The Fried Rice Hack That Eliminates Your Stove From The Equation

Fried rice can be tasty at breakfast, lunch, or dinner, or as a snack between meals. Did you know that you can avoid the time-consuming task of stir-frying rice in a wok or on the stovetop, and broil or bake it in your oven instead? Whether you want to make fried rice for just yourself, or a batch big enough to feed a crowd, this fried rice hack easily turns leftover plain white rice into something yummy and filling, without making a mess or demanding your undivided attention.

If you like fried rice that is crunchy and chewy as if it's been pan-fried, try broiling your cooked rice. A broiler produces high, direct heat that will quickly brown your rice and give it a caramelized, crispy outer layer. When broiling your rice or other food, position the oven rack so that it is near the top of the oven to produce the best results.

Baking your fried rice is another option that is less demanding than stir-frying on your stovetop. However, it will take more time than broiling since the cooking temperature is lower. Baking won't give rice the desired char that broiling creates, but it does allow you to cook all the ingredients at one time and will crisp up the rice at least somewhat.

Broiling rice and then adding cooked ingredients is a quick way to make fried rice. To broil rice in your oven, cover a sheet pan with a layer of cooked white rice that's a day or so old. Rice leftover from a previous meal works great since refrigeration removes a lot of moisture. If you don't have any leftover rice, make a batch of plain white rice, and pop it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Once your rice is spread out on the pan, drizzle it with oil, stick it in the oven, and broil it for around 10 minutes. Broiling it quickly at a high heat will make the rice brown and crispy, just as if you fried it on the stove or in a wok. After removing it from the oven, dump the rice into a bowl, and stir in your choice of pre-cooked ingredients.

Baking all of the fried rice ingredients at once works as well, it just takes longer. To bake sheet pan-fried rice, combine your cold rice, and your favorite fried rice ingredients such as bok choy, peppers, water chestnuts, ginger, and soy sauce, in a bowl. Spread the mixture over a sheet pan and bake in an oven at  475 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes. If you can't imagine eating fried rice without egg, you can pour a beaten egg over the top and bake for another five to 10 minutes. 

There are a lot of tasty ingredients you can add to fried rice. For veggies, you can keep it simple and classic with carrots and peas or amp it up with some underrated ingredients. If you choose to broil your rice and then stir in the cooked ingredients, steaming a bag of mixed veggies like peas and carrots in the microwave is a fast and efficient option. If you bake all of your fried rice ingredients at once, thawed frozen peas, uncooked carrots, and chopped scallions are popular additions that can cook in the oven along with the rice. 

Eggs are a must for many fried rice lovers. You can use leftover scrambled eggs or quickly cook some in the microwave and add them to the rice after it's been broiled, or cook the raw eggs right in the oven on top of the rice while it bakes. You can also add meat to your fried rice to make it extra tasty and filling.  Just as with the egg, you can stir in cooked leftover meat, such as shrimp or chicken, at the end or add it to the pan to cook in the oven. And of course, don't forget the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil to give it that perfect salty umami flavor.