What to Serve With Fried Rice

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Fried rice is a delicious yet underrated dish – it is often served as a side to complement another dish.  Regardless, fried rice is great enough to act as a main dish.

A versatile dish, fried rice can come in many variations.  There are lots of ways to prepare it, which means it can have many different flavors.

Because there are so many ways to make fried rice, just about anything can pair well with it.  If you’re unsure, here are some ideas to serve with your fried rice.

Contents

17 Side Dishes to Serve With Fried Rice

1. Egg Rolls/Spring Rolls

Eggs rolls and spring rolls are paired with fried rice so often that it would be a mistake not to mention them first.  The crispy, crunchy texture makes them a great side for rice.

You can buy premade egg or spring rolls to have with your meal, but if you have the time, consider making them yourself!  The fresh flavor is well worth the effort.

2. Dumplings

Another classic side to serve with fried rice is dumplings!  There are so many types of dumplings to choose from that you’re sure to find the perfect one to go with your rice.

If you feel up to making them yourself, there are plenty of simple dumpling recipes that shouldn’t take you too long to make.  This has the advantage of letting you choose your filling.

3. Fried Egg

For something delicious yet low-effort, you can add a fried egg to your fried rice.  This is such a simple addition, yet you would be surprised at how much it can add to a dish.

The best part about adding a fried egg is that it only takes a few minutes to make, and it is incredibly easy.  Just fry an egg, then put it on your rice!

4. Mixed Veggies

Another simple staple to have with fried rice is some mixed veggies.  Healthy, crunchy, and customizable, some mixed veggies will complement any fried rice meal.

Whether you buy a bag of frozen mixed veggies or mix fresh veggies yourself, this is an easy side to throw together within just a few minutes, so you won’t have to think much about it when you’re preparing it.

5. Wonton Soup

In general, soups make great side dishes to have with fried rice.  Wonton soup is one of the best because of the delightful wontons included!

If you have the time to make wonton soup yourself, it is worth the effort, but it is a bit involved.  You can also buy some premade wonton soup if you don’t have the time to make some.

6. Egg Drop Soup

Another classic soup to have with fried rice is egg drop soup.  You can find this at just about any Chinese restaurant.  It has a lovely flavor that makes it a perfect pair for fried rice.

Unlike wonton soup, egg drop soup is incredibly easy to make, and only takes about fifteen minutes.  This means that if you want to enjoy its fresh flavor, it shouldn’t be too difficult to make yourself.

7. Hot and Sour Soup

While we’re talking about soups, hot and sour soup is delicious, distinctive, and customizable.  Its unique flavor is a great complement to any fried rice recipe.

There are countless recipes for hot and sour soup – there are many different ways to make it, which means you should be able to find one that suits your tastes.  If you’re short on time, there are some very simple recipes that take less than half an hour.

8. Sesame Noodles

Fried rice and noodles just seem to go hand in hand!  Sesame noodles are a classic at Chinese restaurants because they are so versatile and delicious.

You might be surprised at how easy this is to make!  If you look at some recipes, they might seem complex, but it takes only about half an hour and is worth trying for yourself.

9. Teriyaki Chicken

Although teriyaki chicken is usually a main dish, it goes absolutely perfectly with fried rice because the flavors contrast and complement each other so perfectly.  Plus, it adds a little meat to fried rice recipes that don’t already have meat.

There are so many ways to make teriyaki chicken – some very complicated, and some very simple, yet all very delicious.  If you’re really in a hurry, you can add some pre-made teriyaki sauce to plain chicken.

10. Lemon Chicken

Another meaty addition to fried rice is lemon chicken.  The tangy, pleasantly sour flavor is a delightful contrast to the taste of any fried rice recipe.

Lemon chicken takes some effort to make, but if you have the time and energy, it is worth making yourself.  If not, you always find some frozen pre-made lemon chicken at the grocery store.

11. Sweet and Sour Pork

If you want to add some meat but chicken isn’t your thing, you can try some sweet and sour pork!  Just like the name says, it’s sweet and sour, and goes great with fried rice.

This is another recipe that is somewhat involved, but delicious enough to be worth the effort.  Because it is such a classic, you should easily be able to find some at the store if you just don’t have the time to do it yourself.

12. Brussel Sprouts

Although you may have hated them as a kid, Brussel sprouts can be a surprisingly delicious side when prepared correctly.  Because there are so many ways to make them, they are incredibly versatile, meaning they can pair nicely with any fried rice.

There is no shortage of recipes for delicious Brussel sprouts.  You can bake them, roast them, sauté them – the list goes on and on.  With some nice seasoning, you can make a quick side out of Brussel sprouts with almost no effort.

13. Asparagus

Another classic vegetable to have with fried rice is asparagus.  The light flavor combined with the crunchy texture pleasantly contrasts with a fried rice dish.

This is another one that has many ways to prepare, with all of them being delicious.  You can find the asparagus recipe that suits you, and have it ready in just a few minutes.

14. Broccoli

It seems like broccoli is always served with Chinese food!  This is for good reason – like asparagus, it’s light and crunchy, and contrasts nicely with any dish, including your fried rice.

Broccoli can be steamed or boiled easily, and ready in just a few minutes.  You can also mix it up by researching the many interesting and delicious ways to cook broccoli.  You’re sure to find one you love.

15. Tempura

Tempura is a deliciously crispy Asian batter.  It is often served as a shrimp-based side, frequently with dipping sauce, and does well to complement the flavor and texture of fried rice.

Recipes for tempura are often somewhat involved, although there are some simple ones that you can try if you want to save some time.  Of course, the addictive crunchy texture is worth the effort of making yourself.

16. Salad

An often overlooked side dish for fried rice is a salad!  Salads are, by nature, versatile and customizable, meaning that they can go well with anything, fried rice included.

Any salad can complement the taste of fried rice, but if you need ideas, you can look into some recipes for a nice Asian side salad.  It only takes a few minutes to throw together, meaning that you can have this ready in no time.

17. Fruit

For something sweet and simple, you can slice up some fruit to enjoy alongside your fried rice, or afterward as a dessert.  The cool, light, juicy flavor of fruit provides a nice complement to savory fried rice.

Any fruit can work well for this, but oranges are a classic to have with Asian dishes.  Alternatively, cantaloupe tends to go well as a side with fried rice.

Wrap Up

Fried rice is such a versatile dish, it’s hard to go wrong when choosing a side dish to go with it.  Of course, it can be easy to overthink this.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and try some of these side dishes you may not have tried before!  One of them might be your new favorite thing.

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