It happens to the best of us: sometimes, our eyes are bigger than our bellies when we’re preparing food or when we’re ordering from our favorite restaurant. So, we end up with more food than we’re able to eat.
As a result, we have leftovers. Therefore, it’s only normal to know if some food can be saved for later rather than having to throw it away.
One of the most popular ways to store leftover food is the freezer. And, if you happen to love egg fried rice as much as we do, you’re probably curious if you can put it away in the freezer.
Freezing leftover egg fried rice is an excellent way to prevent food waste and preserve leftover portions. You can use them for a later meal and enjoy this yummy food reheated.
But, what is the best way to freeze egg-fried rice? How long can you keep it in the freezer before it goes bad?
Keep reading our guide to learn the answers to these questions, as well as other valuable tips about freezing egg-fried rice!
Table of Contents
What Is Egg-Fried Rice?
If you’re a fan of Chinese food, egg-fried rice is probably among your top five choices. A good bowl of egg-fried rice contains rice and eggs. And, they’re enriched with delicious veggies and a bit of soy sauce for maximum delight and comfort for the belly.
Therefore, it’s no wonder we often end up with leftovers from this tasty meal. It may be that you purchased a larger portion than you were able to eat or you prepared a bit too much.
The good news is that this tasty dish can be frozen for later. If you haven’t tried egg-fried rice until now, there’s no better day than today!
It’s easy to make and once you have prepared it a couple of times, you will begin to play with it and maybe even mix up the veggies or choose your favorite protein source.
The options are endless!
Can You Freeze Egg-Fried Rice?
When it comes to leftover rice and foods with rice, a lot of people are skeptical because of rice’s safety. Namely, rice contains bacteria which, especially if the rice hasn’t been cooked well, may transfer to the person who’s eating it.
Knowing this, it’s vital to never leave rice at room temperature because this may contribute to bacterial growth and foodborne diseases. With this in mind, it’s essential to store the leftovers properly of rice to prevent this from happening.
One of the easiest ways to prevent bacterial growth is to keep the leftovers as safe as possible. The good news is that egg-fried rice can be kept in the freezer for up to a month!
To freeze the leftovers, follow these steps:
- Make sure the dish has cooled down entirely before you freeze it.
- Find a proper container that’s safe to use in the freezer. You can use freezer-safe bags as well.
- Transfer the egg-fried rice that’s cooled down into the chosen container. Make sure to remove surplus air before closing the bag.
- Close the bag/container and label the packaging with the date of storage.
- Put it in the freezer. It’s best to consume the leftovers within a month.
Must-Know Tips for Freezing Egg-Fried Rice
If you’re often freezing egg-fried rice, there are some useful tips that will definitely come in handy and ensure the best outcome.
Check them out below:
- Freeze the dish right after it’s cooled down, preferably within an hour of cooking it. This is to bring the risk of bacteria growing in the rice to a minimum.
- Remember to portion out the amounts before freezing them.
This will make the defrosting and reheating process easier because you can take the wanted portion instead of the whole amount, which will take more time to defrost and reheat.
- Don’t forget the veggies. It will be quite a substantial lunch on its own if you mix it up with yummy and nutritious veggies!
How Long Can You Keep Egg-Fried Rice Frozen?
When freezing egg-fried rice, it’s normal to want to know how long can you keep it in the freezer. Similar to freezing boiled rice, egg-fried rice is best when consumed within a month if you keep it in the freezer.
It’s important to avoid keeping it in the freezer for longer because the eggs and rice may become mushier once you defrost them.
This will cause the dish to lose its texture and taste.
How to Reheat Egg-Fried Rice from the Freezer?
When you’ve learned all about freezing egg-fried rice, it’s essential to know how to reheat it to ensure it’s as tasty as the first time you cooked it.
If you’re reheating egg-fried rice or any type of dish which contains rice, avoid doing it more than once. This is because it may diminish in its texture if it’s exposed to high heat multiple times.
When you reheat rice, make sure it’s boiling hot to ensure any bacteria is destroyed and the whole dish has cooked evenly.
To prevent the loss of moisture, you can add a bit of liquid to the dish before reheating. This will help maintain its texture and make the dish as yummy as the first time it was cooked.
If you’re a big fan of egg-fried rice, you’ll love to hear that there are several reheating options you can choose, depending on your personal preference and the availability of the heating method.
Let’s check out each of them in detail:
- The stovetop is one of the easiest and most efficient ways to reheat egg-fried rice. It’s best to preserve the texture and avert a mushy texture.
However, this method may be more time-consuming than other options such as the microwave.
If you choose it, bring a pan with cooking oil to medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the egg-fried rice and spread it out evenly.
Bring the heat to medium-high and stir it with a wooden spoon. Heat for five minutes or until the rice is piping hot.
- The microwave is the quickest reheating method you can opt for. However, it may dry out the rice a bit more so it’s essential to add some liquid to ensure it stays fluffy and moist.
To try it, you need a microwave-safe bowl where you will place the egg-fried rice. Mix it up with a tablespoon or two of broth or water. Cover the bowl with a lid or a paper towel.
If you use a lid, make sure you don’t cover the whole bowl so that a bit of steam can escape. Heat it up for two minutes and check to see if it’s hot enough. If it’s not, heat it for one more minute.
- The air fryer is a convenient and quick option to reheat different foods, not just egg-fried rice leftovers.
This method ensures the crispy texture of the dish. What you need is to put the leftover rice into the air fryer and cook it for about six minutes at 400 degrees F. You can add one or two more minutes if necessary.
Make sure you adjust the needed time for cooking in the fryer depending on the amount of leftover egg-fried rice.
- The oven is also an available option, but it’s the most time-consuming. You will need to wait for the oven to preheat and also, this method tends to dry out the egg-fried rice.
If you still want to give it a go, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and put the leftovers in an oven-safe dish with a lid. Make sure you add two tablespoons of liquid like broth or water to the rice before reheating.
Cook it once the oven is heated for 13 to 15 minutes. Remove the lid and heat it up for additional five minutes.
Final Thoughts
Egg-fried rice is not just a yummy dish, but it’s also a freezer-friendly option. This eases the storage and prolongs the leftovers’ quality and safety.
This easy-to-make dish is freezer-friendly and you can keep it frozen for up to a month.
It’s also very easy to reheat it because you have different options to choose from, including the quickest one which is the microwave, or a very efficient one, i.e., the stovetop.
Whichever option you choose, always make sure the egg-fried rice is piping hot before serving. This reduces the risk of bacteria and food-borne diseases! What is your favorite new way of reheating egg-fried rice?
