Thai Mushroom Fried Rice (Vegetarian)

By
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt is a cookbook author and culinary teacher who specializes in Thai cuisine.
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Updated on 07/2/21
Mushroom fried rice

Philippe Desnerck / Getty Images
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 27 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
820 Calories
18g Fat
142g Carbs
21g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 820
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Cholesterol 93mg 31%
Sodium 1212mg 53%
Total Carbohydrate 142g 52%
Dietary Fiber 8g 29%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 21g
Vitamin C 214mg 1,068%
Calcium 141mg 11%
Iron 8mg 45%
Potassium 1018mg 22%
*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.)

Mushrooms and rice go together beautifully in this Thai recipe for fried rice. Includes other veggies too, such as peas and yellow pepper, for a rice dish that sings with flavor, texture, and supreme freshness. The original creation of fried rice was a result of having too much left-over rice, and it's a happy coincidence that 'old rice' happens to work really well once it's fried. But if you only have fresh rice that will work too). The other bonus of fried rice is that you can adapt it to your taste, tossing in the ingredients you like best (like a stir-fry that way). Here I've made it optional to add a meat substitute, but it's equally delicious without it. The dish comes together quickly in the pan and it's a cinch to make too. Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 4 to 5 cups rice, cooked

  • 1 tablespoon sherry

  • 1 shallot

  • 1 red chile pepper, de-seeded, minced

  • 6 to 7 shiitake mushrooms, sliced

  • 1/3 stalk celery, thinly sliced

  • 1/2 yellow pepper, diced

  • 1/4 cup frozen peas

  • 1 large egg

  • 2 green onions, sliced

  • 1 handful fresh basil leaves

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For Stir-Fry Sauce:

  • 4 tablespoons vegetable stock

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

  • 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar, packed

Steps to Make It

  1. Combine 'stir-fry sauce' ingredients together in a cup, stirring well to dissolve sugar. Set aside.

  2. Heat large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Drizzle in oil and add the shallot. Stir-fry 1 minute, then add the chili and mushrooms. Stir-fry 2 minutes, until mushrooms have softened. Add a little cooking wine as you go to keep pan moist.

  3. Add celery and yellow pepper and continue stir-frying 1 more minute.

  4. Add rice and 1/4 of the stir-fry sauce, stir-frying everything together.

  5. Push ingredients aside to create a clear space in the center of the pan. Drizzle in a little more oil and then crack in the egg. Quickly scramble, gradually incorporating into the rice.

  6. Add peas and continue adding more sauce as you fry until rice is evenly colored. Taste-test as you go, adding more sauce until flavor/saltiness is to your liking. If still not salty enough after adding all the sauce, add more soy sauce. More chili can be added to, to taste.

  7. Serve hot from the pan, adding a final topping of sliced spring onion and fresh basil or coriander. Enjoy!

Tip

If Using Leftover Rice:

  • After a day or two in the refrigerator, leftover rice can become lumpy and dried out. Not to worry. Just drizzle a little vegetable oil onto your fingers or work through the rice, returning clumps back into individual grains. The oil also helps add moisture back into the rice. The rice may seem hard and dry, but this can make for some of the best fried rice because it then stays light in the pan.

Recipe Variations

  • Omit the egg for a vegan dish.
  • Use sweet cooking wine or mirin as a substitute for the sherry
  • Instead of a shallot, use 1/4 cup chopped purple onion.
  • Substitute the red chile pepper with up to 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes.
  • Other types of mushrooms can replace the shiitake mushrooms
  • Fresh cilantro is a good substitute for the basil.