This Chinese Sausage Fried Rice is super delicious and very easy to make. It takes just 20 minutes to make, so it’s a great option for busy evenings!
I like to make Chinese sausage fried rice (“lap cheong fried rice”) for dinner or as a side dish to serve with other Asian dishes at home. It’s so incredibly good and comforting!
We love making fried rice because it’s quick, easy, and packed with so much flavor in every bite. Read on to find kitchen-tested tips and tricks to make the best fried rice ever at home!
I grew up eating fried rice all the time, and this particular Chinese sausage fried rice has a special place in my heart.
Chinese sweet sausage is a staple in Cantonese cuisine. My family is originally from southern China, and so this is something that we always had at home. It’s got a savory, sweet and smoky flavor profile, all in one.
This dish comes together in less than 20 minutes, so it’s a great weeknight dinner idea. You can serve it along with other dishes, such as this Chinese Corn and Chicken Soup or Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps.
Chinese sausage fried rice is my favorite dish to make with this ingredient. I’d highly recommend using a carbon steel wok to make this recipe!
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How to Make Great Fried Rice
If there are 5 rules I abide to when making fried rice, it’s these:
- Don’t soak it with sauce! Fried rice is NOT supposed to be soaked in sauce. Use enough sauce to give the rice a gentle golden brown color.
- Use leftover, day-old rice: Day-old rice is drier, which holds up better and absorbs the sauce without getting too wet – the rice grains should be separated.
- Use HIGH heat: Ensures proper flavor development.
- Have all the ingredients prepped: It all happens really fast.
- Don’t overcrowd: The last thing you want is to “steam” the fried rice by overcrowding the wok or skillet. Make it in batches if needed, or use a large carbon steel wok or skillet.
What is Chinese Sausage (Lap Cheong)?
Chinese sausage, pronounced “lap cheong” in Cantonese Chinese, is a cured or preserved pork sausage. It’s got a savory, sweet and smoky flavor profile, all in one. It also has great texture so it’s perfect for fried rice, stir fries, and more.
There are several types of delicious Asian cured sausage, but my favorite is the Cantonese-style sweet sausage. It has a red-ish color and it comes in refrigerated packages. This Chinese sausage fried rice recipe works really well with sweet sausage.
Every Asian grocery store will most certainly have it.
Why You Need to Use Leftover Rice
Always use day-old rice to make fried rice. It’s a rule I try not to break. You can either use leftover rice or make extra rice the day before. Remember to refrigerate the rice.
Day-old rice is best because it’s drier and firmer. So, when cooked over high heat, the grains separate beautifully. It also does a great job absorbing the sauce without getting too wet.
The type of rice matters here too. Use long-grain rice. My favorite is Jasmine rice because it is fragrant and absorbs water very well.
Have you ever tried making fried rice with freshly steamed rice? It will most likely turn out too mushy and sticky.
What if I don’t have day-old rice?
Fair question.
Life happens…you forget to make extra rice the day before, or someone ate all the rice without telling you. Sudden fried rice cravings should be taken seriously (only half-joking here…).
Here’s what I do when that happens:
- Steam the rice with less water. In normal circumstances, for every 1 cup of rice, I use 1 ⅓ cups water. However, in this case, use 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons of water for every 1 cup of rice.
- Then, scoop the rice onto a sheet pan onto a thin single layer.
- Refrigerate the rice for 2-3 hours, uncovered.
- After that, the rice should have dried up enough to make a great fried rice!
Ingredient Notes
For the fried rice:
- Chinese sweet sausage: Remove the casings. You can find it at most Asian grocery stores.
- Beaten eggs: No need to add any seasonings.
- Scallions: whites and greens separated. The whites are used along with the garlic for the aromatics. The greens are added at the end, and as garnish.
- Garlic: For the aromatics, finely minced.
- Oil: For the wok or skillet. Use vegetable, canola, or peanut oil. Don’t use olive oil.
- Day-old cooked jasmine rice: Cook the rice the day before and refrigerate. This will make the rice drier, which helps with texture.
- Green peas: Use frozen (thawed). Don’t use canned.
- Salt to taste: The sauce may not be enough to season the rice completely, so season some more at the end.
For the sauce:
- Soy sauce: For savory flavors. Use light or regular soy sauce.
- Oyster sauce: For flavor.
- Sesame oil: Adds a fragrant taste. Don’t use too much, it can be overpowering.
- Water: To loosen up the sauce a bit, makes it easier for the rice to absorb.
- A dash of ground white pepper: for flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Make the sauce
Simply whisk all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Note: You’ll notice that there won’t be a lot of sauce. That’s intentional. Good fried rice shouldn’t be drenched in sauce.
2. Cook the eggs
Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the beaten eggs, break them apart into smaller pieces as they cook. Transfer to a plate and set aside. You’ll add it back later.
Tip: You can use a large work (preferably made of carbon steel) or a large 12-inch nonstick skillet.
3. Cook the sausage and aromatics
- Add about 1 tablespoon of oil to the wok over high heat. Then add the diced Chinese sausage and cook for a few seconds.
- Push the sausage to the sides and add a little bit more oil in the center. Add in the minced ginger and scallions (white parts only). Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant, stirring.
Tip: The ingredients will cook very fast, so keep an eye on it, and stir fry constantly to prevent burning.
4. Add the rice and peas
- Add the cold day-old rice to the wok, breaking it apart and tossing it with the spatula so that it gets warm and heated through. The grains should separate, no clumps of rice should remain. If needed, add a bit more oil to break the grains loose.
- Add the thawed peas and toss a few more times until warm.
Tip: Try not to “stir” the rice, but instead toss the ingredients with a spatula, or better yet…do the wok toss!
5. Add sauce
Add the prepared sauce to the warmed up rice and toss to combine. If using a wok, add the sauce around the sides so it flows down to the rice. If using a skillet, just drizzle it on top.
Tip: Stir in the sauce gradually to your liking. Again, fried rice is NOT supposed to be soaked in sauce. Use enough sauce to give the rice a gentle golden brown color.
5. Return the eggs and add scallions
Return the cooked eggs to the wok and toss a few times to warm it up again. Season with salt to taste – the sauce may not be salty enough. Add the sliced scallions (green parts) and toss a few more times.
I like to garnish with more scallions.
Prep Ahead Tips
Here are a few tips to prepare the ingredients in advance. Obviously, the rice needs to be cooked and refrigerated in advance.
- Definitely, cook the rice the day before, or up to 2 days early. Once the rice has cooled down, refrigerate in a container overnight. It’s hard to make fried rice with freshly steamed rice.
- The sauce can be made the day before and refrigerated.
If you forget to make the rice in advance, there are ways to still make great fried rice! Check out the “What if I don’t have day-old rice?” section above, or the recipe card notes.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
You can serve this Chinese sausage fried rice with other stir fries or Asian main dishes. Try my Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups or my Chinese Chicken Corn Soup.
I also like to serve it with sautéd Asian vegetables, such as baby bok choy or Chinese broccoli (gai lan).
Recipe FAQs
For every 1 cup of rice use 1 ⅓ cups of water. I’d recommend jasmine rice.
No. It will be too wet and mushy.
Cook rice with less water. Try 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons water per every cup of rice. Then, scoop the cooked rice onto a sheet pan on a thin single layer. Refrigerate the rice for 2-3 hours, uncovered. This should be good for fried rice.
Yes, make sure you refrigerate overnight. Keeping it cold will make it easier to break the clumps of rice apart.
Enough to give the rice a gentle golden brown color. The sauce amount in this recipe should be enough to achieve this, but you can adjust to taste by adding it gradually.
That’s it! This Chinese sausage fried rice recipe is super simple and easy to make. It’s my go-to fried rice recipe whenever I am feeling homesick. Basically, my comfort food.
I hope you like this dish as much as we do! Happy cooking!
Tips for Success
- Go easy on the sauce sauce. Fried rice is not supposed to be soaked in sauce. Use enough sauce to give the rice a gentle golden brown color.
- Use day-old long-grain rice: It holds up better and does a better job absorbing the sauce without getting too wet.
- To make rice, use the proper rice to water ratio. The steamed rice can’t be too wet or sticky, even if you refrigerate it overnight. For every 1 cup of rice use 1 ⅓ cups of water. I’d recommend jasmine rice.
- Have all the ingredients ready before you start – everything cooks very fast
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Chinese Sausage Fried Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups diced Chinese sweet sausage - casings removed
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 3 scallions, chopped - whites and greens separated
- 2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
- Vegetable oil for skillet
- 4 cups day-old cooked jasmine rice - (see note)
- ⅓ cup frozen green peas, thawed
- Salt to taste
Sauce
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce - (light or regular)
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
- 4 teaspoons water
- A dash of ground white pepper
Instructions
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, water, and a dash of white pepper until well combined. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beaten eggs, and cook breaking them up into smaller pieces with your spatula. Transfer cooked eggs to a plate. Set aside.
- Increase to high heat. Heat about 1 more tablespoon in the wok or skillet, and stir-fry the diced sausage for a few seconds until slightly golden brown. Tip: This is quick, don’t let them burn.
- Next, add the minced garlic and sliced scallions (white parts only), and stir-fry for another 15 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the rice and cook until it is warmed up, breaking up any clumps with a spatula. Give the rice a few tosses with the spatula. Add peas and continue stir-frying until warmed up. Tip: The rice grains should be separated at this point. No clumps should remain. If needed, drizzle some more oil.
- Give the prepared sauce another quick whisk, and gradually add it to the fried rice. Toss to combine until the rice is evenly coated with the sauce. Season with salt to taste. Tip: If using a wok, add the sauce around the sides of the wok so that it drizzles down. If using a skillet, you can just drizzle over the rice.
- Return eggs and add the scallions (green parts only), and combine. Garnish with more sliced scallions if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- My biggest advice is to not drench the rice with sauce. Use enough sauce to give the rice a gentle golden brown color.
- How to make rice for fried rice: To make 4-5 cups of cooked rice for this recipe, use 2 cups of uncooked rice (you may have some extra). Use this ratio: for every 1 cup of jasmine rice, use 1 ⅓ cups of water. Let cool down completely and refrigerate overnight.
- If you forget to make rice in advance: Cook rice with less water. Try 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons water per every cup of rice. Then, scoop the cooked rice onto a sheet pan on a thin single layer. Refrigerate the rice for 2-3 hours, uncovered. This should be good for fried rice.
- Rice: Any long-grain rice. I use jasmine rice because it’s fragrant.
- Green peas: Frozen vegetable mix (diced carrots, peas).
- Eggs: Egg whites.
- A large wok, preferably made of carbon steel (only if you have a large gas burner)
- or a large 12 or 14 inch skillet, especially if you have an electric stovetop
- A medium or large spatula for tossing the ingredients
Julie says
This was absolutely delicious. I’ve never made Chinese rice before but I’ve had one in the past I’ve loved. This was it! I felt very proud of how it turned out. Better than a restaurant! Thank you!
Tania says
Thank you so much for your kind words, Julie!
Don says
I use brown rice as I think it makes for a stronger finished dish. I also add fish sauce, hoisin, tamara and mirin all in small tsp qauntities. Finally I skip the peas and mix in freshly chopped pineapple.
Enjoy
Aidan Eroom says
I’ve been looking for this kind of recipe and this is the best chinese style fried rice I’ve ever tasted. I don’t have to order this anymore for take out, because I can now cook this at home. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Tania says
Thank you, Aidan. That is so wonderful to hear! I also like to make my fried rice at home so I can adjust the level of soy sauce and saltiness.
Mary says
I made this today and it was delicious! I made it for my mother who has dementia and she is slowly losing her appetite. She really liked it and ate quite a bit! Yay!
We are Japanese and we had never had Lap Cheong before. I look forward to trying your other recipes – they look great and will hopefully coax my mom into eating a bit more. Happy Holidays!
Tania says
Thank you so much, Mary! Happy holidays to you and your family as well!
Melanie says
So good with with a side of kimchi!
Jill says
I made this today and it was so delicious that it was all eaten in one sitting – there was meant to be for tomorrow as well 🙂
Thank you.
Tania says
Thank you, Jill!
Cristina says
As a chinese descendant, I have to say this recipe is really good. I made it for my family and they all liked it!
Tania says
So glad to hear!