Got Thai basil? Here’s a great way to use it: Thai Basil Fried Rice! We have an abundant Thai basil plant in our garden, along with our Italian sweet basil. It’s got purple stems and a delicate black licorice flavor that’s absolutely irresistible. Add it to fried rice, and it infuses an irresistible aroma that makes it impossible not to take another bite. It’s a great way to use this herb if you have it on hand! We could not stop sneaking bites of this one.
What is Thai basil?
Thai basil is a type of basil with an anise or black licorice flavor that’s native to Southeast Asia. It has a purple stem, purple flowers, and thin, dark green leaves. It’s used in Southeast Asian cuisine, including Thai, Cambodian, Lao, and Vietnamese recipes. How to use Thai basil in recipes? Try it in this Thai Basil Noodle Bowl, a spin on a spring roll in bowl form, in Fresh Spring Rolls, or to garnish Coconut Shrimp Curry. But one of our favorite ways? In this Thai basil fried rice.
Ingredients in Thai basil fried rice
Thai basil fried rice is a delicious way to use fresh Thai basil. The dish itself is a popular mix of cooked rice, egg and vegetables that you’ll find in many Asian cuisines: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Cambodian, Indonesian, and more. This recipe is a spin on our basic fried rice that adds fresh Thai basil (it’s not a traditional Thai-style fried rice). Here fish sauce adds big savory flavor and pairs well with the Thai basil. You can omit it if you prefer to keep it vegetarian, but it adds a distinct savory flavor. Here’s what you need for this fried rice:
Veggies: onion, garlic, ginger, carrots, peasSesame oilEggsJasmine riceSoy sauceFish sauceThai basil
Start with day old rice
The most basic adage when you’re making fried rice? Use day old rice. What’s the purpose of this:
Freshly cooked rice has a lot of moisture. Try using fresh rice in fried rice, it clumps together and turns out soggy.Day old rice is dried out. The grains stay separate and form that signature fried rice texture. Use leftover rice stored up to 5 days in the refrigerator.What if you don’t have day old rice? Well, we usually forget to cook it in advance. Here’s a trick…
Shortcut: freeze the rice 10 minutes!
Often when we’re craving fried rice, we don’t have leftover rice on hand. Here’s a little shortcut if you want to make up a fresh pot for this Thai basil fried rice:
Make the rice. Here’s How to Make Jasmine Rice (or make it in an Instant Pot). Spread on a tray and freeze 10 minutes: Spread the freshly cooked, steaming rice onto a rimmed sheet pan or tray. Place the tray in the freezer and freeze for about 10 minutes until the grains become cool to the touch. Some might even become frozen: that’s ok! They’ll heat right back up once they hit the pan.
Vegan variation
Want to make Thai basil fried rice but want it to be plant based? You can substitute a tofu scramble for the egg! Simply make this Easy Tofu Scramble before you make the rice, making the pieces of tofu very small. Then make the rice without the egg, and add the tofu crumbles in the very last step.
Make it a meal: how to serve Thai basil fried rice
Once you’ve made up this batch of Thai basil fried rice, how to make it into a meal? Here are a couple ways to round it out:
Shrimp: Add shrimp to this recipe (instructions below!) or make Thai Basil ShrimpEdamame: Try this Easy Edamame or Spicy Edamame alongsideTofu: Add a side of Pan Fried Tofu or Easy Marinated Tofu add a hit of plant-based proteinBroccoli: Try Simple Sauteed Broccoli or Pan Fried Broccoli with soy sauceSpring rolls: Add some frozen spring rolls for a delicious crunch
This Thai basil fried rice recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten-free. 3 from 1 review **If serving with shrimp, sauté the shrimp before making the rice: Pat the shrimp dry. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil on medium high heat. Add the shrimp and cook about 1 minute per side until just opaque cooked through, turning them with tongs. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Remove to a bowl and set aside while you cook the rice, then add them to the rice when it’s done.
title: “Thai Basil Fried Rice” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-20” author: “Judith Wilson”
It’s no big secret that the traditional fried rice is a favorite among home cooks and restaurant fans alike. With just a few ingredients, you can customize it anyway you like. The ingredients, flavor and nutrition – all depends on your imagination and culinary skills. With plenty of room for customization, you’ll absolutely love this Thai style rice dish. Thai basil fried rice. Basil leaves, Thai chilies, oyster sauce and soy sauce stir fried with delicious rice. Serve this with a side of sliced cucumbers if you like. And feel free to customize with your favorite protein.
Thai Basil Fried Rice Recipe
Ingredients for fried rice – First, choose your protein, and stir fry this separately I a little oil. If you like eggs in fried rice, make scrambled eggs. You will also need a sauce combo consisting of oyster sauce and soy sauce. Thai red chilies and basil leaves are also added to the fried rice for authentic flavor and taste. Fried rice – Start with stir frying garlic followed by bell peppers (capsicum) and red chilies. Stir in the sauce mixture and stir fry for about 2 minutes. To this, you will need to add cooked rice, cooked protein and eggs. Give this a quick stir fry before flavouring with Thai red chilies.
More Fried Rice Recipes:
Kimchi Fried Rice Teriyaki Fried Rice | Shrimp Fried Rice | Prawn Fried Rice Japanese Garlic Fried Rice Tuna Fried Rice
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Substitute Thai basil leaves with regular basil leaves and Thai red chilies with Serrano or Fresno chilies if you likeYou can also Thai chili paste instead of fresh chiliesMore vegetables can be added to the fried rice like spring onions (scallions), carrots and green peasUse your favorite protein in this dish like chicken, shrimp or tofu
