Soy allergies are actually really common throughout the world, so knowing how to make fried rice without soy sauce is quite a helpful skill to have!
Why you’ll love this fried rice without soy sauce recipe
There are a number of reasons that you might love this fried rice recipe with no soy sauce, but the main one that sticks out in my head is that soy sauce tends to have a very intense flavor.
If you’re not a fan of that soy sauce flavor, then you might not want to include it in your recipe. Frustratingly, this can mean that fried rice will lose an integral part of its texture and flavor. In this article, I’ll make sure to help you regain those elements of great fried rice.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Four cups of cooked rice
- Generally, cooks recommend using day-old rice since the grains will be firmer, and the rice will be less likely to be mushy.
- Your favorite neutral cooking oil
- Minced garlic
- I prefer to use garlic (and plenty of it), but other recipes make use of ginger to give their rice an intensive burst of flavor.
- Beaten eggs, or a vegan substitute
- This binds the food together, creating an interestingly textured and flavored dish.
- Two cups of frozen veggies
- You certainly could use fresh veggies for this recipe, but frozen veggies are really easy to work with, and there’s very little in the way of a drop in quality between fresh and frozen.
- A third of a cup of coconut aminos
- This makes a stunning substitute for the soy sauce in the recipe – it brings the earthy, rich, and intense flavor to the front of your palette without hammering you over the head with it.
- Two cups of ground meat or meat substitute, pre-cooked
- You don’t have to use this, but if you’re hoping for the fried rice to stand on its own as a whole meal, adding a protein source will definitely fill you up faster.
How to make fried rice without soy sauce (step-by-step)
- Start off by adding the veggies and garlic to a large, hot pan. Allow them to cook a little in the oil you’re using, and then push them to one side.
- Add the scrambled eggs to the pan, and allow them to cook. This shouldn’t take too long – it very rarely does.
- Once the eggs are cooked, mix everything in the pan together. On top of the mixture, add the rice, coconut aminos, and meat. Mix everything together to be sure that it’s totally hot, and season with a little salt and pepper.
- Once the food is hot, serve.
What can be substituted for soy sauce?
The main thing that people recommend as a substitute for soy sauce is coconut aminos. This is a liquid made from fermented coconut palm sap – it’s essentially the same as tapping a maple tree, and fermenting that sap into an earthy, rich liquid entirely dissimilar from maple syrup.
It makes a great soy sauce substitute since it has a similar flavor and color. This means that the final dish is often very similar to the typical recipe while being totally fine for any number of soy allergy sufferers.
Tips for making the best fried rice
The number one tip for making the best fried rice is to ensure that the rice is totally cool. Ideally, cook it the previous day! The reason this works so well for making great fried rice is that when the grains are cool, they shrink a little.
In turn, these slightly smaller grains are very unlikely to clump together and create a mushy fried rice dish. So if you don’t like mushy rice, cook your fried rice with refrigerated rice from the day before. Trust me, it’ll taste SO much better : )
Fried rice storage and reheating tips
To store fried rice, press it into rigid plastic containers and allow it to cool ahead of time. Do not place rice into the fridge while it’s still warm – that condensation will lead to bacterial growth. Once cool, seal the containers and place them into the fridge.
To reheat the rice, microwave it at full power for thirty-second increments until it is totally steaming hot all the way through. At that point, it’s safe to eat.
FAQ
Should fried rice have soy sauce?
Traditionally, fried rice contains a lot of soy sauce. At the end of the day, though, I always argue that if you like the drink in the glass, it doesn’t matter what’s in it. That is to say that while a traditional recipe contains soy sauce, it doesn’t necessarily have to contain soy sauce.
What gives fried rice flavor?
The main thing that gives fried rice its flavor is the aromatics that you cook at the start of the cooking process. In this article, I recommend using a little garlic to flavor the oil. For the best Chinese flavor, use the ‘holy trinity’ of minced garlic, spring onions, and finely grated ginger.
Fry these ingredients together at the start of cooking to flavor the whole dish with some delicious flavor notes.
Why won’t my fried rice get crispy?
This is generally because the pan isn’t hot enough. When you stir fry anything in your kitchen, it’s wise to bring the pan up to as high a heat as possible, before adding the food and rapidly stirring as it cooks. This high heat should ensure that the rice gets crispy, rather than just soaking up cooking oil in your pan.
Can you make Chinese food without soy?
Yes, you definitely can. While there is a range of Chinese food recipes that include a wealth of soy sauce, the ingredient isn’t the be-all and end-all of Chinese cooking. Many recipes can be found online that don’t feature soy sauce, and I’d encourage you to try them!
How To Make Fried Rice Without Soy Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked rice
- Your favorite neutral cooking oil
- Minced garlic
- Beaten eggs, or a vegan substitute
- 2 cup Frozen veggies
- 1/3 cup coconut aminos
- 2 cups ground meat or meat substitute, pre-cooked
Instructions
- Start off by adding the veggies and garlic to a large, hot pan. Allow them to cook a little in the oil you’re using, and then push them to one side.
- Add the scrambled eggs to the pan, and allow them to cook. This shouldn’t take too long – it very rarely does.
- Once the eggs are cooked, mix everything in the pan together. On top of the mixture, add the rice, coconut aminos, and meat. Mix everything together to be sure that it’s totally hot, and season with a little salt and pepper.
- Once the food is hot, serve.
Wrapping it up!
I hope that this article has helped you to prepare some tasty fried rice in your home, whether it’s for you, a friend, or a crowd. Happy cooking!