This yummy bacon fried rice is a great dinner for so many reasons. It's frugal to make, using leftover white rice, and packed with veggies too! The whole family will love this fried rice recipe!
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I adapted my Hot Dog Fried Rice to use bacon instead, and it's truly delicious! You can make Bacon Fried Rice with a few strips of bacon or a small bag of bacon bits, depending on what you have on hand.
With so many veggies in every bite, this is a recipe you can feel good about serving up to the kiddos too. It's a homemade version of a favorite American Chinese food, and it costs less than $5 to make!
If you have a lot of white rice on hand, make sure to check out my Quick Horchata Recipe (With Leftover Rice). I always keep rice on hand because it's such a cheap filler item for our meals, and it's so versatile too! Perfect for adding to our Monthly Meal Plans.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It is cheap. If you're looking for a super frugal meal, then look no further. This Bacon Fried Rice recipe can feed your family for less than $1 per serving, which is about as cheap as Homemade Mac and Cheese and Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole. We have it in our list of Cheap Family Meals Under $10 and love to use it to stretch our grocery budgets.
- It's simple. Made with cooked white rice and a few other ingredients, this dish comes together quickly and easily. Perfect for a weeknight dinner.
- It's quick to make. In under 30 minutes from start to finish, you can have a large batch of fried rice ready to eat. Plenty of servings to give everyone second helpings or leftovers for lunch the next day.
🛒 Ingredients
Toasted sesame oil- This gives it a more authentic taste than using plain olive oil, but olive oil can be used instead. (We also use this oil in our Spicy Peanut Butter Ramen).
White rice- You will need rice that has already been cooked and cooled. This is because fresh rice is too sticky. If you don't have leftover rice on hand, you can cook rice, spread it out onto a baking sheet, and freeze it for several minutes to dry it out faster.
Frozen mixed veggies- You can use a mixed bag of just about any veggies. I usually opt for frozen peas, peas and carrots, or a full mix of veggies with green beans and corn, depending on what I have on hand.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
Cooked rice. For best results, make rice the night before and store it in the fridge in a closed container until ready to use. You can swap out the white rice for brown rice if desired.
Bacon. Instead of using fresh bacon strips, you can use bacon bits or bacon pieces (the salad toppings). To do this, omit the first two bacon cooking steps and simply heat the oil and onions in the pan. Proceed as directed, adding the bacon in when directed.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Use leftover rice. I like to Reuse Leftover Food in new meals, so I often make extra rice so that I can have fried rice the following night. Fried rice tastes best with day-old rice because it's firmer and less sticky. Make extra rice with another meal and save it for this recipe. No waste, no extra cost.
Stretch the bacon. A little goes a long way! You only need a few slices to flavor the whole pan. Cook until crisp, then use the rendered bacon grease instead of oil to sauté the veggies and rice.
Repurpose scraps. Chop up leftover bits of onion, bell pepper, or green onion tops instead of buying new produce just for this dish. I even use leftover Thanksgiving turkey to make Leftover Turkey Fried Rice.
Use eggs to bulk it up. Eggs are one of the cheapest proteins and add both flavor and filling power. One or two scrambled in makes the dish heartier without more meat.
🥄 Instructions for Bacon Fried Rice
Step 1: Add your bacon to a large wok or skillet over medium to medium-high heat (Image 1).
Step 2: Cook until crispy (Image 2) and then remove bacon from the pan and chop into small pieces. Drain grease.
Step 3: Add the onions and oil to the pan (Image 3). If you leave some bacon grease, you'll get a stronger bacon flavor.
Step 4: Cook until the onions are caramelized looking or translucent (Image 4).
Step 5: Add your minced garlic to the pan of onions (Image 5).
Step 6: Stir well to combine and let cook for about 30 seconds or until fragrant (Image 6.
Step 7: Add in the white rice (Image 7.
Step 8: Stir together to combine, breaking up any large clumps of rice as you go (Image 8).
Step 9: Add in the mixed frozen veggies (Image 9).
Step 10: Stir well to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the veggies are no longer cold to the touch (Image 10).
Step 11: Add your eggs to a bowl (Image 11).
Step 12: Beat lightly with a fork to break the yolks (Image 12).
Step 13: Push the rice to the sides of the pan and add the beaten egg to the warm skillet (Image 13).
Step 14: Cook the eggs while stirring until scrambled (Image 14). Try not to add too much rice to the egg mixture as that changes the texture of the dish.
Step 15: Stir to combine the eggs with the rice, then add green onions, soy sauce, and bacon pieces (Image 15).
Step 16: Mix well to evenly distribute (Image 16).
Step 17: Cook for an additional minute or until warmed through.
Serve with sliced green onions on top if desired. Enjoy!
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- More bacon, more flavor. If desired, you can leave some of the bacon grease in the pan for a stronger bacon flavor. You can also add in additional bacon if you want to use more strips of bacon.
- Cook first, then chop. Bacon is a lot easier to chop into small pieces after it has been cooked, which is why we cook the bacon before cutting it up.
- Tip for more flavor. Adding in some minced ginger can elevate the dish even more, so if you have some ginger, feel free to add it in. On that note, feel free to add in more soy sauce if desired.
❄️ Storage, Reheating & Make Ahead
Storage: Store leftover Bacon Fried Rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Let it cool completely before sealing to prevent excess moisture and sogginess.
Reheating: Place fried rice in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through. For best texture, add a small pat of butter or splash of water before reheating to help rehydrate the rice.
Make Ahead: Cook the rice and bacon a day in advance and refrigerate separately. When ready to serve, simply combine with veggies and sauce in a hot skillet for a quick, freshly made meal.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
Bacon fried rice pairs perfectly with egg rolls, potstickers, or spring rolls for a takeout-style meal at home. Add a side of steamed or stir-fried vegetables like broccoli, snap peas, or mixed veggies for balance.
A bowl of egg drop soup also complements the flavors nicely.
- Egg Drop SoupRecipe: $1.54 | Per Serving: $0.77
- Honey Garlic Chicken BitesRecipe $3.98 / Serving $1.00
- Ramen with Egg and CheeseRecipe $1.76 / Serving $0.44
- Roasted Baby Bok ChoyRecipe $4.02 / Serving $1.01
❓ Bacon Fried Rice FAQs
If you use fresh rice instead of day-old rice, you may have a softer or "soggy" texture as a result. Other culprits could be that you mixed the eggs into the rice instead of scrambling them in the center of the pan, or you left too much bacon grease in the pan.
Eggs add more protein and a richer flavor too. They help to bring a savory depth to your meal, making it more appetizing and delicious.
The main parts of a fried rice recipe are cooked rice, soy sauce, and mixed veggies. You can add in eggs, seasonings, meats, or other ingredients to suit your own tastebuds.
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🐝 If you tried this bacon fried rice recipe, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Bacon Fried Rice
Equipment
- Large Wok or skillet
Ingredients
- 3 strips bacon, chopped, or 1 small bag bacon bits - ($0.30)
- 1 cup onion, finely chopped - ($0.91)
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil - ($0.20)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced - ($0.16)
- 2 ½ cups cooked white rice - ($1.53)
- 1 bag (12 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables - ($0.98)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten - ($0.30)
- 2 tablespoons green onion, thinly sliced - ($0.05)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, low-sodium preferred - ($0.10)
Instructions
- Cook bacon. Add bacon to a large skillet or wok over medium to medium-high heat. Cook until crispy, then remove, chop if needed, and drain excess grease.
- Cook aromatics. Add onion and sesame oil to the pan, leaving a little bacon grease if desired. Cook until onions are soft and lightly browned. Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add rice. Stir in cooked rice, breaking up any clumps.
- Add vegetables. Add frozen vegetables and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until warmed through.
- Scramble eggs. Push rice to the sides of the pan. Pour beaten eggs into the center and cook, stirring gently, until just scrambled.
- Combine. Stir eggs into the rice, then add green onions, soy sauce, and bacon. Mix well and cook 1 minute until heated through.
- Serve. Serve warm, garnished with additional green onions if desired.
Notes
- Substitutions. Use white or brown rice. Bacon bits can replace fresh bacon.
- Flavor Tips. Leaving a little bacon grease adds depth. Ginger or extra soy sauce boosts flavor.
- Reheating. Reheat in the microwave 1 to 2 minutes, stirring halfway. Add a small pat of butter if needed.
- Storage. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Nutritional Information
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