Singapore Fried Rice (Simple & Easy)

Why you’ll love this recipe

This Singapore fried rice recipe is a simplified recreation of the Singaporean classic. With under 8 ingredients, this recipe is more accessible to make and doesn’t compromise on flavour. 

Singapore rice usually incorporates chicken, prawns and pork (char sui). To make this recipe super affordable, I only use prawns. You can add as many different proteins as you like, but I find that this fakeaway recreation is delicious enough with just prawns. 

It comes together in one pan, requires less than 15 minutes to make and is perfect for meal prep or sharing with family and friends. What more can you want?!

Ingredients

Cooked Rice 

This is essential to get the best Singapore fried rice. Using just-cooked rice will get more of a squishy, soggy result (almost risotto like), which isn’t the texture we’re going for with this recipe. 

Frozen & Cooked Prawns 

Cooked prawns are cheap and perfect for preventing over-cooking.  We can just throw them in at the end to warm up, instead of cooking them from scratch and cooking for too long for fear of raw prawns (they cook super quickly).

Eggs 

I think the addition of eggs is what elevates this dish to one of my favourite Singapore rice recipes.

Frozen mixed vegetables 

I love using a bag of frozen mixed veg, as they often sell a combination of vegetables that are chosen for an authentic Singapore fried rice recipe. Look for a packet with carrots, peas and green beans if possible. 

Spring onion 

We use spring onion in this recipe as both an aromatic to flavour the fried rice, but also as a garnish to finish with, for flavour and crunch. 

Garlic 

I love my Singapore style rice to be extra garlicky, but adjust the clove quantity to suit your garlic preference. 

Cupboard Essentials

Soy sauce 

A salty umami punch that takes the flavour of this dish to the next level. 

Mild Curry Powder 

Curry powder is a distinguishing flavour with Singapore fried rice, in comparison to other egg fried rice recipes. I chose mild, but adjust if you prefer hot curry powder. 

Chilli Flakes 

For a little heat kick. 

How to make Singapore Fried Rice

* If possible, cook the rice ahead of time within chicken stock. Leave in the fridge to cool, so it’s ready to add to the recipe the next day.

To a wok/large and deep non-stick frying pan, add half of the thinly sliced spring onion (the whiter end) into the pan along with the rapeseed oil. Season with salt and fry on a medium heat for a couple of minutes.

Next, add the curry powder, chilli flakes and garlic into the pan and fry for two minutes until fragrant.

Drain the microwaved veg of any liquids that were released, then add them into the pan. Cook for around 5 minutes or until the veg is fully cooked, season generously with salt at this stage.

Next, add the cooked rice into the pan and stir to combine. Form a well/hole in the center of the pan to add your whisked eggs. Scramble the eggs in the center for around a minute before incorporating with the other ingredients in the pan.

Add the soy sauce and cooked prawns into the pan and stir to combine. Cook for around 2 minutes, then serve with a sprinkle of the reserved spring onion (greener end) and an optional sprinkle of chilli flakes.

Tips & Tricks

Cook the rice ahead of time
This will ensure that your rice is hard when it’s added into the pan, so that it can be fried along with the other ingredients. We don’t want to use just-cooked rice, as it will become mushy and sloppy.

Cook the rice within chicken stock
Many recipes add chicken powder to their Singapore rice recipe – I think it’s more common to have chicken stock cubes in the cupboard though, so I suggest using chicken stock to add a similar flavour to the rice.

Use a large wok or a wide frying pan
This will give you a lot of surface area to work with to prevent crowding in the pan, giving you the best fakeaway recipe end result.

FAQ

What is the difference between Singapore fried rice and special fried rice?

Special fried rice is a Chinese dish, that is seasoned with soy sauce and oyster sauce whereas Singapore fried rice is seasoned with curry powder, soy sauce and other aromatics. 

Is this recipe spicy?

You can adjust the spice levels to suit your preference. The only spice I added is chilli flakes in step 1. It’s more of a mild heat as there is such a high volume of other ingredients that also cook in the pan, so the spice is diluted.

Can I reheat this recipe?

You sure can! Store in a tupperware in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, cook in the microwave on high for two minutes and then enjoy with the spring onion garnish. To prevent drying out – add an icecube on top of the rice, before popping in the microwave.

Can I freeze this recipe?

I think this recipe freezes really well. Freeze for up to three months in individual portions. Defrost in the fridge overnight and follow the above reheat instructions.  One thing to note is that a lot of frozen prawn packets state to not re-freeze. I’ve never had an issue with this, but this could be something you make a decision on.

Is Singapore fried rice healthy?

I definitely think this recipe is healthy, there’s a great balance of carbs (rice, veggies), protein (eggs & prawns), healthy fats (rapeseed oil & eggs) with an array of nutrients from the colourful veggies. I love this recipe as a post-work out meal for this reason! I’ve also balanced all of the ingredients to ensure that the recipe isn’t too calorific.

How can I make this recipe vegetarian?

Substitute the prawns for tofu, tempeh or seitan to make this recipe a delicious vegetarian Singapore style recipe. 

Other fakeaway recipes you might love…

Chicken Vermicelli 

Peri Peri Chicken Wings 

Crispy Chilli Chicken