My Filipino Fried Rice recipe is a versatile and hearty breakfast, lunch, or dinner recipe based on the fried rice I grew up eating as a kid.
The sound of constant, loud female chatter in the kitchen.
The sight of my great-grandmother slathering butter onto white bread then sprinkling it with sugar for my afternoon snack.
The smell of fried rice, Spam, and fried eggs filling the air for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Food holds powerful memory magic for me. There is an emotional connection that binds me to certain dishes and is awakened each time my present day self catches a whiff or sight or hears echoes from food memories of the past.
My birthday was yesterday, and since it's my birthday week, I thought I'd share one of my childhood favorites with you all: Filipino Fried Rice.
Filipino Fried Rice
Traditional Filipino Fried Rice is simply garlicky fried rice.
Over the years, I've come to realize that - much like other traditional dishes, like chicken adobo (check out this Instant Pot Chicken Adobo recipe. It's SO good!) and pancit - every island in the Philippines and every Filipino family prepares this classic dish a bit differently.
For instance, growing up here in the United States, my family's version of Longsilog (Filipino sausage with rice and eggs), was Spam, fried rice, and fried eggs. This was because it was a lot easier to find (and cheaper to buy) Spam at the supermarket back then, than it was to find and buy longsilog.
My Filipino Fried Rice Recipe with Bacon or Sausage
Over the years, I've enjoyed many, many, MANY different versions of Filipino Fried Rice, made by family members, friends, and professional chefs. I've learned that it is very rare to find one particular preparation of almost any Filipino dish that is consistent among Filipino chefs and home cooks alike.
I mean, if we were going to call this TRUE Filipino food, I wouldn't have photos of utensils here at all - I grew up with the understanding that rice is always to be eaten with nature's best gifts: your hands.
But truth be told, I sometimes use chopsticks, which is very untraditional for Filipino food.
So this Filipino Fried Rice recipe is a nod to the spirit in which traditional Filipino Fried Rice is made. It's made with my personal Filipino-American twist, from my family to yours.
The version I am sharing with you is the one I make now with my own family. I usually make it with bacon, and I adore the high quality of Snake River Farms Bacon in dishes like this.
Sometimes, however, I will also make this fried rice with sausage. And here's the thing about making sausage fried rice: do not get caught up on the exact type of sausage you use. Like many Filipino recipes, this is a "use what's in the fridge" type of recipe. So whatever your favorite sausage is, use that!
Filipino Fried Rice Recipe
A quick, easy family recipe
My teenager LOVES this fried rice recipe! And, I love making it.
This easy Filipino recipe always brings me back to the sights, smells, and sounds of home. It takes me back to growing up with a boisterous Filipino family who loved to cook. We enjoyed meals together whether the recipes were old-school traditional recipes or inspired by our Filipino roots.
Filipino Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked white rice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup chopped bacon OR sliced sausage
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup peas
- ½ cup corn (optional!)
- ½ cup carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 eggs
- 2 green onion stalks, sliced thinly
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook white rice according to package instructions. Set aside.
- In a large saute pan or skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add meat (bacon or sausage) to the pan and sauté while stirring constantly for about 3-4 minutes, until the meat is just cooked.
- Add garlic to the pan and sauté for 1 minute, stirring regularly.
- Add carrots, peas, and corn to the pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes, just until the veggies are soft.
- Add the cooked rice to the pan, and stir to mix in with the veggies.
- Create a circular "well" in the center of the pan and crack two eggs into the pan. Stir immediately and briskly with a wooden spoon to whip into scrambled eggs. Once mostly cooked as scrambled eggs, immediately stir together with rice and veggies.
- Once all ingredients are well mixed, remove from heat and plate.
- Salt and pepper to taste. Top with sliced green onions.
PIN IT:
Do YOU have a favorite food from your childhood that always brings back strong memories for you? What dish holds strong food memory for you?
Pech says
I remember one of the first dishes I made as a kid was also fried rice, and it was definitely a staple during college too. I've always enjoyed the Filipino version because of all the Garlic! But I make no promises that I will choose between bacon or sliced sausage and not ahem use both...
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
You can never go wrong with both! LOL :)
Allison Mattina says
You had me at bacon. WOW, I wish I had the opportunity to try so many different kinds of fried rice. It's one of my favorite meals.
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
I love it as well! There's so many different things that you can do with it!
Traci says
My other half will go crazy for this yummy dish! I'm pinning and bookmarking now! Thanks for the great recipe! :)
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
Yay! I'm glad you enjoyed the post! :)
Elaine @ Dishes Delish says
Oh, my, I have got to make this asap! Seriously, it looks so delicious and easy! Isn't it funny how the smell of food can evoke such glorious memories? I used to LOVE spam as a kid. I almost feel like making your delicious Filipino fried rice with spam just to see how it tastes.
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
Do it! I bet it would taste great! :)
Suzy Karadsheh says
MMmm! This looks interesting and flavorful
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
Thank you! :)
Danielle says
We love rice as a side dish, as it's so cheap. So, we are always looking for new ways to eat it. This is a new one to try.
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
Rice is such a great side dish! Thanks, Danielle!
Catherine @ Ten Thousand Hour Mama says
Food truly is magical. I love enjoying its power to transport us to a different place and time—especially if that's to our childhood. Thank you for sharing this personal recipe!
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
Right? Thank you so much, Catherine!
Kelsey says
This looks delicious! My dad's wife is Filipina and many of your descriptions make me think of the food she cooks and traditions she tells us about. Thank you for sharing, and happy late birthday!
Patti says
I would not have expected bacon in a Filipino recipe but it sounds delicious. I can't wait to try try this.
Renee @ The Good Hearted Woman says
I have a chapter's worth of memories that circle around fried rice, beginning with sitting for what seemed like hours in the sweltering front lobby of Chin's Kitchen in NE Portland waiting with my Dad for our takeout order. Good times 😉
Meg says
I loved reading about this because it brought back happy memories of eating Filipino food in Queens - I still miss the Sizzling Sisig (with an egg) from Tito Rad's in Woodside (their Ginataang Sitaw at Calabasa is one of my most missed dishes from NYC). I always enjoyed Longsilog but also like Tapsilog. I miss great Filipino food so much! A friend is going to send me her pancit recipe and I'm really looking forward to making it. Thanks for helping to revive such happy memories!
Steph says
I tried this and used bacon and salami. So nice!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
So glad to hear that, Steph!! Thanks for making this recipe!
Ayah says
My filipino mom was shook!!! Thank u for this recipe.
Susan says
My mom and dad spoiled me growing up. I never had to cook, so I really never learned how to cook those yummy Filipino dishes. Recently I moved and, although I am loving every minute of paradise (Maui), there are surprisingly not many Filipino restaurants like in San Diego, California- I wanted Fried Rice this morning. I knew what the ingredients were, but needed the steps to remind me how to make it. I found your recipe and the family rated it 5 stars because it reminded the of “Lolo’s”fried rice. Thank you for starting our morning off on the right foot!
Maricor Arroyo says
I make fried rice with Chinese sausage and different leftover meats. Today as requested by my Caucasian friend, I’m making my fried rice with leftover ribeye steak and maybe some leftover chicken pork adobo. I use the frozen mixed vegetables since it already has peas, carrots and corn to make it even easier.