Japanese fried rice, known as “Yakimeshi” in Japan, is such a flavourful and delicious recipe that is super easy to make! This is because it doesn’t require any special ingredients, and you can create it with things you probably already have in your kitchen.
What is Yakimeshi?
Yakimeshi, which literally means “fried rice”, is another staple dish for Japanese people just like Nikujaga(Japanese Beef & Potato).
Make the most of your leftovers
It’s a particularly cheap dish to make with leftovers because you can use nearly any vegetables or meat, then all you need to do is cook the rice (or use leftover rice too!).
Midweek Quick Dinners
It’s a common dish we make during the week because it’s so quick and easy. Usually we always have leftover rice that needs to be used, so it’s the perfect midweek meal!
Simple lunch on Weekends
My Mom often made this fried rice for lunch on Saturdays. My mother was kindergarten teacher, and schooling in Japan used to be 6 days a week. So, she had to work Saturdays. Yakimeshi, the Japanese fried rice, was something she could quickly make for us because we always had leftover rice.
As good as take away fried rice
This recipe is as good as the Japanese fried rice Yakimeshi from Japanese restaurants or take away stores. One reason is because the rice grains are separated perfectly so each single rice grain is fried individually. (We describe this as “Para para”, which means it has a loose, crumbly texture)
Is your home cooked Yakimeshi soggy and mushy?
Have you ever thought when you cook Japanese fried rice Yakimeshi, that it never tastes the same as the takeaway store? Why is that? Fried rice sounds so simple and easy to cook. Are your Yakimeshi rice grains sticking together, soggy or mushy?
The reason that restaurants’ Yakimeshi is so good
It’s because the rice is cooked on a very high temperature and constantly flipped like a chef does with a wok.
But I don’t have a wok and muscles!?
I don’t have a big wok nor the muscles either, to keep flipping the rice by tossing my wok around. But wait! There is an amazing trick for people like me who have no muscles, and don’t have a gas cooktop with a high temperature setting (which gives you have greater control over the frying temperature)
My secret weapon
My trick to getting super tasty and non-sticky fried rice, is to add Japanese Kewpie Mayonnaise. I know! I use a lot of mayonnaise for many recipes. I read a tweet somewhere about the technique of using mayonnaise in making pancakes which went viral recently. I thought that finally the world is catching up with using mayonnaise for everything!
This is not a paid ad by the way, I’ve just really loved this mayo ever since I was little. I hope you try it out in the fried rice and enjoy the recipe!
Science behind my secret
The egg yolks and emulsified vegetable oil coat each grain of rice when it is fried with mayonnaise. So the Japanese mayonnaise really separates the rice grains. The amazing thing is, that you can’t even taste the mayonnaise and it makes the fried rice much richer in flavour.
Never failed, foolproof Yakimeshi Japanese fried rice
I have been using this trick and it never fails to achieve that “para para” (which means it has a loose, crumbly texture) fried rice, just as if the Yakimeshi was cooked at a restaurant.
Variations of Yakimeshi Japanese fried rice
Check out other fried rice ingredients I have shared on Chopstick Chronicles. For example, Kimuchi Fried rice, Ketchup Rice, Black sesame Chahan, Sobameshi (this is heavenly carb loading), Japanese curry fried rice.
If you liked my recipe for Japanese fried rice “Yakimeshi”, please rate it and leave a comment below. Also, don’t forget to follow me on Youtube, Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date with all the latest happenings on Chopstick Chronicles. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #ChopstickChronicles so I see your wonderful creations!
Yakimeshi – Japanese Fried Rice 焼き飯
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups of cooked rice
- 2 tbsp Kewpie Japanese Mayonnaise
- 2 slices short cut bacon
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup green shallots
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise well with the cooked rice.
- Chop the green shallots and bacon into small pieces.
- Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan over high heat then add the rice and fry for a few minutes.
- Put the rice to one side of the pan and add the eggs and scramble them.
- Once the egg is half cooked, stir it into the rice.
- Add the bacon and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the shallots and salt and stir for a bit.
- Remove from the heat and sprinkle a bit of pepper and serve!
Excellent simple dish, easy to variate! The mayo trick is really good.
Thank you Janke 😀
Can you tell me what type of brand of rice you use. And cooking instructions if its japanese rice. Thank you very much Susan
Hi Susan, I am now moved back to Japan and use various brand, but one thing 100% sure is I always buy “Koshihikari” which is not a brand but it is a type of Japanese rice. I have just updated “how to cook rice in a rice cooker” hope it helps.
Thank you for this recipe,
I just did a variation with short-grain brown rice and ham.
The result was terrific.
Thank you for sharing, I REALLY LIKE TO MAKE YAKIMESHI JAPANESE FRIED RICE, It taste so vibrant and light, I would like to see your another amazing content about fried rice. Keep sharing great content.
Thank you 😀
That Kewpie mayo trick is amazing, it makes all the difference. Best fried rice I’ve ever made.
Hi Paulette, I am glad it worked for you 😀
The best recipe for fried rice that i’ve made so far. I added a little but of soy sauce to mine and it was delicious. Would have never thought of putting kewpie mayo with the rice!!
Can basmati rice be used if I have some in the fridge?
Also can I use Kewpie Japanese dressing
Hi Florence yes you can !
I can even see the recipe for adverts playing over it!!
こんにちわ！I’m definitely going to make this! Which type of rice should be used? Sushi – or is Basmati also OK?
Hi Naida, I would use rice marked as sushi rice, but Basmati would also work.
OMG, I absolutely love this wonderful way to use up rice. I sometimes use sesame oil and soy sauce to make it different, but it’s definitely become a staple food in my kitchen.
What kind of rice varieties are best to use? Super keen to try this out.
I usually buy Koshihikari 😀
Fabulous- i now know the secret of Japanese fried rice- and its a favourite ingredient of mine.
White pepper.
Thankyou for the simplest but tastiest fried rice ever!
Fabulous- i now know the secret of Japanese fried rice- and its a favourite ingredient of mine.
White pepper.
Thankyou for the simplest bit tastiest fried rice ever!
Thank you so much for the secret ingredient, never thought of that.. Turned out amazing..
I am supposed to give 5-star review 😀
Thank you Lulu 😀
So That’s the secret to fried rice that isn’t all stuck together thank you! I added turkey bacon, scallions, a little kimchi and cabbage – delicious!
Thank you for your comment and 5 star rating Cynthia 😀
Hi
Excellence advice ! I followed your recipe and it’s amazing ! Thank you so much ! Love your style of writing and I can follow through the steps and cook !
Wonderful Thank You !
Hello, I have the same question. Can I use sushi mayonnaise – the yum yum sauce?
Hi Nidhi, thank you for reading my blog though sorry, I don’t know what yum yum sauce is so I can’t answer to your question.
Hi . Just got this tip watching Marion Grasby and she got it from you . Can sushi mayonnaise be used ? Going to look for Japanese rice and sea if i can find Kewpie mayonnaise. Funny that for the past week or two i have being making what the Americans call biscuits with flour,mayonnaise and milk and and extras like bacon and sausage
HI Michael Thank you for dropping by, I am not sure what sushi mayonnaise is. Can you explain more?
Wow, I’ve never dreamed of adding kewpie to my fried rice but you’re right, it really makes a difference. Was a great addition (we used wasabi mayo, yum). Laughing at some of the older comments as my partner and I can’t even agree to disagree re shallots vs scallions. I had some deli ham that needed using up, snow peas, shallots, and a tin of prawns. Will most certainly use this method again.
Hi Di, Thank you!
We made this tonight and it was super easy and yummy! We used chopped up deli ham and sliced green onions and it came out perfect.
Thank you Leah for making Japanese fried rice with my recipe 😀
For those commenting about sushi mayo, this is the same as the Kewpie mayonnaise referenced in the recipe. So, yes, you can use sushi mayo.