This Chinese-inspired mushroom fried rice recipe is easy to make in one pan with simple ingredients.

Plate of Chinese mushroom fried rice topped with sesame seeds and spring onions.

Features

  • delicious vegetarian main or side dish
  • flavoured with ginger, sesame oil and fried mushrooms
  • great way to use up leftover rice
  • vegan, gluten-free, nut-free
  • ready in under 45 minutes with simple ingredients in one pan
  • customize with your choice of protein or additional vegetables

Ingredient Notes

Visual of all ingredients needed for making mushroom fried rice recipe labelled with text overlay.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in recipe card below.

  • basmati rice – this recipe works best with day-old, cold leftover rice (white or brown) but if you don’t have any prepared it’s ok to use fresh, you can use basmati, jasmine or brown rice
  • mushrooms – the recipe calls for a combination of white, shitake 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
  • sesame oilsesame oil really adds that fried rice flavour we’re looking for, I wouldn’t recommend skipping it!
  • olive oil – used to saute the rest of the veggies but can be swapped for vegetable broth or water to reduce the amount of oil in the recipe
  • tamari – can be substituted with light soy sauce if needed, though it won’t be gluten-free if you use soy sauce
  • snap peas – snap or snow peas work here
  • green peas – use canned or frozen, if using canned, drain and rinse well before use

Step by Step Instructions

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 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.

Quick Tip: Fried rice is actually best with day old, cold leftover rice so if you’ve already got cooked rice on hand, this is the perfect way to repurpose it!

If not, it’s totally fine to use fresh cooked rice but you will get a better texture with rice that’s chilled and somewhat dried out.

Cooked basmati rice in a small pot.

Step 2. In a large frying pan over medium heat, cook the 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. Once the mushrooms are done, 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.

Quick Tip: To reduce the oil in the recipe, swap the olive oil for 1-2 tbsp of vegetable broth or water.

Ginger and garlic cooking in a large skillet.

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.

Cooked rice topped with soy sauce in a skillet.

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 green onions, sesame seeds and fresh cracked black pepper.

Overhead view of a plate of Chinese mushroom fried rice topped with sesame seeds and spring onions.

FAQs

Can you freeze mushroom rice?

Yes, you can freeze fried mushroom rice for up to 3 months.

If freezing, place in the fridge until cool then cover and store in a sealed container or freezer-safe bag. Freezing it in individual servings is handy so you can pull them from the freezer for a quick meal.

Frozen fried rice can be thawed in the microwave or overnight in the fridge. To reheat, stir fry on the stovetop until hot. You may need to add a little water or broth if it’s dried out.

Is mushroom fried rice vegan?

Some fried mushroom fried rice recipes are vegan and some are not. Fried rice often contains eggs or may use sauces that aren’t vegan, such as fish sauce or hoisin.

This version is vegan, gluten-free and low in oil so I’d consider it on the healthier side as far as fried rice goes.

If you’d like to try vegan fried rice with “egg” you can check out my fried brown rice with tofu scramble.

Can I add other vegetables to this recipe?

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.

Hand with a fork taking a forkful of vegan mushroom fried rice.

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Mushroom fried rice topped with scallions and sesame seeds in a bowl.

Mushroom Fried Rice

  • Author: Deryn Macey
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Cook Time: 30 min
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Cuisine: Chinese
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

Delicious and satisfying vegan mushroom fried rice packed with flavour from mushrooms, ginger, garlic and sesame. 


Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup 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 clove garlic (15 g)
  • 1/4 cup sliced spring/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)
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. 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.
  2. In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat half of the sesame oil then add half of the mushrooms and cook for 3-5 minutes until mushrooms are browned and crisp. Transfer to a plate and do the following with the remainder of the sesame oil and mushrooms.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Add the cooked mushrooms, snap peas and frozen peas and stir fry for an additional 2 minutes, stirring often.
  6. Remove from heat and serve hot with chopped fresh green onion and toasted sesame seeds.

Notes

Best served fresh. Leftovers can be cooled in the fridge then covered and stored up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months, if stored properly in a good freezer-safe container or bag. If frozen, thaw in the fridge. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave on the stovetop until heated through. You may need to add a little water if the rice has dried out.

This recipe is actually best with leftover day-old cold rice. You will need roughy 3.5-4 cups (525-600 g) of cooked rice. You can use cooked brown rice, quinoa or farro instead of basmati or jasmine rice if you prefer. Feel free to add up to 6 cups cooked rice to stretch the recipe further.

To toast sesame seeds (optional), add to a baking tray and toast in the oven for 5-10 minutes until lightly browned or briefly “toast” in a hot dry skillet for a few minutes. Take care not to burn.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
  • Calories: 348
  • Fat: 7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 39 g
  • Fiber: 5 g
  • Protein: 12 g

Keywords: mushroom fried rice, mushroom rice recipe