Pioneer Woman Breakfast Fried Rice

Pioneer Woman breakfast fried rice is a crispy, savory skillet dish with breakfast sausage, scrambled eggs and cold rice that comes together in 40 minutes. It's an easy brunch rice recipe for lazy Sundays, holiday mornings or weeknight breakfast-for-dinner, and it's made in one cast iron skillet.

Use cold rice and let it sit in the hot bacon grease until it starts to brown, because that's where the crispy edges come from. Fresh warm rice turns gummy and steams in the pan instead of frying.

Cooking each ingredient separately and adding it all back at the end keeps the eggs soft, the sausage crisp and the vegetables tender. Serving it with a fried egg and a little ketchup or maple syrup turns it into a real breakfast instead of plain fried rice.

Pioneer Woman Breakfast Fried Rice

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Course: BreakfastCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

620

kcal

Crispy rice, browned sausage and soft scrambled egg get tossed together with tender onions, mushrooms and peppers. A runny fried egg on top turns the whole skillet into a full breakfast.

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp. Bacon Grease Or Butter, For Frying, Divided
  

• 3 whole Large Eggs, Beaten
  

• 1/2 Small Onion, Finely Chopped
  

• 4 oz. weight Button Mushrooms, Sliced
  

• 1 Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
  

• Salt And Pepper, to taste
  

• 1 lb. Breakfast Sausage
  

• 4 c. Cold, Cooked Rice
  

• 1/4 tsp. Dried Sage
  

• Fried Eggs, For Serving
  

Directions

• Scramble the eggs: Melt 2 tablespoons bacon grease in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat, then add the 3 beaten eggs. Scramble until not quite set and move them to a plate, since they'll finish cooking later.
• Cook the vegetables: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons more bacon grease to the empty pan and cook the 1/2 small onion until tender. Then add the 4 ounces sliced mushrooms and the chopped green bell pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender before moving everything to a plate.
• Brown the sausage: Add the 1 pound breakfast sausage to the pan and cook until no longer pink. I like to let it go a little longer so the outside gets crispy, then I move it to a plate.
• Fry the rice: Add the remaining 2 tablespoons bacon grease to the pan and let it get hot. Then add the 4 cups cold cooked rice with the 1/4 teaspoon dried sage, and cook, stirring often, until the rice is hot and begins to brown.
• Combine everything: Return the eggs, vegetables and sausage to the pan and stir to mix. Cook until everything is hot all the way through.
• Serve with fried eggs: Serve right away topped with fried eggs. A little butter, ketchup or a drizzle of maple syrup on the side works well too.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, OXO wooden spoon set, OXO silicone spatula set. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use freshly cooked rice for breakfast fried rice?

Cold rice works much better, because freshly cooked rice holds extra moisture and turns mushy in the pan. If you're in a hurry, spread the warm rice on a sheet pan and chill it in the fridge for about 30 minutes first.

How do I store and reheat leftover breakfast fried rice?

Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge and eat it within 3 days. Reheat it in a skillet over medium heat with a little butter so the rice crisps up again instead of turning soggy in the microwave.

Can I make breakfast fried rice ahead of time?

You can cook the rice a day or two ahead and chill it, which actually helps the texture. Chop the vegetables ahead too, then fry everything fresh so the eggs and sausage taste their best.

What can I use if I don't have a cast iron skillet?

A large nonstick skillet or a wok works fine here. Just use something wide so the rice sits in a thin layer, because crowding the pan makes it steam instead of brown.

What's the most common mistake with fried rice?

Overcooking the scrambled eggs is the big one, since they go back into the hot pan later and turn rubbery. Pull them off the heat while they're still a little wet, and they'll finish softly when you stir everything together.