Ham Fried Rice Recipe

The ham fried rice served in a black plate and placed on a beige linen on a black table. There are chopsticks to the left hand side.

This ham fried rice recipe is quick, easy, and perfect for using up leftover ham and cold rice. It’s loaded with flavor from eggs, veggies, and soy sauce—great for busy weeknights.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Keyword fried rice

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 358kcal

Author Elizabeth Rodriguez

Ingredients

2–3 slices Bacon cut into ½-inch pieces
4 large Eggs
1 Garlic Clove minced or grated
½ teaspoon Powdered Ginger use minced or grated fresh ginger if available
4 cups Cooked White Rice
12 ounces Cooked Ham diced
2 cups Frozen Mixed Vegetables defrosted—cook to half the recommended time on package, drain well (we used a combination of carrots, peas, corn, and green beans)
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
3 tablespoons Green Onion sliced (plus extra for garnish, if desired)

Instructions

Cook the bacon in a large, deep non-stick skillet or wok over medium heat until crispy, about 5–7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain all but 1–2 tablespoons of bacon drippings from the pan, reserving about 1 teaspoon separately for the eggs. Remove the pan from the heat.
Scramble the eggs in a medium bowl. Heat a small non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the reserved 1 teaspoon of bacon drippings. Cook the eggs, scrambling as you go, until cooked through. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Return the skillet or wok to the burner over medium to medium-high heat. When the bacon drippings are hot but not smoking, add the diced ham and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and ginger, stir, and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the vegetables to the pan and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and stir in the rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until the rice is warmed through and starting to steam.
Add ¼ cup of soy sauce, stirring to coat the rice evenly. Stir in the scrambled eggs. Add another 1–2 tablespoons of soy sauce, if needed, to ensure everything is coated. Add the cooked bacon and green onions and stir well.
Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Let the ham fried rice sit for 5–10 minutes so the flavors come together. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Serve and garnish with extra green onions, if desired.

Notes

Use cold rice. For the best fried rice, the rice needs to be cold and firm. Leftover rice works great, or you can make it ahead and refrigerate until it’s completely cooled.
Here’s how to make white rice. Low-sodium soy sauce is recommended.
The ham, bacon, and most cooked rice already contain plenty of salt. If you’re sensitive to salt, go with low-sodium ham and bacon if available.
Get everything prepped before you start. Things move fast once you begin cooking. Have all the ingredients chopped, measured, and ready to go so nothing burns and you’re not scrambling mid-recipe.

Nutrition