Easy Ham Fried Rice

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Got some leftover ham and rice? Then you can start preparing this Easy Ham Fried Rice right away. Serve it as a side dish or a meal on its own --- either way, it's so quick to prepare! Delicious!

An overhead shot of a serving of fried rice with ham, with fresh garlic and green onions on the side.

While commonly known as a side dish, I usually don't make anything else when preparing this easy ham fried rice for myself.

It's a complete meal for me. 🙂

But for those times that I have to serve some other dish with it, it's typically something fried or grilled -- that's an excellent pairing.

So let me know how you prefer to serve this leftover ham and rice at your home!

IF YOU WANT MORE ASIAN-INSPIRED SIDE DISHES, THEN YOU WILL LIKE THESE POSTS!

Ingredients

Ham - it is up to you whether to use leftover, smoked or not, as long as it's cooked ham.

Carrot - peeled and diced.

Spring onions - use only the white and light green part.

Sesame oil - we all have our favorite brands; so just use what you have.

Cooked rice - I strongly suggest you use rice that's at least a day old. Then you separate the grains using your hands before adding them to the fried rice ham.

Green peas - fresh or frozen, any of these two is excellent.

Vegetable oil - sunflower, canola, or any neutral (no-taste) oil, NOT olive oil.

Garlic - minced.

Salt and pepper - for seasoning.

Soy sauce - I use dark Chinese soy sauce for this ham fried rice recipe.

If you are using the light one or Japanese soy sauce, the color of your fried rice with ham would not be as intense, and you need to make sure you check the seasoning after adding the vegetables back into the pan.

A closer shot of a serving of fried rice with ham, highlighting the texture of the rice and the pieces of ham and vegetables.

Preparation

Start making this easy fried rice with ham by heating vegetable oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat.

Add carrots and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add green peas.

Precooking the frozen vegetables before starting with the fried rice with ham.

Mix until the peas are soft and cooked, then transfer the vegetables to a plate and set aside.

Using the same pan, heat one teaspoon of sesame oil and add garlic once the oil is ready.

Saueteing the minced garlic as the first part of frying the rice, and adding ham later.

Cook until the garlic becomes fragrant and slightly darker.

Add the rice and season with salt and pepper.

Adding salt and pepper into plain fried rice, before adding the ham and vegetables back.

Mix for a couple of minutes, then add another teaspoon of sesame oil; continue mixing.

Add soy sauce and mix to combine evenly.

Seasoning the ham fried rice with soy sauce for color and flavor.

Add ham and mix for about three to four minutes.

Adding cubed ham pieces into the seasoned fried rice.

Add the cooked vegetables back into the pan.

Adding the vegetables back into the pan as the last step in making ham fried rice.

Mix to combine everything, taste and adjust the seasoning.

Take the pan off the heat.

Serve ham fried rice with some chopped spring onions as garnish.

A pan of fried rice with ham, ready for transferring into plates and serving.

Helpful tips

If you are using frozen peas, use them directly from the freezer.

There is no need to thaw them.

Make sure you have separated the cooked rice before adding it into the pan.

Depending on the type of soy sauce you are using, go easy on adding salt until you get to the very end, where you can adjust the seasoning.

A closer shot of a bowl of fried rice with ham, garnished with green onions.

FAQ

Is it better to use cold rice?

Absolutely.

Cold, leftover cooked rice is the best type that you can use for making fried rice. They are firmer and easier to separate without turning into mush.

The refrigerator is your best friend when it comes to prepping your cooked rice for the next day's fried rice.

So, you better prepare extra rice today and give this easy ham fried rice recipe a try tomorrow! 🙂

OR YOU CAN GET MORE EASY DINNER RECIPES FROM THESE POSTS!