Vegetable Fried Rice with Scallion and Egg

Since I started in my role as Project Angel Heart’s executive chef this spring, I’ve been trying to incorporate more vegetarian dishes into the weekly menus. This was one of the first vegetarian meals we made for clients, and not even two hours after it was delivered, we received a call from a client who ate it right away and had to tell us how much she enjoyed it. It must be a keeper!

By Brandon Foster, executive chef
Serves 4-6

  • 4 cups white rice, cooked
  • 1 Tbsp canola oil
  • 3/4 Cup onions, diced
  • 3/4 Cup carrots, diced
  • 3/4 Cup red bell peppers, cored and sliced
  • 3/4 Cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tsp garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp ginger, minced
  • 3/4 Cup peas, frozen
  • 1/2 Cup tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
  • 2 Tbsp mirin (rice cooking wine)
  • 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • 4 eggs
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 small bunch scallions, thinly sliced

First, cook 1.5 cups of rice so that you have 4 cups of cooked rice for this recipe. Place the cooked rice in a colander and rinse it under cold water to cool it down. It doesn’t have to be ice cold, just cool enough that it will stop cooking. (Alternatively, you can use leftover rice that’s in your fridge from a previous meal.)

Place a large saute pan or wok-style pan on the stove over medium high. Add the canola oil, then the onions, carrots, peppers, and mushrooms. Saute them for about three minutes, then add the garlic and ginger. Stir well, then add the peas.

Let the veggies cook for two to three more minutes, then add the tamari, mirin, and vinegar. Stir well, then add the rice and lime juice.

Let everything cook for a few minutes, making sure the rice gets nice and hot. Crack the eggs into the pan and stir them around, so they scramble into the rice itself.

Once the eggs are combined, season to taste with salt and pepper if needed. Note that the tamari adds a fair amount of salt to the dish, so be sure to taste it before adding any additional salt.

Serve the fired rice in a bowl and garnish with scallions. Enjoy!

Chef Brandon FosterBrandon Foster began his life in the kitchen at the Best Western in Frisco, Colorado almost 18 years ago. His passion for ingredients and drive to learn technique led him down the mountain to Denver, where he worked in two of Denver’s most fondly remembered restaurants, The Fourth Story and Mel’s. He joined the crew at Vesta in 2005 as a line cook and became executive chef in 2010, focusing on getting back to the roots of cooking through charcuterie and seasonal ingredients. Ultimately, Chef Brandon’s career highlights centered on events like Plates for the Peak, Invest in Kids, and James Beard Foundation dinners where he could play a role in helping people in need- a passion that led him to Project Angel Heart in 2016. Outside of the kitchen, Chef Brandon enjoys spending time skiing, camping, golfing, and eating with his wife Larissa and their three kids.