My Mom’s 3-Ingredient Golden Rice Is Gorgeous and Delicious

My mom always “accidentally” makes too much rice so she can turn it into golden fried rice the next day. The rice gets its signature golden hue from lots of eggs. My mom’s secret? She separates the eggs and coats the grains of rice with the yolks before folding in the whites to create soft, fluffy curds.

To keep things simple and savory, she adds bacon and skips the soy sauce. As fried rice purists, we avoid it at all costs because it dulls the yellow color and adds unwanted moisture, making the rice soft and mushy.

Bacon does all the heavy lifting: It adds aroma and saltiness, and the rendered fat helps crisp up the rice beautifully. A dash of white pepper and a sprinkle of scallions add to the flavor but they are optional.

What Type of Rice To Use

For golden fried rice, day-old rice works great. If you have rice that’s a week old, even better. I like to jokingly refer to my leftover rice as “dry-aged.” By letting it rest in the fridge, the rice slowly dries out, forming a thin, dry surface that gives fried rice its bite. That dryness also helps the rice to maintain its structure as heat and moisture are added during cooking.

For my golden fried rice, I prefer Thai jasmine rice. Its long, slender grains offer more surface area than short-grain rice, and its milky white color becomes the perfect canvas to absorb and showcase that rich, golden egg yolk hue. Jasmine rice also has a subtly sweet, fragrant aroma that enhances all the toppings’ flavors beautifully.

No leftover rice? No problem. Here’s a quick shortcut: spread freshly cooked rice on a parchment-lined baking sheet and pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes (or refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours). This rapid cooling helps to dry out the rice in a short timeframe. While this shortcut works in a pinch, leftover rice still reigns supreme.

Tips for Making Golden Fried Rice

• For extra flavor, add a dash of toasted sesame oil—a little goes a long way.
• No bacon? Use char siu or Chinese sausage (lap cheong). Both add a touch of sweetness to balance the savory flavors.
• Make it your own! Common add-ins include corn, carrots, and green peas. Sometimes we toss in fridge leftovers—basically anything on the brink of not-so-freshness. It’s easy to add components to this dish and adds an element of mystery—kind of like fried rice roulette! 

How To Make My Mom’s 3-Ingredient Golden Fried Rice

To make two to four servings, you’ll need:

• 3 cups leftover cooked white rice
• 6 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
• 5 slices bacon, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, optional
• 5 scallions, thinly sliced, optional

In a medium bowl, combine the rice with the egg yolks. Stir and break up the rice until it’s evenly coated and set the bowl aside. In a cast-iron skillet or wok, cook the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s crisp, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain off all but about 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat.

Add the golden rice and salt to the skillet. Immediately and vigorously toss to prevent the rice from clumping together. Stir fry until the grains are separated and lightly crisped, about 5 minutes. 

Push the rice to one side of the pan. Pour in the egg whites and let them sit undisturbed until fully cooked, about 4 minutes. Scramble and break up the egg whites into small pieces before folding them into the rice. Stir fry and toss to remove excess moisture and break the egg whites into smaller pieces (about the same size as the bacon bits), 3 to 5 minutes. 

Return the bacon to the skillet along with the white pepper, if using, and stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the scallions, if using. Season to taste with more salt and serve hot.