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    MJ & Hungryman » Baby/Kid-Friendly Recipes

    Easy Healthy Fried Rice (With Vegetables)

    By Min On May 23, 2023

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.

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    A large bowl of fried rice with a wooden spoon.

    This healthy fried rice is packed with vegetables, protein, and is oh so flavorful! Forget takeout and make this at home in under 10 minutes.

    A large bowl of fried rice with a wooden spoon.

    Healthy Fried Rice Recipe

    Being Asian, I know the greatest challenge to cooking Asian food for our babies and young children is how to cut back on sodium, sugar, and oftentimes spiciness, while keeping it palatable for the adults.

    That's why I'm constantly experimenting in the kitchen to bring you low-sodium, flavorful Asian dishes that the entire family will enjoy!

    And I'm so proud and excited to add this healthy fried rice to the mix. It's also such an easy and delicious way to get more vegetables into your child's diet.

    If you want to switch up the flavorings, give this fluffy vegetable rice a try too.

    And here are more healthy dinner recipes for toddlers, kids, and adults!

    Jump to:
    • Healthy Fried Rice Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Best Rice for Fried Rice
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Substitutions
    • Tips for Success
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storage
    • More Healthy Asian Recipes
    • Healthy Fried Rice with vegetables

    Ingredients

    All the ingredients laid out on a white background.

    I am highlighting just the ones that need further explanation. The complete list is in the recipe card below.

    • Cold rice - This is THE most important ingredient, obviously, and it's key that you use day-old rice.
    • Garlic and ginger - These two add SO much flavor to the dish. Feel free to adjust to your liking. My family likes it really garlicky, and my son doesn't really like ginger so I go easy on it.
    • Low-sodium soy sauce - You can also use coconut aminos which has even less sodium, although has less umami and a sweeter flavor. You can also use gluten-free tamari if needed.
    • Cooking oil - use neutral oil like avocado oil or canola oil.
    • Toasted sesame oil -This is by far my FAVORITE condiment! Just a little goes a long way and it really brings the dish to life! My mouth drools just smelling it. It is on the expensive side BUT totally deserves a place in your pantry (I like to keep it in the refrigerator to extend shelf-life).
    • Vegetables - I love to use frozen veggies to make the cooking process even easier. Simply take out of the freezer 10 minutes or so prior. Don't thaw completely if you want them to retain some crispness.

    Best Rice for Fried Rice

    It is best to use long grain rice, like jasmine or basmati. You most definitely don't want to use short grain rice as it will be way too sticky and won't fry well.

    It's also important that you use leftover rice that's at least one day old. Freshly cooked rice has too much moisture and you will end up with a porridge-like texture, which actually might not be a bad thing if intending to make fried rice solely for your baby.

    You can use either white rice or brown rice for extra fiber and nutrients.

    But to appease the whole family, stick to one-day-old, cooked long grain rice. Pre-cooked rice from the freezer section of your grocery store is also an option.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    A four image collage showing how to make fried rice step by step.
    1. Heat oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add beaten eggs and cook until scrambled. Set aside.
    2. Add more oil and cook onion until softened and fragrant. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds to a minute.
    3. Add slightly thawed frozen vegetables and cook for 3-4 minutes.
    4. Push all the vegetables to the side of the pan and raise the heat to high. Add oil, chilled rice, and soy sauce. Stir for 3 minutes or so until warmed through.
    5. Remove fro heat and stir in sesame oil, scrambled eggs, green onions, and any additional protein of choice.
    6. Taste and add more soy sauce or sesame oil to taste.

    Substitutions

    • Egg-free? You can just leave it out
    • Vegetables - I love using the corn, peas, and green beans frozen medley but feel free to use whatever you wish - fresh or frozen. I like to use the latter for convenience.
    • Protein - My go-tos are canned salmon, leftover chicken, shrimp, and beef, but truly you can add anything! If you are vegetarian, try with tofu, edamame, or beans!

    Tips for Success

    Cooked fried rice in a large skillet.
    • If you are really craving fried rice but don't have leftover refrigerated rice, cook up a fresh batch, spread it out on a large baking sheet, cover, and refrigerator for at last 30 minutes.
    • Cook the eggs first - Don't make the mistake I did in trying to save an extra step and stirring it in with vegetables and rice. The texture will not be ideal.
    • Adjust the amount of sodium by adding less or more soy sauce to taste.

    Serving Suggestions

    For babies

    Add just a tablespoon of low-sodium soy sauce to the fried rice, set aside a portion for your baby, then add more to the rest of the rice for the family.

    This easy vegetable rice won't be very easy to scoop and there's a very high chance that the grains will go flying everywhere (been there) so what I recommend is mixing it in with some mashed potatoes.

    You can also use sweet potatoes but it will affect the flavor of the fried rice. Same with mashed avocado, BUT it will help minimize the mess and make it easier for your baby to eat.

    For toddlers

    A toddler's stainless steel plate and bowl with rice and a side of quartered cherry tomatoes and chopped green onion.

    This is the time when they seek independence and desire choice. This is also when you may start to wonder if your child is becoming picky.

    And as a pediatric dietitian, I will say most likely not. It is actually a normal and expected part of development.

    What I highly recommend is to make sure there is a "safe" food, something that your child enjoys eating. That way, even if your child is not happy with the meal, in this case fried rice, or feels very strongly against trying new foods, there is something on the plate they will eat (my son loves tomatoes).

    That way, they're still getting some sort of nutrition AND exposure to foods they haven't quite opened up to, YET.

    I also like to serve fresh herbs or toppings on the side (e.g. green onions) in hopes that my kids will try sprinkling some on their fried rice just like mommy and daddy. Modeling is SO important.

    Is your toddler becoming picky?

    Arm yourself with these strategies that will transform your mealtimes!
    YES, PLEASE!

    Storage

    Transfer leftover rice in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat fried rice either on the stove top or in the microwave. Avoid reheating more than once.

    While it's best to enjoy within a couple of days, you can make extra and freeze if you wish for up to 3 months.

    More Healthy Asian Recipes

    • A close up shot of stirred dressing in a mason jar.
      Asian Salad Dressing
    • A close up shot of cooked bulgogi in a skillet.
      Chicken Bulgogi (Low Sodium)
    • pan fried dumplings on a plate with dipping sauce.
      Favorite Mandu (Korean Dumplings)
    • Cooked pancake slices on a white platter with dipping sauce.
      Korean Vegetable Pancakes (Yachaejeon)

    Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!

    A large bowl of fried rice with a wooden spoon.

    Healthy Fried Rice with vegetables

    This healthy fried rice is packed with vegetables, protein, and is oh so flavorful! Forget takeout and make this at home in under 10 minutes.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Author: Min | MJ and Hungryman

    Ingredients

    • 2 eggs, whisked
    • 1 tablespoon neutral oil (divided)
    • ½ medium onion, diced
    • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
    • 1 teaspoon grated ginger, see note
    • 1 cup frozen vegetables of choice, slightly thawed (or fresh)
    • 2 ½ cups chilled rice
    • 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos , see note
    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
    • (Optional) protein of choice, like salmon, chicken, beef, shrimp, tofu
    • Green onion for garnish

    Instructions

    • Heat oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add beaten eggs and cook until scrambled. Set aside.
    • Add more oil and cook onion until softened and fragrant. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds to a minute.
    • Add slightly thawed frozen vegetables and cook for 3-4 minutes.
    • Push all the vegetables to the side of the pan and raise the heat to high. Add oil, chilled rice, and soy sauce. Stir for 3 minutes or so until warmed through.
    • Remove fro heat and stir in sesame oil, scrambled eggs, green onions, and any additional protein of choice. Taste and add more soy sauce or sesame oil to taste.

    Notes

    Transfer leftover rice in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat fried rice either on the stove top or in the microwave. Avoid reheating more than once.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 7g
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine Asian
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Tag me @KidFriendly.Meals today!

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      Favorite Cheese Quesadilla Recipe
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    About Min

    Thank you so much for stopping by! I am Min, a Registered Dietitian, a Christ follower, a wife, and a mom to our two miracle babies! Currently, I’m having a ton of fun feeding their tummies and sharing our baby led weaning journey! Follow me on Instagram if interested in seeing daily menu as well as tips and tricks.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Devon says

      May 28, 2023 at 9:23 pm

      5 stars
      This was great! I have a 15 month old so I did one table spoon of coconut aminos and one tablespoon of reduced sodium soy sauce. I also did this with cooked quinoa instead of rice! It was so good.

      Reply
      • Min says

        May 29, 2023 at 3:57 pm

        Ooh! Love the use of quinoa here!

        Reply

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    I am MJ, a registered dietitian and a mom of 2. I truly hope you’ll enjoy all the recipes and tips that I share on what and how to feed your child!

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