This steak fried rice might be the easiest steak dinner ever! This one-pan recipe combines juicy beef strips, tender veggies, and leftover rice with a fresh and garlicky homemade stir-fry sauce. Skip Chinese takeout and make fried rice from scratch in 30 minutes!
If your family loves takeout-style meals, you should also try my recipe for Beef Chow Fun—a delicious dish packed with tender beef and wide noodles, all tossed in a savory sauce. And don’t miss out on the Sesame Beef and Broccoli—it’s a classic for a reason!
Every time I toss this steak fried rice together, it’s like kicking off a laid-back Friday night ritual. After a dance, soccer, school, and work-packed week, we all gather for one of our go-to comfort dishes. This may include a homemade deep dish pizza or a Chinese takeout fakeout. Just last Friday, while I was sizzling up this dish filled with juicy steak bits and tender rice, even my daughter, who’s usually picky, raced to set the table, super pumped for a bite of what she calls ‘Mom’s magic rice.’
If you have leftover rice in your fridge, this is your sign to turn it into steak fried rice. This quick and easy fried rice recipe is packed with simple but flavorful ingredients and made for weeknights. The steak is juicy, the veggies tender-crisp, and that sauce? Perfection. I had it on the table along with some air fryer spring rolls in a little over 30 minutes!
Why You’ll Love This Steak Fried Rice Recipe
- One pan. It doesn’t get easier than a quick dinner that cooks all in one pan. Fry the steak, eggs, and veggies all in the same skillet. Clean-up isn’t quite as quick as chucking out a takeout container, but it’s pretty darn close!
- Homemade. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the fried rice from our local Chinese takeout spot. But, something about this homemade steak fried rice is even better. It’s fresher and packed full of flavor without any funny ingredients or additives.
- Adaptable. Fried rice is my favorite way to use up leftovers, from the rice to the steak to the vegetables.
What You’ll Need
This steak fried rice brings together some seriously tasty ingredients in an easy homemade stir-fry sauce. Below are some quick notes on what you’ll need. Scroll to the recipe card for a printable list with the full amounts.
For the Fried Rice
- Eggs – Plus butter and salt for cooking them.
- Flank Steak – Thinly sliced. Most quick-cooking steak works well in this recipe. You can also use sirloin or skirt steak.
- Onion and Garlic – Diced yellow onion and freshly minced garlic.
- Veggies – I pick up a bag of frozen peas and carrots from the freezer aisle. Super quick and easy! Fried rice is a great way to use up leftover rice and veggies, though, so feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
- Cooked Rice – You’ll want to use day-old rice for fried rice. I love making this recipe whenever we have leftover takeout rice, or if I’ve made a big batch of white rice for a meal the night before.
For the Sauce
- Soy Sauce – A must for umami flavor. You can substitute soy sauce with a soy-free alternative like coconut aminos or tamari if needed.
- Beef Broth – I use beef broth since we’re working with steak, but chicken stock or broth also works.
- Honey – You can use another sweetener, like maple syrup or brown sugar.
- Rice Vinegar – Or another type of light vinegar, like white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or distilled white vinegar.
- Sweet Chili Sauce – Sriracha is another tasty choice. Feel free to use your favorite chili sauce, or leave it out for a milder stir-fry.
- Sesame Oil – I like toasted sesame oil, but the regular kind works, too.
- Ground Ginger and Chili Flakes – These can be substituted with fresh varieties. You’ll need about 1 tablespoon of fresh-grated ginger to replace ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger. Adjust the amount of chili to taste.
How to Make Steak Fried Rice
Making steak fried rice is very easy, and you don’t need any fancy kitchen equipment to do it. If you have a wok (those big, bowl-shaped stir fry pans), that’s great, otherwise you can make perfect fried rice in just about any skillet.
The trick is to not overcrowd the pan so that the ingredients fry, and don’t steam. Here’s how to make this recipe in a few simple steps:
- Make the sauce. Whisk together your sauce ingredients and set that aside for now.
- Cook the eggs. Next, cook the eggs in a hot skillet, folding them over a few times. Afterward, chop the eggs up into rough pieces.
- Cook the beef. In the same pan, saute the steak in a bit of oil. Once the pieces are browned, move them out of the pan and onto a plate.
- Saute the veggies. Add your onion to the pan and cook for a few minutes, then stir in the garlic, peas, and carrots.
- Fry the rice. Now, toss in your rice and let it toast while breaking up any lumps.
- Put it all together. Finally, stir the steak and eggs into the rice. Add the sauce, and let that cook off a bit while everything heats through. Garnish with green scallions and serve!
Tips & Variations
- Have your ingredients ready to go. Fried rice is quick to make which means that everything happens fast! Have your steak, rice, sauce, veggies, etc. at hand and ready to cook before you start.
- If you don’t have leftover rice, make sure that the rice you’re using is at least a few hours old. It should be cooled completely, not warm and fresh.
- Get the ingredients sizzling. Make sure the heat is up high enough to sear the steak and caramelize the veggies. Also, be mindful to not overcrowd the pan.
- Change up the veggies. In place of peas and carrots, try mushrooms, bean sprouts, and broccoli.
- Swap out the rice. Brown rice, cauliflower rice, or even quinoa are all great alternatives to white rice in fried rice recipes. Keep in mind you might need to adjust the cooking times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Use Leftover Rice For Fried Rice?
Technically, you can make fried rice with same-day rice. However, it won’t have the same texture. Leftover rice is drier, so it becomes crisp and browned in the hot skillet rather than steamed and clumpy.
Can I Use Another Protein?
Absolutely! This steak fried rice is just my latest variation. Speaking as someone who’s ever-so-slightly fried rice crazy, anything goes. I have recipes for chicken fried rice and shrimp fried rice (also this low-carb shrimp fried cauliflower rice). Pork is another good protein choice. You can even use tofu or make this easy vegetarian kimchi fried rice!
Serving Suggestions
I love this steak fried rice as a meal on its own, or I’ll round out dinner with tasty appetizers like egg rolls, spring rolls, or bang bang shrimp. A bowl of flavor-packed tom yum noodle soup is another easy starter. As for veggie options, I love these crispy sesame snap peas or garlicky baby bok choy.
When I serve this fried rice as a side, I’ll pair it with Chinese boneless spare ribs or chicken and broccoli. This pork chop suey is another family favorite. Move over, takeout, homemade is in the house!
Storing and Reheating
- Store leftover steak fried rice in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. Defrost the rice in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat fried rice in a skillet on the stovetop with oil to help loosen things up. You can also use the microwave in a pinch, but I find that the steak gets a bit chewy. Microwave in increments and stir in between for best results
More Steak Recipes
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Make the sauce. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, beef broth, honey, rice wine vinegar, sweet chili sauce, sesame oil, ground ginger, and chili flakes. Set aside.
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Cook the eggs. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the eggs together with the salt. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or wok. Pour the eggs into the pan and swirl them around the pan. Let them cook for 30 seconds before folding them over themselves repeatedly with a rubber spatula until cooked through. Transfer the eggs to a cutting board, roughly chop them, and set aside.
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Cook the beef. Heat the vegetable oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef, season with salt and pepper, and saute for a minute or just until browned on all sides. With a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.
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Saute the veggies. Add the onion to the pan and saute for 2 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 15 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in the peas and carrots.
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Fry the rice. Add the rice to the pan with the veggies and toast it slightly, breaking up any clumps as you go.
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Put it all together. Return the beef to the pan along with the eggs and the sauce. Saute until the sauce has evaporated a bit and the beef is cooked to your liking.
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Serve. Serve warm garnished with the greens of the scallions.
Serving: 8 ounces | Calories: 457 kcal | Carbohydrates: 41 g | Protein: 34 g | Fat: 17 g | Saturated Fat: 6 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g | Trans Fat: 0.2 g | Cholesterol: 157 mg | Sodium: 1477 mg | Potassium: 707 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 8 g | Vitamin A: 6982 IU | Vitamin C: 12 mg | Calcium: 84 mg | Iron: 4 mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.