This vegan and gluten free carrot ginger fried rice is full of flavor and ready in 30 minutes or less! Leftover rice is cooked with carrots, cashews, scallions, and spices for a delicious main dish or side dish. Enjoy this fried rice as-is or add your favorite protein to the mix!
Since I’m gravitating towards ease and simplicity in the kitchen these days, I wanted to share one of my favorite meals with you: fried rice! This version is inspired by the lovely scallions and carrots that are in season in early spring. Ginger root, cashews, chili flakes, and raisins lend flavor along with tamari and rice vinegar. The only thing you have to remember with this recipe is to make your rice ahead of time. I know it seems like a tedious extra step, but day-old rice fries up so much better! I typically make 1-3 days before I need it but you could also use store-bought cooked rice to make it even easier.
Notes on Ingredients and Subs
I used 1 small bunch of carrots, which was about 6-8 small/medium carrots. If you can only find larger ones, I recommend using 3-4. I love the nuttiness and crunch that cashews add but you can also use raw unsalted peanuts instead. A handful of raisins adds a pop of sweetness that pairs really well with the carrots but feel free to leave them out if you don’t care for them!
My Favorite Carrot Storage Method
I’ve been storing my carrots in a glass jar of water and it is truly the best way to keep them crisp and fresh! Simply place them in a tall glass jar and cover them with water. Put the jar in the fridge and make sure to change the water every 2-3 days. Have leftover carrots and not sure what to do with them? I highly recommend this roasted carrot soup or these carrot cake pancakes.
Add More Protein
If you want more protein but don’t want to add any additional cooking time, I recommend adding 1-2 cups of shelled edamame along with the rice. You can also shred half a block of super firm tofu with a grater and add it to the pan along with the carrots and cashews.
Carrot Ginger Fried Rice
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2–3 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegan
Description
This vegan and gluten free carrot ginger fried rice is full of flavor and ready in 30 minutes or less! Leftover rice is cooked with carrots, cashews, scallions, and spices for a delicious main dish or side dish. Enjoy this fried rice as-is or add your favorite protein to the mix!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
- 1 small bunch carrots, diced
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, roughly chopped
- sea salt, to taste
- 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger root, grated or minced
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes. plus more to taste as needed
- 2 cups cooked rice, preferably at least a day old
- 1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons tamari (or soy sauce), plus more as needed
- 1/4 cup raisins
Instructions
Set a large skillet over medium heat. Once the pan heats up, add a tbsp of the coconut oil and allow it to melt. Once the oil melts, add the diced carrots and roughly chopped cashews. Season with a small pinch of sea salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots have softened. This will take about 5-7 minutes.
Add the sliced scallions to the carrot mixture along with the grated ginger, granulated garlic, and chili flakes. Stir everything together and cook an additional 2-3 minutes to let the flavors marry. Pour your veggie mixture into a bowl and set it aside.
Return the skillet to the burner and add the remaining tbsp of coconut oil. Add the cooked rice to the pan along with the rice vinegar, tamari, and raisins. Stir everything together, then let the rice fry without stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the veggie mixture back to the pan and cook an additional 2-3 minutes to heat everything through. Taste your fried rice and add more tamari as needed before serving.
Notes
- Feel free to omit the raisins if you don’t like them.
- Scallions are in season and thus readily available here at the moment but you can substitute a shallot or 1/2 of a small onion in their place.
- If you don’t have fresh ginger root, you can use 1 teaspoon of ground ginger instead.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main
[…] If you love carrots as much as I do and are looking for more ways to enjoy them, try this cucumber carrot salad with crushed peanuts and mint or this carrot ginger fried rice! […]