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Savory Onion Beef Fried Rice

Savory onion beef fried rice with golden, smoky char from day-old rice and a quick soy-oyster sauce toss. Stir-fried in a hot wok with browned ground beef, caramelized onion, and scrambled egg bits for an easy one-pan weeknight meal.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 3 cup day-old cooked white rice Use cold, day-old rice for best texture and char.
  • 1 onion
  • 4 clove garlic
  • 3 eggs Beaten before cooking.
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 0.5 tsp white pepper
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 green onions Sliced; reserve some for garnish.
  • 1 sesame seeds for garnish Sprinkle on top at the end.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown the beef and build flavor
  1. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking apart, until browned and slightly crispy, about 6–8 minutes.
  2. Drain the excess fat from the skillet. Keep the beef in the pan over high heat so the browned bits stay in contact with the surface.
  3. Add diced onion to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes. Stir occasionally until the onion softens and starts to look lightly caramelized.
  4. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir constantly just until fragrant and slightly toasted.
  5. Push the beef and onion mixture to one side of the skillet. Scramble the beaten eggs in the empty space until just set, about 1–2 minutes, then mix into the beef.
Fry and char the rice
  1. Add cold day-old cooked white rice to the skillet. Press the rice into an even layer and let it sit undisturbed for 1–2 minutes to get slightly charred.
  2. Toss the rice to break up the layer and mix with the beef and eggs. Spread everything back out briefly so hot spots form again.
  3. Drizzle soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper over the rice. Toss everything together over high heat for 2 minutes until evenly coated and hot.
  4. Turn off the heat and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds for garnish. Serve right away for the best smoky char.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the rice cold and spread it in a thin layer so it can sit undisturbed and char—crowding reduces browning. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat in a hot skillet until steaming. Freezing is not ideal because the rice texture can turn softer after thawing. For a gluten-aware swap, use a gluten-free soy sauce in the same amount.