If you’re wondering what to serve with your fried rice, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I list 54 of the most popular side dishes for fried rice.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best dishes to serve with fried rice are beef and broccoli, salt and pepper pork, hot and sour soup, General Tso’s chicken, and Sichuan green beans. For fresher options, try pickled cucumbers or bok choy salad. Give fried oyster mushrooms, tempeh satay, or miso eggplant a go for plant-based alternatives.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

Beef and broccoli

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/685180530820520604/

My favorite ‘fake out’ meal is homemade beef and broccoli with homemade fried rice.

There are two keys to perfecting beef and broccoli – the right cut of beef (something tender and lean like flank steak is best for a stir fry) and a top-notch sauce.

Natasha tested her sauce recipe ‘over and over’ to get it just right.

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Beef and broccoli
Make it crispy
Ginger beef
Skip the stovetop
Instant pot Asian beef short ribs

Salt and pepper pork

Not in the mood for beef? Try these Chinese-style pork slices instead.

They’re crispy, aromatic, and oh-so-delicious, with a slightly spicy flavor thanks to the ginger and chilis.

Pro tip: don’t skip the tenderizing step. It’s great fun hammering meat, and it gives the pork a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

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Chinese salt and pepper pork
Stick with the classics
Char siu
Make it different
Asian pork meatballs

Bok choy salad

If you’re fried rice is the loaded kind, then all you need is a side salad.

Aside from the leafy greens, this salad is packed with radishes and carrots which give it a satisfying crunch.

Then everything is tied together with a simple, but incredibly moreish sesame soy dressing.

Psst… use baby bok choy for best results.

Why we love this recipe: it’s brimming with good-for-you vitamins and nutrients.

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Bok choy salad
Keep it simple
Green salad with parmesan dressing
Skip the leafy greens
Cucumber edamame salad

General Tso’s chicken

There are a few different stories about the origins of this Chinese-American dish, but one thing’s for sure – it’s incredibly irresistible!

This dish involves crispy chicken bites coated with a sticky, sweet-but-savory sauce. What’s not to love?

I recommend following Nagi’s advice here and using thighs over breasts. Thigh meat holds its moisture much better.

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General Tso’s chicken
Make a favorite
Spicy orange sesame orange chicken
Make it crunchy
Taiwanese XXL fried chicken

Hot and sour soup

In need of a pick-me-up?

This hot and sour soup’s tangy flavors will lift your spirits.

It’s really easy to make, but gathering the ingredients can be a bit tricky. Think of it as a great chance to get acquainted with your local Asian supermarket!

Pair it with some fried rice for the ultimate comfort meal.

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Hot and sour soup
Keep it simple
Chinese tomato egg drop soup
Make it extra comforting
Wonton soup

Millionaire’s Bacon

Leftover fried rice for breakfast?

Why not – it’s a popular tradition in countries like the Philippines.

And what better breakfast item to pair it with than some crispy bacon (and a paoched egg)?

The Kitchn’s recipe features a jazzed-up version of our beloved bacon – it’s seasoned with a sugary-spice mixture that melds so well with the meats natural smokey flavors.

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Millionaire’s bacon
Make it surf-and-turf
Bacon-wrapped scallops
Make it vegan
Rice paper bacon

Fried oyster mushrooms

Oyster mushrooms are one of my favorite meat substitutes to work with.

The mushrooms have a delightful chewy texture and once the flesh is covered in some flavorful breadcrumbs, even meat eaters will have a hard time telling them apart from chicken.

Prop a couple pieces of these fried oyster mushrooms over some vegan fried rice for a tasty plant-based meal.

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Fried oyster mushrooms
Ditch the deep-fryer
Braised Chinese mushrooms
Make it different
Chinese mushroom dumplings

Chili crisp

This is technically a condiment, not a side, but it can really take your fried rice to the next level.

And it means you can cater for everyone – people who LOVE spice can pile it on, while people who can’t handle heat can skip it.

For best results, this recipe recommends leaving the chili to sit for a day or two so it can develop a more intense flavor.

Why we love this recipe: a batch can last for a month in the fridge.

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Chili crisp
Ditch the heat
Cantonese ginger scallion oil
Keep it simple
Spring onion oil

Asian pickled cucumbers

Want your fried rice to be the star of the show?

Skip the meaty side dishes and serve it with a simple side of pickled cucumber.

The sharp, acidic flavor will cut right through the oily fried rice and keep the meal feeling light.

And there’s only 5 minutes of prep time involved.

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Quick Asian pickles
Make it spicy
Smashed cucumber salad
Pickle something else
Pickled cauliflower

Vegetable egg rolls

The beauty of making your own egg rolls is that you can fill them with whatever you want.

Katheryns recipe goes for an easy and budget-friendly option of cabbage and carrots, but you can add pretty much any vegetables you want.

I like to add in red bell peppers for some sweetness.

And she bakes her egg rolls to keep them healthy.

Psst… check out more pairing ideas for egg rolls here.

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Baked vegetable egg rolls
Stick with the basics
Pork and shrimp egg rolls
Make it fusion
Baked buffalo chicken egg rolls

Miso eggplant

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Try some Japanese fusion with miso eggplant.

It’s fancy and full of umami flavors which are strangely addicting.

I like to add some ginger too. It adds a nice tang and keeps everything from getting too sweet.

Why we love this recipe: it will turn any plate into an Insta-worthy meal.

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Miso eggplant
Skip the oven
Chinese eggplant
Add heat
Gochujang-glazed eggplant

Teriyaki salmon

Salmon is definitely my favorite fish because it’s so versatile.

You can pair it with so many sauces – from cream-based to tomato sauces, but with fried rice you have to go with a teriyaki sauce.

Just imagine that sweet and savory sauce smothered all over your flakey salmon and dripping down into the rice. YUM.

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Teriyaki salmon
Make it different
Crispy salmon with ginger soy sauce
Go big
Vietnamese whole baked snapper

Peanut and lemongrass tempeh satay

If you’ve never tried tempeh, this is your sign to change that!

Tempeh has a nutty flavor, so it works really well with the Thai inspired peanut sauce and the lemongrass keeps things bright.

Pro tip: make extra of the peanut sauce so you can drizzle it over your fried rice as well.

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Peanut and lemongrass tempeh
Change the flavor
Teriyaki tempeh
Make it crunchy
Gochujang tempeh wings

Sesame prawn toast

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Looking for an appetizer to serve before your fried rice main? Try these prawn toasts.

This dim sum dish involves topping slices of white bread with prawn paste, coating them with sesame seeds, then deep-frying them.

Sounds weird, but it’s actually delicious.

Why we love this recipe: you won’t have to worry about leftovers with these treats.

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Sesame prawn toast
Make it Japanese-inspired
Shrimp tempura
Make it Thai-style
Firecracker shrimp

Beef bulgogi

Making kimchi fried rice?

I can’t recommend fork-tender beef bulgogi highly enough to accompany this fiery fried rice dish.

The key to perfecting bulgogi is to slice your beef as thinly as possible so the marinade can penetrate every fiber!

Psst… freezing the meat slightly before slicing it makes it much easier to get thin slices. And if you need more ideas for bulgogi pairings, I have lots!

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Korean beef bulgogi
Make it different
Korean-braised short ribs
Make it spicy
Gochujang ribs

Honey orange firecracker shrimp

Jazz up your fried rice with this firecracker shrimp.

The honey-orange sauce is the star of the show here. And unlike most Asian sauces, you only need a few pantry-staple ingredients to make it.

To make sure the sauce really coats the shrimp, they’re dunked in a mixture of cornstarch and egg before cooking.

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Honey orange firecracker shrimp
Make a copycat
Honey walnut shrimp
Add veg
Garlic shrimp stir-fry

Chinese Sichuan green beans

This recipe is unlike any green bean dish you’ve ever tried.

It involves dry-frying, which gives the beans a wrinkly, ‘deep-fried’ texture without using tons of oil.

Then a combination of chili garlic paste and chili flakes gives the dish a fiery kick that will wake up your tastebuds!

Why we love this recipe: these green beans are highly addictive.

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Spicy Chinese Sichuan green beans
Skip the chili
Sesame ginger glazed green beans
Preheat the oven
Sweet and spicy green beans

Stir-fry veggie medley

This is my go-to side dish when I’m in a rush.

Simply take a look in your fridge and see what veggies you have, chop everything up and you’re all set.

You can add a little bit of heat by mixing in some red pepper flakes or keep it mild with garlic.

Why we love this recipe: it’s great for clearing out your fridge.

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Easy go-to stir-fry vegetables
Add more flavor
Five spice stir-fry
Add some protein
Tofu veggie stir-fry

The best side dishes to serve with fried rice

Beef and broccoli
Salt and pepper pork
Bok choy salad
General Tso’s chicken
Hot and sour soup
Millionaire’s Bacon
Fried oyster mushrooms
Chili crisp
Asian pickled cucumbers
Vegetable egg rolls
Miso eggplant
Teriyaki salmon
Peanut and lemongrass tempeh satay
Sesame prawn toast
Beef bulgogi
Honey orange firecracker shrimp
Chinese Sichuan green beans
Stir-fry veggie medley