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The Best Vegan Fried Rice

Fried rice is super-simple to make and this one takes no more than 10 minutes with some leftover rice. The problem is, traditional fried rice only works with a scrambled egg, which gives it a distinct flavor and adds to the overall body of the rice. I mean, to just throw some rice and vegetables in a wok and call it fried rice? That’s such a “vegan” thing to do…

So! The secret weapon here is actually silken tofu. By mashing some silken tofu with black pepper and nutritional yeast (both of which add to the scrambled egg flavor) and frying this with the brown rice in the wok, along with soy sauce and lots of veggies, we’ve got a beautiful, traditional vegan fried rice that’s super delicious.

P.S. Sorry I haven’t posted in a while! 250 recipes (!) into this thing, I’ve been feeling more interested in experimenting with new ideas. It’s much more fun for me to put on the scientist hat and work on things like making angel food cake with whipped chickpea brine (don’t try that…) or creating a cashew cheese that bakes well on a pizza (still working on it…) rather than simply publishing endless content just because. I’ve also been spending a bit more time working on some of my other passions as well, like producing electronic music and endurance running (including 20 miles in the Wings for Life World Run a few weeks ago). But nevertheless, I’m still alive! 🙂

Fried_Rice_Chopsticks

Makes 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups brown rice
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup silken tofu
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon peanut/vegetable oil
  • 5-6 green onions
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 red or green chili pepper
  • 3-4 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
  • Sesame seeds for garnish

Prep: make about 3 cups of cooked brown rice (leftover rice works great as well).

Step One

To start, prepare that tofu mixture mentioned in the intro, which will mix beautifully with this rice to give it the same “body” as the egg in traditional fried rice. Combine about 1/2 cup of silken tofu (any firmness) in bowl with 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast and some black pepper. Use a fork to mash until fairly smooth.

Step Two

Next, add a drizzle of oil to the bottom of a large wok over medium-high heat and then start adding in ingredients. It’s important to add the ingredients in the right order. Start with some minced garlic and give it one minute to simmer, then add the rice and soy sauce, wait another minute before adding the “egg” mixture and stirring thoroughly until well mixed. Give this 2-3 minutes before adding in all the vegetables except the cilantro (sliced green onions, peas, shredded carrots, chopped bell pepper, and minced chili pepper). Give everything about 8 more minutes to simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

Fried_Rice_Wok

Step Three

When the rice is becoming slightly crispy and browned, throw in a handful of chopped cilantro and give it one more minute. Then remove from the heat and serve with sesame seeds and/or your favorite hot sauce.

Fried_Rice_Top

Fried_Rice_Bowl

21 Comments

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  1. Andrew! However and whenever and whatever you want to post is alright by me. I’ve been visiting your blog for a few years and I appreciate all you’ve shared very much.

    Many of your recipes are in constant rotation at my house. Hello ‘creamy walnut sunflower pesto’ – get in my belly. Did someway say vegan blt with maple tempeh bacon – shut the front door. And I’ve also benefited from your fortunate accidents such as how to thicken almond milk or your one ingredient veggie burger.

    True story: I started growing basil in my kitchen window to keep up with my cravings for your various pesto recipes.

    I’ve learned a lot from you and had endless yummy, wholesome meals because of your blog. You keep doing you because you is spectacular. All the best with your endeavors!!

    • Thank you Sabine. I know – you’ve been following and leaving comments forever and I can’t thank you enough for that. It’s so cool to hear that you’re growing basil! I actually have about 8 basil plants in my community garden plot right now to keep up with my own pesto addiction 😀

  2. This is cool. I make fried rice as good quick food for drunks at my late night house parties. Though the key to mine is sesame oil. Non-vegan dudes get terrified of tofu.
    Glad you’re experimenting!

    • Haha! Yeah, I though about adding sesame oil but I feel like I’ve done too much with it in rice dishes in the past and wanted to keep this one simpler, but it would be awesome here as well!

  3. This sounds like what I need to do with my leftover rice tonight. Combined with the leftover chili, it will be fusion night. I might even make a sushi burrito.

    • Thank you 🙂 Yes! Right below the text there’s a row of square buttons, the last one is a grey printer icon. Click that and it will bring up a fancy window with a button to remove images.

  4. Andrew, first of all congrats on the 20 mile run!!! I too enjoy running. I will soon begin training for my second half marathon. One of the reasons I love your recipes is many of them make for great running fuel. Tarahumara Pinole Energy Bars. 🙂 I totally understand the need for a break. I also greatly appreciate the quality recipes over quantity. I use a lot of your recipes on a regular basis. This fried rice looks like another great addition to the week night dinner rotation. I am pretty excited to see how the cashew cheese for pizza works out. Thank you for all of the great recipes and ideas you have posted here. Over the years you have definitely been my favorite.

    • Thank you for the nice comments, Kathy. That really means a lot to me. And I’m so glad to hear that a fellow runner likes my running fuel ideas! Haha, those pinole energy bars are my good luck charm before long races. 🙂

  5. I am happy to see some new content from you. All the recipes I tried out have been absolutely great so far!
    I like it very much that most of your recipes are not too time consuming. Most vegan blogs make great recipes but are just not doable for me on week nights.

    Congrats on your 20 miles! How long did that take?
    I plan to run my second marathon this year (did my fist a month ago) and I am totally happy that I switched to a vegan diet before.

    • Hi Carina, I’m glad you’ve liked my recipes!

      It took about 2.5 hours. It was an interesting race because there’s no finish line, instead there’s a chaser car that starts driving after all the runners and slowly goes faster and faster until it overtakes you and you’re done. So it keeps the pressure on! 🙂 Congrats on doing a marathon. That’s an amazing accomplishment!

    • Yes! Right below the text of the recipe there’s a row of square buttons, the last one is a grey printer icon.

  6. This rice was delicious! I used to love fried rice but they never seem to have it without meat at restaurants. Thanks for the great option!

  7. Recipe is perfect but that picture is so wrong – in Asia chopsticks are stuck upright in the bowl only for food that is meant as an offering to the dead.

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