Adobo Fried Rice is a classic Filipino fried rice using leftover pork adobo. It is quite easy to prepare with minimal ingredients. With a crispy fried egg, you'll have a delicious meal in less than 30 minutes!
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What is Adobo Fried Rice?
Adobo Fried Rice is a creative way to repurpose leftover adobo and rice, turning them into a new delicious meal. It incorporates the savory adobo meat (which can be chicken, pork, or a mix of both) stewed in a sauce made of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns. It's garnished with chopped green onions or fried garlic, then topped with a fried egg for an extra layer of taste and texture.
Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Leftover adobo: You'll need about a cup and a half of pork adobo leftovers with its sauce.
- Cooked white rice: Choose a medium- or long-grain variety, such as Jasmine rice. It is best to use leftover, cold rice, but a fresh batch that is not mushy or too wet will do. You will need about three cups.
- Optional ingredients: You can add veggies as long as they are not watery and are cut small. Some examples are carrots, corn, peas, broccolini, or Chinese broccoli.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Slice scallions thinly.
Step 2: Break up the rice grains with a fork. For fresh-cooked rice, spread it on a plate and fluff the rice grains. Let it cool.
Step 3: Cut up 1½ cups leftover adobo into small pieces. Remove the fat layer that has solidified.
Step 4: Save about 3 tablespoons of the sauce.
Step 5: Set a wok over medium-high heat and add oil once it's very hot. Fry the egg and season with salt and pepper.
Step 6: Lower to medium heat and cover to trap the steam and cook the egg.
Step 7: The edges should be crisp and the whites set, but the yolk just starting to cook. It will take 1½ to 2 minutes. To get firm yolks, cook a little longer. Release the egg from the pan with a thin spatula.
PRO TIP: Frying the egg with a lid gets the same effect as basting it with hot oil. It eliminates the need for more oil and prevents splatters.
Step 8: Over medium-high heat, fry adobo meat for about 3 minutes until slightly crisp. Lower to medium heat and add the sauce.
Step 9: Add 3 cups of leftover rice and spread it out to break up any clumps.
PRO TIP: For consistent flavor in every bite of your fried rice, thoroughly brown the adobo meat and distribute it evenly.
Step 10: Keep tossing until heated through for about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, or soy sauce as needed. Add scallions, saving some for garnish. Mix them together and turn off the heat.
Garnish with more scallions and fried garlic or shallots. You can also use spring onions, parsley, or cilantro.
Serve your adobo rice with a fried egg and tomatoes for freshness and color. Store lefovers in the fridge and enjoy within a day or two.
Recipe FAQs
Cook ground pork or chicken in some oil until slightly crispy. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Add garlic and onion, then add a sauce that contains 2 parts vinegar to 1 part soy sauce. Toss in the rice and garnish as desired.
To make good fried rice, you need cold rice with separate grains and a very hot wok or pan. Stir the rice constantly over high heat to cook it evenly and get a smoky flavor.
You may have added too much water, or the rice wasn't cooked long enough to absorb all the moisture. Make sure to rinse it a few times until the water runs clear to remove excess starch.
What to serve with Adobo Fried Rice
- Lechon Kawali: Crispy deep-fried pork belly with its crunchy skin and tender meat.
- Tortang Talong: An eggplant omelet where grilled eggplants are soaked in a beaten egg mixture and then fried.
- Chicken Inasal: A type of grilled chicken that's marinated in vinegar, calamansi, lemongrass, ginger, and annatto, giving it a distinct flavor and orange color.
- Tortang Sayote: Filipino-style omelet made with shredded chayote and sautéed aromatics.
- Lumpia: Crispy spring rolls with sautéed vegetables (Lumpiang Gulay), ground meat (Lumpiang Shanghai), or shrimp (Shrimp Lumpia).
- Ukoy: Shrimp fritters typically made with small whole shrimps, battered, and deep-fried until crispy.
- Fried Fish: Fish seasoned and fried until crispy, often served with a side of soy sauce or vinegar dip.
- Inihaw na Liempo: Grilled marinated pork belly strips with a savory, slightly tangy flavor.
- Filipino BBQ Skewers: Skewered meat, typically pork, marinated in a sweet and savory sauce, then grilled over charcoal.
More about adobo fried rice
Do you know the key to awesome Adobo Fried Rice? The pork adobo itself. Here are more frequently asked questions about Filipino Pork Adobo, including tips, troubleshooting, and other information.
Other rice recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Adobo Fried Rice Recipe
Equipment
- Wok or a large skillet
Ingredients
- eggs
- 1½ cups leftover adobo chopped (see note)
- 3 cups cooked white rice cold (see note)
- 2 stalks scallions or green onions thinly sliced; sub:spring onions
- salt and pepper to taste
- fried garlic or shallots optional
- tomatoes optional
- neutral-flavored oil (canola or vegetable oil) for frying
Instructions
- Set a wok over medium-high heat and add oil once it's very hot.
- Fry the egg and season with salt and pepper. Lower to medium heat and cover for 1½ to 2 minutes until the yolk starts to cook around its edges. To get firm yolks, cook a little longer.
- Release the egg from the pan with a thin spatula.
- On the same wok over medium-high heat, fry the meat for about 3 minutes until slightly crisp and golden brown. Lower to medium heat and add the sauce.
- Add rice and spread it out to break up any clumps.
- Keep tossing until heated through for about 5 minutes. Season with salt, black pepper, or soy sauce as needed.
- Add scallions, saving some for garnish. Mix them together and turn off the heat.
- Serve with fried egg and garnish with more scallions and fried garlic or shallots.
Notes
- Leftover adobo: You'll need about a cup and a half of pork adobo with its sauce. Chicken adobo is makes a delicious chicken adobo fried rice.
- Cooked white rice: Choose a medium- or long-grain variety, such as Jasmine rice. It is best to use leftover, cold rice, but a fresh batch that is not mushy or too wet will do. You will need about three cups.
- Optional ingredients: You can add veggies as long as they are not watery and are cut small. Some examples are carrots, corn, peas, broccolini, or Chinese broccoli.
Sam
I've made adobo fried rice before, but never like this. Absolutely delicious!
Nora Reyes
That is amazing! Thank you!
Jomelyn Mauermann
We love this fried rice at home too. I add lots of garlic! 😉
Nora Rey
Garlic is the secret ingredient to take fried rice to the next level! 🧄😄 It's great to know that we share the same love for this delicious dish.
Theresa
This is the most delicious adobo fried rice - amazing!! Thank you for the recipe.
Nora Rey
Hello Theresa, I am so happy to hear that. Thank you for your message!