BACON FRIED RICE

WHAT WE THINK

Have some leftover rice in the fridge from that takeout you got a couple days ago? DON’T YOU DARE THROW IT AWAY. Combine it with some simple ingredients you probably already have on hand to make this killer bacon fried rice. Super simple. Super delicious. Now we’ll shut up, let’s eat!

WHAT YOU NEED (SERVES 2, DO MATH IF YOU NEED MORE OR LESS)

2ish cups of cold*, cooked white rice (*COLD IS KEY, DON’T DO THIS WITH FRESHLY STEAMED, HOT RICE)

4 strips of bacon, cut into pieces

1/4 red onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

2 green onions, chopped

3 eggs

pepper

WHAT TO DO

SIZZLE SIZZLE

Toss your bacon pieces into a frying pan over medium heat. After a few minutes, as the bacon begins to brown and render fat, add your red onion. Give it another few minutes for the bacon to continue cooking, and the onion to soften and turn translucent, then add your garlic. Give all of it another 30 seconds or so for the garlic to become aromatic.

ADD YOUR RICE

Use a fork to break up any clumps of rice that may have formed, then add your cold rice into the frying pan. Flatten it out so that the rice is evenly spread across your pan and coming into as much contact as possible with that beautiful bacon fat. Let it hang like this for 3-4 minutes, allowing it to brown a bit. Stir your rice, flatten again, and let it hang for another 3-4 minutes. Repeat as needed until your rice is lightly browned all over.

GET SAUCY

Toss about 2 tablespoons of soy sauce into your rice, along with your green onions. Mix thoroughly.

GET EGG-STRA

Spread your rice to the sides of the pan to create a ring. Crack your three eggs* into the center of the ring and allow them to cook for a minute. Then start scrambling the eggs, while keeping them in the center of the rice ring you created. Once your eggs are fully cooked/scrambled, add a few grinds of freshly cracked pepper and mix it all together with your rice.

*We like a freakishly generous amount of egg in our fried rice which is why we use three, but if you are a normal human, two eggs works just fine

SERVE IT

We classify this bacon fried rice as a side dish, but honestly it’s hearty and filling enough that you could just destroy a big bowl of it and nothing else. If that makes you feel ashamed and you need to make it part of a more well-rounded meal, this rice is great plated up with some citrusy grilled chicken or shrimp.

WHAT TO DRINK WITH IT

Pineapple Truly (sorry White Claw, we get Unruly with Truly in this household) or a Moscow Mule; the flavors and carbonation of these drinks complement the flavors of the rice and help cut through the richness.

Living low-carb? Word. This recipe can also be made with cauliflower rice instead of leftover white rice, just follow the exact same process!