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A close-up of golden easy ham egg fried rice in a black wok, mixed with diced ham and chopped green scallions.

Easy Ham Egg Fried Rice

A quick, restaurant-style egg fried rice with ham and scallions, seasoned simply with salt, chicken bouillon powder, and five-spice. Ready in 10 minutes and better than takeout.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 3 main-dish servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups cold cooked white rice day-old is best
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup diced ham or ham sausage about 2 oz
  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil vegetable，canola, or peanut
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste chicken bouillon has salt, so start low
  • 1/4 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
  • 2 scallions thinly sliced

Method
 

  1. Break the cold rice into loose, separate grains with your hands or a fork. If using fresh rice, cool it completely before frying.
    A bowl of cold cooked white rice being broken up into loose, separate grains with hands, showing the key step for making egg fried rice.
  2. Heat a wok or 12-inch skillet over high heat and add 3 tablespoons oil. Heat until shimmering, 1–2 minutes.
  3. Crack the eggs into the pan. Don't stir for 2–3 seconds; let the bottoms set slightly. Break them up with a spatula into distinct pieces, not a paste, and cook until fully set.
  4. Add the diced ham and stir-fry 10–15 seconds until coated in oil and fragrant.
  5. Add the rice and toss over high heat so it heats evenly and picks up a toasted flavor. Lower the heat slightly once the rice is in, and press and toss until every grain is coated and hot, about 2–3 minutes.
  6. Add salt, chicken bouillon powder, and five-spice powder. Toss until evenly distributed. Taste and adjust salt.
  7. Add the scallions, toss once or twice, and turn off the heat. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Use cold day-old rice for separate grains; warm rice steams and turns mushy.
  • Use plenty of oil (3 tablespoons for 3 cups rice) — too little makes fried rice dry.
  • Ham sausage can be swapped for deli ham, spam, hot dog, or cooked sausage.
  • Chicken bouillon powder can be replaced with mushroom powder or MSG. Chicken bouillon contains salt, so reduce the added salt slightly.
  • Five-spice powder can be skipped or replaced with a tiny pinch of cinnamon plus star anise.
  • This version is soy-free; add 1 teaspoon light soy sauce if preferred.
  • If the rice clumps together, break it up before frying so the grains are loose; do not add water during cooking.
  • Leftovers keep 3–4 days in the fridge; reheat until steaming hot.