Mushroom Fried Rice
on Nov 15, 2023, Updated Jun 05, 2026
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This vegan mushroom fried rice is quick, easy and packed with umami flavor. Made with mushrooms, green peas, rice and simple pantry staples, it’s a great way to transform leftover rice into a satisfying meal.
Whether you’re looking for a simple weeknight dinner, meal prep recipe or a way to use up leftover rice, this mushroom fried rice is flavourful, filling and budget-friendly.
For the best texture, use cold, day-old rice and cook the mushrooms until golden brown. This helps develop rich flavor while keeping the rice light and fluffy. Enjoy it on its own or serve it alongside tofu, edamame or your favorite Asian-inspired dishes for a complete meal.
Why You’ll Love Mushroom Fried Rice
- It features 3 kinds of mushrooms making it perfect for mushroom lovers!
- The recipe is quick and easy to make in one pan while still delivering plenty of umami flavor.
- It’s easy to customize by adding extra veggies, your choice of protein or use different varieties of rice.
- It’s a vegan and gluten-free recipe.
- It only takes 45 minutes to make in one pan with simple ingredients.
- It’s a great way to use up leftover rice!
Ingredient Notes
Below is a quick overview of what you’ll need to make the recipe and any substitutions you can make. Use the recipe card with the full list of ingredients and measurements at the bottom of the post when you’re ready to make the recipe.
- Basmati Rice: This recipe works best with day-old leftover rice. If you don’t have white rice prepared you can cook it and chill for a couple hours on a baking sheet in the fridge or dry it out in the oven at a low temperature. You can substitute brown rice. This Cabbage Fried Rice and Mediterranean Rice and Lentils also make a great way to use leftover rice.
- Mushrooms: The recipe calls for a combination of fresh shitake mushrooms, white button mushrooms, and cremini mushrooms but the amounts can be mixed and matched as needed, for example, if you don’t have access to shitake mushrooms, increase the other two to make up for it. You could also use oyster mushrooms.
- Tamari: You can substitute light soy sauce though it won’t be gluten-free in this case. Coconut aminos also work.
- Sesame Oil: Toasted sesame oil is preferred but regular sesame oil is fine.
- Olive Oil: You can substitute any other cooking oil such as avocado oil.
- Snap Peas: You can use snap peas or snow peas.
- Green Peas: You can use canned or frozen green peas. If using canned peas, drain and rinse them before use.
Recipe Variations
- Add shelled edamame for extra plant-based protein.
- Stir in crumbled tofu or baked tofu for a more filling meal.
- For Spicy Mushroom Fried Rice, increase the chili flakes to 1 tsp or swap for minced fresh chilies to your heat preference. Or serve drizzled with with chili crisp or sriracha.
- Swap white rice for brown rice for additional fiber. Finish with fresh basil, cilantro, or green onions for extra freshness.
- I prefer to keep this recipe simple to let the mushrooms shine but you can add up to 2 cups chopped vegetables such a green bell peppers, broccoli or carrot. Add them with the garlic and ginger and stir fry until tender but still crisp.
- To reduce the oil in the recipe, swap the olive oil for 1-2 tbsp of vegetable broth or a little bit of water.
- Swap half of the green peas for corn.
How to Make Mushroo Fried Rice
Step 1. In a medium sized pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil with 1 tsp of salt.
Add the rice, cover, reduce to low heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the rice is tender. You can use another method to cook the rice, such as an Instant Pot or rice cooker, if you prefer.
Fried rice is best with day old rice so if you’ve already got cooked rice on hand, this is the perfect way to repurpose it! If not, it’s fine to use fresh cooked rice but you will get a better texture with rice that’s chilled and dried out. If you’re using fresh rice, spread it on a baking sheet and place in the fridge for 30-60 minutes to dry it out.
Step 2. In a large wok or skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped mushrooms in 2 batches, using half of the sesame oil each time. Add half of the sesame oil and mushrooms to the pan, cook for 3-5 minutes until they’re browned and crisp. Transfer to a plate then repeat with the rest of the mushrooms.
Step 3. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the same pan and saute the ginger, garlic, green onions and red pepper flakes for about 1 minute, stirring frequently over medium heat.
Step 4. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the cooked rice, tamari or soy sauce and salt and cook while stirring constantly for about 3 minutes.
Step 5. Add the mushrooms, snap peas and frozen green peans and stir fry for another 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so.
Serve right away topped chopped spring onions, sesame seeds and fresh cracked black pepper.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Allow the fried rice to cool completely, then transfer it to freezer-safe containers or bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or reheat directly from frozen.
Yes, this recipe is completely vegan and dairy-free. Traditional fried rice often contains eggs, but this version relies on mushrooms, vegetables, soy sauce, and sesame oil for flavour and texture.
Sure! Try adding corn when you add the green peas or diced bell peppers, celery or carrots along garlic, ginger and scallions.
This recipe could also be made with cauliflower rice for a low-carb option. Learn how to make cauliflower rice here and simply swap it for the cooked rice. You could also try my healthy cauliflower fried rice recipe.
Shimeji mushrooms work especially well in fried rice because they have a mild, savoury flavour and hold their texture during cooking. Other good options include cremini mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, or white button mushrooms. For the most flavour, use a mix of mushrooms if available. This recipes uses a mix of shiitake, cremini and white mushrooms as they’re usually the easiest to find.
You can, but day-old chilled rice produces the best texture. Fresh rice contains more moisture and can become soft or sticky when stir-fried. If using freshly cooked rice, spread it on a baking sheet and chill it in the fridge for 30–60 minutes before cooking.
Yes. Simply use tamari instead of soy sauce. Double-check any additional sauces or seasonings you use to ensure they are gluten-free.
Store leftover fried rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or oil until warmed through. You can also microwave individual portions for 1–2 minutes.
This recipe is flexible and works well with many vegetables. Try peas, bell peppers, broccoli, edamame, cabbage, green beans, spinach, or bok choy. It’s also a great way to use leftover cooked vegetables.
Mushy fried rice is usually caused by using warm, freshly cooked rice or overcrowding the pan. Use cold rice, cook over medium-high heat, and avoid adding too much liquid to achieve the best texture.
If you make this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe, and I love to hear from you. Thanks for trying my recipes! – Deryn
Vegan Mushroom Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked basmati rice, rinsed (300 g, see notes)
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms, 50 g
- 1 cup thinly sliced cremini mushrooms, 100 g
- 1 cup thinly sliced white mushrooms, 100 g
- 1 tbsp sesame oil, divided (15 ml)
- 1 tbsp olive oil, 15 ml
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated (20 g)
- 4 cloves garlic, grated or crushed (20 g)
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions, 30 g
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes, 2 g
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup tamari or light soy sauce
- 1 cup thinly sliced snap peas, 80 g
- 1 cup frozen green peas, 150 g
- toasted sesame seeds, for topping
Instructions
- In a medium sized pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil with a 1 tsp of salt. Add the rinsed rice, cover, reduce to a light simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until the rice is tender. You can use another method to cook the rice, such as an Instant Pot or rice cooker if you prefer. The rice is best prepared the day before and stored in the fridge overnight.
- In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, heat half of the sesame oil then add half of the mushrooms and cook for 3-5 minutes until mushrooms are golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a plate and do the following with the remainder of the sesame oil and mushrooms.
- Once all the mushrooms are cooked, add 1 tbsp olive oil to the same pan sand sauté the ginger, garlic, green onion and chilli flakes, stirring frequently until fragrant, about 1 min.
- Turn the heat up to medium high heat and add the cooked rice, soy sauce or tamari and salt, cooking and constantly stirring for roughly 3 minutes.
- Add the cooked mushrooms, snap peas and frozen peas and stir fry for an additional 2 minutes, stirring often.
- Remove from heat and serve hot with chopped fresh green onion and toasted sesame seeds.
I’ve definitely posted about this before. Asked fella what he wanted for a special birthday tea. He chose this, a trusted favourite. Made some lovely tofu stuff to go with. He’s a meat eater so I was sure he’d go for steak. No! He wanted the mushroom rice. I had some shiitake mushrooms which gave a lovely texture. A very happy birthday.
Loved this. So easy to do. Big hit with the fam too.
Awesome! Thanks, Ashley.
Girl, YASSSS. This was so good.🤤
Yum! I’m terrible in the kitchen and this was an easy, delicious recipe to make and only took about 45 min from start to plate.
10/10!! I’ve been meaning to make this for a while- so glad I finally did. I only had white mushrooms but it was still amazing. It’ll definitely go on regular rotation.
Made it and we ate it in two days. So yummy. Thanks.
Amazing. I’m so glad it was enjoyed by all!
So easy to make and sooooooooo good!!!!! Definitely try it! Add chili sauce or sriracha if you like some kick!
Thanks, Charyl! So glad you loved it!