Ham fried rice is a super quick and easy dinner idea. Whip it up in just 15-20 minutes! This recipe is great any time of year and can be made with ham from the deli. But I especially love making this recipe with leftover ham from Easter or Christmas.
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Wasting food is always such a bummer! Sometimes around the holidays we eat a lot of the same thing, we get tired of it and it goes bad. It's understandable.
This recipe is unique way to mix things up and eat something that tastes different, but uses up all of those leftovers.
Homemade fried rice is better than takeout in my opinion, and this recipe helps you eliminate waste so it's a win win!
Want more leftover ham recipes? Try my Creamy Ham & Bean Soup or Ham & Cheese Quiche Cups, both are delicious options.
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Ingredients and substitutions:
Sesame oil: To sauté veggies. You can also sub olive or avocado oil.
Vegetables: Peas, corn and carrots. I like using a frozen veggie mix for speed and convenience.
Eggs: No fried rice is complete without scrambled eggs!
Cooked rice: Cook on the stovetop according to package instructions (or try making oven baked rice)! I like using long grain varieties like jasmine or basmati. You can also do half regular rice and half cauliflower rice if desired.
Ham: Diced up into bite size pieces.
Soy sauce: Select a gluten free soy sauce if necessary (most brands are not gluten free, but those that are will be explicitly marked). Teriyaki sauce is also a yummy substitute.
Cilantro: Fresh chopped leaves add great taste and color.
Salt & pepper: For some extra, delicious flavor!
How to make ham fried rice:
Keep scrolling to find the complete recipe card with measurements. We'll start here with a quick overview!
- Place a frying pan on the stovetop and add sesame oil. Turn heat to medium low and allow oil to heat for a couple of minutes.
- Add veggies. Sauté for 5-10 minutes.
- Stir in cooked rice, ham, salt and pepper.
- Add soy sauce and mix until all ingredients are coated. Allow everything to cook together for a few minutes and then push to one side of the pan.
- Spray exposed portion of the pan with a bit of nonstick cooking spray (a little butter or additional sesame oil will also work). Whisk eggs and pour them into the greased open space.
- Scramble the eggs carefully and avoid mixing them with other ingredients until fully cooked.
- Once eggs are fully cooked, mix them with the other ingredients. Stir in fresh chopped coriander (cilantro) and green onion.
- Serve rice. Top with additional fresh cilantro, soy sauce, chopped peanuts or sesame seeds if desired. Enjoy!
Step By Step Photos
Expert Tip
- Scrambled eggs: I prefer to scramble eggs in the same pan as my fried rice, simply because I don't like creating extra dishes. You can absolutely make your eggs in a separate pan and add them in.
Variations
There are a lot of fun things you can do with fried rice! Here are some ideas:
- Leave the meat out for a vegetarian version of this dish.
- Try a different protein! This Steak Fried Rice is especially fantastic but you can also try tofu, ground beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, lobster or crab.
- Add different veggies. Green beans, bell peppers, jalapenos, edamame, onion, radishes, asparagus or water chestnuts would all be delicious. Use your favorites!
- Instead of soy sauce, you can substitute teriyaki sauce.
- Want to cut down on carbs and calories? Try using half cauliflower rice and half regular rice.
Storage Instructions
Store rice in an airtight food storage container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or a month in the freezer.
How To Reheat
If your rice is in the freezer, transfer it to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Measure one tablespoon of sesame or olive oil into a large skillet, place rice in the pan and stir often until nice and hot. You can also microwave your rice. I recommend covering it with a damp paper towel when using this method! The rice will draw moisture from the paper towel which will keep it from drying out.
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Ham Fried Rice Recipe
Equipment
- Large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil *or sub olive/avocado oil
- 1 cup frozen veggie mix *I like to use peas, carrots and corn.
- 1 cup diced ham
- 2 cups cooked rice *see note below
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup soy sauce *see note below
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup chopped fresh coriander *also known as cilantro
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
Optional toppings:
- Additional chopped fresh coriander (cilantro), additional soy sauce, chopped peanuts, sesame seeds (white or black).
Recipe notes:
Rice: you can use white, brown or even wild rice. Cook using whichever method you prefer, according to instructions on packaging. Soy sauce: If you want to make your rice gluten free, be sure to select a brand of soy sauce that is marked as gluten free on packaging (most brands are not gluten free).Instructions
- Place a frying pan on the stovetop and add oil. Turn heat to medium low and allow oil to heat for a couple of minutes.1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Add veggies. Sauté for 5-10 minutes.1 cup frozen veggie mix
- Stir in cooked rice, ham, salt and pepper.1 cup diced ham, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 2 cups cooked rice
- Add soy sauce and mix until all ingredients are coated. Allow everything to cook together for a few minutes and then push to one side of the pan.¼ cup soy sauce
- Spray exposed portion of the pan with a bit of nonstick cooking spray (a little butter or additional oil will also work). Whisk eggs and pour them into the greased open space.2 large eggs
- Scramble eggs carefully and avoid mixing them with other ingredients until fully cooked. Combining too early will cause a coating effect rather than the result we want, which is nice bits of scrambled egg all throughout the rice. (*Tip: you can also scrambled your eggs in a separate small pan and add them to other ingredients if preferred).
- Once eggs are done cooking, mix them into the other ingredients. Stir in fresh chopped coriander (cilantro) and green onion.2 tablespoons chopped green onion, ¼ cup chopped fresh coriander
- Serve rice. Top with additional fresh coriander, soy sauce, chopped peanuts or sesame seeds if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?!
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Leslie Watkins says
Can’t wait to give this a try! Perfect timing!
Garlic Salt & Lime says
Yay! Yes! Time to use up all of that leftover ham. Thanks, Leslie!
Anna says
I love that your recipes are so practical and easy! Another great recipe I can to the mix. Thank you so much!
Garlic Salt & Lime says
Thank you so much, Anna!
Mary Anne Russo says
Well I made this and it was absolutely the best! I used a gluten free soy sauce and it was so good! I haven’t had any Asian food since being diagnosed with celiac and this tasted just like what I had been missing! Thank you!