Easy Make Ahead Freezer Friendly Fried Rice Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Can you freeze fried rice for later? ›

Can you freeze fried rice? Just like cooked rice, it's important to first cool fried rice as quickly as possible in the fridge. Then, transfer fried rice to freezer bags in portion sizes you will later need and expel as much air as possible. Flatten and label the bags and keep in the freezer for up to one month.

If you are like me and don't always plan ahead make sure to cook your rice first and allow it time to completely cool in the fridge or freezer. Fried rice is best when it is made with cold rice. You can even cook the rice the night before. The longer the rice sits the better it tastes!

If your rice was frozen after it was cooked, simply remove the container's lid when you're ready to eat it and sprinkle the frozen grains with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water per cup. Cover the container with a damp paper towel and microwave on high for 1 to 3 minutes (depending on the portion size).

Yes! You can easily freeze cooked rice, which is great if you've made too much or want to shave down how much time you spend making dinner. You can also freeze rice that has other ingredients mixed in, including veggies or meat, as a simple part of your weekly meal prep.

Cover the container with a lid or plate to help retain moisture and steam the rice. Reheat in the microwave on medium power, stirring every 30 seconds until the rice is hot.

Precook the rice at least 30 minutes, but preferably one day, before making fried rice and keep it uncovered in the fridge. Place the rice into a fine sieve and wash with water to remove excess starch. Drain the water and place the rice into a saucepan. Add the water.

Day old rice is needed to avoid the rice being soggy. It also means that it's cold and dry enough so that it will fry in the wok in the oil, vs. basically steaming if you used fresh cooked rice. Don't mess about with the oil.

The secret is all in the prep: use precooked rice for the best results, and leftover char siu pork is the perfect flavour burst. Make the fried rice stir-fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, shaoxing wine and sugar. Prepare, measure and chop all ingredients before cooking.

Cooked Pasta or Rice

These starches can freeze, but attempting it isn't ideal, says Proto. When they thaw and the cell walls break, they'll seem overcooked and flavorless.

After some trial and error, I found that, yep, it works great! And it's much more economical, too—as you would expect. It's also easy to incorporate this prep step into your routine—if you find yourself making rice for a meal, just make twice as much, so you'll have some to freeze for next time.

Can you freeze leftover pork fried rice? ›

All types of rice freeze well, including white, brown, and even fried rice (containing meat and veggies). Batch cooking rice and freezing it for later can be a serious meal prep game changer.

You'll want to reheat the fried rice in a skillet or wok on the stovetop for best results. This allows you to stir and break up any clumps of rice as it heats, redistribute the oils and spices evenly, and evaporate any excess moisture that was released from the refrigeration process.

Can you reheat boiled or fried rice? Yes, you can safely heat boiled rice, fried rice, risottos, egg fried rice or any other dish containing cooked rice as long as it did not stand for more than two hours at room temperature before it was cooled and refrigerated.

Yes, any cooked food/meal can be frozen and reheated. Just divide in portions to make reheating easier.

Microwave the rice in one minute intervals, fluffing it after each minute, until it's thawed. Breaking up the softening mound of rice with a spoon and fluffing it will help it defrost faster. Continue to microwave and fluff the rice at 1-minute intervals until the rice is completely defrosted.

Cook the rice, then spread it out in a large dish (so it will cool quickly) cover and freeze. As per the instructions above – Don't leave cooked rice out at room temperature. Bacteria can grow on cooked rice very quickly, so it's important to: Freeze it as quickly as possible.

Divide the rice between as many sheet pans as needed to keep the rice close to a single layer. Freeze for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight before breaking the frozen rice up into labelled, dated, resealable freezer bag. Keep frozen for up to 3 months.