Is Fried Rice Gluten Free? While plain brown and white rice is naturally gluten-free, fried rice typically contains gluten.
Fried rice is traditionally made with eggs and vegetables, though it can also be fried with different meats. Even though rice is gluten-free, fried rice often includes gluten. This is because it usually contains sauces, such as soy sauce, which are not gluten-free.
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Is Fried Rice Gluten-Free?
While rice in itself is gluten-free, most of the time rice is served with other ingredients or even cooked with them together, so you should know exactly how the rice was made and with what before eating it. As you already guessed, the thing to look out for with rice is cross-contamination.
A popular component of Asian cuisine, fried rice makes a delicious and versatile meal that has been enjoyed worldwide since it was developed during the Sui Dynasty.
Whether you eat it alone or you combine it with a myriad of other ingredients, fried rice is a quick and highly nutritive treat that allows you to put all leftovers to good and tasty use. Since fried rice can be combined with other gluten-containing ingredients, celiac and gluten-sensitive persons should be extremely careful before consuming it, especially in restaurants or as street food.
Is Fried Rice gluten-free, See Options For Gluten-Free Fried Rice
You can try these recipes for delicious fried rice
The primary ingredient for fried rice is cooked rice, which can be boiled or steamed. Once you have the base, all you need is a wok or a frying pan and some cooking oil such as sesame oil or vegetable oil. From that point on, anything can be added: vegetables, eggs, bacon, sausages, any type of meat, mushrooms, fish, shrimp, etc.
Want Extra Flavors?
Looking for extra flavor? From garlic to onion, coriander, parsley, or shallots, you can use any type of aromatics to enhance flavor.
If you prefer, fried rice can also be seasoned with sauces (e.g. oyster sauce, soy sauce, etc.) or other garnishes such as pickled vegetables or fresh vegetables (e.g. cucumber, tomatoes, etc.).
Classic recipes of fried rice contain cooked rice, oil, and salt. All these ingredients are gluten-free. If you add meats, fresh vegetables, or eggs you would still get a gluten-free treat.
However, problems may arise when sauces, spices, other gluten-containing grains, or marinated ingredients are added to the mix. Celiac and gluten-sensitive consumers should pay special attention to the listed ingredients before purchasing ready-made fried rice.
Gluten-Free Rice
Rice is naturally gluten-free. And this is valid for all types of rice: white, brown, black, red, Basmati, Jasmine, sprouted rice, and even glutinous rice.
However, cross-contamination may happen during growing, harvesting, transportation, processing, or cooking. If you are not sensitive to trace gluten, then most plain rice brands are safe.
Fried Rice
Fried rice is simply rice that has been stir-fried in a wok or frying pan. While rice is the main ingredient, other ingredients are often added to make the fried rice more flavorful, such as eggs, meat, seafood, and vegetables. (My personal favorite is Singapore fried rice!). Along with the rice, meat, and veg, soy sauce is often added too. If you don’t want soy sauce in your fried rice you may have a look towards Fried Rice Without Soy Sauce.
Fried Rice
Ingredients In Fried Rice
The ingredients in fried rice can vary depending on which recipe you follow. However, the main ingredients are usually the same. For example, a Salted Fried rice recipe contains the following:
- Sesame oil
- Eggs
- Salt
- Cornstarch
- Thai chili
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Rice
- Peas
- Soy sauce
Nutritional Information Of Fried Rice
If you’re wondering what the nutritional value is of fried rice – look no further. Each cup of fried rice (around 140g) contains the following:
- Calories: 228
- Fat: 3.2g
- Cholesterol: 32mg
- Sodium: 555mg
- Carbs: 43g
- Dietary Fiber: 1.5g
- Sugar: 0.6g
- Protein: 7g
Does Fried Rice Have Gluten?
From looking at the ingredients, you’ll probably think that fried rice is gluten-free. However, that is usually not the case. Soy sauce is used in almost every fried rice recipe; and unfortunately for us, soy sauce is not gluten-free. Soy sauce usually uses wheat as one of its main ingredients. Because of this, fried rice should be avoided when following a gluten-free diet.
If you’re dining out and fried rice is on the menu, there is a strong chance it will contain gluten, or be prepared in an environment where gluten is present. If you’re unsure, it’s always best to check with your server before ordering.
However, fried rice can be made gluten-free. If you’re making fried rice at home, simply swap out any soy sauce for tamari sauce (a naturally gluten-free soy sauce), or opt for specifically gluten-free soy sauce.
Gluten-Free Fried Rice Recipe
You may be looking to make your gluten-free fried rice. If so – look no further! What I love about making fried rice at home is that you can add anything you’re craving that day. You can use whichever meat, seafood, vegetables, or eggs you have available; as long as you’re following the rice and flavorings in the recipe…the rest is up to you!
Ingredients
The ingredients you’ll need for this recipe are:
- 200g rice
- 2 eggs
- 1 chicken breast
- 1 cup of peas (frozen or fresh)
- 3 tablespoons of garlic oil
- 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons of tamari sauce or gluten-free soy sauce
- 1 cup of chopped spring onions
- Chili flakes (to garnish)
Recipe
Now all you need to do is:
Step 1: Cook Your Rice
It’s best to cook your rice the night before and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. However, as long as it’s cold – that’s fine. Mix your GF soy sauce into the rice.
Step 2: Into The Wok
Fry your spring onion for no longer than a minute in your garlic oil, over medium heat. Then add your chicken (ensure it’s thinly sliced). Continually stir for a few minutes until the chicken is cooked. Add 2 beaten eggs and flip over when the egg starts to fry. Once the other side is cooked, break the mixture up and add your cold rice, peas, and sesame oil. Keep continually stirring, you don’t want the rice to burn or stick. Once the rice looks slightly crispy, your dish is complete.
Step 3: Serve
Remove from heat and add a sprinkling of spring onions over the top, as well as a dash of chili flakes. Plate up, and your dish is ready to serve!
FAQs
Fried rice is usually made with eggs and vegetables, though it can also be fried with different meats. Despite the fact that rice is gluten-free, fried rice often includes gluten. This is because it usually contains sauces, such as soy sauce, which are not gluten-free.
To avoid gluten, choose simply prepared dishes, such as steamed vegetables, poultry, meat, seafood, or tofu. Ask questions about how the food is prepared, and make sure that there are no hidden sources of gluten added to the dish. Make sure that the food is prepared on a clean surface, and cooked in a clean pan.
Yes, all rice (in its natural form) is gluten-free. This includes brown rice, white rice, wild rice, and rice flour. Even Asian or sticky rice, also called “glutinous rice,” is gluten-free, despite its name.
Despite its name, soy sauce is not made solely from soy in many cases. Instead, soy sauce is usually made with wheat, soybeans, salt, and water, which means most soy sauces contain gluten. However, some soy sauces are gluten-free, making these varieties an option even if you’re on a gluten-free diet.
Yes, meat is naturally gluten-free.
Plain, fresh cuts of meat, including beef, poultry (chicken, turkey, etc), rabbit, lamb, and fish/seafood meat, are all gluten-free. However, be careful with breaded or floured meats, which typically contain wheat and therefore gluten.
Ketchup doesn’t contain wheat, barley, or rye. As such, it’s a naturally gluten-free product. However, some brands may use wheat-derived vinegar or produce their ketchup in a facility that manufactures other gluten-containing foods, which may contaminate it.
Conclusion
I hope this article has helped to answer the question: does fried rice have gluten? While fried rice in Asian cuisine usually contains gluten, it’s super easy to make your gluten-free fried rice at home. And always be sure to check your local grocery stores, there are sometimes premade options available too.
Fried rice is traditionally made with eggs and vegetables, though it can also be fried with different meats. Even though rice is gluten-free, fried rice often includes gluten. This is because it usually contains sauces, such as soy sauce, which are not gluten-free.
Fried rice is usually made with eggs and vegetables, though it can also be fried with different meats. Despite the fact that rice is gluten-free, fried rice often includes gluten. This is because it usually contains sauces, such as soy sauce, which are not gluten-free.
Also do read the following few articles you might like.
- Gluten-Free Flour Tortillas Recipe – You Might Like
- How to Make Easy Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice
- The Best Soy Sauce Carbs Benefits
- Are Tortilla Chips Gluten Free? What Do You Think?
- Do You Have a Query About Gluten-Free Raisin Bran? Explore it