This protein and veggie packed recipe is seriously the Best Vegan Fried Rice ever! This is a healthier alternative when you are craving takeout. It will only take you about 20 minutes to whip up a batch of mouth watering vegan fried rice! Everyone in your home will love it and it's so easy that it may end up on your weekly menu!
As a vegan, I wholeheartedly believe that I can enjoy so many delicious meals that are also healthy for me! I don't feel like I am missing out on takeout when I make this vegan fried rice. It is seriously the BEST! Make this for dinner when you need an easy meal that is also super satisfying to eat.
Ingredients Needed
My vegan chickpea fried rice recipe uses whole, good-for-you ingredients to make a satisfying and filling meal! Here's what you'll need:
- Vegan Butter: I use vegan butter to keep this recipe vegan. You can also use dairy-based butter if you are not vegan.
- Minced Garlic & Onion: Minced garlic and chopped onion are sautéed first with the butter which really starts building lots of flavor and aroma.
- Veggies: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Baby Corn and Shredded Cabbage were the veggies that I used in this recipe!
- Chickpeas: Canned chickpeas are what pack this recipe with protein!
- Leftover White Rice: You want to use leftover (or cold) rice whenever you are making fried rice!
- Teriyaki Sauce: Maple Syrup, Low Sodium Soy Sauce (or Coconut Aminos), and Rice Vinegar make a perfect homemade teriyaki sauce that adds so much flavor to this rice dish.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Prepare the vegan fried rice teriyaki sauce by mixing the maple syrup with the coconut aminos and vinegar. Set aside.
Step 2: Bring a large skillet with vegan butter to medium heat. Once the butter is sizzling, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the onions and cook, stirring, 2-3 minutes or until translucent.
Step 3: Then, add the broccoli pieces, cauliflower pieces, baby corn, cabbage and chickpeas. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-10 minutes until the veggies and chickpeas become golden. Stir in your leftover rice.
Step 4: Add the teriyaki sauce to the vegan fried rice and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often. Then, increase the heat of the skillet to high and cook, stirring for 2 more minutes until the rice begins to thicken, crisp and caramelize. Remove the skillet from the heat and serve warm.
Expert Tips
- Switch up the veggies! You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand. I love the flavor combination of the ones that I chose, but you can add other veggies like bell pepper, carrots, peas, or zucchini!
- Crisp it up well. At the end of the cooking process, I like to turn the heat up high and really get everything in the chickpea vegan fried rice nice and crispy! Those chickpeas with a bit of crispy edges are SO good.
- If you substitute the low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos with regular soy sauce, be careful not to add too much. This will increase the saltiness a lot and you don't want it to be too salty!
Frequently Asked Questions
I recommend using leftover rice in any fried rice recipe to ensure that the rice is nice and crisp! If you use warm, just cooked rice, the fried rice WILL turn out mushy. So, if you don't have any leftover rice on hand, then you can make fresh rice, then spread the rice out on a baking sheet and place it in the freezer until it is cool. Once the rice is cool to the touch, it is good to add to the fried rice.
To store any leftover vegan fried rice, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This rice dish is SO delicious the next day as well! Just reheat in the microwave or in a pan (for maximum crispiness) until heated through.
More Vegan Dinner Recipes
Best Vegan Fried Rice
Ingredients
Vegan Fried Rice
- 2 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup broccoli, chopped into bite sized pieces
- 1 cup cauliflower, chopped into bite sized pieces
- 1 cup baby corn
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- 1 13.5 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2 cup leftover cooked white rice
Vegan Fried Rice Teriykai Sauce
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Instructions
The Best Vegan Fried Rice in 20 Minutes
- Prepare the vegan fried rice teriyaki sauce by mixing the maple syrup with the coconut aminos and vinegar. Set aside.
- Bring a large skillet with vegan butter to medium heat. Once the butter is sizzling, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until translucent.
- Then, add the broccoli pieces, cauliflower pieces, baby corn, cabbage, and chickpeas. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-10 minutes or until the veggies and chickpeas become golden. Stir in your leftover rice.
- Add the teriyaki sauce to the vegan fried rice and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often. Then, increase the heat of the skillet to high and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes or until the rice begins to thicken, crisp and caramelize. Remove the skillet from the heat and serve warm. This also tastes AMAZING the next day!
Notes
Nutrition
The recipes on Peanut Butter and Jilly can easily be adapted to fit a vegan lifestyle, a gluten-free lifestyle, or both depending on the ingredients you use. Please review the ingredients lists carefully and refer to our recommendations in the Notes of the recipe card to make this recipe compatible with your needs. Nutrition information provided is an estimate, and will vary based on specific brands of ingredients used and cooking methods.
Leave a Reply