How To Reheat Fried Rice?- The Best Way

Fried rice is undeniably delicious, and if you do a little, you can also do a lot. Restaurants feel the same way, so when you order fried rice, you’re likely to receive an oversized serving.

Whether homemade or takeout, leftover fried rice can be just as enjoyable as the first meal, but it can also be downright disappointing if not reheated properly.

So what is the best way to reheat fried rice?

The best way to reheat fried rice is to return the moisture to it before reheating. You can use the microwave, stove or oven. Whichever method you choose, you’ll need to add some oil, water, or broth to prevent the rice from drying out.

In this article, we’ll talk about 4 different ways to reheat fried rice, each fairly simple, but requiring different amounts of time and using different appliances.

The best way to reheat fried rice

The most important thing to know about reheating fried rice, or any rice, is safety. Storing and reheating cooked rice should be done with the same care that you would with meat and dairy products.

Although rice is a plant-based food, it is extremely susceptible to bacteria that cause extreme food poisoning.

So, before we get to reheating leftover fried rice, make sure you follow a few safety tips:

1. Don’t leave cooked rice out at room temperature for longer than absolutely necessary: put it in the fridge as soon as you know you won’t eat it all in one sitting.
2. Store it in an airtight container in your fridge (make sure you have a quality airtight container, like these on Amazon) and don’t open and close the container multiple times.
3. Reheat fried rice just once.
4. Make sure the rice is piping hot to kill any bacteria that may have survived.

Reheating fried rice in the kitchen

The best way to reheat fried rice is in a skillet on the stove. This method will produce the best flavor and texture, but requires a little more work on your part.

Fried rice is already fried, so frying it again will bring it back to its original texture and flavor.

Here’s how to reheat fried rice on the stove:

• Depending on how oily your leftover fried rice is, add a little extra water, broth, or oil to your pan and heat it up.
• Add the rice to the pan once the oil has heated and stir continuously, distributing the heat and oil.
• Cook for a minimum of 10 minutes on medium-high heat.

If you’re watching oil in your diet, steaming fried rice with water or broth works well and tastes delicious.

To steam fry rice, follow these steps:

• Add the liquid to the pan and heat it up first.
• Add the rice and mix well.
• Cover the pan and let it cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.
• Stir well to make sure it doesn’t stick to the pan, adding more liquid if necessary.
• Cover and cook another 3 minutes.
• Repeat this process until the rice has been heating for at least 10 minutes and has absorbed all the liquid.

Reheating the fried rice on the stove is the best way, but it may not be a viable option if you’re taking lunch to the office or something.

How to reheat fried rice in the microwave

Microwaving is the most common way to reheat leftovers, but it tends to dry out rice, especially fried rice.

To keep it from drying out and turning into little rocks, you’ll need to add some liquid to reintroduce the moisture into the fried rice.

Adding a tablespoon or two of water is the easiest and fastest solution. If you want to take your leftover rice to the next level, add a few tablespoons of chicken or vegetable broth.

Here are the steps to reheat fried rice in the microwave:

• Place the rice in a microwave-safe bowl and mix with two tablespoons of your chosen liquid.
• Cover the bowl to keep the moisture inside it. You will need to let some air out. A microwave splatter guard is perfect for this, but you can also loosely cover the bowl with a plate or larger bowl inverted on top of the food.
• Cook the rice over high heat for 2 minutes, stirring well to disperse the heat, and microwave again for another 3-4 minutes.
• Let the rice cool down and enjoy it.

It is important to reheat the rice in the microwave for at least 5 minutes. This is longer than it usually takes to reheat in the microwave and can make the rice too hot to eat right away.

However, heating for 5 minutes in the microwave is necessary for safety reasons.

How to reheat fried rice in the oven

Reheating fried rice in the oven is easy, but it’s the most time-consuming option.

Here’s how to reheat fried rice in the oven:

• Preheat oven to 425 - 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Place the leftover fried rice in an oven-safe casserole dish and add a few tablespoons of water or broth.
• Make sure there is enough liquid to moisten each grain of rice, but not turn it into a soup. How much you need will depend on how much fried rice you have left over.
• Cover the casserole with its lid so that the moisture stays inside with the rice.
• Bake tightly covered for 15 minutes at 425 - 450F.
• After 15 minutes, remove the lid and give it another 3 - 5 minutes to let some steam out, but not too long or your rice will dry out.

How to reheat fried rice in the air fryer

Reheating fried rice in the air fryer works great. It’s probably the easiest method, but it takes longer than microwaving.

You don’t even have to add any liquid as it will naturally lock in the moisture.

If you don’t already have an air fryer, you may need to rethink a few things. I’ve been using this one from Amazon and am totally obsessed with it.

To reheat fried rice in the air fryer follow these steps:

• Put the fried rice in the air fryer.
• Cook it on high heat for 8 - 10 minutes.
• Cook until smoking. If you want, add 2 or 3 more minutes.
• Let it cool down and enjoy.

How to reheat fried rice [Table]

Reheat Fried Rice - All Kinds

Chinese fried rice, chicken fried rice, vegetable fried rice, and brown fried rice can all be reheated using the above methods, but there are a few notes to keep in mind for each of the different varieties.

chinese fried rice

The Chinese fried rice from your favorite restaurant will probably have a lot more oil than you would use to cook fried rice at home.

The best method of reheating Chinese fried rice is on the stove. You may not have to add a lot of oil because there will probably be a lot.

One important note is to transfer the fried rice from the takeout container to a sealable container before storing.

Chicken Fried Rice

If you’re going to reheat chicken fried rice, you don’t just have to worry about drying out the fried rice, but the chicken as well. Our favorite way to reheat chicken fried rice is in the oven.

Covering it in a casserole helps regulate not only the temperature but also the humidity, and should keep the chicken from drying out.

Fried rice with vegetables

Vegetable fried rice is tricky as the vegetables reheat very quickly and become soft if reheated for too long.

The microwave solution is best for vegetable fried rice, since you don’t have to worry about the vegetables sticking to the pan or overcooking in the oven.

Integral rice

Lastly, brown rice is crunchier than white rice, so you’ll need to be even more careful not to dry it out.

Our favorite method for brown rice is in the air fryer, but if you don’t have one, brown rice steamed on the stove or reheated in the oven works great.

Related questions

Below are answers to other common questions related to reheating fried rice.

How long does cooked rice last?

Properly chilled and stored cooked rice will last up to 4 days in your fridge, although the sooner you can eat it, the more enjoyable and safe it will be.

To get the most out of your cooked rice, make sure it doesn’t sit unrefrigerated for too long, because cooked rice provides the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive.

You’ll want to make sure the rice is sealed in an airtight container in the fridge, because even in the cold, bacteria can persist if you’re not careful.

If the cooked rice is dry or hard, smells funny, or is slightly slimy, the best solution is to throw it away and start over.

Is it safe to reheat rice?

If the rice has been cooled and stored properly, yes, it is safe to reheat. However, when you do reheat it, you want to make sure that it is heated through thoroughly to kill off any possible bacteria that may have gotten in.

If possible, eat the rice within a day of cooking it, but certainly not more than 4 days later.

Can rice be reheated twice?

You can reheat the rice twice, but it is not recommended. This doubles the chances of bacteria colonizing your rice, and also greatly decreases its quality.

To keep yourself safe from possible food poisoning and to make sure you get the most out of your reheated rice, don’t try to reheat it more than once.