Simple Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe Little Spice Jar

Hibachi style fried rice. You know, the stuff that they serve you at the steakhouse the chef makes it right in front of your eyes on a large griddle served with yum yum sauce? There’s usually a few eggs that are tossed in the air and cracked over a spatula. Okay, so my hibachi fried rice doesn’t come with built in entertainment but it tastes just like the stuff you get at your favorite hibachi restaurant, and it’s so quick and easy to make at home! Earlier this year, I shared my recipe for 15 minute fried rice, and now I’m bringing you the hibachi fried rice that I love making (I might even make this more than the fried rice recipe!) The best part is that it requires less than 10 ingredients, takes 15 minutes to make, and is probably the best way to use up day-old rice!

What is the difference between hibachi fried rice and Chinese fried rice?

Hibachi fried rice and Chinese fried rice are made with different types of rice. Hibachi rice is typically made with Calrose rice whereas Chinese fried rice is made with long grain rice. But the main difference between fried rice and hibachi rice is that hibachi fried rice is made on a griddle or a hot plate. If you own a griddle, you could use that to make this recipe or a dutch oven works pretty well too!

Here’s what you need to make hibachi fried rice:

Rice: You’ll need cooked rice for this recipe. Leftover rice works best. Preparing the rice a day ahead of time and cooling it in the refrigerator overnight allows it to dry out. It also helps to hold its shape a lot better when we fry it in the pan. This recipe is perfect for making with day-old rice if you served some for dinner and are looking to turn it into something else the next night. I usually make a batch of brown rice in my pressure cooker the night before and pop it into the refrigerator. Then, you’ve got the perfect rice to turn into fried rice! If you’re specifically making rice for this recipe, you’ll need 1 ¼ cups of uncooked rice. Jasmine rice would also make a decent option if you didn’t want to use brown rice or calrose rice.High heat oil + butter: We’ll use a combination of oil and butter for this recipe. You can use just one of the other if you like, but hibachi rice usually contains butter, and it gives the rice a delicious flavor!Eggs: You’ll want to lightly beat the eggs in a bowl before scrambling them in a hot pan.Chopped onions: The chopped onions give the hibachi fried rice a delicious smoky flavor (along with the butter and toasted sesame oil.) Grated ginger: The ginger adds a wonderful new flavor to the rice. It also mellows out as it cooks in the butter and doesn’t have a harsh bite in this recipe.Soy sauce: I like to use low sodium soy sauce for this recipe so that the rice isn’t too salty!Toasted sesame oil: The toasted sesame oil brings tons of smoky delicious flavor to this hibachi fried rice. Regular sesame oil will also work, but just 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil gives the fried rice a much better flavor!

What if you don’t have day old rice?

If you don’t have leftover rice, cook the rice the same day and just spread it out on a large baking sheet in a flat layer and allow the rice to cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour, uncovered. If you start the process earlier in the day, you could also let it sit out at room temperature for several hours. My mom did this when I was growing up, so it is tried and true!

How to make the best hibachi fried rice at home:

Can I add protein to this recipe, or what do you suggest serving on the side?

You can add cooked beef, chicken, shrimp, or steak to the rice if you’d like. This works incredibly well with grilled meats! I love serving this hibachi fried rice with my miso ginger salmon along with mushrooms and zucchini. You could also serve this with garlic butter steak and shrimp or steak bites on the side with steamed broccoli.