Breakfast
$0.64per plate
Prep
5 min
Pantry · Spam
Spam Fried Rice
A single can of Spam, crisped and diced, seasons a whole skillet of fried rice. It is salty, savory, and shelf-stable, which makes it one of the most practical cheap proteins in the pantry. Add day-old rice, a couple of eggs, and a bag of frozen vegetables, and one can stretches into dinner for four at under a dollar fifty a plate. Fried until the edges caramelize, Spam turns crispy and golden, and it is genuinely delicious in a bowl of rice.
$1.37per plate
Estimated recipe total
$5.49 · serves 4
Cook
15 min
Total
20 min
Serves
4
1 How to make it
1
Crisp the Spam
Dice the Spam and fry it in the oil over medium-high until the edges are golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Crisping it is what makes it taste rich instead of soft, so give it time.
2
Scramble the eggs
Push the Spam aside, add the garlic for a few seconds, then scramble the eggs right in the pan until just set.
3
Fry the rice
Add the cold rice and the frozen peas and carrots, press it flat, and let it catch some color before tossing. Cold, day-old rice fries into separate grains instead of clumping.
4
Season and finish
Pour the soy sauce around the edge of the pan and toss everything together until hot. Spam is salty, so taste before adding more. Finish with green onions.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Diced ham or leftover sausage. Any cooked, salty meat crisps up the same way. Use up whatever is in the fridge.
- 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 it out.
- Any frozen vegetable. Corn, edamame, or a chopped stir-fry blend all stand in; add it frozen straight to the hot pan.
- Add pineapple. A handful of diced pineapple plays off the salty Spam for a sweet-savory bowl, for a little more.
3 Budget tips
- One can of Spam seasons a whole skillet, so a single can feeds four when stretched with rice and eggs.
- This is a planned-leftovers meal: cook extra rice one night so fried rice is nearly free the next.
- Spam is shelf-stable and keeps for years, so a can or two in the pantry is a cheap dinner always on hand.
- Go easy on added salt; Spam and soy sauce bring plenty, so taste before seasoning.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Cool the rice quickly and seal it in a container, where it keeps for 3 days. Prompt chilling matters most with any cooked rice dish.
Freezer
Portion it into bags and freeze for up to 2 months. Spam holds its texture through freezing better than most meats, so it reheats cleanly 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.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
430
Protein
16g
Fat
24g
Carbs
38g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
How do you cook Spam for fried rice?
Dice it and fry it in a little oil over medium-high until the edges turn golden and crisp. Crisping caramelizes it and gives the whole dish a rich, savory flavor, so do not rush that step.
Do I need to add salt?
Usually not much. Spam and soy sauce are both salty, so taste the rice before adding any extra salt or you may overdo it.
Why use day-old rice?
Cold, dried-out rice fries into separate grains instead of turning to mush. If you only have fresh, spread it on a sheet pan and chill it in the freezer for about ten minutes first.
How is $1.37 a plate worked out?
About $5.49 for the skillet, four servings. One can of Spam seasons the whole thing, and day-old rice makes up most of the rest.
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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