Crab Fried Rice

4.50 from 6 votes

Crab fried rice is a flavorful dish filled with tender crab meat, fluffy eggs, and perfectly cooked rice. This easy Thai crab fried rice recipe is quick to make and just like it came from your favorite Thai spot!

Prep Time25

Cook Time5

Total Time30

Course: Crab, Rice

Cuisine: Thai Recipes

Keyword: Thai Crab Fried Rice

Servings: people

Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

2 cups tightly packed overnight rice
2 1/2 tablespoons oil
2 garlic finely minced
1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 eggs lightly beaten
4 - 6 oz (125g-175g) freshly picked crab meat preferred or frozen crab meat
3 dashes white pepper
3 scallions cut into small rounds
Cilantro leaves for garnishing
Lime wedges
Cucumber slices
Tomato wedges

Nam Pla Prik:

3 bird's eye chilies Thai chilies, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon fish sauce

Instructions

Break up the overnight rice with your hands or a spoon to get rid of any clumps. Prepare the Nam Pla Prik by combining the cut chilies and fish sauce in a small saucer. Set aside.
Heat a wok over high heat. Once the wok is fully heated, add 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and stir-fry until light brown and aromatic. Add the rice to the wok and use a spatula to toss and stir it. Add the light soy sauce and fish sauce, and continue to stir until well combined with the rice.
Use your spatula to push all the rice to one side of the wok. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil to the wok and pour in the beaten eggs. Let the eggs cook and set for a moment. Then, use the spatula to fold the rice over the eggs. Wait for about 1 minute, and then continue to stir, breaking the eggs into smaller pieces to ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the rice.
Stir in the crab meat and continue to stir-fry. The crab meat may make the fried rice slightly wet. Keep stir-frying until the rice is slightly toasted and fluffy. Add the white pepper powder and scallions, and stir a few times. Then, dish out the fried rice and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve with lime wedges, cucumber slices, tomato wedges, and sliced chilies in fish sauce.

Notes

I picked the crab meat from a 1.5-lb Dungeness crab, which yields 6 oz crab meat.

For the best fried rice texture, make sure to use overnight rice—cook it the night before and store it in the fridge. This helps reduce moisture, making your fried rice nice and fluffy instead of soggy.
When it comes to soy sauce, opt for a light soy sauce (lighter in color). I recommend Healthy Boy Thai light soy sauce for the perfect flavor. Avoid using dark soy sauces like Japanese or Chinese varieties, as they won’t give the best result. If you can’t find the Healthy Boy brand, Taiwanese Kimlan light soy sauce is a great alternative!
I swear by fish sauce for that authentic Thai flavor. Just a splash adds so much depth to the fried rice.
I always push the rice to one side of the wok and scramble the eggs on the other side. This way, the eggs stay fluffy and get evenly mixed in with the rice.
I let the rice get a bit toasted in the wok. That little bit of char adds a smoky flavor that takes the fried rice to the next level.

Nutrition