Easy Leftover Pork Fried Rice

Easy leftover pork fried rice is made with pre-cooked rice, and leftover pork. It is quick, delicious, and tastes way better than takeout!

You will love this Kimchi Fried Rice and these Homemade Lumpia (Filipino Egg Rolls). Be sure to check them out while you’re here!

One thing you can bet on, is me visiting the mall food court and hitting up the Asian spot! There’s just something so magical about the food court Asian food; especially the fried rice.

Even more, when you order takeout, and that lovely white container full of fried rice is delivered along side the entrée! Yes indeed! So it was only right that I mastered my fried rice at home.

Ingredients for leftover ham fried rice:

If you have any leftover ham from Thanksgiving, repurpose it to make this fried rice. Here are the other ingredients you will need for this recipe:

• Pork: ham is the most common protein used in pork fried rice. You can also use leftover pork chops, pork belly, or even bacon..
• Pre-cooked rice: it is important to cook your rice ahead of time. Freshly cooked rice has too much moisture and will cause the fried rice to be mushy.
• Vegetables: mixed frozen vegetables are perfect for this fried rice recipe. Flash cook the peas, carrots, corn, and green beans in the microwave before adding them to the rice.

How to make fried rice:

Add your vegetable oil to a hot skillet or wok. Let it heat up until it begins to smoke slightly, about 2 minutes or so.

Gently place your bell diced bell pepper and chopped up ham into the vegetable oil and saute for 3 minutes.

Next you are going to add your pre-cooked rice into the oil and stir it around. Be sure to break up any clumps as you stir it around.

Now add your mixed vegetables into the skillet and stir them around and combine with the fried rice. Add your soy sauce and seasonings and mix it into the rice.

Scoot the rice to one side of the pan and add in the scrambled eggs on the bare side. Mix them around until they are cooked. Combine the rice and eggs together.

What kind of rice is used for pork fried rice?

Long grain white rice works best for this recipe. Medium grain can also be used. Brown rice can also be substituted for white rice if you desire.

Another great substitution, especially for my friends following the Keto diet, cauliflower rice! Follow the recipe completely substituting cauliflower rice for regular.

You can use basmati rice, jasmine rice, or even basmati rice. Long grain rices are best for fried rice because they separate well when they are cooked. So the rice comes out fluffy and perfectly fried.

A few pointers regarding fried rice:

It is very important that you use pre-cooked, cold rice to make this recipe. The rice should be cooked a few hours, to a few days ahead of time.

Place the rice in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.

Warm rice cannot be used, because it will turn to mush! Once the cold rice hits the hot oil, it creates an amazing fried texture.

What kind of oil is fried rice made with?

Typically, fried rice is made with a canola, or vegetable oil. In addition to that, add a bit of sesame oil for the true Asian flavors that you get from restaurant style fried rice.

Can I substitute pork for something else?

Absolutely! Add cooked chicken instead of pork. Or omit the protein altogether and just make vegetable fried rice. Beef is another great addition. A lot of people make fried rice with seafood; shrimp or crab too.

Leftover ham is PERFECT for this recipe. After the holiday’s we most always have leftovers. So dice it up into bite size pieces, and add it to the fried rice!

Whichever protein you use, be sure to dice it into bite size pieces. Unless it’s shrimp, of course those will remain whole.

Tofu would work well for this recipe also. Simply fry it up as you normally would, and follow the remaining instructions to finish the rice.

Pro tip for adding eggs to the fried rice!

Scramble the eggs in a bowl off to the side. After frying the rice, veggies, and pork and mixing it all together, push the rice mixture to the side of the pan. This will leave half of the pan empty.

Spray the pan with a non-stick cooking spray. Pour the eggs into the empty side of the pan. Stir them continuously until they are cooked through.

Then combine the rice and vegetables in with the eggs. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir it all together.

Once the eggs are cooked all the way, mix them in with the rice and stir until combined. Do not be shy with the soy sauce, add more if needed!

The soy sauce is very salty, so taste it along the way if you are adding more.

What creates the authentic Asian flavors?

First and foremost, the sesame oil and soy sauce offer major depths of flavor for this rice. Next, the addition of the protein (pork for this recipe), add a tremendous amount of flavor.

If you are watching sodium intake, use a low sodium soy sauce, but this ingredient is absolutely necessary!