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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. This easy fried rice recipe makes good use of a frozen veggie blend for a super convenient family meal!
Easy Fried Rice Recipe
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.
Making a Fried Rice Recipe With Frozen Veggies
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.
Can you Freeze Fried Rice?
One of the things that makes this recipe so family-friendly in terms of meal planning is just how easy it is to freeze the leftovers! To freeze fried rice: cool it in the freezer by spreading it on a baking pan over plastic wrap or baking paper. Leave for 2 hours. Next, separate it into freezer safe bags or containers. Since our recipe uses egg in this fried rice, it’s recommended to only freeze the cooked rice for about a month before you plan on using it!
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!
This was SO easy to make, and SO tasty, not sure why I never thought of trying to make my own fried rice before! With a garden full of veggies, I made this with fresh veggies from the garden (zucchini, summer squash, green beans, broccoli, and carrots), and since I had made up your Whole chicken crock pot recipe a couple days before (and chicken stock), cooked my rice in homemade chicken stock, and added chicken pieces to it to make a complete meal. Yum!! Looking forward to a quicker/ easier version with frozen veggies during the winter too :)
My kids loved this! I omitted the ginger (because I didn’t have any and also because my kids tend to eschew spicy things) and added chicken. It was wonderful! In fact, my 8 year old has asked that she get the leftovers for the first day of school tomorrow!
I made this tonight and added chicken, my whole family loved it! Thanks for another favorite!
You may also want to add in a tablespoon of rice vinegar to the soy sauce. I also add an egg or 2 once in a while :)
has anyone worked out the nutritional info for this? if so, please share! :)
I have been keeping various bags of frozen veggies on hand for a while now. Use them in fried rice dishes, very quick soups, add ins for salads and casseroles. They are great in a pinch when you need to bulk up leftovers.
Could I use tofu instead of eggs? Special dietary needs here! :)
Hi Tony. Of course. Look for organic. :)
Great recipe! Made this for dinner tonight and everyone loved it! My husband never goes for brown rice, but he really liked it like this.
I just had to tell you this was terrific! Easy and delish. Makes eating healthy so simple. Thanks a million.
We add a handful of chicken, or pork and call it dinner;) So good.
Made this tonight first time and is so good! First time I have made fried rice from scratch that tasted so good!
Made this tonight with dinner- delicious!
This was so easy AND tasty! I used Trader Joe’s precooked brown rice as a shortcut. I even made a yum yum sauce to accompany it. This is a new family favorite.
Very yummy, I made it tonight. I added chicken. Big hit! My Costco sells a 5 lb. bag of organic non-GMO frozen mixed veggies so I always have frozen veggies on hand.
I wish you will tell us how much money in total you spend on food in a month, everything included.
is it mentioned anywhere? I knew you started this blog with a limited budget for the first 100 days.
Hi Amala. Check out100 Days on a budget. It was a second challenge Lisa took on after her original 100 Days: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/100-days-on-a-budget/. ~Amy
I love it when folks get together and share thoughts. Great site, stick
with it!
Hello would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re working with?
I’m going to start my own blog soon but I’m having a difficult
time choosing between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal.
The reason I ask is because your design and style seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something unique.
P.S Apologies for being off-topic but I had to
ask!
Hi there. Lisa uses WordPress. You can find more info if you visit http://problogschool.com/. :) ~Amy
Having read this I believed it was really informative.
I appreciate you finding the time and energy to put this information together.
I once again find myself spending a lot of time both reading and commenting.
But so what, it was still worthwhile!
I totally bombed this recipe but I did it from the meal plans Lisa made up. I added the egg in all that juice. I was forced to dump most of it. Yuck
Hello! I have a question regarding soy sauce. I really like it, however, anything with a “soy” label frightens me…ha! I have heard that Bragg’s liquid aminos is a healthy soy sauce alternative, but my husband strongly disagrees. What are your thoughts on this product? Either way I feel it’s better than what’s available where we live…we are one of the few semi-crunchy families. Thank you for your input.
Hi Ashleigh. Braggs is also a soy product. Nothing but soy and water. It is also certified non-GMO and gluten free which gives it a leg up in my book. :) ~Amy
I made this recipe with regular Cascadian Farms frozen veggies and it came out very good. Great alternative to full of GMO’s and other harmful additives at Chinese restaurants.
I don’t often repeat recipes since I like variety, but I’ve made this 3 times! As a working mom of 3, this is awesome toward the end of the week when my homemade stash of food from the weekend runs low. I threw this together very quickly last night and didn’t even saute the garic or ginger before hand. Ready in about 10 minutes (since I had leftover rice from antoher meal), and my 6 year old was actually humming while eating it!! YES! I now always keep a bag of frozen stir-fry veggies in the fridge for when I’m in a hurry.
This was the first recipe from this site that I’ve made and we loved it! I used the sugar-snap stir frying from Walmart. The kids didn’t love it but said it was okay and ate it without complaining so that’s a win in my book! My husband and I loved it though and I’ll be making it again. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Thx- will check it out!
What kind of wok is best to buy? there seem to be many options?
Thanks!!
Hi there Londi. This might help: http://www.eatingwell.com/healthy_cooking/kitchen_product_reviews/the_best_wok_and_how_to_season_a_wok. ~Amy
I agree with Amy that the article she shared is a great one.
I thought I’d throw in a couple more comments about woks.
When you are choosing a wok, one of the first things to consider is the heat source where you’ll be using it. Electric, gas or induction stoves have different requirements for selecting a wok. Generally gas stoves are best for wok cooking, but realistically the stove you have in your kitchen was not chosen based on how well it will function for your wok cooking!
Induction stoves require the wok to be in constant contact with the heat source so a flat-bottomed wok is preferred, since a round wok would barely touch any heat surface.
For gas stoves a round-bottomed wok is best, however you have the “discomfort” of having to use a wok ring to set your wok on while you cook. This can make the cooking a bit awkward.
Electric stoves can work with either flat or round-bottomed woks.
Electric woks, which do not require any stove are often looked down upon by wok “purists” however I think they have a place in many peoples’ kitchens. They are easier to use than many other woks. However, you should be aware that electric woks often cannot reach high enough heat to stir-fry food, so they are best for other types of food preparation.
These are a couple other sources of information on selecting a wok: http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/education/how-to-buy-a-wok/c27570.aspx
The Best Wok Buyers Guide (my site): http://www.bestwokbuyersguide.com
Hope this helps,
Mike
3 out of 3 kids loved this! That never happens!!! And thank you for getting me to take out my wok which I was considering removing. Making it again tonight! Woohoo!!
Made this tonight with Trader Joe’s Healthy 8 chopped fresh veggies. Absolutely delicious!! Love this website. Such great information and recipes. Thank you!
Cooking the rice in homemade chicken stock (from organic or pastured chx) increases the flavor and the nutritional value of the dish and makes it even better.
we serve up frozen veggies and we cannot tell the difference between them and their fresh cousins – thanks for the blog it’s great with lots on it!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS WEBSITE! I DO HAVE A QUESTION… I MADE THE WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLAS AND WHAT IS THAT BEST WAY TO REHEAT THEM WHEN I TAKE THEM OUT OF THE FREEZER?
Hi Jessica. I find it best to defrost what I need overnight in the fridge and then heat them up on a skillet. ~Amy
What are your thoughts on arsenic and lead that is being found in rice (arsenic in rice from southern US and lead in rice from overseas). What rice brands do you recommend to avoid arsenic and lead?
Hi Lara. I am going to have to research the lead aspect but we are avoiding brown rice from the southern US and swapping in other grains such as quinoa. These articles are helpful: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-10-03/features/ct-food-1003-rice-arsenic-cooking-tips-20121003_1_inorganic-arsenic-rice-consumption-brown-rice and http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2012/10/arsenic-in-rice. ~Amy
Excellent simple recipe! I’m always up for a fried rice! I love mine with garlic, broccoli and tri-color bell peppers.
Fried rice is always a favorite here. I usually make this once a week and using the leftovers we had the days before. You can practically put anything in fried rice :)
I made this tonight and threw in leftover pork tenderloin, diced pineapple and leftover broccolini, all from another night’s dinner. It was VERY good,and so easy! Will definitely make this again.
Thanks! Dinner tomorrow – for sure. This is exactly the kind of recipe I am collecting for my 20 yr old to move out with. Trying to get the homecook ethic across before he leaves!
Just thought I would share a cooking tip: ginger freezes really well. Just peel it first and then it is super easy to always have on hand and much easier to mince/grate too!
Delicious! I just made some and added chicken and edamame. Yum!
Thought it was a quick and easy recipe. Could do without ginger and sesame oil if you don’t have those items in your pantry.
Although my family has always loved it, I thought I hated fried rice. What I guess I hated was the overly salty, too-much-soy of restaurant prepared versions. I made this recipe, using just a small amount of low sodium soy and found it to be wonderful. I added whatever fresh veggies I had in the fridge and it was delicious.
Love making fried rice! I think it tastes much better with brown rice vs. white. I keep cooked organic chicken breast in my freezer. I like to add it to the rice. Often times I add shrimps as well. Possibilities are endless when it comes to the vegetables you can add. Will be trying your version next.