Thai Basil Fried Rice is one of those recipes that has earned a permanent spot in my weeknight rotation and for very good reason. Bold, fragrant and deeply satisfying, this dish comes together in just 10 minutes in a wok and tastes like so much more than the effort it takes. The moment those Thai basil leaves hit the hot pan, the aroma alone will have everyone wandering into the kitchen asking what is cooking.
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Thai Basil Fried Rice has always been my absolute favorite dish to order at Thai restaurants, but it was my mother in law who inspired me to start making it at home. She would visit us and being vegetarian, the fish sauce in the restaurant version was always a problem. So I started experimenting in my own kitchen, swapping fish sauce for hoisin and building all that bold, complex flavor without it. That first homemade batch was so good that it never left my menu. What started as a small tweak for my mother in law has now become one of our most loved family recipes.
My version is completely vegetarian and vegan, built around crispy baked tofu and hoisin sauce in place of oyster sauce, without sacrificing any of that bold complex flavor. That said, this recipe is incredibly versatile, so swap in chicken or shrimp and it works just as beautifully. However you make it, this is the kind of meal that feels like a treat even on the busiest of weeknights.
Ingredient Notes
- Jasmine Rice: Day-old cooked jasmine rice is truly the secret to great fried rice. The grains are drier and firmer, which means they fry up perfectly without clumping. No day old rice on hand? Spread freshly cooked rice on a baking sheet and refrigerate for a couple of hours and it works just as well. Brown rice or basmati rice are great alternatives too.
- Tofu: Extra firm tofu is the way to go here. I love baking it first for that satisfying chewy, golden exterior that holds up beautifully in the wok. Short on time? A quick stir fry works just as well.
- Fresh Produce: Garlic, yellow onion and a combination of red and yellow bell peppers form the colorful, flavor packed base of this dish. Do not skip the garlic, it is absolutely essential to that classic Thai basil fried rice aroma.
- Thai Basil Leaves: This is the star of the dish and there is really no substitute for it. Thai basil has a distinctly sweet, peppery and slightly anise like flavor that sets it apart from regular Italian basil. Look for it at your local Asian grocery store like H-Mart.
- Sauces: The combination of soy sauce, hoisin sauce and chili garlic sauce is what gives this dish its bold, layered flavor. I use hoisin in place of oyster sauce to keep it fully vegan and honestly it works beautifully. Adjust the chili garlic sauce to your heat preference.
How to Make Thai Basil Fried Rice
Serving
Thai Basil Fried rice makes for a hearty meal on its own or pair it with Vegetable Massaman Curry.
If you are not vegan you can scramble eggs or add fried egg on top for extra protein. You can also pair it with Chicken Massaman Curry or Panang Chicken Curry.
Leftovers
This Thai fried rice makes for a great meal prep recipe. Bake, air fry, or stir fry the tofu and prep the vegetables over the weekend to make a quick weeknight meal. Any leftovers can also be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
★ Tried this recipe? I'd love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and let me know, or snap a quick pic and upload it-I love seeing your creations. If you're on Instagram, tag @ministry_of_curry so I can check it out. Your feedback means so much to me and makes all the time I spend perfecting each recipe totally worth it. Thank you!
Recipe
Thai Basil Fried Rice Recipe
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 cups cooked jasmine rice you can also use brown rice
- 14 oz extra firm tofu baked or stir-fried
- 1 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon thai red chili sliced optional
- 1 large yellow onion sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper sliced into 1 inch strips
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper sliced into 1 inch strips
- 1 cup packed Thai basil leaves chop if the leaves are big
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce low sodium
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce or oyster sauce if you are not vegan
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add garlic and red chili and saute for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add onion, peppers, salt and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the veggies are slightly tender. Next, add half of the Thai basil leaves and stir well. Stir in soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and chili garlic sauce.
- Add the baked tofu and mix everything together. Turn the heat to high and fold in the cooked rice until all the veggies are mixed in.
- Allow the rice to cook for 4 to 5 minutes or just until the bottom rice starts to brown and crisp up. Garnish with remaining basil leaves and enjoy hot!
Dee says
Hi Archana,
How do you make chili garlic. Paste?
Thank you in advance!
Archana says
Hi! I buy store bought chili garlic paste from asian grocery stores
ColleenG says
Love your recipes Archana!
Quick question: Is Chili Garlic Sauce (Tuong ot toi Viet Nam) the same as Chili garlic paste, or or can it be substituted? Also, is red curry paste a good substitute for Chili Garlic Sauce?
I am off to the Asian market this afternoon and I wanted to check before shopping!
Archana says
Hi Colleen! Yes I used Tuong ot toi Viet Nam Chili Garlic Sauce. I will make it more clear in the ingredients.
Kavita Surana says
I loved making this dish! I love thai nd oof and this was easy to make. Delicious and my kids loved it as well. I made it with tofu.
Judy says
So good! Taste and smell was just like at our favorite Thai restaurant.
michelle says
Looks delicious. Thanks for the meal plans...great time savers.
Kumud says
Where can we buy thai Basil in US?
Archana says
Asian grocery stores like Hmart
Lina Bedi says
Replaced the tofu with broccoli. Came out sooo good, the family pretty much licked it clean and asked to have this at least once a week.
michelle says
Delicious and.very easy. I followed the recipe except for substituting oyster sauce for the hoisin
Dee says
Hi Archana,
ReAlly want to make this recipe for my family but I don’t have access to H mart near me. What can I sub for it? Thank you
Archana says
What are you looking to sub? Chili Garlic paste? You can add any spicy red hot sauce
Kavya says
I wanted to add some chicken to this dish. How would you go about that?
Archana says
Add small cubed chicken and some salt along with garlic. Saute for 5 to 7 minutes and then add scallions, peppers and follow remaining recipe.
Kavya says
I'd like to add in chicken to this recipe. How would you go about it for 6-8 servings? TIA!
Archana says
See my earlier comment re:chicken. For more servings, simply increase the servings option on the recipe card and all the ingredients will be adjust for you 🙂