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Home » Cuisine » Asian » Better Than Takeout Japanese Fried Rice (Yakimeshi) {video}

Better Than Takeout Japanese Fried Rice (Yakimeshi) {video}

October 5, 2021 by Faith 1 Comment

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Don’t wait to go to a hibachi or teppenyaki style restaurant; Japanese Fried Rice (called Yakimeshi or Chahan) is easy to make at home with leftover rice and has a delicious savory, rich flavor. You can use whatever leftover vegetables or meat you have on hand to customize it!

japanese fried rice in bowl with wok in background

Have you been to a Japanese steakhouse restaurant? They are so much fun! In the U.S., we typically call them hibachi restaurants, but they actually feature teppanyaki style cooking. The chef cooks your entire meal in front of you on a griddle.

japanese fried rice recipe

One of my favorite dishes to order is fried rice. Japanese fried rice is a little different than other types. Because of short-grain rice, it has a chewy texture. It has a savory umami flavor with a touch of richness. I like it with toasted sesame oil for a hint of nutty flavor, and scallion to brighten it.

Japanese fried rice is called Yakimeshi or Chahan. Once I started making it at home, I realized there’s no need to wait to go to a restaurant to have it! Japanese fried rice is so easy to make right in your own kitchen on a griddle or in a wok or large, deep skillet.

yakimeshi with description

In This Article

  • The Best Yakimeshi Recipe (Japanese Fried Rice)
  • Tips for Making Japanese Hibachi Fried Rice
  • Yakimeshi FAQs
  • What to Serve with Yakimeshi
  • Yakimeshi (Japanese Fried Rice)

The Best Yakimeshi Recipe (Japanese Fried Rice)

The best recipe for Yakimeshi is simple. It should have rich, savory flavor and slightly chewy texture. And it’s very easy to make!

Yakimeshi Ingredients

japanese fried rice ingredients
  • Short-grain Japanese rice (use leftover chilled rice)
  • Japanese mayo
  • Vegetable oil
  • Butter
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Egg
  • Scallion
  • Salt
  • White pepper
  • Soy sauce
  • Toasted sesame oil
  • Sesame seeds
  • Yum Yum Sauce (for serving if desired)

How to Make Japanese Fried Rice with Egg

  1. Cook the rice beforehand. Make the rice a day or two ahead of time so you can use cooked, chilled rice to make Yakimeshi!
  2. Combine the rice and mayo. Stir together the cooked, chilled rice and mayo in a large bowl to coat the rice.
  3. Stir-fry the onion and other savory ingredients. Add oil and butter to a wok or large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion a bit, and then stir in the garlic and ginger.
  4. Stir-fry the rice. Add the rice to the wok, toss it around to coat with oil, and then spread it out in an even layer. Cook for about a minute, and then flip it around so the other side cooks. Repeat this process until the rice is warm and starts to take on a little color.
  5. Add the egg. Make a well in the center of the rice and pour in the egg. Cook until it sets on the bottom. Flip the egg around with a metal spatula to cook the other side. When the egg is mostly cooked, toss it through the rice and spread the rice out in an even layer.
  6. Season it. Stir in the scallion, salt, white pepper, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and sesame seeds.
  7. Garnish it. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle more scallion and sesame seeds on top and enjoy!
japanese fried rice with egg

How to Store Yakimeshi

Store fried rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days.

Equipment for This Recipe

  • Wok or large, deep skillet
  • Metal spatula

Variations on This Recipe

  • Add meat. This recipe is delicious with leftover chopped beef or chicken added.
  • Swap out the vegetables. I kept the vegetables very simple here with onion, but you can add just about anything you like. Carrot, asparagus, green beans, zucchini, peas, etc. are all good choices.
  • Go back to basics. Traditional Yakimeshi is seasoned very simply with salt, pepper, and soy sauce. If you want to try this version, omit the garlic, ginger, and toasted sesame oil from this recipe.

Tips for Making Japanese Hibachi Fried Rice

  • Use leftover rice. For the best result, use cold, leftover short-grain Japanese rice that’s up to 4 days old to make Japanese fried rice.
  • And feel free to use other leftovers! The beautiful thing about this dish is that you can customize it to really make it your own. If you have leftover cooked vegetables or meat on hand, feel free to chop them up and add them in.
  • Don’t skip the mayo. When you toss cold rice with mayo, it coats each grain. This helps ensure that the rice is perfectly chewy and tender, but not soggy!
graphic of chahan or yakimeshi in bowl on dark wooden table

Yakimeshi FAQs

What Rice Do You Use for Yakimeshi?

Short-grain Japanese rice is best for making fried rice or Yakimeshi. It lends a chewy texture and a stickiness that helps when eating the rice with chopsticks.

What is Chahan?

Depending on the region of Japan, Yakimeshi is referred to as Chahan.

Why Do You Use Old Rice For Fried Rice?

When you make Japanese fried rice, it’s best to use day-old leftover cold short-grain Japanese rice to make it. Instead of day-old rice, you can use rice that’s up 3 or 4 days old.

This is because the rice dries out in the fridge so you can easily coat each rice grain in oil as you toss it around while cooking. As a result, it helps make sure that your rice isn’t mushy.

yakimeshi in decorative rice bowl on rustic dark wooden table

What is Hibachi? How is Hibachi Different Than Teppanyaki?

Here in the U.S., what we think of as hibachi-style cooking is actually teppanyaki. Hibachi means “fire bowl” and it refers to a container (usually a bowl or box-shaped) that’s made out of heatproof material and placed on something with feet so it doesn’t burn the surface of what it’s on. A hibachi is designed to hold burning charcoal.

A hibachi grill is similar to what we think of here as a BBQ grill. When you put charcoal in the bottom of the container and place a grate over the top, you can cook food on the grate with the charcoal’s residual heat.

On the other hand, teppanyaki cooking is done on a flat griddle. The large, flat cooking surface makes it easy to chop directly on it, and it’s the perfect “stage” for the chef to cook your meal right in front of you.

You can read more about hibachi and teppanyaki cooking on Benihana and Cookeryaki.

What is Hibachi Fried Rice?

Hibachi fried rice is the rice that they make in what are called hibachi restaurants here in the U.S. It’s fried teppanyaki style on a griddle.

The flavor profile of hibachi fried rice is very similar to Yakimeshi; the type of rice used is the main difference. Japanese fried rice (Yakimeshi) uses short-grain Japanese rice and hibachi fried rice uses medium-grain rice.

yakimeshi recipe in japanese bowl on wooden table

What to Serve with Yakimeshi

  • Yum Yum Sauce
  • Egg Drop Soup
  • Sesame Vegetable Beef Stir Fry
  • Cabbage, Carrot, and Chicken Stir Fry
japanese yakimeshi in rice bowl

Let’s Connect

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Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment.
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xoxo, Faith

yakimeshi featured image

Yakimeshi (Japanese Fried Rice)

By: Faith Gorsky
Don’t wait to go to a hibachi or teppenyaki style restaurant; Japanese Fried Rice (called Yakimeshi or Chahan) is easy to make at home with leftover rice and has a delicious savory, rich flavor. You can use whatever leftover vegetables or meat you have on hand to customize it!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Course Side Dish, Vegetarian Main Course
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 8 servings
Calories 267 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 4 cups short-grain Japanese rice cooked and chilled
  • 4 tablespoons Japanese mayo
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon freshly-grated ginger
  • 3 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 3 scallions green and white parts, thinly sliced, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds plus more for garnish if desired
  • Yum Yum Sauce for serving (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Add the cooked, chilled rice to a large bowl with the mayo and stir to coat.
  • Add the oil and butter to a wok over medium-high heat. Once the butter is mostly melted, add the onion and cook until the onion is starting to soften but not turning color, about 2 to 3 minutes, tossing occasionally. Stir in the garlic and ginger, and cook 30 seconds, tossing it around.
  • Add the rice to the wok, tossing it around with the onion mixture, and spread it out in an even layer. Let it cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, and then flip it around with a metal spatula so the other side cooks. Repeat this process for about 3 to 5 minutes, until the rice is warm throughout and starts to take on a little color.
  • Make a well in the center of the rice. Pour the egg into the well and let it cook until it sets on the bottom, about 1 minute. Flip the egg around with a metal spatula so the uncooked part cooks. When the egg is about 3/4 of the way cooked, toss it through the rice and spread the rice out in an even layer.
  • Add 3/4 of the scallion, the salt, white pepper, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Toss everything together to combine.
  • Remove from the heat. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 of the scallion on top, along with more sesame seeds if desired.
  • Serve the fried rice along with Yum Yum Sauce to drizzle on top if desired.

Video

Faith’s Tips

  • Nutritional Information: Information for this dish was calculated without the optional Yum Yum Sauce. You can find the nutritional information for Yum Yum Sauce here.
  • Gluten Free Version: To make this gluten free, use tamari sauce instead of soy sauce.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Yakimeshi (Japanese Fried Rice)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 267 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 72mg24%
Sodium 404mg18%
Potassium 98mg3%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 226IU5%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 24mg2%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword Chahan, Japanese Fried Rice, Yakimeshi
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
yakimeshi pin

Filed Under: Asian, Side Dishes, Vegetarian Tagged: Egg Fried Rice, Hibachi Fried Rice, Japanese Fried Rice, Yakimeshi

Comments

  1. Betsy says

    October 5, 2021 at 6:24 pm

    5 stars
    Faith, you are a walking food encyclopedia! I learn something new every time I visit your blog!

    Reply

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Hello and welcome to An Edible Mosaic! This is my recipe collection of international favorites and updated American classics with an emphasis on seasonal dishes. Here you’ll find a focus on real foods that sustain body and mind, bring people together, and make a house a home.

 

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I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to email me with questions or comments.

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affiliate disclosure

An Edible Mosaic is monetized in part though affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you click on an affiliate link and/or purchase an item after clicking on an affiliate link, I may receive a percentage of the sales price. I only recommend products that I love and use. To learn more, please read my Privacy Policy.

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