This 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.
Mushroom fried rice is super delicious and a breeze to make. When combined, the intense flavor of garlic is tamed by the richness of butter, creating an irresistible mouth feel.
This vegetarian fried rice recipe offers a slight twist on traditional Chinese fried rice by incorporating garlic butter. It’s inspired by the style of hibachi restaurants, where fried rice is cooked with butter for an amazing flavor.
All fried rice recipes are made with leftover cold rice, because rice dries out in the refrigerator and maintains separate grains.
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Why this recipe works?
I start by sautéing chopped garlic in butter over low heat until it's pale golden, softening its harshness and infusing the butter with flavor. Then, I crank up the heat to cook mushrooms, ensuring they caramelize without releasing excess moisture. Adding soy sauce enhances the umami.
I then finish with a dab of butter for a more buttery flavor and a glistening finish!
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Mushrooms - I used white button variety, like in mushroom sandwich. It is easy to find in most grocery stores. Baby bella or cremini will also be great substitutes.
- Rice - Any cooked white rice that you have on hand will work. It will be great if it is day-old. Though jasmine is traditional, basmati is a great replacement as well.
- Garlic - Lots of minced garlic is in all garlic recipes.
- Butter - It is added in two stages for a rich buttery taste.
- Soy sauce - Adds umaminess and savory depth.
Pro tip: Use cold, day-old rice for the best results. Hot rice can turn mushy when stir-fried. If you don't have cold rice, spread hot grains on a sheet tray and let them cool at room temperature for a few hours.
How to make?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
1.Place a medium cast iron or non-stick skillet over low-medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and garlic, and saute for a few seconds, until it begins to get golden. You will begin to smell the incredible garlicky aroma!
2 & 3. Add onion and sliced mushroom, increase heat to high, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring very often, until mushrooms are cooked and get a deep color.
4. Reduce heat to medium, stir in rice, scallions, soy sauce, salt, pepper and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Stir until thoroughly combined and rice is heated though.
Tip: Finishing with butter adds more buttery flavor and imparts a glistening finish.
Pro tip: Begin low and then increase to high! Unlike traditional fried rice recipes, I start by cooking chopped garlic in butter over low heat until it's pale golden. This mellows the garlic and infuses the butter with its flavor.
How to serve?
It makes a great vegetarian dinner recipe or alongside Asian main course dishes like honey sriracha chicken or teriyaki tofu without pressing.
If you’d like to add an egg, I recommend cooking it separately as a sunny side up and placing the egg on top of the rice just before serving.
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How to store leftovers?
This easy mushroom rice recipe yields just 3 servings, so you will not have any leftovers. However, if you have any leftovers, then refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave when needed.
Helpful tips
- Heat – Unlike classic fried rice recipes, where it is usually cooked over high heat, this recipe begins over low heat, continues over high heat, and finished off in low heat.
- Cook garlic in low heat- Garlic will burn in high heat and will result in a bitter taste.
- Cook mushrooms in high heat - They contain about 90% moisture. Cooking them in high heat will retain some of that moisture and texture.
- Red pepper flakes - Optional but recommended.
Recipe FAQs
If you don’t have cold rice from the day before, then spread hot rice on sheet trays and let it hang out at room temperature for a couple of hours to help it dry.
They have a ton of water in them, which seeps out when they are cooked. If you cook them over low heat, they will just simmer in their liquid. Medium-high or high heat will give them a nice brown color and still maintain some texture.
When shopping for mushrooms, look for ones that don't have discolored or soft caps. The bottom of the stems should not be mushy or starting to shred apart, but a little discoloration is ok. Since they grow in dirt, it is inevitable you'll find some on them. Just a quick rinse under running water will make them super clean.
Begin by trimming the bottom of the stems. Cut large ones in half, and then slice each half into thin strips for sauteeing.
More rice recipes
Mushroom Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 4 large garlic cloves chopped
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ½ to 1 cup chopped onion cut into ¾-inch dice
- 8 ounces white mushrooms sliced
- 4 cups cooked and cooled white rice
- 3 scallions chopped
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon Salt, use as needed
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place a medium cast iron or non-stick skillet over low-medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and then garlic. Saute for 10 to 30 seconds, until it begins to get golden (you will begin to smell the incredible garlicky aroma).
- Add red pepper flakes, onion and sliced mushrooms, increase heat to high and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring very often, until mushrooms are cooked and gets a deep colorTip: Unlike traditional recipes, I cook garlic over low heat until golden. This mellows the garlic and infuses the butter with rich garlicky flavor and aroma.
- Stir in rice, scallions, soy sauce, salt, pepper and remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Stir until thoroughly combined and rice is heated though.Tip: Finishing with butter adds more buttery flavor and imparts a glistening finish!
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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