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Golden fried rice is vibrant, rich, and full of flavor. Coating the rice with egg yolks before stir-frying gives it that signature golden color, fluffy texture, and savory depth—I use four egg yolks (double the usual), plus Canadian bacon for a deeper color and a more luxurious taste.
Follow my tips to make restaurant-quality fried rice at home: crisp rice grains, crunchy toppings, and savory-umami flavor. This Asian comfort food is perfect for school lunches or easy weeknight dinners.
Main Ingredient Notes
Here are the key players for achieving a perfect fried rice texture, vibrant gold color, and a rich umami flavor. Scroll to the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and tips for using fresh rice.
- Short or medium-grain rice: Cooked and chilled day-old rice, brown or white. Chilling helps dry out the rice, making it firmer and easier to crisp up when stir-fried.
- 4 egg yolks (not 2): This recipe doubles the usual yolks for a deeper golden hue and richer flavor. Two yolks are mixed into the rice, and two go into the pan.
- Canadian bacon or lap cheong: I love Canadian bacon, but Chinese sausage works great, too! Both add a smoky, salty-sweet flavor—no soy sauce needed.
- High smoke-point oil: I prefer avocado oil for its neutral flavor.
- Shiitake mushroom seasoning: Gives a natural umami boost to replace MSG.
How to make golden fried rice
From prepping your rice to cooking in a super-hot skillet, here’s how I build flavor, texture, and that golden color—step by step.
Break up cold rice so it stir-fries evenly
- Mushy or clumpy fried rice usually starts here. Gently separate any clumps with your hands, without smashing the grains. Cold rice sticks together, but breaking it up now helps every grain get coated and crisp up in the pan. Food-safe gloves can keep it from sticking to your hands.
Mix with egg yolks for golden rice grains
- If your rice never turns golden, it’s likely because there weren’t enough yolks, or they weren’t mixed in properly. Add two egg yolks to the rice and use your hands to coat each grain. This step sets up the fluffy, defined texture you want—and gets the color started before the pan even hits the heat.
Start with bacon (or sausage) to build flavor without soy sauce
- Use a ceramic pan, well-greased cast iron skillet, or well-seasoned wok. Render the fat from meat first—this seasons the pan and starts building smoky, savory flavor. You won’t need soy sauce because the meat brings salty-sweet umami on its own.
Set aside 2 more yolks to boost richness and color
- These yolks are added to the pan just before the rice goes in. Most recipes use egg whites here, but yolks bring a deeper color and add richness to yellow fried rice.
Add scallion whites and yolks to deepen color and aroma
- After the meat crisps up, add the white parts of the scallions and the two reserved yolks. Stir quickly to prevent scrambling, and add the egg-coated rice right away. This step locks in flavor, fragrance, and that signature color.
Toss the rice over high heat to keep it fluffy, not mushy
- Make sure the pan is very hot before stir-frying the rice. Constantly toss and lift the rice to introduce air and drive off excess moisture. This keeps the rice from getting soggy and helps the grains stay separate and crisp.
Season with layers for balanced flavor
- Once the rice is dry and crisping up, add your seasonings. Toss well to coat. Taste and adjust if needed, especially if you’re using a milder protein like shrimp instead of bacon.
Finish with sesame oil and crispy shallots for texture
- A drizzle of sesame oil adds warmth and aroma. Top with scallion greens and crispy shallots if you want that final crunch.
Variations and add-ins
- You can also use raw diced shrimp or cooked chicken. Just adjust the seasonings, since their flavor is lighter than sausage or bacon.
- Add vegetables like peas, carrots, or diced bell pepper for extra texture and color.
- Cooked brown rice works too—just make sure it’s well chilled before using.
What to pair with the golden egg rice
- Soups: A light soup, like my chicken corn egg drop soup or tomato egg drop soup, makes a great palate cleanser and complements fried rice perfectly.
- Vegetable stir-fries: Serve with a Chinese broccoli stir fry, broccoli with garlic sauce, or this Taiwanese braised tofu for a traditional takeout-style meal at home.
- Protein dishes: Craving extra protein? Round things out with black pepper chicken or this irresistible scallion chicken.
ChihYu’s quick tips
- Start with cold, separated rice: Rice should be cooked and fully chilled—this dries the grains and prevents mushiness. Before mixing in egg yolks, use your hands to gently break apart any clumps. This helps the yolk coat each grain evenly.
- Crack eggs cold for easier yolk separation: Yolks separate more cleanly when the eggs are straight from the fridge—less mess, better control.
- Use a high-heat pan if you want wok hei: A wok or cast iron skillet is best for high-heat stir-frying. If you’re using ceramic or nonstick, the rice is less likely to stick, but you might not get that smoky wok aroma. Both options work—just know what to expect.
- Stir yolks quickly before they firm up: When you add the reserved yolks to the pan, stir right away. Then add the rice quickly so the yolks stay glossy and coat the grains instead of drying out.
Try these Chinese fried rice recipes next!
For more takes on this classic Chinese dish, don’t miss these better-than-takeout fried rice recipes!
Recipe Card
Golden fried rice recipe
This golden fried rice uses double egg yolks with extra golden crisp rice grains that are perfectly seasoned – Easy, high protein, and flavorful.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked and chilled short or medium-grain rice
- 4 large egg yolks 2 for mixing with rice, 2 for the pan
- 3 bulb scallion thinly sliced (separate white and green parts)
- 4-5 oz diced Canadian bacon or cooked ham, or Chinese sausage (lap cheong)
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or any neutral, high smoke point oil
- ½ tsp coarse sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic granules
- ½ tsp shiitake mushroom seasoning
- 1½ tsp toasted sesame oil
- Crispy fried shallots for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Break up the rice: Gently separate any clumps of rice with your hands, being careful not to smash the grains. You can wear food-safe gloves if the rice sticks to your hands.
- Coat rice with egg yolks: Transfer the rice to a large mixing bowl. Add 2 egg yolks on top, then use your hands to gently mix until all the grains are evenly coated.
- Prep the remaining yolks: In a small bowl, set aside the remaining 2 egg yolks. Keep the egg whites in the fridge for breakfast or another recipe—you won’t need them for this dish.
- Cook the bacon or sausage: Preheat a large wok or cast iron skillet over medium-low heat until hot. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the diced bacon and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until the edges are slightly crisp and the fat has rendered.
- Add scallions and yolks: Add the white scallion parts and the 2 reserved yolks to the pan. Give a quick stir, then immediately add the egg-coated rice.
- Stir-fry the rice: Turn heat up to high, toss and scoop the rice constantly, lifting from the bottom to introduce air and drive off moisture. Keep sautéing until the grains are no longer wet and begin to crisp, about 3 minutes.
- Season and finish: Sprinkle in the salt, white pepper, garlic granules, and mushroom seasoning. Toss to combine and taste for seasoning.
- Garnish and serve: Turn off the heat. Drizzle with toasted sesame oil, garnish with scallion greens, and top with crispy shallots, if using. Serve hot or warm.
Notes
- Why use day-old chilled rice?
Day-old rice is drier and firmer because excess moisture has evaporated, making it easier to separate the grains and achieve that fluffy, slightly crisp texture. Freshly cooked rice tends to clump and get mushy when stir-fried. - Tips for using freshly cooked rice:
Spread the hot rice onto a parchment-lined sheet pan to cool. Use a fan to help release steam faster, then place the sheet pan in the fridge. This will firm up the grains and mimic the texture of day-old rice, making it perfect for stir-frying. - Using a different protein?
If using mild proteins like raw shrimp, increase the garlic granules, salt, or mushroom seasoning slightly to keep the flavor balanced.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5cup, Calories: 232kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 198mg, Sodium: 620mg, Potassium: 130mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 0.2g, Vitamin A: 253IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Had to change some of the ingredients due to what I had in the refrigerator. Overall the taste was great. Easy to put together too. Don’t skip the crispy shallots.
Yay!!! Thank you so much. 🙂
This dish was so easy to make with clear instructions. It came together so quickly. I wish I would have had some farm fresh eggs to achieve a darker yellow but the taste was wonderful. I added some peas, carrots and edamame. Great meal prep dish.
Yummy! Love the additions! :))