Vietnamese-Style Fried Rice

By
Connie Veneracion
Connie Veneracion
Connie Veneracion
Food writer and blogger living in the Philippines and specializing in Southeast Asian home cooking and travel.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 08/16/21
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Vietnamese-Style Fried Rice

The Spruce / Christine Ma

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 27 mins
Servings: 3 to 4 servings
Yield: 4 cups

Fact: Every cuisine in Southeast Asia has been influenced by the Chinese in one or more ways.

Fact: Vietnamese cooking—with its sweet, spicy, salty, sour, and bitter flavors—is heavily influenced by the Wu Xing philosophy with each flavor corresponding with earth, metal, water, wood, and fire, respectively, or the Five Elements.

From those two facts alone, it is easy to glean how much Chinese cuisine has influenced Vietnamese cooking.

When it comes to fried rice, is there a difference between Chinese and Vietnamese fried rice? Yes, there is. Vietnamese fried rice has milder flavors because of its seasonings.

In this recipe, the sweetness of the lap cheong (dried fatty Chinese sausage) and the barbecued pork, and the saltiness of the fish sauce are balanced by a bit of lime juice.

"The rice was flavorful, and I loved the combination of barbecued pork and Chinese sausage. It was an easy preparation with a bit of chopping and slicing. Cooking is quick, so it's best to have all of the ingredients ready before you begin to cook." —Diana Rattray

Vietnamese fried rice with lap cheong and bbq pork
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil

  • 2 large eggs, beaten with a drizzle of fish sauce

  • 1 stalk lemongrass (white portion only), finely chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 medium shallots, finely chopped

  • 1/4 cup chopped carrot

  • 1/4 cup sweet peas, thawed if frozen

  • 1 link Chinese sausage, lap cheong, about 1 1/2 ounces, thinly sliced

  • 1/2 cup barbecued pork, such as char siu, cut into thin strips

  • 3 cups cooked rice, cold jasmine or long-grain, preferably not freshly cooked, rubbed to separate the grains

  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce, or more to taste

  • 1/2 tablespoon lime juice

  • 1/2 cup cilantro, or Thai lemon basil or mint, to garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Vietnamese-Style Fried Rice ingredients

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  2. Heat the peanut oil in a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat.

    Heat the peanut oil in a wok

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  3. Pour in the beaten eggs. Cook, swirling often to form a flat egg pancake, just until set, about 1 1/2 minutes.

    egg cooking in a wok

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  4. Scoop out egg pancake and transfer to a cutting board.

    egg on a cutting board

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  5. Over medium heat, saute the lemongrass, garlic, and shallots until softened and aromatic.

    saute the lemongrass, garlic, and shallots in a wok

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  6. Turn up the heat, add the chopped carrot and sweet peas, and stir fry for half a minute.

    add the chopped carrot and sweet peas to the mixture in the wok

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  7. Add the sliced lap cheong and the barbecued pork. Stir fry for about a minute.

    Add the sliced lap cheong and the barbecued pork to the mixture in the wok

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  8. Add the rice. Drizzle in the fish sauce. Stir fry until the rice is heated through. Turn off the heat.

    add rice and fish sauce to the mixture in the wok

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  9. Roll up the egg like a cigar and cut into thin slices.

    roll up and slice the egg

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  10. Add egg slices to the rice. Toss. Add the lime juice and toss a few more times.

    eggs and lime juice added to rice mixture

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  11. Serve hot, garnished with cilantro, lemon basil, or mint, or all three.

    Vietnamese-Style Fried Rice

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

Tips

  • Always rinse the rice thoroughly before cooking on the stovetop, in a rice cooker, or in an Instant Pot.
  • If using fresh-cooked rice, spread it out on a baking sheet to let the moisture evaporate. Once it has cooled, refrigerate it or make the fried rice.
  • Make sure that clumps are broken up before adding the rice to the wok.

Recipe Variations

  • If you like heat, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes along with the lemongrass, garlic, and shallots.
  • Replace the frozen peas and fresh diced carrots with 1/2 cup of frozen peas and carrots.
  • For additional protein and flavor, add 8 to 10 medium peeled and deveined shrimp to the stir-fry along with the meat.

How to Store

  • Refrigerate leftover fried rice in an airtight container within 2 hours and eat within 5 days.
  • To freeze, transfer the cooled fried rice to zip-close freezer bags; label with the name and date and freeze for up to 6 months.
  • To reheat leftover fried rice on the stovetop, transfer it to a skillet with a small amount of water or broth and cook over medium-low heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until it reaches 165 F.
  • To microwave leftover fried rice, put it in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with a damp paper towel; microwave for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, or until it reaches 165 F.

What can I use as a substitute for lap cheong?

You may substitute with about 1 1/2 to 2 ounces of Chinese or other Asian sausage, or salami, chorizo, or ham in a pinch.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
407 Calories
17g Fat
47g Carbs
17g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 407
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 21%
Saturated Fat 4g 22%
Cholesterol 124mg 41%
Sodium 271mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 47g 17%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 6mg 32%
Calcium 67mg 5%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 541mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)