Healthy Fried Recipe (Gluten-free)

This fried rice recipe is as delicious as it is good for you. A quick and healthy take on the popular Asian dish without any MSG, gluten, flavours or colors. Healthy fried rice is done in 20 minutes. Let's do it!

Healthy Fried Rice Recipe

Is it a takeout night tonight? But wait for a second! Before you pick up that Chinese takeout menu. I can show you how to make delicious fried rice that is better, healthier, and cheaper than any takeout.

What is the easiest meal to make for dinner to ensure your whole family is on board? For us, it is spaghetti bolognese and… FRIED RICE! There are many different fried rice recipes, Chinese fried rice, Japanese, and Thai. This is my version of fried rice and I assume it is a fusion 😉. What matters though is that it tastes great and has natural simple ingredients only. Easy dinner that everyone enjoys.

Fried rice is usually made using the oyster sauce. I have looked for a good quality oyster sauce for a long time now and could not find any. All of the sauces that I have come across include MSG and most of them have gluten. Not a good combination for our health.

And this is precisely why this fried recipe is so good.

Jump to:

• Healthy Fried Rice Recipe
• Reasons to make this healthy fried rice recipe:
• Ingredients for healthy fried rice:
• What rice to use
• How to make healthy fried rice at home
• How to serve
• How to store fried rice
• More rice recipes that are perfect for busy weeknights:
• More healthy Asian recipes that are better than any takeout
• Healthy Fried Rice Recipe (Gluten-Free)

Reasons to make this healthy fried rice recipe:

• Free from MSG, only simple natural ingredients.
• Gluten-free. Thanks to my Fried Rice sauce, you can enjoy this quick meal without being worried. It is safe for anyone with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
• Easy to make. This is a quick cheat recipe. Keep reading to find out why.
• Kid-friendly, my kids inhale this simple Asian meal.
• Budget-friendly. Only 5 simple ingredients are needed.

Ingredients for healthy fried rice:

To make this healthy fried rice we will need cooked rice. Ideally, you would cook it the night before and refrigerate it. 

• Chicken mince. Yes, to make this simple recipe we will cheat a little and use chicken mince. It will cook much faster and add a lot of flavor to our dish. Plus you don't have to cut the chicken, less washing up.
• Cooked leftover rice.
• Fresh garlic and ginger. 
• Eggs, free-range or organic if possible.
• A mix of frozen vegetables. I used a mix of carrots, peas and corn, but you can add any other vegetables you prefer. Bell peppers (capsicum) are a great addition, and so are mini corn and green beans.
• Extra virgin olive oil, please do not use vegetable oil in your cooking, it is proven to be a health hazard.

Fried rice sauce ingredients

• Soy sauce. To make gluten-free fried rice we will need gluten-free soy sauce or tamari. Be aware - regular soy sauce contains gluten.
• Fish sauce. Same here, check that the fish sauce is gluten-free.
• Lime juice from fresh limes.
• Sweetener of your choice. Raw sugar, coconut sugar, honey or maple syrup.

Green onions to serve. Leave them out if serving the fried rice to little kids. We have enough vegetables in this recipe to make it a nourishing meal without any complaints about the GREEN STUFF.

What rice to use

The secret to a bowl of good fried rice is rice. You need to have pre-cooked rice that has cooled down completely before you start. Freshly cooked rice will become mushy when frying. So day-old rice is perfect for this recipe. Or cook it at least an hour before you start preparing the fried rice.

To make this recipe you can use pretty much any rice you like. Chinese recipes use medium-grain rice, Thai jasmine rice and Japanese use round sushi rice. I used basmati rice because I find it is the easiest variety to cook. You can also use brown rice or cauliflower rice for an even healthier alternative.

If you need help cooking rice, head over to HOW TO COOK BASMATI RICE.

How to make healthy fried rice at home

Make sure you have prepared all ingredients BEFORE you start. The eggs are in a bowl, lightly whisked, and the vegetables are diced, minced, and grated.

1. Mix the sauce ingredients in a little bowl or a glass jar and set aside.
2. Heat some olive oil in a large wok or a large skillet over medium heat. 
3. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for a minute or two. Stir it constantly so that the garlic and ginger don’t get burnt. 
4. Add the chicken mince and fry it breaking apart until the chicken is cooked
5. Push the chicken mince to one side of the wok and add beaten eggs. Let the eggs set a little and then using a wooden spoon break them into little pieces and mix with the chicken mince.
6. Add the fried rice sauce, mix and fry the chicken mince until it starts to caramelize.
7. Add frozen diced vegetables and fry for 2-3 minutes on high heat. 
8. Now add rice and gently mix everything together, breaking the rice apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 4-5 minutes over medium-high heat until rice is heated thoroughly.

See the full cooking process in the recipe card below or watch the video.

How to serve

This fried rice is a complete meal and makes a perfect lunch or dinner. Enjoy it with some crispy shallots, chilli flakes and sliced green onions.

PARTY FOOD IDEA 🎉 You could also serve it as party food. Simply serve it in some lettuce cups 🥬. Cos lettuce and iceberg lettuce are perfect for this. It is such a fun idea for a party, plus you will add some greens to your meal.

How to store fried rice

I would not recommend storing the leftover fried rice for later use. The rice was already refrigerated and reheated. While I have no concerns about refrigerating rice for a day or two, I would not recommend reheating it twice. 

More rice recipes that are perfect for busy weeknights:

Mexican rice

Middle Eastern Mujadra rice

Chicken and rice - plov

More healthy Asian recipes that are better than any takeout

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