Ketchup Fried Rice

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If you need something quick and easy, then you need to make this Ketchup Fried Rice. Sometimes referred to as just ketchup rice, this simple fried rice recipe is a comforting recipe that is perfect for using up any leftovers in the fridge.

Sweet, tangy, and savoury, this ketchup fried rice is a classic comfort recipe that is hearty and filling made with kitchen staples and leftovers. When served with egg over top, it’s called omurice but today, we’re just going to make the fried rice portion for anyone who dislikes eggs!

Close up of a plate of ketchup fried rice with a spoon.

Why You’ll Love This Fried Rice Recipe

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this ketchup fried rice. It leans heavily into kitchen staples for days I don’t want to run out to the store and want something filling and tasty.
It comes together quickly. Ideally, you could finish this cooking this ketchup rice in under 15 minutes. All you have to do is mix everything together in a large pan!
You can easily customize this ketchup fried rice with anything you have in your fridge. It’s an easy recipe for when you want to empty out the fridge.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients needed for ketchup fried rice.

bacon — I freeze bacon in 2 to 4 strips in these containers so I can grab what I need. I highly recommend that as it’s been game changing not having to thaw a huge brick of bacon whenever I want to use a couple of strips of bacon. You can also use shredded chicken, ham, or any leftover meat that you have in the fridge.
onion — you need just a small yellow onion but you can use whatever you have on hand. Also, fun tip: did you know that you can buy frozen diced onions? If you’re not a fan of dicing onions then this will save you some time and effort.
garlic — I feel like I’m just talking about my freezer at this point lol. But to make things easier, I freeze freshly minced garlic so I can just pull it out whenever I need it and not spend time mincing garlic.
salt — you don’t need a lot because if you’re cooking the bacon, then the bacon fat and bacon adds that salty component.
leftover cooked rice — I always use jasmine rice. Chilled leftover rice is ideal as cold rice is more firm and decreases the chances of your fried rice turning out mushy.
ketchup — you can’t make ketchup rice without ketchup! Growing up, my mom used ketchup a lot in things like fried rice, “sloppy joes,” and more. I love ketchup and feel like the ketchup complements the fried rice recipe perfectly.
soy sauce — I recommend using low sodium soy sauce.
frozen peas — you don’t even have to thaw it!
green onions — don’t laugh but….you can freeze green onions too LOL. So you can toss some in there from the freezer as well.

How to Make Ketchup Fried Rice

In a skillet over medium heat, add the diced bacon and cook until they’re crispy. Remove the bacon and leave the bacon fat.
Add the diced onion and saute for 2 minutes before adding the minced garlic and saute for another minute. Add salt if desired.

Rice tossed in the skillet with the rest of the ingredients to coat.

Add the rice to the skillet along with the ketchup and soy sauce.
Cook until eveything is well combined.

Peas and bacon added to the skillet of fried rice.

Close up of a wooden spoon with ketchup fried rice.

Add the frozen peas and cook for another minute before adding the bacon back to the skillet. Top with green onions and serve.

Close up of a plate of ketchup fried rice.

Recipe Tips and Notes

I always make this with jasmine rice. Here’s my post on How to Cook Jasmine Rice if you need some tips!
If you have a rice cooker, you can change the setting to make slightly “harder” rice when you cook it the night before. It’ll help the rice grains hold their shape better when you use it for ketchup fried rice. (Here’s a review of the rice cooker I have)

Make Ahead Tips

Meal prep: once cooled, store the cooked fried rice in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Freezer: allow the fried rice to cool before transferring them into an airtight container before storing them in the freezer.

Overhead view of a plate of ketchup fried rice with a spoon.

Why do I need cold rice for fried rice?

I always use cold leftover rice that I’ve left in the fridge overnight as it has had the chance to firm up. Using cold rice makes it easier to separate when frying and decreases the chances of your fried rice turning out mushy. I’ve tried this with freshly cooked rice before and it gets sticky and mushy quickly.

I always make my rice the night before. If you don’t have leftover rice, you can cook the rice and then spread it out on a sheet pan so it can cool quickly in the fridge for an hour or so.

What else can I add to this?

Some other vegetables I’ve added to this ketchup rice is corn, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and essentially anything that needs to be used up in the fridge!