This Chinese-inspired mushroom fried rice is an easy, delicious dish with umami flavors made with rice, mushrooms, soy sauce, onions and black pepper. It’s a vegan recipe that’s quick to stir-fry and ready to enjoy in only 40 minutes. Here you’ll find step-by-step instructions with photos for how to prepare this classic mushroom and rice dish as a healthy, hearty and satisfying dinner.
Table of Contents
About Mushroom Fried Rice
Mushroom fried rice is a classic Indo-Chinese dish that I make often as a speedy weeknight meal. It has everything you want and need in a complete dinner – comforting rice, earthy and delicious mushrooms, and flavorful seasonings – all stir-fried together and served in one bowl.
I always make this dish with button mushrooms. If these are not available then the next option is cremini mushrooms. For the rice you can use any long grained rice for the best texture and flavor.
In addition to the rice and mushrooms, I also always include chopped celery. It adds such a lovely crunch, and mild yet noticeable flavor. This not-so-secret ingredient really brings all of the other components of the dish together. Sure, you can sub with coriander (cilantro) in a pinch. However, it won’t have quite the same traditional fried rice taste you know and love but will taste good.
I also highly recommend that you use a naturally fermented soy sauce (like Kikkoman soy sauce used here). This will infuse the most flavor into the rice and still let the mushrooms shine.
Start to finish this vegan mushroom fried rice recipe only takes about 30 minutes to prepare. It’s quickly cooked in a wok over high heat for restaurant-level taste in every bite. This is a fantastic dish that’s great to have in your weekly meal plan.
Here are a few more fried rice recipes you might like to try:
How to make Mushroom Fried Rice
Cooking the rice
1. First, in a colander rinse 1 heaping cup of basmati rice or long grained rice until the water runs clear of the starch. If possible use aged basmati rice.
2. Drain the water from the rice thoroughly.
3. Then add the rice to a large pot with 5 cups of water. I have not soaked the rice. However if you have time on hand then you can soak the rice for 20 minutes.
4. Add a few drops of preferred cooking oil.
5. Add salt to taste.
6. Bring to a boil on medium heat and cook rice.
7. Cook the rice until al dente, so that it is almost cooked and the rice grains should have a slight bite to them. Don’t overcook the rice until it becomes mushy or too soft.
8. Drain the rice in a colander and set aside.
9. After the initial steam passes from the rice, cover the colander with a lid. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
10. Remove the lid. The rice should be soft and fluffy. Set aside to let the rice cool completely before you add it to the mushrooms. You can also refrigerate the rice for about 30 minutes or until you prep the other ingredients.
Prepping the Mushrooms
11. Next, rinse 250 grams of mushrooms a couple of times in water and then drain the water well. Alternatively, you can also wipe them with a kitchen towel.
I have used button mushrooms, but you can make the dish with cremini or fresh shiitake mushrooms, or your favorite combination of other edible mushrooms.
12. Chop the mushrooms and set aside.
13. Measure and have all of the ingredients ready. Once you start to stir-fry things move quickly, so best to be prepared with everything ready to go.
Making Mushroom Fried Rice
Tip: A lot of handwork is required when making this recipe. I recommend that you use a wok or a pan with handles, so if the heat becomes too high you can just lift the pan from the stovetop as ingredients continue to cook. Or you can reduce the heat.
14. When you’re ready, heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a wok or kadai. You can use any neutral flavored oil. Even toasted sesame oil tastes wonderful.
15. When the oil becomes medium hot, firstly add ½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic (about 3 small to medium sized garlic cloves that are finely chopped).
Also add ½ cup finely chopped onions (about 1 medium sized onion that has been finely chopped).
Instead of onions, you can also add 2 to 3 small to medium spring onions (scallions) which are chopped finely.
16. Stir fry them for 2 minutes on a medium to high heat, stirring often.
17. Then add the chopped mushrooms.
18. Stir fry for 5 to 6 minutes, or more, on high heat until the mushrooms begin to get lightly browned from the edges.
19. Initially the whole mixture will become watery as mushrooms release water.
20. Slowly the water will evaporate as you continue to cook them, and you will eventually see oil in the mixture.
21. Continue to stir-fry the mushrooms as they turn light golden.
22. Then add ½ tablespoon of chopped celery.
23. Stir fry for a minute.
24. Lastly, add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, ½ teaspoon black pepper powder and salt to taste. You can preferably use naturally brewed soy sauce. You can add more soy sauce if you prefer.
For a gluten free mushroom fried rice use tamari in place of soy sauce.
25. Mix very well.
26. Then add the rice. Stir gently but briskly. You don’t want the rice to become mushy.
27. Stir-fry the rice for 2 to 3 minutes on a medium to high heat. Check the seasonings and add more salt, soy sauce or black pepper according to your preferences.
Serving Suggestions
28. Serve the Mushroom fried rice hot or warm. I like to garnish with celery or spring onion greens. It makes for a comforting and satisfying meal.
Enjoy the dish as is or with your favorite Indo-Chinese side dishes, like Veg Manchurian or Cauliflower Manchurian or Baby Corn Manchurian.
More Tasty Mushroom Recipes!
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Mushroom Fried Rice
Ingredients
For Cooking Rice
- 1 cup basmati rice or long grained rice – 190 grams
- 5 cups water for cooking rice
- salt as required
- few drops of oil
For Stir Frying
- 250 grams white button mushrooms – rinsed and chopped
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic or 3 small to medium garlic cloves
- ½ cup finely chopped onions or 1 medium-sized or 2 to 3 small to medium spring onions
- ½ tablespoon chopped celery
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce – naturally brewed, add as required
- 3 tablespoon oil – any neutral oil or toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- salt as required
Instructions
Cooking rice
- First rinse the rice till the water runs clear of the starch.
- Then in a pot or pan cook the rice in 5 cups of water with a few drops of oil and some salt as required.
- The rice should be cooked al dente or just about cooked.
- Don't cook the rice till it becomes mushy or too soft. Drain the rice in a colander and keep aside.
- After the initial steam passes from the rice, cover the colander with a lid.
- Let the rice cool completely before you add it to the mushrooms.
Making mushroom fried rice
- Heat oil in a wok or kadai. Add the garlic and onions first and stir fry for 2 minutes on a medium to high heat stirring often.
- Then add the chopped mushrooms and stir fry for 5 to 6 minutes or more on a high flame till the mushrooms begins to get lightly browned from the edges.
- First the whole mixture will become watery as mushrooms will release water and slowly slowly the water will evaporate and you will see oil in the mixture.
- When the mushrooms start to become lightly browned or light golden, then add the celery and stir fry for a minute.
- Add soy sauce, black pepper and salt as required.
- Stir and then add the rice. Stir gently but briskly. Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Serve the mushroom fried rice hot garnished with celery or spring onion greens with a side Indo Chinese vegetable dish like veg balls in hot garlic sauce, sweet and sour vegetables, veg manchurian.
Notes
- To give some heat in the dish, you can add a bit of red chili powder or cayenne pepper.
- Substitute fresh coriander/cilantro leaves if you do not have celery.
- For a gluten free mushroom fried rice recipe you can use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- I have used button mushrooms in this recipe. However, you can make it with fresh shiitake mushrooms or cremini mushrooms or use a combination of various varieties of edible mushrooms.
- You can use any neutral-flavored oil. Even toasted sesame oil tastes very good.
- Use a good quality of long grained rice or aged basmati rice.
- The recipe can be scaled to make a big batch.
Nutrition Info (Approximate values)
This Mushroom Fried Rice recipe post from the blog archives (first published in September 2013) has been updated and republished on 24 June 2021.
Can this be made without soya sauce?
Yes, why not. Taste will be slightly different without the soy sauce, but overall taste will be good.