Spam Fried Rice Recipe

By
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/28/22
spam fried rice on a plate

 The Spruce / Leah Maroney
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 1 pan
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
556 Calories
33g Fat
48g Carbs
18g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 556
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 33g 42%
Saturated Fat 9g 44%
Cholesterol 130mg 43%
Sodium 1083mg 47%
Total Carbohydrate 48g 17%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 18g
Vitamin C 5mg 23%
Calcium 61mg 5%
Iron 3mg 17%
Potassium 489mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Spam fried rice is a delicious and easy takeout-inspired dish. It’s the perfect recipe for using up leftover rice and a great way to incorporate veggie odds and ends—you can easily replace the peas and carrots with anything you have in the fridge (or swap in canned versions). Broccoli, peppers, corn, and green beans are all great additions.

We love how the spam tastes in this dish. It gets crispy in the pan before it's added in at the last minute for a kick of salty, meaty goodness. It’s similar to pork fried rice without having to prepare the pork.

This dish can be served as a side dish with other takeout favorites like General Tso’s chicken, or you can have it as a complete meal. It reheats super well and makes for great leftovers.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

  • 6 ounces Spam, diced

  • 1 tablespoon butter

  • 2 large eggs, beaten

  • 2 medium scallions, sliced, whites and greens divided

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/2 cup frozen peas

  • 1/2 cup carrots, diced

  • 3 cups day-old white rice

  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

  • 1/2 cup peanuts, chopped

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients for spam fried rice
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  2. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the pan and heat on medium-high heat. Add the Spam cubes and sauté until golden brown. Remove the Spam from the pan leaving as much oil behind as possible. Add in the rest of the oil and the butter.

    sauted spam in a saute pan
    ​The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  3. Add the butter and the beaten eggs to the pan and heat on medium-high heat constantly scraping the pan until the eggs are cooked through.

    egg sauteed in a saute pan
     ​The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  4. Add the scallion whites and the minced garlic. Sauté until softened.

    egg sauteed with scallions and minced garlic
    ​The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  5. Add in the peas and carrots and rice to the pan. Toss to combine and sauté until the rice is lightly fried. Then pour on the rice vinegar. Stir the rice to coat and sauté for another 2 minutes.

    rice and vegetables sauteed in a pan
    ​The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  6. Add in the soy sauce and brown sugar. Toss to combine and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the Spam back to the pan.

    fried rice in a pan
    ​The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  7. Top with chopped peanuts and scallion greens, and serve immediately.

    spam fried rice in a pan
    ​The Spruce / Leah Maroney

Recipe Variations

  • Try using the teriyaki Spam for extra flavor and a little sweetness. You can leave out some of the brown sugar if you use the teriyaki variety.
  • Replace the vegetables with any fresh or frozen vegetables you have on hand.
  • Omit the egg and Spam if you’re looking for a vegan fried rice.

Tips

  • You need to use day-old rice for this recipe. If you use freshly made rice, the dish will become sticky and gummy. If you really want to make this recipe and don’t have day-old rice and you have a little time, then spread out the rice on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place it in the freezer for two hours, and you will get a product similar to day-old rice.
  • Don’t skimp on the oil. Your rice will stick to the pan and will not crisp up if there is not enough oil.

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