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    Home > Asian

    Nasi Goreng - Indonesian Fried Rice

    Published: Aug 21, 2020 · Modified: Mar 22, 2021 by Nicky Corbishley

    Go to Recipe Go to Video Print Recipe
    Indonesian fried rice with fried egg on top

    Nasi Goreng is a delicious spicy stir-fried rice. It's more flavourful than regular fried rice with the addition of shrimp paste, fish sauce, tamarind and a few other goodies.
    Topped with a runny fried egg (those crispy edges are a must!), this classic Asian meal makes a great family dinner.
    When you're in the mood for street food at home, this is the one to go for.

    nasi goreng rice on a plate, with a fried egg, chilli sauce and cucumber

    One of the amazing recipes my dad taught me to cook, Nasi Goreng - or Indonesian Fried Rice - is a dish he cooked many times as I was growing up. Inspired by the years he spent in Singapore, he really picked up a taste for Malaysian, Indonesian and Singaporean flavours.
    It took a bit of time for me to love those flavours too (I preferred crispy pancakes or fish fingers over some of his spicier recipes when I was a kid), but now have a deep affection (and many cravings) for every recipe he made.

    This Indonesian Fried Rice is one of those amazing bowl recipes that you can carry over to the sofa and devour on film night - no need for a takeaway.

    What do we need?

    Ingredients for nasi goreng on a wooden table

    This fried rice recipe uses simple ingredients that might you probably already have in your store cupboard.
    For the paste, we need shrimp paste, garlic, red chilli, fish sauce, brown sugar, tamarind, tomato puree and soy sauce.
    We also need cooked long-grain rice, shallots, spring onions (scallions), vegetable oil, cornflour (cornstarch), and eggs.

    How to make Nasi Goreng

    Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.

    1. Toss the sliced shallots in cornflour, then fry in oil over a high heat until crisp.
    2. Transfer to a bowl.
    4 image collage showing how to make crispy shallots
    • Add shrimp paste, garlic and chilli into the wok with a little oil, then add in fish sauce, brown sugar, tamarind paste, tomato puree and soy sauce.
    • Stir together and cook for a minute, then add cooled boiled rice and heat through, stirring often.
    • Move the rice to a side of the pan. Add an egg in and scramble it, then mix it all in with the rice.
    • Add spring onions, salt, and the crispy onions to the rice and mix well.
    8 image collage showing how to make nasi goreng
    • Meanwhile, fry the eggs in another pan, until sides are crisp and the yolk is runny.
    4 image collage showing how to fry and egg with crispy edges
    • Divide the rice into four bowls, top each with a fried egg, and serve. I love to serve mine with some homemade sweet chilli sauce.
    nasi goreng rice on a plate, topped with a fried egg and chilli sauce

    Love fried rice?

    Try my:

    • Egg Fried Rice
    • Special Fried Rice Masterclass
    • Chicken Fried Rice

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What does Nasi Goreng mean?

    Nasi Goreng in Indonesian means fried rice. It's simply a dish made of rice fried in a mix of sauces with onions and chillies. You can make different versions of Nasi Goreng by adding ingredients. For example, Nasi Goreng Chicken, Nasi Goreng Prawns, Nasi Goreng Lamb.

    How is it typically served?

    Traditionally, Nasi Goreng is topped with a runny fried egg and served with a few slices of fresh tomato and cucumber. I also like to add a tbsp of Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce too.

    Why do I need to cool the rice in the refrigerator first?

    Freshly cooked rice becomes sticky when it's added to a stir-fry sauce. We add the rice to the refrigerator to allow the outer layer to dry a little. This gives it the perfect texture while frying, and ensures it isn't sticky.

    Overhead image of nasi goreng rice on a plate, topped with a fried egg

    More fantastic Asian recipes

    • Chicken Jalfrezi with Pilau Rice
    • Sticky Asian Seabass ready in 12 minutes!
    • Korean Chicken Bao - takes a bit of effort, but so worth it!
    • Sticky Chinese Pork Belly - an all-time family favourite.
    • Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
    • Baked Cauliflower Wings
    • Caramelized Slow Roast Asian Beef Shortrib
    • Spicy Pork Ramen Soup

    Watch how to make it

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    Subscribe to the newsletter to hear when I post a new recipe. I’m also on YouTube (new videos every week) and Instagram (behind-the-scenes stories & beautiful food photos).

    nasi goreng rice on a plate, topped with a fried egg and sweet chilli sauce

    Nasi Goreng Recipe

    By: Nicky Corbishley
    A spicy rice dish that's way more flavourful than regular fried rice. Topped with a fried egg (with crispy edges!) it's street food heaven.
    5 from 14 votes
    Rate this Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine Asian, Indonesian
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 541 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 4 tbsp vegetable oil
    • 2 shallots or 1 small onion - peeled and thinly sliced
    • 2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • 1 tsp shrimp paste
    • 2 cloves garlic - peeled and minced
    • 1 red chilli - chopped finely
    • 1 tsp fish sauce
    • 1 heaped tbsp brown sugar
    • 1 tsp tamarind
    • 1 tbsp tomato puree/paste
    • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
    • 900 g (2 lbs) cooked long grain rice - (for best results use rice that's been cooled and refrigerated)
    • 5 spring onions - (scallions) chopped
    • 5 eggs

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large wok or frying pan until hot.
    • Dust the shallot or onion slices in cornflour and add to the wok. Cook, for 5-6 minutes until browned and crispy, then remove from the pan and place in a bowl.
    • Turn the heat down to medium and add another 1 tbsp of oil to the wok and add in the shrimp paste, garlic and chilli. Heat for one minute until fragrant, then add in the fish sauce, brown sugar, tamarind and tomato puree and soy sauce and heat for a further minute.
    • Now add the rice to the wok and cook on a high heat. Use a spatula to ensure the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan, and move the rice around so that it's all getting reheated.
    • Once the rice is hot (this will take about 5 minutes), push the rice over to the side of the pan and crack one of the eggs into the space. Making sure this bit of the pan is over the heat, fry the egg, giving a mix with the spatula until the egg starts to cook and look scrambled.
    • Now mix the egg into the rice. Add the spring onions, a pinch of salt and the crispy onions and mix it all together. Reduce the heat to low.
    • Add the remaining oil to a large frying pan and heat until hot, then fry the remaining four eggs until the white is crisp at the edges, but the yolk is still runny. You can baste the egg in the hot oil to make it cook quicker.
    • Divide the rice between four bowls and top each with a fried egg, then serve. I like to serve mine with some sweet chilli sauce too.

    Video

    ✎ Notes

    Can I make it ahead?
    Yes. I think reheated fried rice actually tastes better! 
    Cook the rice, then spread it out in a large dish (so it will cool quickly) cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Don't leave cooked rice out at room temperature. Bacteria can grow on cooked rice very quickly, so it's important to:
    • Refrigerate it as quickly as possible
    • Don't store for more than 24 hours in the fridge, and
    • Thoroughly reheat it.
    Reheat in a wok, over a medium-high heat, moving it around the pan with a spatula, until piping hot throughout. You may need to add an extra splash of oil, as the rice will have absorbed the oil whilst in the fridge.
    You only need to make the fried eggs just before serving.
    Can I freeze it?
    Yes, Cook the rice, then spread it out in a large dish (so it will cool quickly) cover, cool and then transfer to an airtight container and freeze.
    Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as per the instructions above on 'making it ahead'.
    You'll need to fry the eggs right before serving.
    Nutritional info is per serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 541kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 15gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 218mgSodium: 907mgPotassium: 341mgFiber: 2gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 575IUVitamin C: 20.9mgCalcium: 86mgIron: 2.5mg
    Keywords Any Time Of the year, Homemade Indonesian Fried Rice
    Tried this recipe?Mention @KitchenSanctuary or tag #KitchenSanctuary on Instagram!

    Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.

    Hi I’m Nicky

    I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

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    1. charles says

      March 07, 2023 at 1:05 pm

      5 stars
      made this the other night and it was amazing.
      Thanks again for a top class recipe 🙂

      Reply
    2. Dave says

      August 05, 2022 at 7:30 pm

      5 stars
      Another winner as usual, even with a schoolboy error! I read 900g rice not 900g pre-cooked rice. Oh well, chickens got a treat today (and tomorrow)

      Reply
    3. Ana says

      September 21, 2021 at 5:01 pm

      5 stars
      Added a little bacon grease, ginger + curry powder. I always add mixed veggies I have in the freezer.
      It was FIRE. The fried onions mixed in at the end made it delicious.

      Reply
    4. Adelynn L says

      June 06, 2021 at 1:51 am

      5 stars
      Finally a fried rice recipe that is different and great tasting. I didn’t have fish sauce or shrimp paste and no red chili. So I substituted the fish sauce with a bit more soy sauce and I used dried chill pepper flakes for the red chili replacement. It still came out so good. Haha I’m pregnant so I cooked some bacon with it and topped it with that and eggs. Thank you

      Reply
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    I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

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