gluten free pork fried rice (one pan, 30 minutes)
faster and cheaper than takeout and SO much easier than you think!
Growing up my family had a Chinese food restaurant we ordered from so often that they did not know us by name…they knew us by our phone number! My sister and I used to think that was the funniest thing ever. We LOVED that place. And fried rice was always on the table. The problem now is that I genuinely cannot order fried rice at most restaurants because they cannot swap regular soy sauce for a gluten free version. It is just not something most places can accommodate. So it is honestly easier to make it at home and at this point I think my version is better anyway!
Fletcher was already in bed, Andrew was working late, and I put on my audio book and made this whole dish in about 30 minutes and it felt like the most relaxing evening. This one pan gluten free pork fried rice costs about $3.95 per serving and tastes like your favorite takeout order without any of the gluten risk. It is gluten free because I used Kikkoman gluten free soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce. That is the one swap that makes this recipe completely celiac safe and honestly it tastes exactly the same. Takeout who?
Make It Even Easier | Busy Mom Shortcuts
Use frozen rice or a microwavable rice pouch instead of cooking rice from scratch. This is the single biggest time saver in the whole recipe. Leftover rice from earlier in the week works perfectly too. The point is you want rice that is already cooked and slightly dried out going into the pan — fresh rice is too moist and will stick and get mushy.
Grab a bag of frozen peas and carrots instead of chopping fresh vegetables. This is one of the things that keeps this recipe SO affordable at under $4 per serving. Straight from the freezer into the pan, no chopping, no prep. A bag of frozen stir fry vegetables works great here too if you want more variety!
Make the garlic scallion paste yourself in about 60 seconds. Combine 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tbsp garlic paste, and 4 tbsp minced scallions and you are done. So easy and SO much fresher than a store bought version. If you do buy a pre-made garlic scallion paste just make sure it is labeled gluten free before it goes in the pan!
Cook Smarter, Not Harder
Never use freshly cooked rice for fried rice. This is the number one thing that trips up first-timers. Fresh rice is too moist and it will stick to the pan, clump together, and turn mushy instead of giving you that slightly crispy separated texture you want. Always use frozen, microwavable, or leftover rice that has had time to dry out a little!
Cook the pork until fully browned with no pink and then leave it a little longer to get those crispy sticky edges. Once the soy sauce goes in and coats everything, the edges of the pork get this amazing sticky caramelized crust that is SO good. Do not rush it out of the pan!
Push the rice all the way to one side of the pan before adding the eggs. You want a completely clear space for the eggs to scramble so they cook properly before getting folded into the rice. If you mix them in too early with wet rice you lose that fluffy egg texture that makes fried rice so good.
Use a stainless steel pan for the best results. I have been SO obsessed with mine lately. It gives you that high heat sear on the pork and the rice that you just cannot get the same way with a nonstick pan. Plus it is SO easy to clean! [affiliate link here]
Make It Your Own
Kikkoman gluten free soy sauce is your most important label check in this recipe. Regular soy sauce contains wheat and is NOT celiac safe. I always use Kikkoman gluten free soy sauce but tamari, coconut aminos, and liquid aminos are all great swaps and are all naturally gluten free. Use whatever you have in the house!
Check your garlic scallion paste label if you are buying it pre-made. Gluten can sneak into flavored pastes and sauces. Making your own at home takes 60 seconds and guarantees it is completely celiac safe!
Any ground meat works great here instead of pork tenderloin. Ground chicken, ground turkey, and ground beef all work beautifully and the cook time is the same — just brown it fully. Use whatever you already have stocked so you are not making an extra grocery run!
Want a different flavor profile? Swap the soy sauce for a gluten free Korean or Japanese BBQ sauce. Wegmans has a great one and Bachman’s is another good option. Just confirm it is labeled gluten free before using!
Fun mix-ins and toppings: drizzle with spicy mayo or a peanut sauce, fold in cashews for a cashew fried rice version, or top with crushed peanuts for extra crunch. A bag of frozen stir fry vegetables also works perfectly instead of peas and carrots if you want more variety!
For vegan just leave out the egg and the meat and load up on extra vegetables!
gluten free pork fried rice
gluten free | dairy free | nut free option
serves 4 | prep 5 min | cook 25 min | one pan
Ingredients
1 pork tenderloin, cut into 1 inch pieces (or 1 lb ground chicken, turkey, or beef)
1 garlic scallion paste OR 2 cloves garlic + 1 tbsp garlic paste + 4 tbsp minced scallions combined
1/4 cup Kikkoman gluten free soy sauce (or tamari, coconut aminos, or liquid aminos)
1 bag frozen peas and carrots (or frozen stir fry vegetables)
1 package microwavable or frozen rice, or 2 cups leftover rice
2 to 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 eggs
Directions
Heat a large stainless steel skillet over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the diced pork tenderloin and cook, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked through with no pink remaining. For crispy sticky edges, leave it in a little longer (the caramelization is SO worth it)!
Stir in the garlic scallion paste and let it cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Remove the pork and set aside on a plate.
Add 1 bag of frozen peas and carrots to the same pan and let them heat through and soften for about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the cooked rice to the skillet along with another drizzle of olive oil. Stir everything together so the rice absorbs all the flavor and starts to get a little crispy on the edges.
Push the rice mixture all the way to one side of the pan. Crack 2 eggs into the empty space and scramble until fully cooked. Fold the cooked egg into the rice mixture.
Pour in 1/4 cup of Kikkoman gluten free soy sauce and toss everything together until well coated. Add the pork back into the pan and stir to combine. Serve immediately!
For Your Little Ones
Fletcher loves fried rice! I serve him his own little portion without the pork since ground meat is easier for him to handle right now. I just scoop out a serving of the rice, peas, carrots, and egg before adding the pork back in and let it cool completely before serving it to him. If you are serving this to a toddler skip the pork or use ground meat cut into very small pieces depending on what stage they are at, make sure the soy sauce is mixed in well so it is not too salty on its own, and let it cool before serving!
Make It, Save It, Reheat It
In the fridge, store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This is a fantastic meal prep recipe. Double the batch on Sunday and you have lunches ready for most of the week!
To freeze, store in a freezer safe airtight container for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
To reheat, warm it up in a pan on the stovetop with a tiny drizzle of olive oil to bring back that fried rice texture. The microwave works great too for individual portions on a busy weekday!
More Easy Gluten Free Dinners You’ll Love
If you loved this one here are a few more easy gluten free one pan dinners for busy weeknights!
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