This mushroom fried rice recipe is much easier to make at home than you might think. It can be ready in 15 minutes, creates minimal washing-up and makes a tasty side dish or stand-alone main course.
Can’t get enough rice? For afters how about rice pudding with spiced pears or rice pudding with oranges in caramel?
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Do you have a favourite side dish when it comes to Chinese takeaway-inspired food? Mine is, without a doubt, mushroom fried rice. The tender flaky rice, the hint of egg and a burst of extra veggies keep me happy time after time.
Lightly seasoned, this quick and easy mushroom fried rice recipe is fresh tasting and a great accompaniment to so many main course dishes. It makes fantastic bowl food for a cosy night in too. Just add a comfy sofa and a warm blanket.
If you enjoy the combination of rice and peas then take a look at my recipes for pea & bacon risotto and chicken, leek & pea risotto. They both deliver creamy comfort in a bowl.
Reasons to make this recipe
- It’s an easy recipe.
- And it’s fast (15 minutes).
- It requires just one-pan (minimal washing-up).
- There are plenty of vegetables included.
- Fried rice with mushrooms can be a side dish or a main course.
- Extra ingredients can easily be included.
- It’s a great way to use up leftover rice.
- It can be made without egg should you need vegan fried rice with mushrooms.
In a nutshell, this delicious mushroom fried rice recipe is very low maintenance, making it a great option for a speedy weeknight meal.
What is fried rice?
Fried rice is pre-cooked rice that has been stir-fried in a wok or frying pan with additional flavourings and ingredients. Common additions include eggs, chicken, vegetables and seafood. It can be eaten either as a side dish to accompany a main meal or as a standalone meal itself.
Fried rice is often associated with Chinese cuisine. However, distinct versions of fried rice also feature in Japanese, Korean, Cambodian, Indonesian, Thai, and Sri Lankan cuisines too.
Ingredients notes
Rice: the best type to use is rice that has been cooked already, cooled quickly and then refrigerated. I’ve used pre-cooked white basmati in this mushroom fried rice recipe, but long-grain or brown rice can also be used. You can buy packs of pre-cooked rice but it’s also easy to make your own.
Do not use rice that is freshly cooked and still warm as it has a tendency to form clumps in the pan. Cold rice will fall apart more easily, resulting in a delightfully flaky final dish.
Mushrooms: The type of mushrooms used is entirely up to you. I enjoy chestnut mushrooms in this dish for their deep colour and robust flavour. Feel free to use any type of mushroom you enjoy or go for a mix (try shiitake and oyster mushrooms). Slice and chop them depending on size.
Egg: use the whole (white and yolk) of a large, free-range egg.
Flavourings: a little garlic and ginger really bolster the underlying flavour of this Chinese-inspired recipe.
Peas: I’ve used frozen peas but it’s fine to use fresh ones too. If using fresh peas blanch them for 2-3 minutes in boiling water then drain before adding to the pan.
Soy Sauce: it’s up to you whether to use light soy sauce or dark soy sauce. For me, it often depends what I have in the pantry. Don’t be afraid to vary the amount used, up or down, to tally with your own taste preferences.
You could alternatively use tamari (tamari shoyu) for a bit of additional umami taste. This Japanese sauce is made from fermented soybeans. It has a thicker consistency and it’s vegan and, unlike soy sauce, it is usually gluten-free (check the packaging to be certain though).
Rice vinegar: a splash of white rice vinegar really lifts the overall flavour of this dish.
Equipment notes
Either! Ideally, use a seasoned wok to make this recipe for mushrooms in fried rice. The ingredients will cook quickly and evenly. If you do not own a wok use a large non-stick frying pan (you may need a little extra oil compared to cooking this recipe in a wok).
Step by step instructions
Full instructions and measurements are given in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
This recipe for mushrooms in fried rice assumes that you are using pre-cooked rice. If making your own, once cooked, spread the rice onto a large plate, allow to cool completely and then refrigerate as soon as possible. This allows the rice to dry out and when it goes into the pan it will fall apart easily.
Please do not use warm rice in this recipe – the results will be inferior as the rice may turn mushy.
To make your egg fried rice with mushrooms follow these steps:
- Slice the mushrooms.
- Mince the ginger & garlic.
- Finely slice the spring onions & chives.
- Put a little oil into a wok or frying pan and heat to medium-high.
- Cook the mushrooms for 2 minutes, stirring almost continuously.
- Add the minced garlic and ginger and fry for 1 more minute.
- Remove everything from the pan and keep warm.
- Add a little more oil to the pan.
- Beat the egg then tip into the pan and stir, using a silicon spatula, until it begins to scramble and set slightly.
- Tip the rice and peas into the pan and stir until everything is cooked through (around 3 minutes).
- Drain the mushrooms from any cooking liquid.
- Add them to the pan along with the black pepper, ⅔ of the spring onions, ½ of the chives, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Give everything a good stir and cook for 1 more minute.
- Serve in bowls with the remaining spring onion and chives served alongside for scattering on top.
Expert tips
- I cannot stress enough how much using pre-cooked rice simplifies making fried rice with mushrooms and helps guarantee success.
- Prepare all the vegetables before cooking starts. Once cooking begins there is very little time for chopping.
- Use a variety of mushrooms for added interest. Shiitake and oyster mushrooms would be worthy additions.
- There is no need to defrost frozen peas.
- Raw peas would benefit from being cooked briefly in boiling water though (3 minutes).
- Beat the egg briefly before adding to the pan. The egg will start to cook as soon as it hits the pan.
- Keep the egg constantly on the move once it goes into the pan – a silicon spatula does a great job here.
- Adjust the seasoning (pepper, rice vinegar and soy sauce) to suit your tastes/ needs. Note: the recipe specifies quantities to produce a light seasoning. It is sufficient not to overpower any other dishes this rice might accompany.
- Additional seasoning may be preferable if this dish is intended as the main course itself.
Frequently asked questions
Not at all. Your pre-cooked rice can be added straight to the pan in this recipe. It does, however, need to be cooked until piping hot.
UK Food Standards Agency guidelines state that rice should only ever be reheated once. Since this dish uses pre-cooked rice that is then heated again in the recipe I do not recommend reheating leftovers.
By all means, the egg can be left out. Doing so will turn this recipe into vegan mushroom fried rice. In this instance, I’d suggest adding in several handfuls of frozen sweetcorn at the same time as the peas to boost the colour of the dish and provide a little extra protein.
Fried rice tends to be mushy if too much moisture is included in the dish. There can be a few reasons, but the key culprits are using rice that was overcooked in the first place or freshly cooked rice that has not been cooled and chilled.
To reduce moisture further, remember to drain the mushrooms from the juices emitted during cooking and do not cook in a pan that is too small as this leads to the ingredients sweating as they cook.
Variations
Mushroom egg fried rice is a flavourful and satisfying dish just as it is. But to ring the changes try the following suggestions:
- Make it spicy mushroom fried rice by topping with finely diced red chilli, chopped peanuts and coriander in place of the chives.
- Chop some celery finely and toss in with the peas for a little extra crunch.
- Turn it into chicken and mushroom fried rice by sautéing a few finely sliced strips of chicken and stirring them in with the mushrooms.
- Cube some ham and toss it in with the peas.
- Or go down the seafood route – prawns or squid would work out nicely.
- Create a colourful veggie feast by adding in some extra vegetables such as baby corns, red pepper and asparagus.
- Toast some cashew nuts and stir through for a protein boost.
Serving Suggestions
When ready to serve provide bowls with extra onion, herbs and soy sauce alongside for diners to help themselves to. Alternatively, try this mushroom in fried rice recipe alongside the following main dishes:
More Tempting Egg Dishes
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Mushroom Fried Rice with Egg and Peas
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Groundnut oil or other flavourless oil
- 100 g Chestnut mushrooms
- 1 Garlic clove
- 1 Piece ginger the size of a cherry tomato
- 1 Egg large, free range
- 250 g Pre-cooked basmati rice must also be cooled/ chilled
- 75 g Peas frozen is fine
- ⅛ teaspoon Black pepper
- 3 Spring onions
- 2 tablespoon Chives chopped
- 1 teaspoon Rice vinegar
- 1½ tablespoon Light soy sauce
Instructions
- Prepare all the vegetables and herbs before cooking begins: slice or chop the mushrooms.
- Mince the ginger & garlic.
- Finely slice the spring onions & chives.
- Put 1 tablespoon of oil into a wok or frying pan and heat to medium-hot.
- Toss in the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes, stirring almost continuously.
- Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 1 more minute.
- Take everything out of the pan and keep warm.
- Add the rest of the oil to the pan.
- Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat briefly with a fork, then tip into the pan and stir, using a silicon spatula, until it begins to scramble and set slightly.
- Crumble the pre-cooked rice into the pan, add the peas and stir/ toss until everything is cooked through (around 3 minutes). It is important to keep the ingredients on the move to ensure everything cooks evenly and does not stick to the pan.
- Drain the mushrooms from any cooking liquid.
- Add them back into the pan along with the black pepper, ⅔ of the spring onions, ½ of the chives, the rice vinegar and the soy sauce. Give everything a good stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Serve the rice straight away with the remaining onion and chives in small bowls plus a bottle of soy sauce alongside for diners to help themselves to.
Notes
Cooking Tips
- I cannot stress enough how much using pre-cooked rice simplifies making fried rice with mushrooms and helps guarantee success.
- Prepare all the vegetables before cooking starts. Once cooking begins there is very little time for chopping.
- Use a variety of mushrooms for added interest. Shiitake and oyster mushrooms would be worthy additions.
- There is no need to defrost frozen peas.
- Raw peas would benefit from being cooked briefly in boiling water though (3 minutes).
- Beat the egg briefly before adding to the pan. The egg will start to cook as soon as it hits the pan.
- Keep the egg constantly on the move once it goes into the pan – a silicon spatula does a great job here.
- Adjust the seasoning (pepper, rice vinegar and soy sauce) to suit your tastes/ needs. Note: the recipe specifies quantities to produce a light seasoning. It is sufficient not to overpower any other dishes this rice might accompany.
- Additional seasoning may be preferable if this dish is intended as the main course itself.
Joanne Alexander
Excellent and quick. Used dried herbs as I didn’t have fresh, and in Saskatchewan we always add a fried cooking onion.
Jane Coupland
Hi Joanne, thanks for the lovely review – it’s a great recipe to make personal additions to. So pleased you enjoyed it.
Supriya
You did not add salt to it
Jane Saunders
You’re correct Supriya. Salt is not listed as an ingredients or used. Instead soy sauce adds that salty taste. Feel free to add salt if you find it necessary.