Bok Choy Fried Rice
This bok choy fried rice, with mushrooms, scrambled eggs, toasted sesame seeds, and scallions, is a flavorful vegetarian version of your favorite takeout.
Recipe Mood: Takeout at Home
Indulgence Level: Medium
Effort Level: Easy
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Who doesn’t love takeout? I know I do. Food comes right to your door—no fuss, no cleanup. Put on your stretchy pants, and it’s even better. But making takeout at home can also be enjoyable, especially when you can put your own spin on a favorite, like fried rice. In this case, bok choy fried rice.
If you’ve never made fried rice before, it’s surprisingly easy and comes together quickly. It’s best to boil the rice the day before you want to make this recipe: Day-old rice holds up better, and it also means you’ll have less to do when it’s time to prepare dinner. Rounding out this bok choy fried rice are cremini mushrooms, crunchy scallions, and pillowy scrambled eggs.
Try this bacon and egg fried rice for a little extra protein.
Why You’ll Love This Bok Choy Fried Rice
Good way to use up bok choy: If you’re thinking of more ways to get veggies into your diet and want to make use of bok choy, this is one example of its versatility.
(Almost) a one-pan meal: OK, you have to boil the rice in a separate pot, but you’ll do this step the day before, so it doesn’t really count. Right?
Has a bit of everything: The combination of rice, eggs, and vegetables offers a variety of nutrients for a well-rounded meal.
Key Ingredients
- Cremini or Shiitake Mushrooms: Be sure to use these over white mushrooms because they’re more flavorful.
- Baby Bok Choy: The larger ones are less tender.
- Scallions: A must for fried rice!
- Fresh Ginger: Don’t use dried ginger because it won’t yield the same flavor.
See the recipe card below for more information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Recipe
- Cook the mushrooms: Cook the mushrooms in some oil until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Salt them right before they’re done, and transfer them to a plate.
- Cook the bok choy: In the same pan, heat some more oil and cook the bok choy along with the yellow onion and white parts of the scallions until everything softens, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Scramble the eggs: Moving the bok choy, onion, and scallions to one side of the pan, add the whisked eggs to the other side and cook on low heat, stirring often, until just about fully done. Transfer all of the pan’s contents to a plate.
- Cook the ginger: Add a drop more oil to the pan and cook the ginger for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the rice: Add the day-old rice to the pan along with the soy sauce and sesame oil, stirring quickly to distribute the liquid and to heat the rice.
- Re-add the ingredients: Add back in the mushrooms, bok choy/onion/scallion mixture, and eggs. Stir everything into the rice and finish cooking the eggs, about 1 minute.
- Finish: Top the rice with sliced green scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
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Pro Tips
Boil the rice the day before making this recipe: This helps dry the rice as it sits and firms up. If you boil it the day you make this fried rice, it could turn mushy.
Cook the rice like you would pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, pour in the measured rice, and stir it occasionally as it cooks. Drain it in a colander once the rice is almost done but still has some bite. I find this method easier than simmering until the rice absorbs the water. I think it also helps the rice stay firmer.
Fluff up the leftover rice with a fork before using it in this recipe: This will help break up any clumps.
Use the leaves of the bok choy only: If you don’t like the stalks, just use the leaves. The stalks take longer to cook, and some people find them too chewy (like me).
Make this fried rice in a cast-iron pan or wok: The optimal and even heat helps brown the mushrooms nicely and significantly reduces the amount of water they usually emit.
Variations & Substitutions
-Add some peas and chopped carrots for more flavor, color, and nutrients.
-If you want to make this meat-based, add pork, bacon, or chicken. See the FAQs below for more info.
-Use cabbage if you need a bok choy substitute—about 2 cups worth.
-If you can’t find shiitake or cremini mushrooms, use white mushrooms. You can also use portobellos.
-If you can’t find baby bok choy, use 2 regular bok choy. You can prepare and cook them the same way.
Recipe FAQs
If you want to add pork, bacon, or chicken to this recipe, cook it in the pan first, transfer it to a plate, follow the instructions from Step 1 in the recipe card, then add the meat back to the pan at Step 7.
For this recipe, I recommend using about 2 cups of cabbage. Prepare it the same way you would the bok choy in this recipe.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing cooked rice, as it can turn mushy when reheated. Also, the high water content from the bok choy and mushrooms will make the rice more soggy (even though most of the water is released during cooking).
Reheat: Reheat in an oven-safe pan, covered, in the oven at 350F or lower until heated through. You can also microwave it in a microwave-safe bowl, covering it with a sheet of wax paper to keep the rice from drying out.
More Takeout Recipes
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Bok Choy Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons + 4 teaspoons neutral oil divided (2 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons + 4 teaspoons) (Note 1)
- 8 ounces cremini or shiitake mushrooms cleaned, stems removed, and sliced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided (½ teaspoon + ½ teaspoon)
- 3 baby bok choy sliced or roughly chopped (Note 2)
- ¼ cup yellow onion peeled and diced
- 4 scallions sliced, separate the white and green parts
- 4 large eggs whisked, with a pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
- 4 cups day-old cooked jasmine rice (Note 3)
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons pure sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (Note 4)
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pan (preferably a cast-iron pan or wok) over medium-low to medium heat.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they turn golden brown and any liquid from them evaporates. Salt them with ½ teaspoon salt near the end of their cooking time. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and set aside.
- Heat another 2 tablespoons of oil and add the bok choy, yellow onion, and the white part of the scallions. The oil should heat quickly. Season with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and cook for a few minutes until everything softens.
- Move the bok choy, onions, and scallions to one side of the pan and add the whisked eggs to the other. It's OK if some of the eggs seep into the cooked vegetables. Scramble the eggs on low heat, stirring often, until just barely cooked, then transfer everything to the plate with the mushrooms.
- Use a paper towel to carefully wipe away any egg that may have stuck to the pan. Pour the last 4 teaspoons of oil into the pan. Add the ginger and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, then stir in the rice (If your leftover rice is clumpy from sitting in the cold fridge, fluff it up with a fork first.)
- Lower the heat, and pour the soy sauce and sesame oil over the rice. Stir everything together quickly to evenly coat it.
- Stir back in the cooked mushrooms, bok choy, onions, scallions, and eggs.
- Cook the rice for about 1 minute more, stirring everything and ensuring the eggs are fully cooked. Top with the remaining green scallions and toasted sesame seeds before serving. Enjoy!
This rice is so good, and I love it with all the different vegetables.
Tastes delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Liza!