Sheet-Pan Fried Rice

I’ve always struggled to make homemade fried rice taste as good as takeout. I’ve tried dozens of fried rice recipes, different methods, and every tip and trick in the book, but the flavor and texture were never quite there—until now. If you’ve also been on a quest to find the perfect dupe for takeout fried rice, look no further than this sheet-pan rice recipe.

The savory, umami-rich sauce infuses the rice and veggies with that signature takeout flavor. Then, “frying” the rice in the oven on an oiled sheet pan is the closest I’ve come to the texture and wok hei (that distinctive smoky flavor) of fried rice made in a carbon-steel wok over a hot flame. It’s truly the tastiest, easiest and most fuss-free way I’ve found to make the best fried rice at home.

Ingredients for Sheet-Pan Fried Rice

• Olive oil: I found that brushing the sheet pan with a bit of olive oil before spreading the rice on top helps the rice and vegetables develop the perfect color and crispy texture.
• Takeout-style sauce: A blend of soy sauce, oyster sauce, mirin, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and black pepper replicates the taste and aroma of takeout-style fried rice.
• Rice: For the best results, I recommend using long-grain white rice that has been cooked and cooled the day before. Day-old rice is best for fried rice because it has less moisture, allowing it to crisp and fry in the pan better.
• Aromatics: A combination of yellow onions and garlic adds a complex depth of flavor to the sheet-pan fried rice.
• Frozen vegetables: No need to thaw frozen vegetables ahead; simply toss frozen peas, carrots, shelled edamame and corn right into the sauce with the rice and stir to combine.
• Eggs: The best fried rice recipes always contain a bit of scrambled egg.
• Green onions: A final flourish of green onions over the finished fried rice adds color and freshness to each serving.

Directions

Step 1: Oil a sheet pan

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Brush the olive oil evenly over the surface of a 15x10x1-inch sheet pan. Set it aside.

Step 2: Combine the ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, sesame oil and pepper. Then add the rice, garlic, peas and carrots, onions, edamame and corn. Stir to coat them everything evenly with the sauce.

Step 3: Spread the rice mixture on the pan and bake it

Transfer the mixture to the oiled sheet pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake it for 15 minutes, then stir it and spread it back into an even layer. Bake the rice for an additional 10 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: Stirring halfway through cooking helps prevent the rice from getting too toasty in the oven (like it needs to be for a crispy rice salad) and allows it to “fry” more evenly.

Step 4: Add the eggs

Pour the beaten eggs over the surface. Return the rice to the oven for three to five minutes or until the eggs are set.

Step 5: Stir the fried rice

Using a spatula, stir the rice and break the egg into large bite-sized pieces. Top it with sliced green onions.

Sheet-Pan Fried Rice Variations

• Play with your vegetables: Feel free to experiment with other frozen vegetables that suit your tastes. Just keep the total amount of frozen vegetables to 2 cups total. Diced red bell peppers, mushrooms or water chestnuts would all taste wonderful in this recipe.
• Keep it fresh: If you’d prefer to use fresh veggies rather than frozen ones, you can definitely do so. Just make sure to chop raw carrots finely (or grate them) so they cook fully.
• Add meat: If you’d like to add protein to this sheet-pan fried rice recipe, you can top the rice with a pound of cooked diced or shredded chicken, pork or air-fried tofu after pouring the eggs over the rice. If you want to add shrimp, opt for raw, uncooked medium-sized shrimp that have been peeled and deveined. This way, they’ll be fully cooked by the time the eggs set.
• Use another kind of rice: Long-grain white or brown rice is my favorite for fried rice, no matter the cooking method, because it has the fluffiest texture. I don’t recommend using jasmine rice or short-grain rice (like sushi rice), as it will make the fried rice sticky and clumpy.
• Bake the fried rice: If you don’t have a sheet pan, you can also make baked fried rice by cooking the rice in a 13×9-inch baking dish at 400º.

How to Store Sheet-Pan Fried Rice

Leftover rice lasts for four days in the fridge stored in an airtight food storage container.

What’s the best way to reheat sheet-pan fried rice?

Warm individual portions in the microwave using a covered microwave-safe container. Whenever you reheat rice, it’s a good idea to add a splash of water or broth to rehydrate it.

Sheet-Pan Fried Rice Tips

Can you make fried rice with freshly made rice?

Yes! If you don’t have leftover rice on hand—or if you have a sudden hankering for fried rice and don’t want to wait until the next day—you can still make sheet-pan fried rice with fresh rice.

Cook the rice according to the package directions. Then, spread the rice out onto a sheet pan. Let the rice cool for about an hour. By spreading out the rice, you speed up the cooling process and allow more moisture (steam) to escape, making the rice drier faster. To speed up this process, you may place the pan in your oven on its “keep warm” setting for 15 to 20 minutes.

What can you serve with sheet-pan fried rice?

This sheet-pan fried rice pairs well with a whole host of other takeout-inspired favorites. Homemade egg rolls and crab rangoon are always a great way to start. Follow up with kung pao chicken or a comforting pot of Asian slow-cooked short ribs to round out your feast.