Indian Fried Rice

This vibrant, turmeric-spiced Indian Fried Rice is packed with colorful, nutrient-rich veggies and comes together in under 30 minutes. Vegetarian, gluten-free, and easily adaptable for a vegan diet, it's a quick, wholesome, and flavorful weeknight meal that everyone will love.

this recipe!

Why You’ll Love This

While in India one morning, our lovely host made us the most fragrant Indian Fried Rice for breakfast with all of the leftover rice from the night before. I kept thinking to myself that I would happily eat this any time, day or night! My version is made with my authentic Basmati Rice. I know you will love this recipe because many readers have rated it with five stars, calling it “outstanding,” “terrific,” and “so flavorful!”

I’ve traveled through India twice and have learned so much about traditional Indian cooking. Here are our 35+ trusted Indian recipes that are traditional, yet easy enough for weeknight dinners! This recipe comes together easily in just 30 minutes!

What I love about this recipe is that you can take the basic idea and add whatever veggies you have in the fridge. Just try to keep the proportions the same so the spices don’t get lost.

Ingredients in Indian Fried Rice

• Cooked basmati rice: Use our recipe for basmati rice. It’s authentic, prepared with a secret, foolproof method I learned in a little village outside of Jaipur, and it’s finished with a flavorful tempering oil.
• Onion and garlic: Sautéed onion and garlic add fragrant, aromatic flavor.
• Veggies: Use any assortment of quick-cooking vegetables, like bell pepper, snap peas, asparagus, mushrooms, peas, and zucchini.
• Ghee: Ghee offers up the best flavor, or use olive oil. If using ghee, try our homemade ghee recipe!
• Serrano chilies: See the photo below to learn how I split them lengthwise for just the right amount of heat.
• Roasted peanuts: Or substitute with cashews.
• Curry leaves: These are really delicious, but if you must leave them out, sub with 3 bay leaves.
• Spices: Black mustard seeds (or regular), cumin seeds, chili flakes, turmeric, coriander, asafoetida (optional), salt, and black pepper.
• Fresh lime: A squeeze of lime is optional, but it really brightens and elevates the flavors.

See a full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card.

Vegetable Variations

Quick-cooking veggies work easiest here, like snap peas, snow peas, green peas, green onions, bell peppers, asparagus, green beans, shredded cabbage, or shredded Brussels.

But with a little planning, other veggies would taste great too, as long as you cook them a bit first, like steamed broccoli or cauliflower, roasted carrots, shredded cabbage or Brussels sprouts, or sautéed green beans or asparagus. You get the idea!

How to make Indian Fried Rice

1. Cook the rice. It is best to use leftover basmati rice for this recipe, so plan ahead! I like this method of cooking it because it is fast and easy (prepared in a pot of salted water, like pasta)! You’ll need 3 cups of cooked basmati rice, which is 1 cup uncooked. Start this first if you are not using leftover rice.

2. Sauté the vegetables. In a large cast iron skillet or wok, sauté the onion and garlic in ghee or oil over medium heat, along with any other veggies you’d like to add. I’ve added snap peas and bell pepper, but you can try any assortment of quick-cooking vegetables, like asparagus, peas, mushrooms, and zucchini. Sauté until just tender, season with salt and pepper, and transfer to a separate dish.

3. Slice and add the Serrano pepper. Don’t be intimidated by the 3 Serrano chilies. This dish is really only mildly spicy because of the way they are cut, and they do impart a beautiful flavor. Slice them the long way, crisscrossing, leaving the stem side intact. This way, they are easy to fish out of the final dish.

4. Temper the spices, herbs, and chilies in ghee or olive oil. In the same pan, temper the Serrano peppers and peanuts in ghee over medium heat. You can also keep this vegan with olive oil or peanut oil. Swirl or stir for 3-4 minutes, then add the curry leaves and stir for an additional minute. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and chili flakes, and stir for about 30-45 seconds.

If you’ve been here a while, you’ll already know how much more flavorful ghee is, but do as you please. 🙂 (If you’re up for it, here’s how to make homemade ghee!)

If you can track down curry leaves, they really elevate the dish. They are usually available at Asian Markets and can often be found in the frozen food section. I always keep some in my freezer. You can always leave them out and use a few bay leaves in a pinch.

Note: You can also fry the peanuts at the end, sprinkled with chili flakes for a finishing touch, instead of mixing them in. Soooooo tasty however you do it!

5. Add veggies and rice to the pan. Add the cooked basmati rice to the skillet along with the veggies, and toss to combine. Stir well, getting the seeds and peanuts up from the bottom. Add the turmeric, salt, coriander, and asafoetida (optional). Add chili flakes for heat, if desired. It will smell amazing and turn a lovely golden color.

6. Serve. Taste and adjust for salt and heat, adding more chili flakes if needed. Add a squeeze of lime, then garnish with scallions, cilantro, and lime. Serve over a bed of spinach (you can wilt it slightly if you’d like) with raita or mint chutney.

Chef’s Tips

1. Use day-old rice for the best texture. Freshly cooked rice is too soft and will turn mushy in the pan. Cold, leftover basmati rice fries beautifully and keeps each grain separate.
2. Prep your ingredients before heating the pan. Indian fried rice cooks quickly, and having the veggies, spices, chilies, and nuts ready ensures nothing burns or overcooks.
3. Keep veggies crisp-tender. Quick-cooking vegetables work best because they stay vibrant and maintain a little bite. If using heartier vegetables, cook them separately first.
4. Don’t skip the tempering step. Frying the spices, chilies, curry leaves, and nuts in ghee (or oil) unlocks the signature aroma and depth of Indian fried rice.
5. Adjust the heat as needed. Serrano chilies add fragrance more than fire when left whole and slit lengthwise. For more heat, slice them fully or add a pinch of chili flakes. For less, remove the chilies before serving.
6. Use ghee for the richest flavor. Ghee adds nutty depth and helps the spices bloom beautifully. For a vegan version, use olive oil or peanut oil and add a splash of toasted sesame oil at the end for extra richness.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the Indian Fried Rice with Raita or Cilantro Mint Chutney (or both!) or on its own over a bed of baby spinach. Garnish with the fried peanuts, scallions, and cilantro. A squeeze of lime is nice too. A fast and flavorful weeknight dinner that is full of healthy veggies.

You may also want to top the rice with protein or serve it with an Indian salad or side dish. Here are some of our favorite pairings!

• Protein: Crispy Tofu or Baked Tofu, Baked Tandoori Chicken, Kerala Fish, Paneer Cheese, or Indian Lamb Meatballs.
• Salads: Roasted Cauliflower Salad, Indian Spinach Salad, Indian Carrot Salad, or Roasted Vegetable Salad.
• Side dishes: Masala Street Corn, Curried Cauliflower Soup, or Naan Bread.

Storage

The Indian Fried Rice will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Have a happy, delicious weekend!

More Favorite Rice Recipes!

Furikake Salmon Rice Bowls

Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)

Vegetable Fried Rice

Pineapple Fried Rice

Coconut Rice Bowls

Vegetable Paella

How to Make Indian Fried Rice! | 30-second video!

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