Beef Fried Rice

By Kay Chun

Published April 9, 2025

Beef Fried Rice
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
50 minutes
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(377)
Comments
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Fried rice is perfect for easy and fast weeknight cooking, as it is highly customizable and can be made with all sorts of veggies and protein. This beef version employs a traditional Chinese technique of velveting meat that quickly tenderizes tougher cuts. Simply mix the beef with cornstarch and oil (seasoned here with soy sauce) and let stand for 30 minutes (or even just 15 minutes, if that’s all you’ve got) before stir-frying until browned. Feel free to add more vegetables to this fried rice, like shredded cabbage or snow peas. Be sure to have all of your prep ready before cooking, as the process goes quickly.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 4tablespoons neutral oil, plus more if needed
  • 2tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce 
  • 1tablespoon cornstarch
  • 12ounces skirt or sirloin beef, sliced ¼-inch-thick then cut into bite-size pieces (about 1 inch)
  • Salt and pepper
  • ½cup finely chopped yellow onion
  • ½cup finely chopped carrot 
  • 3garlic cloves, minced
  • 1teaspoon minced fresh ginger
  • 4cups day-old cooked rice (preferably jasmine)
  • 3large eggs, beaten
  • ½cup frozen peas
  • ¼cup sliced scallions, plus more for garnish
  • 1teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

622 calories; 32 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 16 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 55 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 28 grams protein; 853 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a medium bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the oil, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and the cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Add beef, season with salt and pepper, and toss to evenly coat. Let stand for 15 minutes, or even 30 minutes if time allows.

  2. Step 2

    In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high. Add half of the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, just until browned, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer beef to a plate and repeat with the remaining beef. You should have at least 2 tablespoons of fat remaining in the skillet (amount will vary depending on the beef); if necessary, add more oil to reach 2 tablespoons.

  3. Step 3

    Add onion and carrot to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds.

  4. Step 4

    Add rice, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until well incorporated and warmed through, 2 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Push the rice to one side of the skillet and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the empty side. Add eggs and stir until scrambled, then mix the eggs into the rice mixture. Add beef (and any accumulated juices), peas, scallions, sesame oil and the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and cook, stirring until mixture is well blended, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.

  6. Step 6

    Divide fried rice among bowls and top with more scallions. Serve warm.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
377 user ratings
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Comments

Bored headache

I'd recommend cooking the egg after browning the beef and setting aside or adding it after the onion and carrot. Cooking the egg after adding rice will turn it gooey, by adding moisture and cooling your pan too much. At least that's my experience working a busy wok station.

BGE

Great dish. Much enjoyed. A few modifications; 1) yes do the eggs after meat (not once rice is in wok) 2) rice; instead of adding to wok to breakup, instead place rice in bowl and spray with oil as you break the rice up by hand. This makes the rice less clumpy 3) make often and enjoy

Scott

Another option to help tenderize the beef is to add 1/4 tsp of food grade sodium carbonate to the velveting marinade. Sodium bicarbonate can also be used but it tends to leave a metallic taste vs sodium carbonate which is tasteless.

SF Lady ISO Meyer Lemons

Y'all. I made this with hamburger meat. That's right; I velveted the hamburger meat and while it is not a textural profile that some may enjoy (I'm honestly on the fence still) - this was an explosive favorite with the kiddos and hubby. And I'm about to make it again. Just putting it out there as another option for that package of meat you might have. FYI - I come to the comment section exclusively for substitution recommendations.

Sue P

Best part was the beef. I like crispy, tasty beef with rice and vegetables. This was a nice change for dinner. Husband did the chopping which made my part go quickly. We included some other vegetables. Thank you for something other than chicken.

Laurie

I followed previous advice about the eggs- no problem there. The meat was tender but lacked flavor. I feel like I should reverse the process and cook the veg first so the meat can absorb those flavors more from the pan. Thoughts?

Melissa G

@Laurie I agree. My meat was also flavorless, even though I marinated it for the full 30 minutes. I also cooked the eggs after the beef.

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