Easy Veggie Fried Rice
This oil-free veggie fried rice is a healthy, flavorful meal loaded with fresh vegetables and perfect for a quick and easy dinner. Enjoy a nutritious, low-fat dish that’s packed with vitamins and customizable to suit your favorite ingredients.
We cook large quantities of rice on a regular basis and that means there are often leftovers in our refrigerator. This super simple Veggie Fried Rice recipe is a great way to use up that leftover rice!
We make a lot of rice during the week to use in veggie stir-fries and other dinner recipes. I cook at least one pot of it weekly in my rice steamer to serve with Tofu Teriyaki, Sweet and Sour Stir Fry Veggies, and other vegan Asian-inspired meals.
That means that on any given day, there is either a pot steaming on my counter or there’s leftover rice in the refrigerator which makes pulling together a fresh batch of vegan fried rice a breeze.
Reasons you will love this recipe
- Healthy and Oil-Free: This veggie fried rice is a guilt-free option, offering all the flavor without the extra oil, making it a heart-healthy and low-fat meal.
- Quick and Easy to Prepare: Ready in under 30 minutes, this dish is perfect for a fast and nutritious weeknight dinner or lunch.
- Loaded with Fresh Veggies: Packed with colorful vegetables, this fried rice is not only delicious but also full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
- Versatile and Customizable: You can easily swap in your favorite vegetables or add plant-based proteins like tofu or tempeh for a personalized twist.
Ingredients you will need
This fried veggie rice recipe is a great one-pan meal that combines grains and a wide variety of colorful veggies for a balanced meal that is very easy to make. This is such a versatile dish because any vegetables you happen to have on hand can be included.
- Rice- Long-grain rice is best because it holds its shape. I love brown rice and jasmine.
- Veggies- Always include onions and garlic for flavor. Whatever vegetables you have on hand. See some of my suggestions below.
- Sesame Seeds- Add white or black sesame seeds for a nutty flavor.
- Vegetable Broth- Helps with sauteing and seasoning.
- Lemon Juice- Gives that slight tang.
- Spices- Garlic powder, ginger, and turmeric make this dish absolutely delicious.
- Hoisin Sauce- This is optional but highly recommended. May not be gluten-free, so check the labels.
Tips and Substitutions
- Long Grain- Always use long grain rice because it holds its shape best.
- Cold Rice- Make sure your rice is cold because warm rice will become mushy when stirring.
- Gluten-Free Version- To make this GF, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
Vegetable Options
You really can add any vegetables you prefer. Some of my favorites include onions, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, celery, bell peppers, squash, zucchini, green peas, and snap peas.
Some additional Asian vegetable options might be water chestnuts, baby corn, and bamboo shoots.
Cooking options for rice
The key to this recipe is having leftover rice on hand in your refrigerator. It’s important that the rice is cold, so you’ll need to either plan ahead or be like me and nearly always have rice leftover from other meals waiting to be used up. Freshly cooked warm rice just doesn’t do well and becomes quite mushy when added to the pan with the rest of the ingredients.
There are many different types of rice to choose from, but the healthiest is always going to be some form of brown rice. I love jasmine or Thai brown rice and usually purchase it online or at an Asian market.
Whichever rice you choose to use in this recipe, there are a few different cooking options. Whichever cooking method you choose, remember that it needs to be made ahead of time and cold.
- Option #1 Rice Steamer: My rice steamer is one of the most used appliances in my kitchen. We eat a lot of brown rice, and it’s just so easy to fill the steamer with rice and water, push the button, and walk away. It takes about 30 minutes and the rice never needs to be stirred and never overcooks.
- Option #2 Instant Pot: Normally, brown rice takes about 45 minutes to cook on the stovetop, but with an Instant Pot, the cooking time is cut in half and there is no need to even stir it. Simply set it and forget it. This is how I make flawless brown rice in my Instant Pot.
- Option #3 Stovetop: The most traditional way to make rice without any extra appliances is on the stovetop. White rice has a much shorter cooking time, but brown rice is a healthier option and takes about 45 minutes. You will need to stay close to the stove for stirring at appropriate times according to the package directions.
How to make oil-free veggie fried rice
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: Hopefully, you have leftover rice in the refrigerator. It needs to be cooked and chilled before starting this recipe.
STEP #2: Begin preparation by chopping and dicing the vegetables for this recipe. There are SO many to choose from.
For this recipe, I like to use mushrooms, carrots, green peas, corn, onions, garlic, broccoli, and cabbage.
STEP #3: If using sesame seeds, place them in a dry pan or wok and toast until lightly brown and popping. Pour into a bowl and set to the side.
STEP #4: Add a few tablespoons of veggie broth, onion, garlic, carrots, and mushrooms to the pan. This can be a wok or large skillet with lots of room. Saute over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes.
Add cabbage and broccoli to veggies in the pan and saute another 3-4 minutes. If needed, use a few more tablespoons of veggie broth to keep it from sticking.
Add corn and peas (after they have been thawed by running warm water over them in a colander).
STEP #5: Add the cooked rice and all other seasonings– soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, turmeric, garlic powder, ground ginger, toasted sesame seeds, pepper, and salt. If needed, use additional veggie broth.
STEP #6: Continue to stir-fry for another 3-4 minutes as the flavors of the seasonings begin to combine with the vegetables and rice.
STEP #7: When serving, I drizzle Asian Vegetable and Fruit Tonkatsu Sauce over the top of mine. It has no oil but does have sugar.
*Originally published May 8, 2015.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, brown rice works great in oil-free veggie-fried rice. It adds a chewy texture and extra fiber, making the dish even healthier.
You can enhance the flavor by using ingredients like soy sauce, tamari, garlic, ginger, and a splash of lime juice. Nutritional yeast or sesame seeds can also add extra depth and a savory taste.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.
Dishes To Pair With Fried Rice
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Veggie Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds optional
- 3 tablespoons veggie broth
- 1 cup onion sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup mushrooms sliced
- 1/2 cup carrots diced
- 1 cup cabbage sliced, (Napa or regular cabbage)
- 1/2 cup frozen corn nibblets thawed
- 1/2 cup frozen green peas thawed
- 1/2 cup broccoli florets (optional)
- 4 cups rice cooked and cold, (I used Asian rice & brown rice)
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce or to taste
- 2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce gluten-free if needed and optional for recipe
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- The key to this recipe is having leftover rice on-hand in your refrigerator. It’s important that the rice is cold, so you’ll need to either plan ahead or be like me and nearly always have rice leftover from other meals waiting to be used up. See different rice cooking methods in the article above.
- Begin preparation by chopping and dicing the vegetables for this recipe. There are SO many to choose from. For this recipe, I've added mushrooms, carrots, green peas, corn, onions, garlic, broccoli, and cabbage.
- If using sesame seeds, place them in a dry wok and toast until lightly brown and popping. Pour into a bowl and set to the side.
- Add a few tablespoons of veggie broth, onion, garlic, carrots, and mushrooms to the pan. This can be a wok or large skillet with lots of room. Saute over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes.
- Add cabbage and broccoli to veggies in the pan and saute another 3-4 minutes. If needed, use a few more tablespoons of veggie broth to keep from sticking.
- Add corn and peas (after they have been thawed by running warm water over them in a colander).
- Add rice and all other seasonings-- soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, turmeric, garlic powder, ground ginger, toasted sesame seeds, white pepper, and salt. If needed, use additional veggie broth. Continue to stir-fry another 3-4 minutes as the flavors of the seasonings begin to combine with the vegetables and rice.
- When serving, I drizzle Asian Vegetable and Fruit Tonkatsu Sauce over the top of mine. It has no oil but does have sugar.
Video
Notes
- Long Grain- Always use long grain rice because it holds its shape best.
- Cold Rice- Make sure your rice is cold because warm rice will become mushy when stirring.
- Add Flavor- You can enhance the flavor by using ingredients like soy sauce, tamari, garlic, ginger, and a splash of lime juice. Nutritional yeast or sesame seeds can also add extra depth and a savory taste.
- Gluten-Free Version- To make this GF, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Storage- This will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Even healthier and tastier because it is cooked in Saladmaster!😋😋😋
There needs to be more stars for this dish
This is just the kind of dish I’m looking for – thanks so much for sharing your expertise! I’m only really good at the eating part. ;[
I love sweet and sour sauce over fired rice. Do you have a nice recipe for that too?
Thanks,
Janice
Janice, I don’t have a sweet and sour sauce, but I asked some of my plant based blogger friends, and Micheal with Klunker’s Kitchen said he had been thinking about coming up with one. He just got back with me and this is what he has created http://www.klunkerskitchen.com/2015/07/sweet-and-sour-mushrooms.html?m=1 How awesome is that? Having one of the best create a recipe just for you?! Yay!