Veggie fried rice is one of those vegetarian dishes that you've just got to know how to make. It's versatile, it's quick to put together and it packs in all the #VegetarianLife necessities.

You really don't even need a recipe to make veggie fried rice, but this is one you might want to check out. It uses less rice than you might be used to, and the way in which you cook it makes the rice turn out super crispy and delicious. Plus, can we talk about how many veggies are in this thing?? You could even add more than we did—other great additions would be mushrooms, bok choy, cauliflower, etc. Leave me a note in the comments with your favorite fried rice ingredients!

INGREDIENTS

• Olive oil

• 3-4 scrambled eggs

• 1 yellow or white onion, chopped

• 2 medium carrots, chopped

• Fresh or frozen peas (just cook them first)

• 1 head broccoli, chopped

• Bell peppers, chopped (we did one red one and half of an orange one)

• Spinach

• 1 T. freshly grated ginger

• 4 minced garlic cloves

• 2 c. cooked brown rice

• Red pepper flakes

• 1 bunch green onions, chopped

• 1 T. low-sodium soy sauce or tamari

• 1 t. toasted sesame oil

• Chili-garlic sauce or sriracha

STEPS

1) Cook the brown rice (about one cup of dry rice will yield two cups of cooked rice), then spread on a large tray and allow to cool in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes. 

2) Make sure all veggies are chopped and near the stove before you start cooking. 

3) Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it's fully hot, add a couple teaspoons of olive oil and swirl to coat. Add the eggs and cook until they're lightly set. Set aside and wipe the skillet clean.

4) Return the pan to the heat and add 1 T. of oil. Add the onions and carrots and cook until the onions are translucent, about 3-5 minutes.

5) Add the cooked peas, broccoli, bell peppers and a bit of salt to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, but make sure you don't stir too often or the veggies won't have a chance to turn golden on the edges. In the meantime, use a spatula or a spoon to break up the eggs until smaller pieces.

6) Transfer the veggies to the bowl with the scrambled eggs. Return the pan to the heat and add 1 T. olive oil. Add the ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and mix it all together. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is hot and starting to turn golden on the edges, about 3 to 5 minutes.

7) Add the spinach and green onions and stir to combine, then add the cooked veggies and eggs and stir to combine again. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the tamari/soy sauce and the sesame oil. Divide and serve, topping with garlic-chili sauce or sriracha if desired.