Vietnamese Fried Rice (Cơm Chiên)

Serving bowl of Vietnamese Fried Rice (Com Chien)

Vietnamese Fried Rice (Cơm Chiên)

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 25

Servings: servings

Calories: 484kcal

Author: Quynh Nguyen

This Vietnamese fried rice (cơm chiên tôm) is packed with juicy shrimp, sweet Chinese sausage, and colorful veggies—all stir-fried with day-old rice and savory seasonings. It’s fast, flavorful, and way better than takeout. Perfect for busy weeknights or cleaning out the fridge!

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Ingredients

4 Chinese sausages (lạp xưởng), sliced diagonally
½ pound shrimp (fresh, frozen, or dried), peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon cooking oil
½ yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound mixed vegetables (fresh or frozen)
1 large egg, beaten
3 cups cooked white rice preferably day-old and cold
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
½ teaspoon ground pepper
½ tablespoon fish sauce
½ tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon butter
chopped green onions (for garnish)

Instructions

Cook the Sausage: In a large wok or skillet over medium heat, cook the sliced Chinese sausage for 1–2 minutes per side until lightly browned. Remove and set aside. Discard excess fat.
Cook the Shrimp: In the same pan, cook the shrimp until pink and opaque (about 2–3 minutes). Remove and set aside. Clean the wok if needed.
Sauté Aromatics & Veggies: Add 1 tbsp oil. Sauté diced onion and garlic until fragrant (1 min). Push to the side and add mixed vegetables. Cook for 2–3 minutes until just tender.
Scramble the Egg: Push veggies aside. Add beaten egg and scramble until cooked through.
Stir Fry Everything: Add cold rice, sausage, shrimp, and seasonings (sesame oil, bouillon powder, pepper, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and butter). Stir-fry everything together until well combined.
Get Crispy: Let the rice sit untouched for 2 minutes to crisp the bottom. Stir and repeat once or twice for that signature texture.
Garnish & Serve: Sprinkle with chopped green onions and serve warm.

Notes

Start with cold, cooked rice. For best results, use day-old rice that has been refrigerated overnight, as this will help the rice to get crispy. Freshly cooked rice will result in soggy and sticky fried rice. If you don't have time to cook rice beforehand, spread freshly cooked rice out on a sheet pan or plate (uncovered) and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or freeze for 10 minutes) until it is thoroughly chilled but not frozen.
Use butter! This is the secret ingredient that takes normal fried rice to the next level.
When adding the ingredients, make sure to add them in order of hardness: Begin with the proteins, then add softer vegetables such as carrots and peas, and finally add the cooked rice.
Let the bottom brown a bit: Once your ingredients have been added, let them cook until they are golden and crispy. Give them a good stir every few minutes to ensure that nothing sticks or burns.
Finally, season the fried rice with soy sauce and other flavorings of your choosing, such as sesame oil or fish sauce.

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