Bacon fried rice is an all-time favorite at my house. With crispy bacon and scrambled eggs what’s not to love. This fried rice is quick and easy so it’s perfect for busy weeknights.
1½cupLong Grain White Riceabout 5 cups cooked rice
1teaspoonSaltwe use kosher salt
Ingredients bacon fried rice
5cupsCooked White Rice
12ouncesBaconcut into 1 inch pieces and cooked crispy (3 tablespoons bacon drippings reserved)
5Large Eggsbeaten
½teaspoonSaltwe use kosher salt
2Large Garlic Clovesgrated or finely minced
½teaspoonGinger Powder
8ouncesBean Sprouts
¼cupLow-Sodium Soy Sauceplus 1-2 teaspoons if needed
3-4tablespoonsGreen Onionsliced (plus extra for garnish if desired)
Instructions
Cook the white rice (if not using leftover)
Bring the water to a boil over high heat in a medium saucepan. When the water is boiling vigorously, add the rice and 1 teaspoon of salt, stir.
Lower the heat to medium and boil, uncovered, until most of the water has cooked out and you can see the rice on the surface, approximately 5-7 minutes.
Stir the rice briefly, lower the heat to low and cover. Cook the rice on low for 20 – 25 minutes until done. Uncover the rice, fluff with a fork and let it cool. Once it has cooled some, refrigerate until cold.
Cook the bacon
Add the bacon to a large, deep, nonstick skillet or wok. Cook the bacon over medium heat for 15 – 18 minutes or until crispy, stir frequently.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate.
Reserve at least 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings.
Wash the wok or skillet (or use a different one) and dry thoroughly.
Make the scrambled eggs
Add ½ teaspoon of salt to the eggs and beat until combined.
Heat 1 teaspoon of the reserved bacon drippings in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook the eggs for 3-5 minutes while stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula until cooked through. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
Make the bacon fried rice
Heat 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved bacon drippings in a large wok or deep, non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the garlic and ginger powder, cook 15-30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Raise the heat to medium and immediately add the cooked white rice, eggs and bean sprouts, give everything a good stir. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the mixture starts sizzling and is hot and a little steamy. Stir frequently, almost constantly to fry everything evenly and prevent the bottom from burning.
Next, add in ¼ cup of soy sauce while stirring constantly to coat the ingredients completely. Cook, while stirring for 1½- 2 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium-low and continue stirring. Check the color and taste the rice, add a little more soy sauce (a teaspoon at a time) if needed. As a reference we did not add extra to ours.
Finally, sprinkle in the reserved bacon and green onions and stir until combined.
Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes to warm everything and let the flavors come together.
Notes
The cooking time does not include cooking and chilling the white rice. Making white rice takes approximately 35 minutes. Chilling it will take at least 1-2 hours.
For the best fried rice, refrigerate the rice until completely cold and firm, or use leftover rice.
With fried rice and stir fry, it’s best to have all of the ingredients prepped and ready to go because things move very quickly.