Easy Indian Egg Fried Rice Recipe

This involved a lot of dishes, from homemade pizzas, to North Indian Poha, and this egg fried rice. Looking back, this was the night I got to experiment in the kitchen growing up, where my interests really developed. However, this particular dish is my mom’s specialty, and I still cannot replicate this the same way that she could.

Our favorite combination included a mix of onions, green chilies, cumin seeds and eggs. Be sure to scroll to the bottom to see the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE!

Can I add any more vegetables?▼

Of course! I would have too if I didn’t have an aversion to try veggies other than potatoes, onions or tomatoes. Fresh, crispy vegetables like carrots, peppers and green onions can go amazing with this dish. Simply cut these veggies into strips and add along with the onions and cook for a few minutes until cooked but still crispy. Reserve the green onions for garnish.

More protein?▼

I would lean towards adding egg whites instead of whole eggs to boost the protein without increase the cholesterol content in the dish from the egg yolks. Add some egg whites along with the eggs and continue with cooking process.

If you eat meat, chicken would be a great option to boost the protein. The best preparation method would be to dice the chicken into small cubes and sauté them first in some oil with salt and pepper. Set aside and continue cooking the veggies. Once the veggies are cooked but still crispy, add in the chicken and proceed with the remainder of the recipe.

Or if you have poached chicken on hand, you can simply shred up some poached chicken and sauté with the onions.

Tools Needed

How to Make Indian Egg Fried Rice

1. Begin by slicing your onions and chopping your green chilies.

Sliced red onions and chopped green chilies on a red cutting board with a knife nearby.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, onions, and the green chilies. Cook until the onions are translucent.

Sliced red onions and chopped green chilies cooking in oil in a dark pan

3. Get your cooked rice or cook your rice.

Cooked white rice in a stainless steel pan, ready to be added to the pan with sautéed onions and spices.

4. Add the cooked rice to the pan.

Cooked rice being added to a wok with sliced pink onions and green herbs.

5. Toss everything so that the other ingredients are completely combined with the rice.

Cooked rice mixed with pink onion slices in a dark pan during preparation of Indian egg fried rice.

6. Now pour your eggs into the pan.

Beaten eggs being poured into a pan of fried rice with ham and vegetables during the cooking process.

Beaten eggs being poured into a wok with cooked rice and ham pieces, ready to be scrambled together.

7. Gently mix in the eggs until they start to scramble.

Scrambled eggs mixed with shredded chicken and ham in a dark skillet, mid-stir with a wooden spoon.

Mix everything together to evenly spread out all the ingredients. Adjust for seasoning, serve hot, and enjoy!

What Makes This Indian Egg Fried Rice Different

Most fried rice recipes you find online are Chinese egg fried rice, or the Indo-Chinese restaurant style version — heavy on soy sauce, sesame oil and often a pinch of ajinomoto. This is not that. This is the Indian home-style version my mom made on Saturday nights: cumin seeds bloomed in oil, sliced onion, green chilies, and eggs scrambled straight into the rice. The seasoning is salt and pepper, nothing more. It tastes like a weeknight in an Indian kitchen rather than a takeaway box, and it comes together in one pan.

The Rice Matters Most

Fried rice is really a rice recipe first and a stir-fry second, so this is where to spend your attention.

Use basmati. It is a long grain rice that stays separate and fluffy instead of turning sticky — exactly what you want when the grains have to move freely in the pan.
Rinse it in cold water three or four times, until the water runs clear. That rinses off surface starch, which is what makes rice clump.
Half a cup of rice to one cup water, brought to a boil on high heat, then covered and dropped to low for 10 to 15 minutes with a small gap for steam to escape.
Fluff the cooked rice with a fork and let it sit while you prep everything else. Never stir it with a spoon at this stage — you will crush the grains.
Cold leftover rice from the fridge is the fried-rice cook’s secret weapon. Chilled grains have dried out slightly and fry rather than steam. If you are cooking from scratch, spread the rice on a plate for a few minutes so the surface moisture escapes.

Tips for the Best Egg Fried Rice

Give the cumin seeds a moment on their own in the hot oil until they turn a reddish brown and smell nutty. That bloom is where a lot of the flavor comes from.
Salt the onions and green chilies as they cook rather than at the end — it draws moisture out and helps them turn translucent faster.
Use a large wok or your widest pan. Fried rice needs surface area; a crowded pan steams the grains instead of frying them.
Pour the beaten eggs straight into the rice and mix gently until they just start to scramble. Overworking them turns the eggs into dry crumbs instead of soft ribbons through the rice.
Taste before it leaves the pan. Rice absorbs salt quietly, and it almost always needs a little more than you think.

Easy Add-Ins and Variations

The base recipe is deliberately plain, which makes it a good canvas. A few directions to take it:

Aromatics: a clove of minced garlic or a little grated ginger with the onions adds depth.
Vegetables: green peas, sweetcorn, diced capsicums or bell peppers, or a handful of spring onions stirred through at the end. Add firmer veg with the onions, delicate ones at the finish.
For a restaurant-style Indo-Chinese leaning: a splash of soy sauce, a few drops of sesame oil, or a spoonful of chili oil. Cut back on the salt if you add soy.
Swap the olive oil for a tablespoon of butter for a richer, milder result.
A pinch of white pepper powder gives that distinctive takeaway aroma; black pepper powder keeps it closer to home cooking.
Cooking for kids? Leave the green chilies out entirely — the cumin and onion carry plenty of flavor on their own.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Cool leftovers quickly rather than leaving the pan out, then transfer to an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheat in a hot pan with a small splash of water to loosen the grains, and heat it through until piping hot rather than just warm.
Reheat rice only once, and skip freezing — the egg turns rubbery and the grains go mushy on thawing.

Indian egg fried rice with scrambled eggs and ham mixed throughout on a white plate.

Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!

Recipe by Anadi Misra

Quick & Delicious Indian Egg Fried Rice Recipe

Quick, spicy, and packed with flavor, this Indian Egg Fried Rice is the perfect homemade meal for brunch or lunch. Ready in minutes with simple ingredients you already have at home.

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10 min

Prep

12 min

Cook

22 min

Total

servings

makes 3 cups

easy

Level

Ingredients

Tap any quantity to scale

If using fresh rice

(95 g) basmati riceShop →
(240 ml) water

If using leftover rice

(285 g) cooked basmati rice · make your ownShop →
(15 ml) olive oilShop →
(3 g) cumin seedsShop →
onion
green chilies(or to taste)
large eggs · make your own
salt(to taste)Shop →
pepper(to taste)Shop →

Instructions

To prepare the fresh rice (steamed method)

1
Rinse the rice in cold water in a strainer or in a pot 3-4 times or until the water runs clear.
Rinse the rice in cold water in a strainer or in a pot 3-4 times or until the water runs clear.
2
In a pot, add rice and water, turn heat to high and bring water up to a boil. Once water is boiling, turn heat down to low and cover with a lid or plate. Make sure to leave a small opening to let steam escape.
In a pot, add rice and water, turn heat to high and bring water up to a boil. Once water is boiling, turn heat down to low and cover with a lid or plate. Make sure to leave a small opening to let steam escape.
3
After about 10-15 minutes, the rice should be cooked. Using a fork, fluff up the rice, cover again and let it sit while you prepare the other ingredients for the Egg Fried Rice.
After about 10-15 minutes, the rice should be cooked. Using a fork, fluff up the rice, cover again and let it sit while you prepare the other ingredients for the Egg Fried Rice.

To prepare the Egg Fried Rice

1
Heat a non-stick wok or pan on medium heat. Add the oil and once hot, add the cumin seeds. Cook until the cumin seeds turn reddish brown color and aromatic. In the meantime, cook your rice.
Heat a non-stick wok or pan on medium heat. Add the oil and once hot, add the cumin seeds. Cook until the cumin seeds turn reddish brown color and aromatic. In the meantime, cook your rice.
2
Next, add the onion and the green chilies with a pinch of salt. Cook until the onions become translucent.
Next, add the onion and the green chilies with a pinch of salt. Cook until the onions become translucent.
3
Add the cooked rice and sauté until all the ingredients are coated with oil.
Add the cooked rice and sauté until all the ingredients are coated with oil.
4
Add in the eggs, and start mixing gently until the eggs start to scramble.
Add in the eggs, and start mixing gently until the eggs start to scramble.
5
Mix the entire dish well to evenly spread out the ingredients. Adjust seasoning as required and serve hot.
Mix the entire dish well to evenly spread out the ingredients. Adjust seasoning as required and serve hot.

Nutrition per serving

856

Calories

31g

Protein

132g

Carbs

20g

Fat

Fiber

Sugar

1012mg

Sodium

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Tested & written in Anadi’s kitchen