This Thai-style Crab Fried Rice with sweet and succulent crabmeat is simple and easy to make. How good it will turn out depends on the quality of the crabmeat. If you've got that covered, your fancy meal is just minutes away!
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Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- White rice: Use medium- or long-grain rice, like Jasmine rice. It's best to use leftover or day-old rice, but fresh-cooked rice that isn't overcooked or too wet will also work.
- Crabmeat: Good-quality canned crab meat is an excellent alternative to fresh or frozen crab meat. Choose anything labeled as "jumbo," "lump," or "back fin" as they contain large pieces. "Special" and "flake" have smaller bits, while "claw" has brown meat with a different texture.
- Oyster and fish sauce: These umami-rich sauces bring out the seafood flavor in the dish.
How to make this recipe
Break up rice with a fork. If you have a fresh batch, spread them out to cool. Let the moisture evaporate, so they don't clump together or get mushy.
Step 1: Heat a wok or skillet over medium heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Sauté 1 onion and 3 garlic cloves until they become soft, which takes about a minute.
Then, add ½ red bell pepper and ½ cup of crabmeat, breaking up the crabmeat as you cook it for another minute.
Step 2: Add some oil and scramble 2 eggs on one side of the wok.
Step 3: Add 3 cups of cooked rice, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, and ground pepper to taste. Mix them together to evenly distribute the seasonings and eggs.
Step 4: Add the rest of the crabmeat, 3 scallions, and ¼ cup cilantro.
Step 5: Toss them together and season with salt as needed.
Garnish your Crab Fried Rice with a lime wedge and cucumbers. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Medium or long-grain rice varieties are best. Use leftover or cold rice, as the grains separate more easily.
If you're making a fresh batch of rice, rinse them well to prevent them from becoming sticky. Spread out the cooked rice to cool and allow the moisture to evaporate.
If you have one, use it. A wok is great for fried rice and stir-fries. The surface heats up quickly, and there is plenty of room to toss the food around. You can always use a large skillet or sauté pan.
To get that seafood flavor, you can use shrimp or scallops. Before mixing them in, sear them quickly over high heat.
What to serve with Crab Fried Rice
- Adobong Kangkong: Water spinach stir-fried in a savory adobo sauce.
- Inihaw na Liempo: Grilled pork belly with smoky, savory flavors.
- Lechon Kawali: Crispy deep-fried pork belly with crunchy skin and tender, juicy meat. Air-fried pork belly is a healthier alternative.
- Chicken Inasal: Grilled chicken marinated in a mixture of calamansi, vinegar, ginger, lemongrass, and annatto.
- Lumpia: Crispy spring rolls filled with ground meat or shrimp. Lumpiang Gulay is a vegetarian variation with sautéed vegetables.
- Fried Calamari: Also called calamares, these pieces of squid are coated in batter and fried until golden.
Other rice recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Crab Fried Rice
Equipment
- Wok or Skillet or Sauté pan
Ingredients
- 1 small onion minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ red bell pepper minced, about ½ cup
- 8 ounces cooked crabmeat about 1 ½ cups, divided (see note)
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 3 cups cooked white rice cold (see note)
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce sub:soy sauce
- Ground black or white pepper to taste
- 3 scallions thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- Neutral-flavored oil for sautéing
For serving:
- Lime wedges optional
- Cucumber slices optional
Instructions
- Break up rice with a fork. If you have a fresh batch, spread them out to cool.
- Set a wok or skillet over medium heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Sauté onion and garlic until soft, about a minute.
- Add red bell pepper and ½ cup of crabmeat. Break up the crabmeat and cook for a minute.
- Add some oil and scramble the eggs on one side of the wok.
- Add rice, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and ground pepper to taste. Mix them to distribute the seasonings and eggs evenly.
- Bring in the rest of the crabmeat, scallions, and cilantro.
- Toss them together and season with salt as needed.
- Garnish with a lime wedge and cucumbers.
Video
Notes
- White rice: Use medium- or long-grain rice, such as Jasmine rice. It is ideal to use leftover or day-old rice, but fresh-cooked rice that is not overcooked or too wet will also work.
- Crabmeat: Good-quality canned crab meat is an excellent alternative to fresh or frozen crab meat. Choose anything labeled as "jumbo," "lump," or "back fin" as they contain large pieces. "Special" and "flake" have smaller bits, while "claw" has brown meat with a different texture.
Abby says
Now i know what to make with my canned crab, thanks for this recipe! Looks really good!
Nora Reyes says
Yeeees! I'm so glad! Canned crab can be a real lifesaver in the kitchen.
jomelyn says
I love anything fried rice. can I use imitation crab here? where did u get crab meat in can? i wanna try this recipe, makes me hungry.
Bim says
This is one in the menu I always order when eating out. I’ll try to prepare this one of these days. Good suggestion that canned good quality crabmeat can be used as a choice rather than fresh one.Looks yummy! Thanks Nora.
Nora says
Thank you! =)
Nora says
They can get so expensive at restaurants. I hope you'll like it and please send me your feedback. =)