Harvest Vegetable Fried Rice

Saturday is a good day to look around the refrigerator and ask one very important question:

What needs to be used?

Maybe there’s a little roasted squash left from Thursday’s Autumn Harvest Rice Bowl. Maybe you’ve got some carrots, zucchini, corn, peppers, or onions hanging around from earlier in the week.

And maybe there’s some cooked rice waiting in the refrigerator.

That’s dinner.

This Harvest Vegetable Fried Rice is designed for exactly those moments. It doesn’t require a specific collection of vegetables. It simply gives all those little leftovers somewhere to go.

The result is a quick, colorful skillet meal that’s inexpensive, filling, and a whole lot better than throwing good food away.

It’s Waste Not, Want Not in a bowl—or, in this case, a skillet. 🍚🌾

simplegoodfood

Harvest Vegetable Fried Rice

Give leftover vegetables and cooked rice a delicious second life with this easy one-skillet fried rice.

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Prep Time 3 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Calories: 315

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 3 cups cold cooked rice
• 2 cups mixed leftover vegetables chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 small onion diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 green onions sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley optional

Good vegetables to use:

• Roasted carrots
• Corn
• Zucchini
• Peppers
• Green beans
• Peas
• Mushrooms
• Roasted squash or sweet potatoes
• Cooked broccoli

Method

 

Prepare the rice.

1. Break up any clumps in the cold cooked rice with your fingers or a fork. Cold rice works particularly well because it is less likely to become mushy in the skillet.

Cook the eggs.

1. Heat a large skillet or electric skillet over medium heat. Add about half of the olive oil. Beat the eggs lightly, add them to the skillet, and gently scramble until just cooked. Transfer them to a plate.

Sauté the onion.

1. Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet. Add the diced onion and cook for 2–3 minutes, until softened.

Add the vegetables.

1. Stir in the leftover vegetables and cook for 2–4 minutes, depending on how firm they are. Since most of the vegetables are already cooked, you’re simply heating and lightly browning them.

Add the rice.

1. Add the cold rice to the skillet. Stir and toss everything together. Cook for about 4–5 minutes, allowing the rice to heat through and pick up a little color.

Season.

1. Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, and black pepper.

Return the eggs.

1. Add the cooked eggs back to the skillet and gently stir them into the rice and vegetables.

Finish.

1. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and fresh parsley, if using. Taste and add a little more soy sauce if needed.

Notes

🌾 The Beauty of Leftovers

This recipe doesn’t have a “correct” vegetable list.

That’s intentional.

If you have a cup of leftover roasted vegetables and half a cup of something else, use them.

If your vegetables are already seasoned, that’s fine.

If they’re a little soft, that’s okay, too. Fried rice is an excellent place for vegetables that aren’t quite at their fresh-from-the-garden best anymore.

The goal is to use them while they’re still good, not wait until they’re perfect.

🥢 Make It Your Own

Want more protein?

Add:

• Leftover cooked chicken
• Cooked ground beef
• Cooked pork
• Shrimp

Want more vegetables?

Add frozen peas, corn, or carrots straight from the freezer.

Want to keep it meatless?

The eggs provide protein and make this a satisfying meatless meal.

For a little extra flavor, add fresh ginger or a small amount of minced garlic if you have it.

🏕️ Campground Kitchen Tip

This is an especially good recipe for an electric skillet because you have plenty of surface area for the rice to brown without having to juggle several pans.

It’s also a great campground meal because it turns leftovers into something that feels completely different.

Nobody needs to know that Thursday’s roasted vegetables are making a return appearance. 😉

🧊 Meal Prep Tip

If you’re intentionally making fried rice for leftovers, cool the finished rice promptly and refrigerate it in a shallow container.

When reheating, heat the portion thoroughly until steaming hot.

And remember that cooked rice should be handled just like other perishable cooked foods—don’t leave it sitting at room temperature for hours.