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Egg Fried Rice In A Mug

Jan 12, 2015 109 Comments

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Did you know that you could cook egg fried rice in a mug? This flavorful fried rice is ready in minutes, perfect for those days when you are feeling hungry and impatient.

Egg Fried Rice In A Mug | healthynibblesandbits.com

Fried rice has a special place in my heart.

When I was about 11 or 12, I was sent home from school because I had some serious girl pains. Ladies, you know what I’m talking about. I was home alone, and there was no ready-made food at my house except for a loaf of bread. I think any teenager would have just scrounged up some pb&j, toasted the bread, and called it a day. I was feeling a bit ambitious.

At the time, I had never cooked on my own. Sure, I helped Mama Lin with random tasks in the kitchen, but cooking from scratch was an “adult” thing to do. Maybe I felt like pretending to be an adult on that rainy day. I can’t remember anymore, but I was determined to cook rice for myself. I had seen my grandmother do it a thousand times. Rinse the rice, set the rice cooker, and ta-da, lunch would be ready. Or so I thought.

Egg Fried Rice In A Mug | healthynibblesandbits.com #glutenfree

It didn’t take long for me to realize that I was in over my head. Goopy would be the best way to describe that rice I made. The pre-teen me didn’t realize that the numbers etched inside the rice cooker bowl actually meant something. They told me how much water I should put in there! Even though I was making my way into uncharted territory in the kitchen, I was so sure that I could just eyeball the amount of water. Enter goopy rice.

Then, genius idea #2 came along—fix goopy rice by making it into fried rice. I was convinced that the heat from a wok would help evaporate moisture from the goopy rice and I would be left with perfectly fluffy fried rice. I’m sorry to report that things really don’t work like that. I was so ashamed by my efforts that I made sure to clean up the kitchen before anyone got home. No reason to turn this episode into a lifelong family joke.

And that, my friends, is my experience cooking fried rice for the first time. If only I had known that I could cook fried rice in the microwave 17 years ago . . .

Egg Fried Rice In A Mug | healthynibblesandbits.com #glutenfree

One of my Christmas presents was this Meal in a Mug cookbook—80 single-serving recipes that you cook in a microwave. The Egg Fried Rice recipe immediately caught my eye because everything about it flies in the face of conventional wisdom. The funny thing is, the recipe actually worked! I changed up the original recipe by adding much more vegetables (of course) and spices—five-spice powder, onion powder, and white pepper. Fried rice just isn’t the same without a ton of spices.

I wonder what Mama Lin would say to this microwaved fried rice. Probably something to the effect of, “You silly American child.”

Egg Fried Rice In A Mug | healthynibblesandbits.com #glutenfree

MASTERING MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

  • All microwaves are different so the cooking time may vary a tiny bit.
  • When you’re microwaving the rice, you’re going to cover the top with cling film. Make sure to puncture a hole in the film! You don’t want to scald yourself when you remove the film. Trust me, it does not feel pleasant.
  • I would use a pretty big mug for this. You are making a small meal, after all. Save the teacups for tea.
  • If you are looking for a regular fried rice recipe, try my 15-minute Egg Fried Rice!

Egg Fried Rice In A Mug | healthynibblesandbits.com #glutenfree

Here’s a video of how to make a gluten-free version of this dish! While you’re at it, subscribe to my YouTube channel!

Print

Egg Fried Rice in a Mug

Egg Fried Rice in a Mug

★★★★★

5 from 5 reviews

This egg fried in a rice is a great single-serving meal for days when you feel too lazy to cook.

Adapted from Meals in a Mug. 

  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 minutes
  • Total Time: 9 minutes
  • Yield: 1 serving 1x
Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cooked jasmine rice
  • 2 tablespoons frozen peas
  • 2 tablespoons chopped red pepper
  • 1/2 stalk of green onion, sliced
  • small pinch of mung bean sprouts
  • small pinch of shredded purple cabbage
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder

Instructions

  1. Place the rice into a large mug. Lay the peas, red pepper, green onion, mung bean sprouts and cabbage on top. Cover the mug with cling film. Using a knife, puncture one or two small holes through the film. This step is important! You don’t want to scald yourself. Microwave on high for 1 minute 15 seconds.
  2. In the meantime, beat the egg and mix in the seasonings (soy sauce, sesame oil, onion powder and five-spice powder). Pour the egg mixture into the mug, and stir with the vegetables and rice
  3. Cover the mug with cling film again, and microwave for 1 minute 15 seconds to 1 minute 30 seconds. Take the mug out of the microwave, and give everything a good stir. Let the fried rice stand for a minute to finish cooking. Use a fork to fluff up the rice and serve.

Notes

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Amount Per Serving: Calories: 344, Total Fat 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 616mg, Cholesterol: 186mg, Total Carbohydrate: 53g, Dietary Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 4g, Protein 15g

Nutrition

  • Calories: 0
  • Sugar: 0 g
  • Sodium: 0 mg
  • Fat: 0 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 0 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 0 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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Egg Fried Rice In A Mug - easy meal in 10 minutes! @healthynibs
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15 minutes, Dinner, Lunch, Quick Meals, Vegetarian eggs, rice dishes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Aggie says

    January 12, 2015 at 3:18 am

    Wow! This is pretty cool, would never think you could cook fried rice in a mug like this. Thanks for sharing, looks delicious!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 4:58 am

      Thanks, Aggie!

      Reply
  2. Joanne says

    January 12, 2015 at 4:42 am

    This is SO cool. I had no idea this was even possible! It has definitely revolutionized my fried rice making.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 4:59 am

      I was pretty blown away the first time I tried this!

      Reply
  3. Julie @ Willow Bird Baking says

    January 12, 2015 at 6:03 am

    I LOVE your 12-year-old self <3 I just posted about my 12-year-old self today, too, and I think she needs to meet your 12-year-old self to get inspired 😉 This sounds amazing!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 5:00 am

      Hah! Our 12-year-old selves need to have a cooking date!

      Reply
  4. heather @french press says

    January 12, 2015 at 8:02 am

    totally bummed that my microwave i broken, this looks beyond fabulous

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 5:01 am

      Oh noooo! Sorry to hear about your microwave!

      Reply
  5. Kelly // The Pretty Bee: Cooking & Creating says

    January 12, 2015 at 10:13 am

    Would you believe our microwave just broke this weekend?! We’re shopping for a new one this week. This looks so yummy! What a quick lunch!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 5:02 am

      Thanks, Kelly! That’s funny, heather also commented that her microwave just broke, too. Hope you find a new one soon!

      Reply
  6. Sharon @ What The Fork Food Blog says

    January 12, 2015 at 11:14 am

    What a great way to make a little bit of fried rice at a time! Such a genius idea!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 5:02 am

      Thanks, Sharon!

      Reply
  7. lindsay says

    January 12, 2015 at 12:53 pm

    this is so perfect for lunch! we love fried rice and i know my husband could eat more than a mug.. or 4! haha

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 5:03 am

      Haha, considering how your husband trains so much, He might need 5! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Connie @ Sprig and Flours says

    January 12, 2015 at 4:00 pm

    Desperate times calls for desperate measures! I did a double take to make sure I was reading this right. Fried rice in a mug has got to be the coolest mug recipe ever. When I’m in pain and hungry, I’ll do anything for a quick meal…I’d probably try making fried rice in my shoe if that was the only thing available!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 5:05 am

      Haha, fried rice in a shoe? You’re hard core!

      Reply
  9. Min says

    January 12, 2015 at 4:45 pm

    Haha I like how pre-teen Lisa used to do things around the kitchen ;). If it makes you feel any better, I would’ve done the same thing with “goopy” rice. Now, I’ve been making individual mug cakes but def not fried rice! Very cool! Now the question is, do I have a large mug? I’m sure I do somewhere….somewhere

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 5:06 am

      I’ll send a large mug to you if you don’t have one! Seriously, we have waaay too many mugs around m apartment. We collect at least one from every city we travel to!

      Reply
  10. Julie | This Gal Cooks says

    January 12, 2015 at 7:12 pm

    What a great idea, Lisa! This is perfect for those days that I’m craving something super savory but don’t feel like making anything. Which happens often during the week!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 5:07 am

      Thanks, Julie! I’m now keeping bags of microwavable rice around the house in case I feel uninspired to cook!

      Reply
  11. Maggie says

    January 12, 2015 at 9:11 pm

    What an amazing idea! I never thought I can make fried rice this easily. And they look great! Save and pinned 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 5:09 am

      When I was making this in the microwave, I just felt like it was going against everything my mom had taught me! I’m sure you’ll feel the same when you’re making it!

      Reply
  12. Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

    January 13, 2015 at 8:33 am

    What!? A meal in a mug cookbook! I need that!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 5:07 am

      Yes! I LOVE that cookbook!

      Reply
  13. Liz @ Floating Kitchen says

    January 14, 2015 at 4:31 am

    Had no idea fried rice could be made in a mug. I say we have this for dinner, then mug cake for dessert!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 5:10 am

      YES! There’s also a sticky toffee pudding recipe in that meal in a mug cookbook (it’s actually a pudding this time). We’ll cook that together, too!

      Reply
  14. Kelley @ Chef Savvy says

    January 14, 2015 at 5:58 am

    What a wonderful idea for fast fried rice! Love this!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 5:10 am

      Thanks, Kelley!

      Reply
  15. Amy @ Amy's Healthy Baking says

    January 14, 2015 at 1:55 pm

    Fried rice was one of my favorite homemade dishes growing up! But it took my mom so long to make that she rarely did it. If only I had known your microwave trick back then! Pinned!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 5:14 am

      Thanks, Amy! Fried rice was always one of my favorites, too. My mom would only make it if there was a huge amount of leftover rice from the night before. I remember always crossing my fingers and hoping that it would be fried rice night!

      Reply
      • Fuji says

        January 23, 2015 at 8:54 am

        Lisa, here’s a Cheat, it’s TRUE, you can’t fry todays rice, or goopy rice. But you can cheat by putting fresh cooked or goopy rice in the freezer for a couple of hours until it hardens. That way, you don’t have to wait for “yesterdays” rice like we did in the past. Looks like I’ll be trying your recipe…..Thanks….

        Reply
        • Lisa says

          January 24, 2015 at 10:46 pm

          I’ve never heard of freezing the rice before cooking fried rice before! Will definitely try that method some time!

          Reply
  16. Michelle @ Vitamin Sunshine says

    January 14, 2015 at 2:51 pm

    I love this idea for a quick dinner for 1! When Alex isn’t home, I usually just have yogurt and fruit for dinner 🙂 I am too lazy to cook for myself– it somehow isn’t so much fun when no one is around to appreciate it!

    Funny story about your first attempt at cooking! My brother and I were always creating (terrible) meals when my parents weren’t home! We didn’t care how they turned out– just top with maple syrup??!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 5:16 am

      It’s so true, Michelle! Whenever I’m home alone, I just throw salad greens in a bowl, make some toast, and call it a meal! I get so lazy cooking for myself sometimes.

      That’s so funny (and awesome) that you and your brother would cook together. Yes, maple syrup saves all kitchen disasters!

      Reply
  17. Medha @ Whisk & Shout says

    January 14, 2015 at 4:09 pm

    Whoa… this is so revolutionary! My fried rice cravings can be satiated so quickly 🙂 Pinned!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 5:16 am

      Thanks, Medha!

      Reply
  18. Sarah @ SnixyKitchen says

    January 14, 2015 at 5:21 pm

    That story is hilarious! I’m impressed that you even THOUGHT about fixing the goopy rice. I love that you made this fried rice all in one mug! That’s my kind of dish!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 5:22 am

      When I think back to that day, I can’t help but laugh about the ridiculous cooking decisions I’ve made. Mushy rice doesn’t really dehydrate when it’s cooked on a wok!

      Reply
  19. Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says

    January 15, 2015 at 7:55 am

    I’ve never made fried rice in a mug before. . this could be dangerous .. to get my fried rice carb fix. . I love it!!!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2015 at 9:15 pm

      Thanks, Alice!!

      Reply
  20. [email protected] Athletic Avocado says

    January 20, 2015 at 4:08 am

    never thought it would be possible to make this in the microwave!!! yum!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 22, 2015 at 8:47 am

      Yes! Let me know if you try it!

      Reply
  21. Lauren says

    January 20, 2015 at 10:39 am

    Love your photography! And the recipe looks delish. I’ll def try it out soon! 🙂

    (Found you on the BlogHer FB thread!)

    xo Lauren
    http://www.laurenliveshealthy.com

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 22, 2015 at 8:49 am

      Thank you so much for stopping by, Lauren! Let me know how it goes!

      Reply
  22. Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says

    January 20, 2015 at 10:44 am

    This is absolute genius!! Most ‘mug’ recipes are really unhealthy, it’s so nice to see a lighter option for those times when you just need a quick snack!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 22, 2015 at 8:50 am

      Thank you so much, Becca!!

      Reply
  23. Camille K says

    January 21, 2015 at 10:00 am

    Wow! I love a good mug recipe. My favorite thing to have for breakfast growing up was fried rice and a fried egg on top.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 22, 2015 at 9:04 am

      Yum! Fried egg on top sounds fantastic! I should do that the next time I make fried rice!

      Reply
  24. MJ Strong says

    January 26, 2015 at 10:35 pm

    Is it possible to print your receipt? The fried rice looks so good and so simple for a 1 person home. I like the egg on top of a lot of dishes!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 26, 2015 at 10:43 pm

      Hi MJ! Absolutely. If you scroll to the recipe, there should be a “print” button right underneath the photo. Just click on it, and it will bring you to a printer-friendly version of the recipe. Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  25. Terence says

    January 30, 2015 at 10:32 pm

    Got a question… Is the rice raw or already cooked?

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 30, 2015 at 11:00 pm

      Hi Terence, the rice would be cooked already. I used microwave-ready rice that’s sold in a bag. I just need to heat it up for about 5 to 6 minutes for it to be ready to eat.

      Reply
  26. Martin says

    January 31, 2015 at 4:11 am

    Oh yeah, I do LOVE rice, LOVE fried rice, LOVE the sound of the recipe!

    Thanks so much for posting : )

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      February 2, 2015 at 12:12 pm

      Thanks, Martin! Let me know if you try this/how it turns out for you!

      Reply
  27. Michelle says

    May 21, 2015 at 8:10 pm

    Looks delish! But what’s the nutrition break down? Especially calories.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      May 28, 2015 at 11:10 am

      Hi Michelle! I don’t do nutrition breakdowns for any of my recipes, particularly because I’m not an expert in the field. MyFitnessPal has broken it down at the bottom of the recipe: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/quick-egg-fried-rice/

      Reply
    • Lisa says

      October 6, 2015 at 8:30 am

      Hi Michelle, I’m so sorry that I let this comment slip through the cracks! Unfortunately, I don’t have the calorie count on this. MyFitness Pal has a great recipe tool you can use to figure out the calories in recipes. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  28. Jake says

    November 2, 2015 at 2:54 am

    Hi Lisa!
    After reading this recipe I quickly decided that I had to try it out. Even though I didn’t have all the spices or vegetables listed, I made something that turned out good, with peas, corn, carrots, soy sauce and five-spice powder. Delicious, filling and gluten-free. I’ll most definitely make this again sometime.
    -Jake

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      November 2, 2015 at 9:48 am

      Jake, you’ve made my day! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe and for letting me know how it turned out for you! I love when my readers tweak my recipes to suit their tastes, and I’m glad you were able to do so here. Hope you have a wonderful day!

      Reply
  29. Tracy says

    January 15, 2016 at 4:52 am

    Do you have to used microwave rice? Can you use already cooked instant rice?

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 15, 2016 at 6:38 am

      Hi, Tracy. Yes, absolutely. You can use cooked rice!

      Reply
  30. Hannah N says

    February 11, 2016 at 9:18 pm

    I feel extremely dumb for asking this, but if I get instant Minute rice and go to cook it in the microwave like your recipe, do I need water? About how much? I’d be following your recipe exactly. You didn’t mention water lol! I plan on trying this tomorrow.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      February 11, 2016 at 9:25 pm

      Hi Hannah! Not a dumb question at all! I didn’t any water to the rice. Just heat the rice quickly, add vegetables, microwave, mix in the egg, microwave, and you should be set!

      Reply
  31. plasterer bristol says

    May 23, 2016 at 9:24 pm

    egg fried rice is a favorite of mine, great recipe and thanks for sharing.

    Simon

    Reply
    • Lisa Lin says

      May 26, 2016 at 8:22 am

      Thanks, Simon!

      Reply
  32. Andi says

    July 13, 2016 at 9:35 am

    Did you all know that you can freeze raw eggs (out of their shells) for up to a year? I have recently discovered this, and it has saved my life, meal prep wise! I am a busy working mama (of kiddos who are the definition of Hangry), so I try to make all of our meals as quick and easy as possible. My plan is to mix all the rice ingredients in one bag, and all the egg ingredients in another, and freeze them for use when needed! Load them into the lunch bag in the morning, by lunch time they should be thawed, and ready to cook in my mug! I’ll let you know how that works out.

    Reply
  33. Musk says

    September 13, 2016 at 11:01 am

    Hey, can I cover the mug with aluminium foil instead of cling wrap?

    Reply
    • Lisa Lin says

      September 13, 2016 at 11:04 am

      No, you can’t use aluminum foil because foil is not microwave-safe.

      Reply
    • Andi says

      September 13, 2016 at 2:06 pm

      Please don’t! Metal and microwaves do not play nice!

      Reply
  34. Sarah says

    February 1, 2017 at 2:24 pm

    I love this! I’m a sucker for fried rice and was in the mood to have some, when I saw this I HAD to try it. I’m so glad I saw this too, me, being 12 years old, have a lot less experience than your 12 year old self had! Both my parents work, so I’m home with my little brother and older sister, I of course, inherited the cooking of dinner/lunch from my mom. This is easy and fast (Not to mention delicious) good thing everyone likes fried rice, because I’ll be keeping this recipe!

    Reply
    • Lisa Lin says

      February 2, 2017 at 7:06 pm

      Thank you so much, Sarah! Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  35. Jill Roberts @ WellnessGeeky says

    December 21, 2017 at 3:17 pm

    This is absolutely magnificent, scrumptious, delicious, super yummy egg fried rice mug. Combination of taste, I like a balanced diet, a variety of protein and vitamin supplements so that they will have good health. Thx for sharing Lisa!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  36. Bella Hardy says

    June 20, 2018 at 2:33 am

    I finally got to make this egg fried rice in a mug this past weekend and it was such a hit!! Have a great weekend.

    Reply
    • Lisa Lin says

      June 20, 2018 at 8:24 am

      So glad you enjoyed it, Bella!

      Reply
  37. Dian says

    August 4, 2018 at 12:15 am

    this is really good thanks for the recipe

    Reply
  38. Robin Hamilton @Wellness Wires says

    October 8, 2018 at 4:53 am

    Oh my! This this egg fried rice in a mug was delicious – and so easy to make! Will have to try this for my family. Thanks so much!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  39. Rebecca says

    May 22, 2019 at 2:56 pm

    Aaaah I’m so glad I found this. I’ve never been to a Japanese restaurant until recently, and now I’m HOOKED! My oldest son does not like it, and it’s too expensive to just waste money when he’s not gonna eat it, so I have to try to fit it into my lunch breaks which makes them go about a half hour over so I can’t do that often either… But now I can have it here at work on lunch anytime!!!! Just got to find a YUM YUM recipe to taste like our local hibachi place and I’ll be in fried rice heaven. 🙂

    Reply
    • Lisa Lin says

      May 22, 2019 at 3:43 pm

      Thanks for tryin the recipe, Rebecca! So glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  40. Emily Gilbert says

    December 5, 2019 at 10:50 am

    My husband loved fried rice and this variation is sure going to make him excited to come home from work early today!!

    Reply
  41. Katie @ Paradedaily says

    April 20, 2020 at 12:19 pm

    Wow! Looks delicious and so easy to make! Nice job!

    Reply
  42. vickey mahr says

    July 29, 2020 at 1:43 am

    now i can make it delicious.
    thank you for share idea

    Reply

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