Spam Fried Rice is delicious and easy! It makes for a hearty quick lunch or dinner. Use leftover rice, a can of Spam, and eggs. Let's get cooking.
Spam Fried Rice
Spam Fried Rice is a dish that every Hawaii local will recognize.
The core ingredients are simple: Spam, Eggs, and Rice!
Local's Tip: Spam, Eggs, and Rice also happens to be a classic Hawaii breakfast. Spam Fried Rice combines all three elements into one dish!
It's easy to prepare and can be modified a million different ways. You can find Spam Fried Rice on the menu of many Hawaii restaurants and takeout spots.
But the best Spam Fried Rice is the one you make at home.
This recipe comes courtesy of Ted who first prepared the dish at my parent's house many years ago. We were all super WOW'd by it and now it's tradition for Ted to prepare it every time he comes over. Thank you, Ted ^_^
Why This Recipe Works
Fried Rice is technically an easy dish to prepare. But a few extra tips and tricks will take this dish from "regular" fried rice to super onolicious fried rice.
This is because there's a step in the recipe that has you crisp up the rice. Yes! We let the rice sit for a few minutes until the bottom is golden and crisp. This adds so many more flavors and textures to the overall dish.
We also make sure to use cold leftover rice (fresh rice will result in soggy fried rice). And tons of garlic because garlic makes everything better.
Spam Fried Rice is an easy and comforting go-to dish! Whether you're cooking it for lunch or dinner, or breakfast/brunch, it is always a crowd pleaser.
Notes from a local: Sometimes visitors call this dish Hawaiian Spam Fried Rice. This is not a Hawaiian dish, it is a local dish. Please don't call it Hawaiian because it makes locals cringe ^_^
Ingredients
- Cooked Rice - Cold leftover rice is best. We usually cook rice the night before and store it in the refrigerator.
- Spam - One can of Spam, please. Both Regular or Lite Spam will work (just don't use the flavored Spam options).
- Eggs - We use 4-5 eggs, feel free to use more or less. It all just depends on your mood!
- Garlic - This recipe calls for tons of garlic. Our whole family loves garlic. Mince it good.
- Maggi Seasoning - Do you know about Maggi? Think of it as soy sauce, but with even more ooommmpphh. I definitely recommend keeping a bottle of Maggi in your pantry. We dash Maggi onto banh mi sandwiches and on top of crisp fried eggs (perfect breakfast with a baguette!) You can use soy sauce if you don't have or don't want to get Maggi.
- Sesame Oil - Sesame oil is optional, but highly recommended. We use a lot of sesame oil in Hawaii so we always have a big bottle on hand. You can find this Kadoya brand Sesame Oil at pretty much all Asian markets.
Step by Step Directions
Ok! This is a pretty easy dish, just follow the directions.
First, get a big pan or wok. Over medium-high heat, pan fry the Spam until slightly crisp. I love the surface to get browned or slightly charred. There's no need to add oil to the pan. Once browned, Slide the Spam into a bowl and set aside.
Then add a little bit of oil to the pan, and brown the garlic.
Then add the rice and mix. Gently pat the rice flat onto the pan and let it get crispy. This takes about 3-4 minutes.
Tip: this crisping step is extra important! It adds texture and flavor to the fried rice.
Once rice is at your ideal crispness (it's different for everyone), push the rice to the sides of the pan (to make an empty space in the middle).
Crack the eggs directly in the center of the pan. Drizzle half the Maggi seasoning over the eggs. Break up the yolks and scramble for a minute. It's not a full scramble because the yolks and whites are whipped together, we call this the half scramble. It's tasty!
Then mix everything together. Season with the rest of the Maggi and sesame oil. Spoon into bowls. Eat and enjoy!
FAQs and Expert Tips
3-4 days in the refrigerator, in a sealed container
Microwave: Pour the fried rice into a bowl. Place a damp paper towel on top and microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Steam: Steam for 5-6 minutes.
Good question! These are ones we often do:
- Fold in a bunch of chopped green onions at the end.
- Add diced carrots
- Add frozen peas and/or corn.
- Replace Maggi with soy sauce or fish sauce (nuoc nam).
- Add ground white pepper at the end.
- Add Sriracha!
Spam Fried Rice can be a stand alone meal. It's got carbs, it's got meat...no veggies though ahaha.
So when we add another dish, it's a vegetable or tofu dish.
Here are a few good ones:
- Garlic and Fish Sauce Ong Choy
- Korean Bean Sprouts
- Japanese Pickled Cucumbers
- Hijiki Salad
- Garlic and Ginger Green Beans
- Hot Sesame Oil Tofu
- Avocado Tofu
- Tofu Poke
Spam Fried Rice Recipe
Here's how to make Spam Fried Rice! See below and enjoy ^_^
Spam Fried Rice
Spam Fried Rice is delicious, easy, and hearty! It makes for a quick lunch or dinner. We also love it for Sunday brunch. All you need is rice, Spam, eggs, and two seasoning ingredients: Maggi (substitute soy sauce if you'd like) and sesame oil.
Ingredients
- 5-6 cups of cooked rice (cold leftover rice is best)*
- 1 can Spam, diced
- 4-5 eggs
- 1 head garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Maggie Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)
Instructions
- Over medium-high heat, pan fry the Spam until slightly crisp (no need to add oil to the pan). Slide the Spam into a bowl and set aside.
- Add oil to the pan, and brown the garlic.
- Then add the rice and mix. Gently pat the rice flat onto the pan and let it crisp up (about 3-4 minutes).
- Once rice is at your ideal crispness, push the rice to the sides of the pan and crack the eggs directly in the center of the pan. Drizzle half of the Maggi over the eggs. Break up the yolks and scramble for a minute.
- Then mix everything together. Season with Maggi and sesame oil. Eat and enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe comes courtesy of Ted who makes THE best Spam Fried Rice.
- We always cook the rice the day before. Store the cooked rice in the refrigerator. Cold, leftover rice is the best for fried rice.
- For this recipe we cook 2 "rice cups" of rice. Note: 2 "rice cups" equals 1 ½ "regular cups."
I have made this completely in the rice cooker.
2 1/4 cups long-grain white rice
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil, or to taste
1 cup cubed ham or Spicy Spam
1/2 - 1 cup chopped sweet onions
3 cloves crushed or minced garlic
3/4 - 1 cup shredded carrots
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans chicken broth or 29 oz. water with bouillon according to directions.
3-4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons optional sriracha chili sauce to taste
2 teaspoons brown sugar or to taste, optional
1/2-3/4 cup frozen peas (allow to defrost and add at the end)
1/2 cup sliced green onions
3-4 eggs scrambled separately
Place rice in a rice cooker pot. Drizzle in canola and sesame oils; stir well to coat rice completely. Sprinkle diced ham or Spam over rice. Top with carrot shreds, onions, and garlic.
Combine chicken broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, and sriracha in a measuring cup. Stir well and pour on top of the rice and stir briefly. Close rice cooker lid and set to White Rice. Meanwhile, scramble 3 – 4 eggs in a skillet with butter or oil if desired. Chop eggs into bite-sized pieces.
CHECK RICE WHEN 10 MINS REMAIN. If the rice is cooked, turn to Keep Warm. Mine scorched on Keep Warm after about 30 mins, so watch it.
Uncover rice when it’s cooked, fluff rice with a fork (plastic if your pot is nonstick) and stir in frozen peas, scrambled eggs and green onions.
Close rice cooker for another few minutes until peas are hot, about 5-10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.