This Low-Effort Weeknight Dinner Practically Makes Itself

I’m always chasing crispy. It’s one of my favorite textures in food. I’ve been known to take things too far in the pursuit of deep browning (see my ultra-crispy fried egg experiments). When it comes to fried rice, I want that same contrast: nutty, golden grains with plenty of crispy edges. That’s the appeal of this sheet-pan version—it’s about rethinking the method to work around the limitations and challenges of stir-frying at home while creating a wonderful texture in the grains.

Why Use A Sheet Pan?

In a typical stir-fried rice, the goal is fluffy, separate grains, lightly coated in oil, and evenly seasoned. A hot wok can create a bit of texture where the rice meets the pan, but the goal isn’t typically crispy rice. For those of us who like to push the crispy factor further, there’s definitely room for more. Plus, it doesn’t help in the quest for extra crisp that most of us aren’t cooking on high-BTU wok burners at home. 

This recipe borrows from Kenji’s easy fried rice technique but ditches the stovetop in favor of a hot oven and a preheated sheet pan. That switch does mean giving up wok hei, but if we’re being real, that’s pretty hard to achieve at home anyway. The at-home stovetop method also often requires stir-frying in smaller batches, lest the ingredients pile up and steam.

By using a sheet pan, you get more surface area for browning, a mostly hands-off process, and the ability to cook double the amount of rice—four cups instead of the usual two. It’s not a substitute for classic wok-fried rice, and it’s not trying to be. It’s a practical, scalable method that delivers big flavor and a crispy texture that some (like me) prefer.

Tips for Sheet-Pan Fried Rice Success

Keep It Simple 

I keep the ingredient list restrained, much like Kenji’s original recipe, because good fried rice doesn’t need much. Onion and carrot bring sweetness and a tender crunch, garlic and scallions round out the aromatic base, and frozen peas add a tender, slightly snappy bite that contrasts with the rice.

Could you use a bag of frozen mixed vegetables instead of dicing carrots? Absolutely. Any combination will work: peas and carrots, peas with green beans, maybe some corn tossed in. Just make sure they’re fully defrosted and drained before adding. I’d skip mixes with broccoli and mushrooms; both tend to have high water content, which turns to steam when heated and prevents the rice from browning. 

Remember That The Rice Is the Real Star 

If you’ve ever made fried rice, you probably know that day-old rice is ideal, especially if it’s had a chance to dry out. But with this method, you can get great results from fresh rice, too, though some drying of the grains first helps the final texture of the dish. Just spread the cooked rice out on a sheet pan while it’s still hot to allow the surface moisture to evaporate.

What matters most is that the rice is broken into individual grains before tossing it with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and fish sauce, then spreading it on the pan. This is how you avoid naked patches of rice that turn into gummy clumps while ensuring golden, crispy edges. It’s not heavily sauced or spice-forward—if that’s what you’re after, try nasi goreng or our kimchi fried rice instead.

If You Do Want to up the Ante, Add a Protein and, Maybe, a Little Heat 

Just because this sheet pan method makes it difficult to add bits of scrambled egg to the rice doesn’t mean you can’t add an egg another way—like putting a fried one on top. I recommend using an extra-crispy one that’s frizzled on the edges but still has a runny yolk.

Want to add a protein? We’ve got recipes for shrimp fried rice, pork fried rice, and Chinese sausage fried rice that you can look to for inspiration, though many cooked proteins will work. If you’re adding something like shredded chicken, small shrimp, or cubed tofu, make sure they’re cut into bite-sized pieces. Cook it separately first (yes, this does complicate the sheet-pan recipe a bit), then stir it in with the peas at the end—just long enough to warm through without overcooking. 

You can even add some heat, if you desire. A squirt of sriracha, a spoonful of gochujang, or my personal favorite, a drizzle of chili crisp. Does it need it? No. But that doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it.

This isn’t a traditional method for fried rice, but it’s low-effort and high-reward, with no special set-up required. And once you taste those nutty, golden, crispy grains scraped from the sheet pan, you might not return to the stovetop method anytime soon.

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