How to Reheat Fried Rice (Tested 3 Methods) - The Fork Bite (2024)

Leftovers take a lot of beating. The flavors often develop overnight, and many dishes taste even better the next day. You'll never be stuck for choice with what to have for breakfast or lunch when you've got some tasty leftovers in your fridge.

It doesn't matter if the leftovers are from a great dinner party meal you prepared or a savory snack; having a bowlful or more leftover goodies is always a great fallback.

But, you have to be careful. It is so easy to ruin a delicious plateful of leftovers if you choose the wrong reheating method.

It could be pizza leftover or fried chicken. Get the reheating wrong, and what you hoped would be a tasty treat can turn out a disappointing, greasy, lukewarm mess.

When it comes to reheating rice dishes, you have to be especially careful. You can easily get it wrong and end up either with a bowl of stodge or a plateful of incinerated grains of rice.

If you would like to know the best way of reheating rice, so it's as good if not even better than when you first made it (or bought it), you are in the right place. Please, read on.

One of my favorite ways of reheating fried rice is in the microwave. First, set it to 50% power, pop the rice inside in a microwave-safe dish, of course, and zap twice at 30-second intervals, giving it a gentle stir between each session.

By stirring, you help to prevent any cold spots while it is reheated.

How to keep leftover fried rice from drying out

The trickiest thing when reheating fried rice is to make sure not to dry it out. I find it's best to store leftover rice dishes after they're first made by transferring them into an airtight container. It would be best if you also aimed to reheat it only once.

It's always a good idea to add a little liquid too. A few drops of broth, oil, or water will do the trick. It puts back that little bit of moisture and ensures the plated product won't be too dry.

All it needs is a couple of tablespoons of your preferred liquid adding before you start reheating it and you're away. You'll be surprised what difference it makes.

If you are using your stovetop for reheating, it's best to add a few drops of oil to the pan and prewarm it before adding the rice.

Then heat the rice through for about 10 minutes giving it a gentle stir every now and again to ensure it doesn't stick and burn.

How to reheat fried rice

Everyone who knows me knows that I always experiment with different ways to find the most successful method. Reheating fried rice is no different, and I tried four different approaches.

I am about to share the two most successful ways with you right now.

All set? Right, off we go.

The best method for reheating leftover fried rice

As I just said, I carried out four experiments to find the best method for reheating leftover fried rice.

With all four methods, it's essential to get the preparation right, and the best way to start is by storing your leftover rice in the fridge until it's required.

Your first thoughts on reheating leftover fried rice will probably be to use your microwave. While it is fast and convenient, I found it didn't necessarily give the best result.

Oh, by the way. According to the USDA, when reheating leftover fried rice, whichever method you use, you need to heat it to the stage where the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Check it out below.

Method 1 - stir-frying on the stovetop.

This is my preferred method because it is ideal for giving leftover fried rice back its essential crunch.

Here's how:

• Melt a little oil or butter in a frying pan over medium heat.
• Transfer the rice into the frying pan and sprinkle with water. I found that one tablespoon per cup of rice works perfectly.
• Reheat by keep stirring until the water you added has evaporated, re-hydrated the rice, and it reaches the right temperature. A cooking thermometer comes in handy for checking this.

There are two different methods you can use with stovetop reheating when it comes to leftover fried rice.

You can either simply stir-fry it or steam fry it.

Stir-frying is simply using butter or oil, whereas, with steam frying, you also add a little water which helps to re-hydrate the rice, as mentioned above, then follow the steps I outline below under steam-frying.

Another advantage of reheating fried rice by frying it on your stovetop is that it also allows you to add in some extra protein or vegetables if you so wish.

For me, the steam-fry method is best because it re-hydrates the rice and prevents it from getting overcooked and drying out.

Steam-frying on the stovetop

This variant of stir-frying starts in the same way, described above, but there are some additional steps.

Here is the entire process:

• Melt some oil or butter in a frying pan over medium heat.
• If you want to add any extra protein or vegetables, now is the time to do so.
• Add the leftover fried rice plus some water - approximately two tablespoons per cup of rice.
• Stir to mix in the water thoroughly.
• Put the lid in position on the pan and wait for the water to stop steaming.
• Once the evaporation is complete, remove the lid, turn the heat up to high, and stir-fry for a further 5 to 10 minutes.
• You have to continuously stir the rice while cooking to avoid it sticking to the pan and burning.
• Serve and enjoy.

If, like me, you enjoy adding some extra seasoning when you reheat your leftover fried rice, please feel free to add a little garlic powder, sesame oil, or soy sauce.

My thoughts

There is no doubt that stir-frying leftover fried rice produces the best results both in taste and texture.

It may not be as fast as microwaving, but for me, it beats it hands down, especially when you add some extra protein, veggies, and additional seasoning.

Method 2 - reheating fried rice in the microwave on 50% power

As I said earlier, reheating leftover fried rice in your microwave is fast and convenient. The only problem is that it won't have that just-fried crispiness you get when you stir-fry it; however, it will still be delicious.

I found that the best way of reheating fried rice in your microwave is to adjust the power setting to 50%.

Of course, it takes a bit longer, but the reduced power prevents the rice from turning mushy.

Here are the steps to follow:

• Reset the power setting on your microwave to 50%.
• You can, if you wish, add a few drops of oil or butter on top of the rice.
• Drizzle with one and two tablespoons of water per cup of rice.
• Cover the microwave-safe container to avoid splatter. A microwave-safe plate, a sheet of wet paper kitchen towel, or a piece of plastic food wrap stretched over the top and pierced will do.
• Heat in 30-second blasts, stirring in-between.
• Depending on how much rice you're reheating, it should be ready in between 2 or 3 minutes.
• Let it rest for at least 1 minute before serving.

Stirring the rice in between sessions will help prevent cold spots, and allowing the rice to rest for one minute before serving also helps to ensure that it will be heated evenly.

Method 3 - reheating leftover fried rice in the microwave on 100% power

If your microwave is not the sort that allows you to change the power setting, don't worry; you can reheat your leftover fried rice on the microwave's 100% power setting.

Here are the steps to follow:

• Transfer the leftover fried rice into a microwave-safe bowl or container, add one to two tablespoons of water per cup of rice, and cover loosely.
• Heat in 30-second intervals for a total time of between 45 and 90 seconds, staring in-between.

Don't add too much water because you run the risk of making the rice soggy if you do.

My thoughts

When I carried out my experiments into reheating leftover fried rice in the microwave, I tried both the 50% and 100% power settings. I found the end result was far better using the 50% power setting.

It might have taken a little while longer, but the rice was much fluffier.

When reheated on a 100% power setting, the rice wasn't as crisp and was slightly overcooked.

There is no doubt that reheating food in the microwave is convenient and quick.

However, as far as reheating leftover fried rice is concerned, the stir-fry or steam-fry method produced significantly better results providing you have the time, of course.

Making perfect fried rice from scratch

Okay, it might seem something of a brash statement to come out with especially given that there are so many permutations worldwide for making fried rice.

There is Nasi Goreng from Indonesia, pineapple fried rice from Thailand, Benihana garlic fried rice - and all of these dishes are from Asia only.

But trust me, the way I am about to describe making fried rice is right up there with the best of them.

Fried rice is one of the most popular dishes at any Asian restaurant. It's always one of the day's specials targeted by families looking for great value for money, tasty food. But it's so simple and fast to make at home too.

All you have to do is have a rummage around in your fridge for some cooked rice, some leftovers, and before you know it, you throw them all together in a wok and come up with some great stir-fry rice dishes in under 20 minutes.

Let's face it, making fried rice is not exactly rocket science, but you do need a little of the right know-how. I've lost count of the number of times.

I've ended up with burnt or clumpy fried rice when I first practiced making the dish. But as they say, practice makes perfect, and I have now developed the ultimate method.

So, I am about to share these five secrets with you. Once you've taken them on board, you'll be ready and set to make your own excellent fried rice dishes.

Five secrets for making the ultimate fried rice

Tip 1

Always use leftover, cold, cooked rice. When left overnight in the fridge, rice grains always firm up. It makes them much easier to separate and significantly reduces the chances of mushy fried rice.

If you don't have the time to refrigerate cooked rice overnight, you can leave freshly cooked rice on the work surface for an hour at most, then refrigerate it for two or three hours before using it.

Tip 2

Don't use short grain, glutinous, sweet sushi rice. Use medium grain jasmine rice. It's much sturdier and produces a bowl of fluffier rice that won't clump together when you fry it.

Short grain rice is much softer and tends to stick together like crazy.

Tip 3

If you want your fried rice to have that lovely smoky burnt flavor that restaurants managed to produce, you need to use an extremely hot wok.

If not, a large skillet or Dutch oven will suffice. You need to be very generous with the oil to make sure that the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

The stove you have at home almost certainly won't have the same BTU strength of restaurant stoves - not unless you happen to have a commercial Viking or Wolf manufactured stove fitted in your kitchen, so make sure that your wok is as hot as you can get it before adding the rice.

Tip 4

To avoid compressing all the ingredients together, make sure you use the biggest pan you have in your kitchen - the bigger, the better.

The fewer people you're cooking for, the better unless you happen to have a ginormous wok.

In a perfect world, cooking one or two servings at a time is best. If you have too many ingredients in the wok, the pan won't get hot enough, and the ingredients will become soggy, which will make the rice clump and stick together.

You can always cook the ingredients separately and set them aside until everything is cooked. Then when all the ingredients are ready, transfer them into your large wok, mix them, and add your seasoning and spices.

Tip 5

Although it might be tempting, don't add too much in the way of saucy seasonings such as oyster or soy sauce.

I tend to simply add a few tablespoons of my preferred sauce to give the dish its saltiness and flavor. Adding too much sauce will make the end product too mushy. Less is more.

It might seem a lot to remember at first, but once you've taken it all on board and you set your mind on ensuring your rice is nice and fluffy and not mushy, you will get there in the end. Remember, practice makes perfect.

How to cook fried rice so the grains remain separate.

Champion wok chefs make it look so easy. They stand there amidst the heat and flames, tossing the rice around in a carefree manner and producing the perfect fried rice dish every time. But when you try it yourself, it's not quite so easy.

If you don't get the technique right, and you use the wrong type of rice, one which is sticky or starchy, you'll end up with a clumpy mess.

As I said earlier, cooked rice prepared the day before works best of all. However, rice types such as basmati or jasmine can be used daily if push comes to shove, thanks to their less gelatinous texture.

Step by step instructions for making perfect fried rice:

Step 1

Conventional rice packaging lists different amounts of water based on the type of rice being cooked:

• 1 cup of rice to 1 cup of water for short-grain white rice
• 1.5 cups of water for 1 cup long-grain or medium-grain white rice
• 2 cups of liquid per cup of brown rice.

Using a ratio above in terms of rice and water, try and cook the rice a day in advance or a minimum of several hours before you're going to make your fried rice.

• Transfer the rice to your pan, add the water, and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, by this time, the rice should have absorbed all of the water.
• Remove from the stovetop, and using a fork, fluff up the rice.
• Transfer the rice to a suitable container and place it in the fridge to call and dry overnight.
• To accelerate drying, if you want to use it the same day, you can spread the rice across the bottom of a baking tray. When it's ready, the rice should be dry and a little hard and not sticky.

Step 2

• Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil into a large wok or skillet and heat over the highest heat setting.

Note:

Because of the heat involved, it's best not to use an oil with a low burning point, like extra virgin olive oil. I find the best oils for high-temperature cooking are peanut and vegetable oil.

• Having your wok or skillet as hot as possible is vital as this is what will evaporate any moisture the vegetables are carrying. Thus, it stops the rice from absorbing any moisture and clumping as it cooks.

Step 3

• Put your preferred protein and veggies into the wok and stir them frequently as they cook to avoid them sticking to the sides of the hot pan.

The proteins I prefer using are chicken, pork, and shrimp, plus vegetables such as carrots, onions, and peas. Feel free to use whichever veggies you think fit.

Step 4

• When the meat and veggies are almost cooked, it's time to add the cooked rice.
• Once added, make sure to stir it continuously. I like to use a wooden spoon or spatula so that I can keep the rice moving. I also scrape it from the sides of the pan to stop it from sticking and burning.

Note:

Getting every grain of rice lightly covered with the oil is key as this will help it remain separate and stop it from clumping.

• Continue to cook all the ingredients for 5 to 6 minutes or until the rice takes on a caramel-like color.

Step 5

• Break two eggs into a small bowl and mix.
• In the middle of your wok, create a well and pour in the egg mixture.
• Begin stirring it immediately and continuously spread the mixture throughout the fried rice. This is traditional for most fried rice dishes but is optional.

Step 6

• Once the egg is distributed and cooked, add your preferred seasonings. Oyster and soy sauce are the best.
• Keep stirring until the sauce is distributed evenly throughout the dish.
• Remove from the stovetop, serve and enjoy.

Can fried rice be reheated safely?

Yes, providing you have stored your fried rice correctly, re-heating it is perfectly safe.

However, it's important not to leave cooked rice out at room temperature for more than an hour at the most.

As soon as it is cool, transfer it into a shallow airtight container and refrigerate. It can be kept safely in your fridge for between three and four days.

What is best for storing rice - a shallow container or a thin one?

The best container for storing cooked rice is a shallow tray. It also helps if the tray is relatively thin.

By spreading the rice out, you will enable it to cool that much quicker. Ensure the temperature in your fridge is under 40°F. Any warmer and you encourage bacteria to proliferate.

Like many foods, rice can cause food poisoning. Many people do not realize this and are guilty of leaving it out in the open at room temperature for several hours before putting it into the fridge and frying it the next day.

The fact of the matter is that rice is susceptible to the bacteria bacillus cereus. This bacteria will increase to dangerous levels if left out at room temperature for too long. Refrigeration slows down this growth.

These nasty little bacteria are also capable of surviving cooking.

In other words, don't be fooled into thinking that cooking rice that has been left out in the open for too long will kill off any potentially harmful bacteria. In the case of Bacillus cereus, it may not.

Is it okay to reheat fried rice that was made with old rice?

Yes, it is, providing the rice was stored correctly. Traditionally, fried rice is made using day-old rice that has been refrigerated overnight.

The British NHS recommends that you only reheat rice once because re-heating it, again and again, increases the risk of food poisoning on each occasion. The USDA also adopts this same stance.

If you put cooked rice into your refrigerator straight away, all will be well.

If, however, you got your fried rice from a Chinese take-out, there's no way of telling how long it might have been left out at room temperature. Therefore, re-heating it could be dangerous.

The correct way to store fried rice

The correct way to store fried rice is to transfer it into an airtight container and store it in your fridge or freezer. Cooked fried rice should never be left out at room temperature for more than one hour.

It's best to use a shallow container as this will help the rice cool quicker.

If you will be freezing the rice, it's best to transfer it into a heavy-duty freezer bag and evacuate as much air as possible.

Don't forget that it's essential to cool the rice as quickly as possible after cooking to prevent invasion by harmful bacteria. Keeping rice out at room temperature for longer than an hour is potentially dangerous.

If you bought rice from an Asian take-out, you need to remember that the boxes they use are not usually airtight. What it means is that it's best to transfer any leftover fried rice into an airtight container before storing it in your fridge.

Can you freeze fried rice?

Yes, fried rice freezes well, so feel free to freeze any leftovers if you cook a large batch.

If you are freezing fried rice, I find it's best to put it into portion-size containers and then drop the containers into a heavy-duty freezer bag and evacuate as much air as possible.

This will help to guard against freezer burn. You can keep frozen fried rice in your freezer for up to 3 months. Any longer and the quality will begin to deteriorate.

If you freeze food regularly, you'll find a vacuum sealer invaluable. By taking away all of the air before sealing the bag, you'll find that your rice will keep its quality and texture as good as new.

You can also keep vacuum-sealed rice longer without losing its taste or texture. The longest I've kept my vacuum-packed frozen rice to date is six months.

What's the best way to defrost frozen rice?

Thaw in the fridge.

The best way to defrost frozen rice is to transfer it from the freezer into your refrigerator and leave it overnight.

Using the microwave.

You can defrost frozen rice using a microwave. Transfer the rice into a microwave-safe container, sprinkle 2 tablespoon of water—microwave for 60 seconds intervals or until it is heated through.

If you forgot to do this in advance, you could reheat it from frozen in your microwave.

For how long can I keep fried rice in the fridge?

You can keep fried rice in your refrigerator for between three and five days providing it is stored in an airtight container.

When fried rice has had eggs, watery veggies, or meat added, youcannotkeep it as long as possible, like the ordinary plain fried rice.

How to tell if fried rice has gone off?

You need to know what to look out for when fried rice has gone bad because the signs are quite subtle.

The most obvious signs are the rice's smell and texture. If the aroma is anything other than that fried rice, bin it.

If the rice has gone rather hard and solid, it means it's been in the fridge for too long and should be thrown away.

Is it safe to eat cold fried rice?

Yes, as long as the fried rice has been stored correctly, i.e., transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated within an hour of being cooked, it will be safe to eat cold.