Ground Meats
$1.34per plate
Prep
5 min
Breakfast · Eggs
Egg Fried Rice
Few dinners cost less than a couple of eggs and a bowl of leftover rice, and fried rice is what turns that into a real meal. Day-old rice fries up in separate, golden grains, the eggs scramble right in the pan, and a bag of frozen vegetables rounds it out. The whole thing costs under seventy cents a plate and comes together in one skillet in about twenty minutes. It is breakfast-for-dinner cheap and endlessly adaptable.
$0.64per plate
Estimated recipe total
$2.55 · serves 4
Cook
15 min
Total
20 min
Serves
4
1 How to make it
1
Scramble the eggs
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high, add the eggs, and scramble them until just set. Scoop them out and set aside so they do not overcook.
2
Fry the rice
Add the cold rice and the garlic to the pan, press it flat, and let it sit a moment to catch some color before tossing. Cold, day-old rice fries into separate grains instead of turning to mush.
3
Add the vegetables
Stir in the frozen peas and carrots and cook until hot, a couple minutes. Frozen vegetables go straight in, no thawing needed.
4
Season and finish
Return the eggs, pour the soy sauce around the edge of the pan, and toss everything together. Finish with green onions and a pinch of sesame.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Any leftover cooked protein. Add shredded chicken, diced ham, or a can of tuna to make it heartier for a little more.
- Fresh-cooked rice, spread and cooled. No day-old rice, cook a batch and spread it on a sheet pan in the freezer for ten minutes to dry and cool it.
- Any frozen vegetable. Peas, corn, edamame, or a stir-fry mix all work. Frozen is cheapest with no waste.
- Top with a fried egg. For extra protein, crown each bowl with a fried egg instead of, or on top of, the scramble.
3 Budget tips
- Eggs are the cheapest protein you can buy, so a four-egg dinner for four costs almost nothing per plate.
- This is a planned-leftovers meal: cook extra rice one night and egg fried rice is nearly free to make the next.
- A bag of frozen peas and carrots is cheaper than fresh, keeps for months, and adds color with zero waste.
- One bottle of soy sauce seasons dozens of dinners, so the flavor here costs pennies per serving.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Once cooled, the fried rice holds in a sealed container for 3 days; chill it promptly, since cooked rice is best handled quickly.
Freezer
Freeze cooled portions for up to 2 months. Fried rice reheats well straight from frozen in a hot pan.
Reheating
Reheat in a hot skillet with a few drops of oil to crisp it again, or microwave with a splash of water. A little extra soy sauce wakes it up.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
290
Protein
11g
Fat
9g
Carbs
40g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
Why does fried rice need cold rice?
Cold, day-old rice has dried out enough to fry into separate grains. Fresh hot rice is too moist and clumps. If you must use fresh, spread it on a sheet pan and chill it in the freezer for ten minutes first.
Are eggs really the cheapest protein?
Per gram of protein, eggs are usually the cheapest option in the store, ahead of most meat and canned fish. That is what makes egg fried rice such a low-cost dinner.
How do I keep the eggs from overcooking?
Scramble them first until just set, then scoop them out and add them back at the very end. That way they stay soft instead of turning rubbery while the rice fries.
How do you get to $0.64 a plate?
The dish is about $2.55 for four servings. Eggs are the cheapest protein going, and day-old rice you already cooked makes the rest nearly free.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
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- 12-inch nonstick skillet. A wide nonstick skillet browns ground meat, fries rice, and builds a one-pan sauce with less oil and easier cleanup. Best for everyday stovetop dinners like skillet meals, fried rice, pasta sauces, and patties.
- Cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat for a deep sear and moves from stovetop to oven, and it lasts for decades with basic care. Best for searing chops and chicken, and recipes that start on the stove and finish in the oven.
- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
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