Name: Flavorful Japanese Garlic Fried Rice with Umeboshi
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 Umeboshi; 10 Shiso Leaves; 1 clove Garlic; 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil; 2 servings Cooked Rice; 2 tsp Soy Sauce; Salt and pepper to taste

5 from 1 vote

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Servings

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Looking for a quick and tasty fried rice recipe? Try this savory Garlic Fried Rice, ready in under 15 minutes!

Looking for simple rice dishes? Try my Vegetarian Chahan or Natto Chahan!

Flavorful Japanese Garlic Fried Rice with Umeboshi served on a plate.

I’ll walk you through the ingredients and step-by-step instructions. I hope you enjoy it!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This garlic fried rice is easy to make, perfect for busy weeknights or relaxed weekends.
The blend of aromatic garlic with refreshing umeboshi and shiso creates an irresistible flavor!
It’s great for family dinners, as both kids and adults will love this delicious fried rice!

Chahan

Chahan is a Japanese fried rice dish with cooked rice, eggs, vegetables, and various proteins, such as seafood, fish, or meat, seasoned with simple ingredients. Known for its savory taste and ease of preparation, it’s a favorite for a quick meal.

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Japanese Garlic Fried Rice Recipe:

Ingredients for Japanese garlic fried rice.

Cooked rice: Short-grain rice is commonly used in Japanese cooking. If you’re new to cooking it, check out this guide: How to cook Japanese rice on the stove.
Umeboshi, a pickled plum, adds a refreshing, sour, and salty flavor to the dish.
Shiso is a Japanese herb that adds a refreshing note to the dish. You can substitute it with chopped scallions or your favorite herbs.
Use vegetable oil for stir-frying the rice. If you prefer a flavored oil, sesame oil adds a wonderful aroma to the fried rice.
Season with soy sauce, salt, and pepper.

How To Make Japanese Garlic Fried Rice: STEP BY STEP

Here are some quick visual instructions! For the video and all the detailed ingredients and instructions, go to the printable recipe card below.

Step 1

Grate the garlic, mash the umeboshi into a paste, and chop the shiso leaves.

Step 2

Stir-fry the rice with the grated garlic.

Step 3

Add the umeboshi paste and shiso leaves

Step 4

Drizzle in soy sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on your plate and enjoy this savory rice dish! The garlic and tangy pickled plums give it fantastic flavor!

Recipe Tips

Leftover rice or frozen rice works best for stir-fried rice. Just warm it up a bit before stir-frying.
Umeboshi has a strong, salty, and tangy flavor. If it’s your first time trying it, start with a small amount and adjust to your taste.

What To Serve With

To complement this garlic fried rice, I recommend serving it with pickled cucumber, wakame miso soup, and vegetable gyoza!

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I hope you enjoy this Japanese Garlic Fried Rice! If you try it, don’t forget to leave a rating to share your thoughts—I love hearing from you!

Flavorful Japanese Garlic Fried Rice with Umeboshi

5 from 1 vote

Prep: 5

Cook: 10

Total: 15

Servings:

Author: Juri Austin

Looking for a quick and tasty fried rice recipe? Try this savory Garlic Fried Rice, ready in under 15 minutes!

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Equipment

Frying pan 26cm, (10 inch)

Ingredients

Instructions

Preparation: Remove the seeds from the umeboshi and mash them into a paste using a knife. Finely chop the shiso leaves and grate the garlic.
Stir-fry Rice: Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the grated garlic and then the rice, stirring until the rice is evenly coated with oil.
Combine Shiso and Umeboshi: Add the chopped shiso leaves and umeboshi paste to the pan and continue stir-frying until everything is well combined.
Season the Rice: Drizzle in the soy sauce, stir well, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Leftover rice or frozen rice works best for stir-fried rice. Just warm it up a bit before stir-frying.
Umeboshi has a strong, salty, and tangy flavor. If it’s your first time trying it, start with a small amount and adjust to your taste.
Shiso is a Japanese herb that adds a refreshing note to the dish. You can substitute it with chopped scallions or your favorite herbs.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 261kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 4g

This nutritional information is estimated and provided for general reference only.

Course: Rice

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: japanese garlic fried rice

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Juri Austin

Hi! I’m Juri, founder of Chef JA Cooks and the creator and photographer of this site. I’m here to guide you in authentic yet easy-to-follow Japanese recipes! Let’s explore the world of Japanese cuisine together!

Learn More About Juri

One Comment

Juri Austin says:

Feb 6, 2025 at 11:44 AM

Thank you for visiting the comment section. Here, you can leave me feedback with a star rating. Readers like yourself may find comments helpful when making one of my recipes. I hope you love this one as much as I do!

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