I may be late to the party, but I am just now discovering how incredibly convenient frozen vegetables are. My default has always been fresh veggies, but, according to Michael Pollan in his book In Defense of Food, “Freezing does not significantly diminish the nutritional value of produce” [like canning does] because the crops are picked and frozen at the peak of freshness. So in some cases – if you are comparing, let’s say, fresh blueberries flown in from another continent to local organic blueberries that you froze yourself at the height of the season – the frozen berries could possibly even be the better (i.e. more nutritious and certainly less-traveled) option out of those two choices.
So in an effort to save time I decided to try out a bag of frozen, pre-cut, mixed veggies to make a super quick and easy weeknight dinner. And let me tell you what – not having to wash, peel, and chop (and even select at the store) all the different fresh veggies in this meal was definitely a time saver – without sacrificing too much in the way of taste. When there are a lot of flavors going on, like this fried rice recipe, I find it harder to detect the difference between fresh and frozen. I will continue buying fresh veggies for simpler meals and side dishes, but it’s nice to know that frozen is a decent option when you are in a pinch!
Super Quick and Easy Vegetable Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice, cooked according to package directions (for a quick dinner, it is highly recommended to make this in advance and store in fridge)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or coconut oil
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, fresh, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 - 10-oz bag frozen veggies, mixed and chopped (I opted for the "Chinese-style" mix)
- 2 eggs
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste (red or black)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce, reduced sodium organic recommended
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
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In a large saute pan or wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
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Add the onion and ginger to the pan and cook while stirring for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
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Pour the frozen veggies into the pan (straight out of the bag - no need to defrost!) and cook while stirring for another 3 to 4 minutes.
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Using a spatula push the veggie mixture to one side of the wok. Drop in the 2 raw eggs on the other side and let them cook for 1 to 2 minutes before stirring the entire mixture together. Season with salt and (red or black) pepper to taste.
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Once the eggs are fully cooked add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice to wok. Mix together thoroughly, serve warm, and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
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Jamella
February 4, 2016 at 8:48 pmThis is very tasty and easy to make.
Nicole Newfield
February 27, 2016 at 8:28 amI have been wondering if it is safe to cook with olive or sesame oil on medium high heat, or if it is best to stick to medium due to the smoke point? Thoughts?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
March 9, 2016 at 10:53 amHi Nicole. This smoke point chart might be helpful: http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/oilchart.html.
Melissa
June 27, 2016 at 1:11 amI love this recipe- easy and delicious!
Eleanor
November 13, 2016 at 8:04 pmBest friend rice I’ve ever had. Made it Friday night, and making it again tonight! Family is obsessed.
I didn’t have onion on Friday so I used extra ginger & onion powder. Tonight I have extra onion and only powdered ginger. We’ll see how it goes!!
Jennifer
February 7, 2017 at 8:20 amIf adding chicken to this, do you suggest cooking it in a different pan and then throwing it in the wok, or cooking the chicken in the wok for a bit and then adding the other ingredients? Thanks!
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
February 22, 2017 at 12:40 pmYes, I would cook the chicken first and then add the other ingredients.
Marcie
March 30, 2017 at 6:22 pmWhat’s your take on minute rice? It’s parboiled whole grain brown rice with out any other ingredients. Is it still nutritious? It’s fast and easy when I haven’t planned ahead. Thanks!
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
May 1, 2017 at 3:54 pmHi there. This might help: http://www.livestrong.com/article/274189-parboiled-rice-vs-brown-rice-nutrition-health-benefits/.
Marcie
May 1, 2017 at 11:21 pmWow! Thanks for this info! I never would have thought that minute rice could be so good for you! It’s fast & nutritious, win, win!
Christina
May 8, 2017 at 7:45 pmAre you supposed to scramble the eggs in a bowl before adding? Or just crack and add? thanks!
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
May 16, 2017 at 12:15 pmI don’t but you can if you prefer.
Lindsay Untherbergus
December 4, 2017 at 2:25 pmI made this and it was great! Next time I think I’ll double the veggies :)
Kristina
July 12, 2018 at 7:11 pmWhat kind of wok do you own?
Megan Hartten
August 7, 2018 at 6:35 pmI had to run errands with my girls after work/daycare pick up so we got home pretty late. Everyone was hungry and I was tempted to call and order a pizza but I remembered I had all the ingredients for fried rice! I was able to literally make this in under 15 minutes, and am so glad I was able to make something wholesome, resist the easy way out, and saved some money. Thanks for the great recipe!