Easy Vegetable Fried Rice Recipe (vegan + gluten-free)
Easy Vegetable Fried Rice- Made with just 10 ingredients, this easy fried rice recipe comes together in under 30 minutes! (gluten-free + vegan)
This vegetable fried rice has quickly become a go-to weeknight meal in our house. It’s dinner on the cheap but still nutritious, and using pre-cooked rice makes it come together super fast.
Oh, and did I mention it tastes better than takeout?
I’m telling ya, it’s worth it to save yourself some cash and make a much healthier fried rice at home that you can easily customize to your liking.
What is the Best Variety of Rice to use for Vegetable fried rice?
Technically you can use any kind of rice you like to make fried rice. Common varieties used include Jasmine (common in Thai cuisine), Basmati, Medium-Grain White Rice (common in Chinese fried rice) or Short Grain Sticky Rice (often used in Japanese cuisine).
I have tested this recipe with both Basmati rice and Short Grain Sticky Rice, and I personally prefer the latter. Also keep in mind that buying microwaveable rice helps the meal come together in less than 30 minutes.
How to Make Sure Your Fried Rice is Gluten-free
- Be certain that your rice is certified gluten-free. While rice is inherently gluten-free, it can be processed on equipment with wheat which results in cross-contamination.
- Use tamari instead of soy sauce. Traditional soy sauce is prepared using wheat so you want to be sure that you have tamari or coconut aminos on hand for this recipe.
How to Prepare Vegetable Fried Rice
Quick Tip: The key to making this meal come together fast is having the cooked rice ready to go. Using microwaveable rice (whether frozen or shelf stable) takes less than 3-minutes so it is ideal when you are in a pinch. Just be sure to let the steam release entirely to reduce excess moisture before adding to the recipe.
- Sauté shallot or onion in oil.
- Add the frozen vegetables and garlic.
- Whisk together tamari, rice wine vinegar, honey and sesame oil.
- Add cooked rice to skillet along with tamari mixture. Stir together and cook until heated through.
- Serve warm with sliced green onions and enjoy!
Ways to Add More Protein
- Baked Tofu- My go-to for amping up the protein is dicing tofu into cubes and baking it at 400°F for about 10 minutes. While it’s hot, I add it to a bowl along with a few tablespoons of tamari and one tablespoon nutritional yeast. Stir until it’s evenly coated in sauce then serve warm with fried rice.
- Scrambled Eggs– To make this more like traditional fried rice, simply scramble a few eggs until fully cooked then add to the vegetable fried rice and stir to combine.
How to Store Leftover Vegetable Fried Rice
Allow to cool to room temperature then transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3-months.
More Easy Meal Ideas
- Vegan White Bean Chili
- One-Pot Vegetable Tortellini Soup
- Quick and Easy Chana Masala
- One-Pot Vegan White Bean Shakshuka
- One-Pot Golden Lentil Curry
- One-Pot African Peanut Stew
- One-Pot Vegetable Thai Red Curry
Easy Vegetable Fried Rice Recipe (gluten-free + vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, or preferred cooking oil
- ½ cup finely chopped shallot , or onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 cup frozen vegetable medley
- 1 cup frozen edamame
- 3 cups cooked rice, about 1 cup uncooked; I like to use short grain rice
- ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari (for GF), or coconut aminos for soy-free option
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey , or preferred sweetener
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup sliced green onions , for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot or skillet, warm the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the chopped shallot and cook for several minutes, until translucent.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together tamari, vinegar, honey and sesame oil.
- To the skillet, add the frozen vegetable medley, edamame and garlic. Stir to combine then cook for about 7-10 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
- Lastly, add the cooked rice and top with tamari mixture. Stir together until heated through. Serve warm garnished with green onions and enjoy!
Hi Sarah,
Love this easy recipe!
Could you so kindly send me the brand of rice wine vinegar you use for your Asian recipes.
I have been using rice vinegar and believe it is not the same as rice wine vinegar.
Take good care and
Thank you !
Stephanie A.
Rice wine vinegar and rice vinegar are actually the same thing! I use the brand Marukan :)