This bacon and egg fried rice is one of those meals I come back to again and again — five ingredients, thirty minutes, and a result that tastes far more impressive than the effort involved. Thick-cut bacon renders down into salty, crispy nuggets, shiitake mushrooms add an earthy depth you won’t get from regular button mushrooms, and the eggs are cooked separately so they stay in big, golden, custard-soft pieces throughout.
The real secret here is using day-old cooked rice. Freshly cooked rice has too much moisture and will steam instead of fry, leaving you with a sticky mess rather than distinct, lightly toasted grains. If you’ve got leftover rice in the fridge, you’re already halfway there.
I like serving this as a main for two with a crisp green salad on the side, but it also works beautifully as a side dish for four alongside grilled chicken or teriyaki salmon. Either way, it’s the kind of dish you’ll eat straight from the pan with a spoon — and I say that from experience.
Bacon and Egg Fried Rice (30 Minutes, 5 Ingredients)
Equipment
- Large wok or 12-inch skillet
- Small non-stick frying pan (for the eggs)
- Wooden spatula
- Cutting board
- Chef’s Knife
Ingredients
- 5 oz bacon chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
- 4 small shiitake mushrooms sliced, stems removed
- 1½ cups cooked rice preferably day-old and chilled
- 2 medium eggs beaten
- 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper to taste; added during cooking
Instructions
- If you can, get a piece of slab bacon. If none is available, look for the thickest cut sliced bacon. Chop them up.
- In a large wok, heat 1 ½ tablespoons of the butter over medium to medium-low heat. Add the bacon and fry for 5 to 6 minutes, frequently stirring, until the bacon pieces are lightly browned.
- Add the shiitake mushrooms and stir fry for 2 minutes until slightly browned.
- Add the cooked rice and a generous grinding of black pepper. Toss well to coat every grain with the butter and rendered bacon fat. Fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is heated through and lightly toasted in spots.
- While the rice is frying, heat the remaining ½ tablespoon of butter over medium-low heat in a small frying pan. Add the beaten eggs and cook, frequently stirring, until you have soft scrambled eggs. Turn the heat up to medium and fry without stirring for 30 seconds until the underside turns slightly golden.
- Use a wooden spatula to break the egg into large, bite-sized pieces, then fold them into the rice mixture. Toss gently to distribute evenly and serve immediately.
Nutrition
What Makes This Bacon and Egg Fried Rice Special
Plenty of fried rice recipes exist, but this one earns its place with a few deliberate choices that make a real difference on the plate.
First, the bacon is rendered slowly over medium-low heat, which gives you two things: deeply browned, crispy bacon pieces and a pan full of flavourful bacon fat that coats every grain of rice. Second, shiitake mushrooms bring an earthy, almost meaty umami that you simply don’t get from regular button mushrooms — they punch well above their weight in a simple dish like this.
Finally, the eggs are cooked separately in their own pan. This matters more than you might think. When you crack eggs directly into a crowded wok, they cook unevenly and cling to the rice in tiny, rubbery shreds. Cooking them on their own lets you build a soft scramble first, then sear the outside for a touch of golden colour before breaking them into generous, custard-like pieces that hold their own against the bacon and rice.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Large wok or 12-inch skillet — the wide, flat cooking surface is essential for frying rice properly. A small pan overcrowds the rice, trapping steam and creating mush instead of distinct, lightly toasted grains.
- Small non-stick frying pan — used to cook the scrambled eggs separately so they stay in large, golden pieces rather than disappearing into the rice.
- Wooden spatula — gentler than metal on your wok’s surface and the right tool for breaking the cooked egg into pieces without shredding it too finely.
- Cutting board and chef’s knife — for chopping the bacon into even ½-inch pieces and slicing the shiitake mushroom caps.
Tips for Best Results
- Use day-old rice. Freshly cooked rice contains too much surface moisture. It will clump and steam in the pan instead of frying into separate, lightly crispy grains. Spread cooked rice on a sheet pan and refrigerate it uncovered overnight for best results.
- Render the bacon low and slow. Starting the bacon over medium-low heat draws out more fat without burning the meat. That rendered fat is liquid gold for coating your rice.
- Don’t skip the shiitake stems. Remove them — they’re too tough and chewy to eat. Slice only the caps.
- Cook the eggs in a separate pan. This is the single biggest upgrade you can make. Large, golden egg pieces throughout the rice look beautiful and taste better than tiny scrambled shreds.
- Avoid stirring the rice constantly. Let it sit undisturbed for 30–60 seconds at a time so the grains in contact with the pan develop a light, toasty crust.
Substitutions and Variations
- Bacon: Pancetta, thick-cut ham, or even leftover roast pork will work. For a lighter version, use turkey bacon, though you’ll lose some of the rendered fat — add an extra teaspoon of butter to compensate.
- Mushrooms: Cremini, oyster, or king trumpet mushrooms can replace shiitake. Avoid canned mushrooms — they add wateriness, not flavour.
- Butter: For dairy-free, use toasted sesame oil for an Asian-leaning flavour or a neutral oil like avocado oil if you want the bacon to be the star.
- Rice: Jasmine and long-grain white rice fry best. Short-grain or sushi rice tends to clump. Brown rice works but needs a longer frying time to crisp up.
- Spice it up: Add ½ teaspoon of chilli flakes with the mushrooms, or finish with a drizzle of sriracha or a teaspoon of soy sauce for extra depth.
- Add greens: A handful of frozen peas or thinly sliced spring onions tossed in during the last minute of cooking adds colour and freshness.
Storage and Reheating
Leftover bacon and egg fried rice keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, use a hot wok or skillet over medium-high heat with a splash of water — the steam helps loosen the cold rice without making it soggy. Stir frequently for 2–3 minutes until heated through.
Freezing is not recommended. The scrambled egg becomes rubbery and the mushrooms turn waterlogged after thawing. If you know you’ll have leftovers, consider holding the egg back and cooking fresh eggs when you reheat the rice.
Microwave reheating works in a pinch: cover the bowl with a damp paper towel and heat in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until hot throughout.
What to Serve With This
This bacon and egg fried rice is rich and savoury, so the best pairings add freshness and crunch to balance it out.
- Simple green salad with a rice vinegar and sesame dressing — the acidity cuts through the bacon fat beautifully.
- Quick-pickled cucumbers — thinly sliced cucumber in rice vinegar, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Takes five minutes and adds a refreshing contrast.
- Miso soup — keeps the Asian flavour profile going and adds a light, warming start to the meal.
- Grilled chicken thighs or teriyaki salmon if you want to serve the fried rice as a side dish for four.
- Steamed Asian greens like bok choy or gai lan with a drizzle of oyster sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use freshly cooked rice for fried rice?
You can, but the results won’t be as good. Fresh rice has too much surface moisture, which causes it to steam and clump in the pan rather than fry into separate grains. If you’re in a rush, spread freshly cooked rice on a sheet pan and refrigerate it uncovered for at least one hour, or place it in the freezer for 20 minutes to dry out the surface.
Why is my fried rice mushy and sticky?
Three common causes: the rice was too freshly cooked, the pan was overcrowded, or you stirred too frequently. Use cold day-old rice, cook in a large wok or wide skillet, and let the rice sit undisturbed for 30–60 seconds at a time so it gets a chance to fry rather than steam.
Can I make this without a wok?
Absolutely. A large 12-inch skillet works well. The key is surface area — you need enough room for the rice to spread into a thin, even layer so it fries rather than steams. Avoid using a small saucepan or deep pot.
What type of bacon works best for fried rice?
Thick-cut or slab bacon gives you the best results — the larger pieces stay meaty and crispy rather than crisping into thin, brittle shards. If you can only find regular sliced bacon, look for the thickest option available and chop it into ½-inch pieces.
Do I need to add soy sauce?
This recipe doesn’t include soy sauce, and the bacon provides plenty of saltiness on its own. That said, a teaspoon of light soy sauce added with the rice in step 4 adds a deeper savoury note if you prefer a more traditional fried rice flavour. Add it sparingly — between the bacon salt and butter, the dish can become over-seasoned quickly.
Can I add vegetables to this fried rice?
Yes — frozen peas, diced carrots, corn kernels, or thinly sliced spring onions all work well. Add hardy vegetables like carrots with the mushrooms so they have time to soften. Add delicate vegetables like peas or spring onions in the last minute of cooking so they stay bright and fresh.
The Story Behind Bacon and Egg Fried Rice
Egg fried rice is one of the oldest and most universal comfort foods in Chinese home cooking — a practical, thrifty way to transform leftover rice into something deeply satisfying. The addition of bacon is a Western twist that’s become hugely popular in home kitchens worldwide, blending the smoky, salty richness of cured pork with the clean simplicity of wok-fried rice and egg.
What makes this particular version interesting is the use of butter instead of oil and shiitake mushrooms — a combination that bridges Western breakfast flavours with Asian technique. Shiitake mushrooms have been cultivated in East Asia for over 800 years and are prized for their concentrated umami, which intensifies when they’re seared quickly in a hot pan. Pairing them with bacon creates a double hit of savoury depth that elevates this well beyond a simple fridge-clean-out meal.
If you tried this bacon and egg fried rice, I’d love to hear how it turned out — leave a star rating and a comment below to let me know!
