I hate to waste food. A large portion of America’s food is wasted, and I try very hard not to add to that amount. Fried rice is often my answer to the leftover food in my fridge. That’s largely because I love all Asian food, and this is easy enough for a quick snack and still nice enough for a entrée dish. At its core, fried rice is just meat, egg, rice and veggies. The dish by definition allows for so much variation. In addition, if the leftovers in your fridge are already delicious this is the perfect way to eat them again. I know even if I made the most amazing roast chicken, after the second day of eating it, I’m tired of eating roast chicken.

I normally start by identifying leftover meat in my fridge, and then add whatever other vegetables I have. You can add pretty much whatever protein you have: shrimp, chicken, beef, pork, tofu, etc. The key is to ensure it is tender, well seasoned, and not dripping in sauce or covered in breading. It will taste best if it is just meat without all the extras. If there is sauce or breading on the protein, simply remove it (or rinse it off), then use as planned.

Now, don’t get too crazy with vegetables, try to stay with an Asian theme…think carrots, peas and mushrooms, not Brussel sprouts or eggplant. That being said, the options are still kind of limitless…I’ve had fried rice with zucchini and cabbage, so it almost depends on what you want.

Oh! To ensure your friend rice has that quintessential ‘Asian’ flavor, there are a few essential ingredients. While variety is allowed in the protein and vegetables, try hard to ensure you have the correct condiments, mainly the sesame oil and soy sauce. I’ve listed the fried rice puzzle pieces below, as well as what I used for the amazing leftover friend rice I made recently. Please let me know if you have any other questions!

Essential Ingredients for Your Own Leftover Fried Rice 

• Rice, preferably jasmine or another long grained rice
• Sesame oil
• Oil, vegetable or olive
•  Low-sodium soy sauce
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Meat, I used leftover beef pot roast, and pan sautéed pork chop.
• Vegetables, I used onions, garlic, green onions and leftover roasted carrots.