions and cooled before using it to make the fried rice. This can be done a day or two ahead of time and will remove moisture from the rice, allowing it to crisp up when fried.
- EGGS– Beat 4 eggs and soft scramble them in the pan before frying the rice. Add a pinch of salt and be sure not to overcook the eggs.
- VEGETABLES– Chopped carrots, frozen peas, and slice green onions are added for flavor and texture. Save a few tablespoons of green onions to garnish the dish before serving.
- SOY SAUCE and SESAME OIL– These sauces are used to add an umami flavor to the shrimp fried rice and a light brown color.
Most of these ingredients can be found in your pantry or refrigerator, making Easy Shrimp Fried Rice an affordable and convenient weeknight meal.
How to make Easy Shrimp Fried Rice
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Cook 1 cup rice according to package instructions. Spread cooked rice on a sheet pan and chill it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. (This step can be done a day ahead of time.)
- Chop the green onions and carrots. Devein the shrimp and combine them with cornstarch, salt and white pepper. Let the shrimp sit for 10 minutes at room temperature.
- TIP: Gather all ingredients near the stove, as they will cook quickly and you’ll want everything within reach.
- Heat a wok or large skillet to medium-low heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and scramble the eggs until cooked through, but soft. Remove the eggs to a plate.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute on each side. Remove the cooked shrimp from the pan.
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and stir in carrots and 2/3 of the green onions (saving the rest for garnish). Sauté veggies until tender, about 1 minute. Add the rice to the pan, spreading it into a flat layer. You will hear it sizzle as the rice begins to fry. Cook for 2 minutes, turn the rice and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add the sesame oil and soy sauce, stir to combine. Stir in the eggs, shrimp and peas. Stir fry for 2 minutes while moving the mixture around with a spoon or spatula. Serve Easy Shrimp Fried Rice with egg rolls. Garnish with remaining green onions. Recipe makes 4 servings.
What is coconut aminos?
Coconut aminos is an Asian seasoning that looks and tastes like soy sauce. However, it has 50% less sodium than soy sauce, so it is a healthy alternative. Since it comes from coconut, it is gluten free, but yet it doesn’t taste like coconut. It tastes salty like soy sauce, but has a hint of sweetness to it.
Coconut aminos can be used instead of soy sauce in this recipe for Shrimp Fried Rice. You can find coconut aminos in most grocery stores in the baking aisle with the spices and seasonings or in the Asian food section next to the soy sauce.
More Easy Recipes with Shrimp
- Crunchy Air Fryer Shrimp
- Sausage and Shrimp Jambalaya
- Shrimp and Cheesy Grits
- Avocado Shrimp Salsa
- Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil
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Easy Shrimp Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice, cooked according to package instructions and cooled completely
- 1 pound shrimp, about 24
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 5 green onions, sliced
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1 cup peas, frozen
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, or coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Cook 1 cup rice according to package instructions. Spread cooked rice on a sheet pan and chill it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- While the rice is cooking, chop the green onions and carrots. Devein the shrimp and combine them with cornstarch, salt and white pepper. Let the shrimp sit for 10 minutes.
- Heat a wok or large skillet to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and scramble the eggs until cooked through, but soft. Remove the eggs to a plate.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute on each side. Remove the cooked shrimp from the pan.
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and stir in carrots and 2/3 of the green onions (saving the rest for garnish). Sauté veggies until tender, about 1 minute. Add the rice to the pan, spreading it into a flat layer. You will hear it sizzle as the rice begins to fry. Cook for 2 minutes, turn the rice and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add the sesame oil and soy sauce, stir to combine. Stir in the eggs, shrimp and peas. Stir fry for 2 minutes while moving the mixture around with a spoon or spatula. Serve Easy Shrimp Fried Rice on a large platter. Garnish with remaining green onions. Recipe makes 4 servings.
Equipment
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 wok or large skillet
- 1 large spoon or spatula
- 1 medium saucepan, for rice
- 1 sheet pan, for cooling rice
