A 20 minute, pantry‑friendly spam fried rice with crispy fried spam, buttery rice, and simple veggies. Use leftover or day old rice for best texture!
JUMP TO RECIPEThis Spam Fried Rice recipe is a fast, inexpensive and easy stir fry dinner that's a great way to use up leftover rice. Made with simple ingredients, this fried rice is a great family-friendly meal that's as easy on your tastebuds as it is on your wallet!
Table of Contents
- Hot Tips for Great Fried Rice
- Equipment Needed
- Ingredient Notes
- Dietary Notes
- Variations
- Step by Step Photos
- Serving Spam Fried Rice
- Storage, Freezing & Reheating
- FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Hot Tips for Great Fried Rice
| Use the right rice | For best results, use day-old rice. Jasmine and Basmati are best for a fluffy, firm texture. Avoid freshly cooked rice, which will have too much moisture to crisp, or stickier rice, like sushi rice or arborio. |
| Prep Ahead | The French culinary "Mise en place" (everything in place) really applies when making fried rice. Make sure you have all your ingredients prepped, ready, and easily accessible when your ready to cook- since fried rice moves FAST. |
| Temperature is everything | Since we're frying, you want to keep your pan hot the entire time, around medium-high. |
| Crispy Spam is the best Spam | You'll cook the spam all by itself in a pan with half the butter, leaving it mostly undisturbed, to build a nice, caramelized crust for extra crispy texture. |
| Leave your rice alone! | Letting the rice cook undisturbed for a few minutes allows it to build a nice, crispy crust. Moving the rice too quickly will inhibit this process. Patience is key! |
Equipment Needed
- A 12 inch (or larger) Wok, frying pan, or cast iron skillet.
- A sturdy spatula or wooden spoon.
- A large bowl for holding ingredients as they are removed during cooking.
Ingredient Notes
Rice. Day-old white rice. For best results, use jasmine or basmati rice, as they are drier and firmer, making for a fluffy fried rice, rather than mushy. If using freshly cooked rice, cool it on a sheet pan in an even layer at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for about an hour to firm it up and dry it out before frying.
Spam. I always opt for classic Spam, or the low‑sodium version. There are lots of flavors available now, but the classic flavor is best for this recipe. Dice into about ¼” to ½” pieces before frying for bite sized pieces.
Aromatic Elements. Fresh minced garlic and thinly sliced scallions add a pop of bright flavor to the dish. You’ll add these closer to the end of cook time to let their bold flavor shine through in the finished fried rice.
Veggies. Super simple here! You’ll need one red bell pepper, a carrot, and some frozen peas (no thawing required). Make sure the bell pepper and carrots are cut into small, uniform shapes so they cook quickly and evenly.
Sauce and Finishing. Soy sauce or tamari (for gluten free), oyster sauce, toasted sesame oil (my favorite is Kadoya), and butter. These add complexity and richness to the fried rice at the very end, and butter is the secret to why your favorite takeout fried rice is so delicious!
Dietary Notes
- Make it Gluten‑free. Use tamari soy sauce (naturally gluten free) and gluten free oyster sauce.
- Use less sodium: Use low‑sodium Spam, low sodium soy sauce and oyster sauce, and unsalted butter.
- Skip the eggs: Omit the eggs, or use crumbled tofu in their place!
- Make it Vegan: Use your own homemade vegan spam, vegan butter, and vegan oyster sauce, and swap the eggs for crumbled tofu!
Variations
- Try Teriyaki Style. Swap soy sauce and oyster sauce for bottled teriyaki sauce.
- Add Tangy Kimchi. Stir in about a half a cup of you favorite kimchi, finely chopped, and a bit of the juice.
- Make it Hawaiian-Inspired. Add diced pineapple after crisping the spam, get it nice and caramelized, then stir in at the end! Adding a bit of fresh gated ginger with the garlic and scallions would be great here, too!
- More veggies: Stir in frozen corn, edamame (for extra protein), or snap peas!
Step by Step Photos
Below is a step by step visual guide for how to make the perfect Spam Fried Rice, every time!
Spam Fried Rice Recipe
Equipment
- wok, or cast iron skillet, or large frying pan (12" or larger)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil, such as peanut or canola
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
- 1 12 oz can of Spam, cut into small cubes
- 1 medium carrot, finely diced
- ½ red bell pepper, diced (about ½ cup)
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced.
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 4 cups cooked, cooled day-old rice (leftover)
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce, may also use liquid aminos or coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
For serving
- toasted sesame seeds, sriracha sauce, additional sliced scallions
Instructions
- 1 Add 1 tablespoon oil to wok or skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. 2 Add eggs ad scramble until just set, 1-2 minutes. 3 Remove the eggs from the pan to a bowl or plate and set aside. Add half the butter and melt. 4 Add the Spam and cook until crisp, stirring occasionally, 5-7 minutes until caramelized. 5 Add the carrots and peppers and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. 6 Add the scallion and garlic and stir, cook 30 seconds until just fragrant. 7 Add the frozen peas and stir. Cook 1 minute. 8 Add the remaining butter, melt, and add the rice. Toss to combine with the other ingredients, and cook undisturbed 2-3 minutes. Then stir. 9 Add the reserved eggs and stir to combine. 10 Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce and toasted sesame oil, and toss to coat. Cook 2 minutes more. Serve hot with sesame seeds, sriracha sauce, scallion.
Notes
Nutrition
Serving Spam Fried Rice
This fried rice is delicious with a bit of kimchi (like my Kimchi Fried Rice), served alongside a quick cucumber salad, dumpling soup, or egg rolls!
Storage, Freezing & Reheating
Refrigerator. Store any leftover fried rice in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freezer. Cool fried rice to room temperature, and transfer to a freezer-safe container or resealable bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
To Reheat
Microwave: Rewarm in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until desired temperature is reached.
Warm through in a skillet. Heat a bit of neutral oil in a pan, add leftover fried rice, and warm through on medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until warmed through and re-crisped.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I use fresh rice?
While using day old or leftover rice is ideal, you can use fresh rice, but you'll need to do a bit of prep. Once the rice is cooked, spread it into a single layer on a sheet pan to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, refrigerator for at least one hour prior to frying to cool it and dry it out.
Why did my rice come out mushy?
If your fried rice came out a bit too mushy, it was likely due to the rice being too wet, not getting the pan hot enough when frying, or overcrowding the pan. If using a smaller pan, cook the rice in batches for best results, and be sure to leave it undisturbed when frying for crispy rice.
What's the best kind of rice for this recipe?
I recommend using jasmine rice or basmati rice for the fluffiest, crispiest fried rice. Avoid anything too sticky, like arborio (risotto) rice, or sushi rice.
How can I make this dish less salty?
To keep the sodium lower on this recipe, use low sodium Spam, unsalted butter, and low sodium versions of the soy sauce and oyster sauce.
Can I make this recipe without eggs?
You can! If you like, you can omit them entirely, or replace with some crumbled tofu or fried seitan.
© Jawns I Cooked. All images & content are the sole property of Jawns I Cooked. Please ask permission prior to using my photos. If you would like to share one of my recipes, please link back to this post and re-write the instructions in your own words.
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