Egg Fried Rice without Soy Sauce (Chinese Style)
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Fried rice without soy sauce doesn’t need a replacement sauce to taste good. This Chinese-style recipe is seasoned with salt and chicken stock powder, then filled with veggies, char siu pork, shrimp, egg, green onions, peas or anything you like.
The rice keeps its light golden color and you can see chunks of whatever you’re adding. It looks quite different from the evenly brown fried rice served by many Chinese restaurants.
I find cold rice far easier to fry than rice straight from the pot. It breaks apart more readily in the wok and is less likely to get too soft or clumpy. Once all the ingredients are prepared, cooking this soy free fried rice only takes about 5 minutes.
Egg Fried Rice without Soy Sauce at a Glance
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 5 minutes
- Servings: 2
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Main ingredients: Cooked rice, char siu pork, shrimp, eggs, peas and green onions
- Seasoning: Salt and chicken stock powder
- Best served: Hot as a main course or side dish
Chinese fried rice isn’t one standardized recipe, and the seasoning changes between regions, restaurants and households. Some preparations include soy sauce while others are seasoned with salt, stock powder or MSG.
This recipe gets much of its savory flavor from char siu pork, shrimp and chicken stock powder. Soy sauce isn’t needed, and the lighter seasoning prevents it from dominating the other ingredients.
Important: Fried rice made without added soy sauce isn’t automatically soy-free. Prepared char siu can contain soy sauce, and the ingredients in stock powders vary. If you have a soy allergy, check every label and replace the char siu with plainly cooked pork or chicken if necessary.
Why You’ll Love Fried Rice without Soy Sauce
- No replacement sauce needed: You don’t need soy sauce, coconut aminos or vinegar to season the rice.
- Ready quickly: The cooking takes about 5 minutes once everything’s been prepared.
- Plenty of additions: Char siu, shrimp, egg, peas and green onions make it filling enough for a main meal, and there are lots more options too – I like to see what needs using up in the refrigerator and use that.
- Good for leftover rice: Refrigerated cooked rice is firm, dry and easy to separate in a hot wok. This is why I always make extra!
- Easy to adapt: The pork and shrimp can be swapped for chicken, extra vegetables or other cooked ingredients. You can also leave out the proteins if you want it as a side dish.
What Kind of Chinese Fried Rice is This?
The combination of rice, egg, char siu, shrimp, peas and green onions is similar to the mixed fried rice served in Cantonese restaurants and to some preparations of Yangzhou fried rice.
Recipes for both dishes vary considerably, so I’d describe this as Chinese-style mixed egg fried rice, rather than an authentic fried rice recipe from one particular region.
Unlike plain egg fried rice, it contains enough pork and shrimp to make a full meal. The extra egg yolks give the rice a rich golden color while the stock powder adds saltiness and umami.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cooked rice: Chilled white rice is firm enough to separate as it fries. Long-grain or jasmine rice both work.
- Vegetable oil: Choose a neutral oil suitable for high-heat cooking. Peanut oil is another good option.
- Char siu pork: Diced Chinese barbecue pork adds sweetness, saltiness and its distinctive red color.
- Cooked shrimp: Since the shrimp are already cooked, they only need enough time in the wok to heat up.
- Egg and egg yolks: One whole egg and two extra yolks give the rice more color and a richer egg flavor.
- Peas: A small amount adds color. Diced cooked carrots can replace them if preferred. I’m not a pea fan, so usually add carrots or something different like snow peas or bamboo shoots.
- Green onions: Add these near the end so they keep some freshness.
- Chicken stock powder: This is a concentrated savory seasoning that adds flavor without adding liquid to the wok.
- Salt: I recommend you add this carefully because the char siu and stock powder are already salty.
How to Make Fried Rice without Soy Sauce
- Prepare the cooked pork, shrimp, peas and green onions before heating the wok.
- Heat the wok or skillet until very hot, then add enough vegetable oil to coat it.
- Beat the eggs briefly and pour them into the hot wok.
- Add the cold rice once the egg has begun to set. Press apart any clumps with the spatula.
- Season the rice with chicken stock powder and salt.
- Add the cooked pork, shrimp and peas. Stir-fry until everything is piping hot.
- Add the green onions at the end and serve immediately.
Egg Fried Rice without Soy Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450g) cold cooked rice
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 10 ½ ounces (300g) diced char siu pork
- 5 ounces (150g) cooked shrimp
- 3 tablespoons cooked peas
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 green onions, diced
- 1 whole egg and 2 egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon chicken stock powder
Method
- Break up any clumps in the cold rice. Prepare every ingredient before heating the pan because the stir-frying stage is very quick.
- Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until very hot. Add the vegetable oil and swirl it around to coat the cooking surface. Pour away any excess oil.
- Beat the whole egg and egg yolks with a fork for about 10 seconds, then pour them into the wok.
- Let the eggs begin to set, then immediately add the cold rice. Stir-fry the rice and egg, pressing apart any clumps with a spatula.
- Add the chicken stock powder and salt. Continue stir-frying until the seasoning is evenly distributed.
- Add the char siu pork, cooked shrimp and peas. Stir-fry for 2 or 3 minutes, or until the meat, shrimp and rice are piping hot.
- Add the green onions and cook for another 30 seconds, then serve immediately.
Notes
- Cold cooked rice is firmer and easier to separate in the wok. Leftover rice works well, or you can cook fresh rice and refrigerate it promptly until completely cold.
- The char siu pork, shrimp and peas should be fully cooked before they’re added to the wok.
- Use a large wok or skillet. If the pan’s crowded, cook the fried rice in 2 batches and combine them before serving.
- Char siu and chicken stock powder can both be salty. Reduce the added salt if necessary.
- No soy sauce is added directly to this recipe, though prepared char siu and some stock powders may contain soy. Check the labels carefully if you have a soy allergy.
Does the Rice Have to Be Day-Old?
Day-old rice is convenient, though it isn’t essential. What’s important is that the rice is cold and fairly dry before it goes into the wok. Warm rice releases more steam and is more likely to form soft clumps.
If you don’t have leftover rice, cook a fresh batch and spread it in a shallow layer on a baking sheet or tray. Refrigerate it promptly until completely cold. Don’t leave cooked rice at room temperature for several hours.
Break up any large sections of chilled rice before you begin. It’s much easier to separate them with your fingers while the wok’s still cold than to fight with a solid block of rice during cooking!
How to Get Separate Grains of Fried Rice
A hot pan and dry rice are the two most important factors. If the wok isn’t hot enough, moisture from the ingredients creates steam and softens the rice.
Choose your largest wok or skillet so the ingredients have room to move. If your pan is small, cook the recipe in two batches and combine them at the end. Overloading the pan drops the temperature very quickly.
Make sure the shrimp, pork and vegetables aren’t wet when they go in. Drain the peas well and pat the shrimp dry if necessary. Keep everything close to the stove since there won’t be time to search for ingredients once you begin.
Preparing the Eggs
This recipe calls for one whole egg and two egg yolks. The extra yolks give the fried rice a warm golden color and more egg flavor than whole eggs alone.
Beat them for about ten seconds before adding them to the wok. Let the egg begin to set, then add the cold rice. Moving and pressing the rice with the spatula distributes the egg while separating the grains.
There’s no need to cook the egg completely before adding the rice. It will finish cooking during the remaining stir-fry time.
Chicken, Shrimp and Vegetable Variations
- Chicken fried rice without soy sauce: Replace the char siu and shrimp with diced cooked chicken. Chicken thighs have more flavor, though chicken breast works too.
- Shrimp fried rice without soy sauce: Omit the pork and increase the amount of cooked shrimp.
- Veg fried rice without soy sauce: Leave out the meat and shrimp, then choose a vegetarian stock powder. Add diced carrots, mushrooms, corn, bell pepper or finely sliced cabbage.
- Mushroom fried rice: Cook sliced mushrooms separately until their liquid has evaporated, then add them with the peas.
- Plain egg fried rice: Omit the pork and shrimp, then add another whole egg if you want more protein.
- Spicier fried rice: Add sliced fresh chili with the green onions or serve chili oil at the table.
Fried Rice without Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos
Coconut aminos are often suggested as a soy sauce substitute, though they aren’t necessary here. They’d make the rice sweeter and darker, changing the character of the finished dish.
Chicken stock powder and salt provide all the seasoning this recipe needs. If you don’t want to add stock powder, season the rice with salt and a small amount of MSG. Taste before adding more because the char siu also contributes salt.
Sesame oil isn’t required either. If you like its toasted flavor, add no more than ½ teaspoon after taking the wok off the heat. It isn’t the best choice for frying the rice over high heat.
What to Serve With Egg Fried Rice
This fried rice contains pork, shrimp and eggs, so it can be served as a meal by itself. Extra green onions, sliced red chili or a little chili oil are simple additions at the table.
For a larger Chinese meal, serve smaller portions with homemade wonton soup, dumplings, stir-fried vegetables or a Chinese chicken dish.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Prepare the rice: Cook and refrigerate the rice in advance. Keep it covered once it has cooled.
- Prepare the additions: Dice the char siu, chop the green onions and measure the peas before cooking.
- Refrigerate leftovers: Transfer the fried rice to a shallow airtight container within two hours. Refrigerate it for up to four days.
- Freeze: Cool the fried rice promptly and freeze it in an airtight container for up to three months.
- Reheat: Reheat it in a skillet or microwave until it reaches 165°F (74°C) and is piping hot throughout.
Egg Fried Rice Without Soy Sauce FAQs
The rice might have been too warm, wet or soft when it went into the pan. A crowded or insufficiently hot pan can also cause the ingredients to steam. Begin with cold rice and cook in batches if necessary.
Yes, though it needs to be cooled promptly before frying. Spread the cooked rice in a shallow layer, refrigerate it until completely cold and break up any clumps before adding it to the wok.
Not necessarily. No soy sauce is added directly, though prepared char siu and some stock powders can contain soy. Check every ingredient label if you have an allergy.
Yes. Cool it promptly, transfer it to an airtight container and freeze it for up to three months. Reheat it until piping hot and 165°F (74°C) in the center.
This egg fried rice without soy sauce has plenty of flavor from the char siu, shrimp, eggs and chicken stock powder. I love how the simple seasoning also keeps the separate ingredients recognizable, both in appearance and taste.
I like to finish mine with extra green onions and a few slices of red chili. It works well as a quick meal made from leftover rice or as one dish in a larger Chinese spread.
If you enjoy fried rice recipes, my chicken and shrimp nasi goreng also begins with cold cooked rice. It has a much darker color because it’s seasoned with kecap manis. You might also like to check out my cauliflower rice recipes, mushroom risotto or kedgeree.
