This Air Fryer Fried Rice is an easy way to make good Chinese fried rice at home. Make it with eggs or just veggies to keep it vegetarian!
Making fried rice in the air fryer is a quick and convenient way to enjoy delicious Chinese fried rice at home — even without a stovetop, like in college dorms.
The hot circulating air mimics the high heat of a wok, giving the rice that stir-fried texture and flavor — no actual stir-frying required!
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Reasons to love the air-fried rice
- Make it your way – Keep it vegetarian or add eggs for extra protein
- No stovetop needed – Perfect for college dorm rooms, small apartments, or RV living
- Fast & easy – Cooks quicker than in a wok and with way less cleanup
- Minimal mess – The rice and eggs are scrambled right in the same pan.
- Crispy, “fried” texture – All the flavor with little oil.
Best Type of Pan for Air Fryer Fried Rice
The type of pan you use depends on the size of your air fryer. For the Instant Vortex 6-quart air fryer, I used an 8-inch round baking pan that fit perfectly in the basket. You’ll want to choose any oven-safe pan that fits comfortably inside your air fryer.
For reference, 3 cups of cooked rice worked well in an 8-inch pan. If you're using a smaller pan, reduce the quantity to about 1½ cups of rice and adjust the other ingredients accordingly for best results.
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Air Fryer Fried Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked and cooled rice
- 1 ½ cups frozen vegetables (I used a mix of peas, corn and carrots)
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or as needed
- 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce (optional)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
- 2 eggs beaten to combine
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 scallions chopped
Instructions
- Grease a 8-inch oven safe pan with cooking spray.
- Add the rice, frozen vegetables, onion, garlic, soy sauce, vegetable oil, sesame oil and black pepper. Mix well to combine and spread evenly.
- Preheat the air fryer to 390°F (200°C). Place the pan and cook for 5 minutes, giving a good stir halfway through cooking.
- Open the air fryer, give the rice a stir, evenly pour the eggs on top of the rice. Place it back into the air fryer and continue cooking for 3 minutes.
- Open the air fryer, stir in the chopped scallions and butter. Cook for an additional one minute and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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What Can You Add to Air Fried Rice?
Vegetables – I like using a frozen veggie mix (like peas, corn, and carrots) since the short air frying time doesn’t fully cook fresh vegetables. Frozen vegetables work perfectly and save prep time!
Chicken – Stir in about 1 cup of chopped leftover or rotisserie chicken for a protein-packed air fryer meal.
Shrimp – Add raw, peeled, and patted-dry shrimp right on top of the rice (in a single layer) before air frying. They’ll cook through and turn juicy and tender!
Eggs – Halfway through cooking, drizzle in 2 lightly beaten eggs over the rice. They’ll set beautifully and add richness, just like classic egg fried rice!
How to cook fried rice in the air fryer (step-by-step photos)
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
Recipe tips
- Butter – If you’ve ever enjoyed fried rice at a Japanese steakhouse, you know butter is a must! It adds rich creaminess, moisture, and incredible flavor that takes the dish to the next level.
- Use Cold Rice – Day-old, refrigerated rice works best for a truly take-out style! Freshly cooked or warm rice tends to turn soft and mushy when mixed and air-fried.
- Adjust Sauces to Taste – Feel free to tweak the amount of soy sauce and oyster sauce depending on your preference for saltiness and flavor.
- Air Fryer Used – I tested this recipe in a 6-quart Instant Vortex air fryer, but you can use any model — just make sure your pan fits comfortably inside the basket.
More good Chinese Fried Rice Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice recipe is a quick, easy, flavorful, and comforting meal with chicken, eggs, vegetables and rice cooked together in the instapot.
- Mushroom Fried Rice is garlicky, buttery, irresistible, and ready in under 20 minutes. I take the classic fried rice recipe and enhance it with a generous dose of garlic, caramelized mushrooms, and rich buttery goodness.
- Garlic Fried Rice is bursting with fragrant, crispy garlic and is ready in under 20 minutes.
- Egg Fried Rice is delicious on its own for kids or a great side dish for all your Chinese dishes.
- Instant Pot Shrimp Fried Rice is a quick, easy, and flavorful one-pot meal—no leftover rice needed.
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Kitchen at Hoskins on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
