Mushroom Fried Rice recipe is budget-friendly and super quick to make. This easy one-pan recipe is a great way to use up leftover cooked rice; it's made in one pan and takes no more than 15 minutes.
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Mushroom fried rice FTW! It's such a basic recipe, but just perfect for using up leftover rice. It also happens to be super quick to make, which is always a good thing midweek because life is REAL.
This easy and naturally vegan recipe can be served as a main dish or a side dish, and we're talking no more than 15 minutes start to finish. A bit like my Peanut Noodles and Brussels Sprout Fried Rice recipes. Add them all to your after-work dinner rotation!
I love to serve my Mushroom Fried Rice with a drizzle of chili oil and a scattering of fresh cilantro. So yummy!
Mel x
Let's Make Mushroom Fried Rice!
After you've assembled your ingredients, it's very quick and simple to make fried mushroom rice:
- Toast the cashews
- In a large skillet or wok, sauté the onions, celery and pepper until softened.
- Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for a few minutes.
- Pour in the rice and tamari/soy sauce, stir and cook until hot, then add the cashews and garnish with the raw green onions.
Pile it in a bowl and grab a fork. Job done in about 15 minutes!
Fried Rice Tip
Make sure the rice is cooked and cooled completely. It's best if it has been refrigerated. Freshly cooked rice clumps together and gets mushy if you try to fry it. Once cooled and refrigerated, it dries out and separates easily when crumbled up into the pan. If you don't have any cooked and refrigerated rice, simply cook some and lay it out in a thin layer on a large baking sheet, cover with some cling wrap and pop it in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes or the fridge for 30 minutes.
Recipe FAQS
Long grain rice is the most commonly used rice for making fried rice but you can use any cooked and cooled rice medium to long grain rice including brown rice, basmati or jasmine. I don't recommend using short grain, sweet, sushi or glutinous rice.
If you don't have any cooked and refrigerated rice simply cook some and lay it out in a thin layer on a large baking sheet, cover with cling wrap and pop in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes or the fridge for 30 minutes. Then proceed with the recipe. You will get the best results with day old refrigerated rice though.
No. For food safety reasons rice can only be reheated once and you are doing that when you make the fried rice. Try to make only as much as you need so there are no leftovers.
To avoid mushy fried rice always use cooked and thoroughly refrigerated rice. You absolutely cannot use freshly cooked rice to make fried rice. If you do it will become mushy and sticky. Be sure to use medium to long grain rice, not short grain sweet/sushi rice or glutinous rice. Make sure you don't overcook the rice you will be using to make the fried rice. It should be cooked but still retain a bit of a bite. Use a very hot pan and cook it quickly.Don't crowd your pan. Use the biggest pan you have so all of the ingredients have lots of room and be sparing with the liquids you add to your fried rice. Adding extra could make your rice soggy.
Recipe
Mushroom Fried Rice
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- ½ cup (80 grams) raw cashew nuts (omit to make nut-free)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 bunch spring/green onions , sliced into circles
- 2 sticks celery , diced
- 1 large bell pepper , diced
- 4 cups (320 grams) sliced or quartered mushrooms , brown or white
- 3 cups (450 grams) cold cooked rice (long grain white or brown works well)
- ¼ cup (60 mls) soy sauce or tamari , gluten-free if necessary
INSTRUCTIONS
- Put a large wok or pan over a medium heat. Add the cashew nuts and cook them for 2 to 3 minutes, moving frequently, until they smell toasty and are starting to turn golden in areas. Tip out of the pan into a small bowl and set aside.
- Put the pan back on the heat and add the sesame oil. Turn the heat up to medium high and add most of the onions (leave a few to scatter over raw at the end), celery and bell pepper and cook for a couple of minutes until beginning to soften.
- Add the mushrooms and continue cooking, stirring frequently for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pour in the cold rice and soy sauce/Tamari and stir well. Keep moving everything about in the pan until the rice has heated through.
- Add the toasted cashews, stir again and remove from the heat.
- Serve scattered with the reserved green onions.
NOTES
Important food safety info - Rice should only ever be reheated once so once made this recipe cannot be reheated or frozen. Any leftovers need to be discarded.
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Kelly says
this was very good an super easy. unfortunately did not have the cashews, so that will be added next time. Thank you for this recipe!
Géke says
This is a super tasty dish with simple ingredients and quick to prepare. A new favourite!
Geke says
It was delicious and quickly made. Extraordinary how just a few ingredients produce this delicious meal. I will definitely make it more often!
Wilma says
Can i make this without mushrooms and with cauliflower rice not rice?
Elizabeth says
Wilma, personally I would not use this recipe without mushrooms. I would use a different recipe (e.g. https://avirtualvegan.com/one-pot-spicy-vegetable-rice/) which does not have mushrooms. I think you can substitute cauliflower in rice in that recipe too. Good luck!
Anna B says
Love this recipe. It's so quick and easy. We make it weekly.
Debbie says
I just made this for dinner and it turned out amazing! It was so easy and the flavours were delicious. Perfect for a work night meal. This served two as a main.
Lucy says
Made this this evening for supper, really lovely, my veggie-sceptic husband was even downright enthusiastic! Mushrooms and cashews are such a good combination. I used brown rice, and had to use leeks since spring onions are not always easy to find here in France, but the leeks work well and are more seasonal and local anyway. I used a little grape seed oil and added a bit of stock as I went along to keep the pan de-glazed and the whole dish moist. I added sesame oil (toasted) later to finish, I worry a bit about cooking with it as I think heating it too much damages it (it's recommended on the bottle for seasoning not cooking too).
Trish Haskins says
Haven't made this yet, but I definitely will, and soon! Had to laugh at your comment comparing the old photo and the recent one. The new one really does look delish, but the old one wasn't bad. I know this will be awesome because you never let us down. Thanks Mel!!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks so much Trish. I hope you enjoy it!