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Buttery Vietnamese Fried Rice

Buttery Vietnamese Fried Rice

By Courtney HillFebruary 23, 2025

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    30 minutes
  • Rating

Known as cơm đỏ, this rusty-hued Vietnamese fried rice is a common accompaniment to shaking beef. But garnished with a fried egg, it’s a fast and fantastic meal. Butter may seem an odd ingredient in fried rice, but its sweet notes and richness carry flavor and round out the boldness of the garlic, tomato paste and fish sauce. For a lighter version that’s still packed with flavor, leave out the ham or bacon.

Tip

Don’t use hot, freshly cooked rice, which will end up gummy and soggy. Use rice that has been cooked and chilled so the grains fry up with a light, fluffy texture. Also, don’t crank the heat too high for this stir-fry. Butter contains milk solids that will scorch if overheated.

Ingredients
  • 3

    tablespoons salted butter

  • 4

    medium garlic cloves, minced

  • 4

    scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens reserved separately

  • 4

    cups cooked and chilled long-grain white rice, preferably jasmine rice

  • 4

    ounces deli ham, diced, OR 4 ounces bacon, fried until crisp, then crumbled

  • 3

    tablespoons tomato paste

  • 1

    tablespoon fish sauce, plus more if needed

  • ½

    cup frozen peas, thawed and patted dry

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Step 1

In a 12- to 14-inch wok or a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium, melt the butter. Add the garlic and scallion whites; cook, stirring, until light golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the rice and ham; stir to coat with butter, then distribute it across the bottom and partway up the sides of the wok (or across the bottom if using a skillet). Cook, without stirring, until lightly browned and crisped on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes.

Step 2

Add the tomato paste, fish sauce, peas and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper; stir until the tomato paste is fully integrated into the rice. Cook, spreading and pressing the rice into the pan to lightly crisp and brown it in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in the scallion greens. Taste and season with additional fish sauce, salt and pepper.

Step 3

Wok-Fried Eggs: Line a large plate with paper towels. In a 12- to 14-inch wok over medium-high, heat ¼ cup neutral oil until barely smoking. Break 1 egg into a small bowl. When the oil is ready, slide the egg into the wok; the white will bubble up around the yolk. Reduce to medium and cook, spooning oil onto the egg, until the white is fully set and the edges are crisp and browned, about 1 minute for a runny yolk, 1½ minutes for a partially set yolk or 2 minutes for a fully set yolk. Transfer to the plate and sprinkle with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Return the oil to medium-high and repeat with another 3 eggs.