At my house, we love Asian food so this Spicy Bacon Fried Rice is the perfect week-night fix. You don’t typically find jalapeños or bacon in traditional Asian cuisine but you can always find them in my kitchen. I first made Spicy Bacon Fried Rice about two years ago when I was living by myself in a one-bedroom apartment. One evening after work I was exhausted from a long day so I pulled together what leftover ingredients I had from the week before. Not to toot my own horn but the end result is truly spectacular. Toot! This spicy, salty, sweet one-pot-wonder is now one of the best kept secrets in my arsenal!
This dish is not the healthiest thing you will find on my blog [i.e. BACON GREASE], but it doesn’t claim to be. If you are carb conscious, I recommend substituting the white rice for cauliflower rice. I like to use cauliflower that is previously riced and frozen; I find it best for stove-top dishes. You can pick it up on the frozen vegetable aisle in your local grocery. On week-nights I try to substitute cauliflower rice whenever possible and my boyfriend hardly notices the difference… unless it’s pizza crust. But that’s another story.
If you are using white rice, I suggest preparing it the night before. Not only will it save you time, but it will give the rice time to dry out. If that is not an option, let the rice cool in the fridge for at least an hour before cooking. It is important to use cold rice to maintain the texture and integrity of your dish.
Fried rice is the ultimate one-pot meal. Add whatever veggies you have on hand – shredded carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, etc. Get creative and tell us about your creation in the comments section below!
Side note: I also like to serve this dish with teriyaki chicken or shrimp [my boyfriend is a meat guy]. And I honestly can’t resist a little sriracha and creamy Yum Yum sauce to top off my fried rice. But if you’re like me and trying to watch the added calories, try this yogurt sauce: ½ cup greek yogurt, juice of half a lime, 2 tablespoons of sriracha and a dash of salt. Whisk it up with a fork and BOOM, spicy yogurt sauce! This is on the menu at my house at least once a week.
Let me know what you think in the comments section below!
Kelsey Renee
Spicy Bacon Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 3 cups of cooked white rice (previously prepared and chilled)
- ½ pack of bacon, cut into ½ inch strips
- ½ cup red onion, diced
- 3 oz. frozen peas
- 1/3 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 large jalapeño, finely chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- ¼ cup soy sauce
Instructions
- 1. In a sauté pan on medium heat, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon from pan and allow it to drain on a paper towel lined plate. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon grease and dispose of the rest.
- 2. Using the reserved bacon grease, sauté jalapeño and red onion on medium heat for 4 minutes. Remove vegetables from pan and allow to drain on same paper towel lined plate.
- 3. Scramble and fry two eggs in sauté pan. Remove egg from pan and set aside.
- 4. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan. Add rice, carrots and peas. Stirring constantly, sauté ingredients on medium-high heat for about 4 minutes or until rice starts to brown.
- 5. Return previously cooked ingredients to the pan including onion, jalapeño, bacon and egg. Add sesame oil and soy sauce. Stir until combined.
- 6. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- 7. Serve in individual bowls and top with chopped cilantro for added freshness.
- Optional: Top with sriracha for a kick! Or use Yum Yum sauce to cool it down.