Hibachi restaurant-style fried rice is a classic side dish that is incredibly easy to make at home. This Benihana copycat recipe comes together in under 20 minutes and is completely customizable with endless add-in options!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Great use of leftover rice: If you have leftover jasmine rice from takeout or dinner the night before, this fried rice is a fantastic way to use it. Fried rice is always best with day-old rice!
Just like the restaurant: This fried rice recipe tastes just like Benihana, complete with the classic Benihana garlic butter. A regular wok replicates the smokey flavor of a teppanyaki flat top too!
Endless combinations: Like most fried rice recipes, this hibachi-style fried rice is completely customizable. Whether you keep it vegetarian or add your favorite proteins, this recipe is a blank canvas!
Ingredient Notes
- Cooked jasmine rice: Fried rice always comes out best when made with day-old rice. I recommend using jasmine rice for fried rice, as it has a slightly shorter grain and thicker texture.
- Benihana garlic butter: This secret ingredient is made with butter, soy sauce, garlic, and a hint of lemon. The base of almost all your Benihana favorites is this savory, umami-packed butter.
- Green onions: You will use both the white and green parts of the green onion. When chopping the green onions, you will need to separate the greens and whites.
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
Substitutions
- Jasmine rice: Substitute with cooked parboiled rice, basmati rice, or your preferred type of rice.
- Yellow onion: You can use all green onion instead of yellow onion.
- Green onion: Use all yellow onion instead of green onion.
- Soy sauce: If you do not eat soy products, you can substitute with liquid or coconut aminos.
Variations
- Chicken fried rice: Add finely diced chicken breast to the wok for some extra protein.
- Different vegetables: Try this base recipe with any of your favorite vegetables, including mushrooms, zucchini, or broccoli.
- Spicy: Stir fry the rice with sriracha, sambal, or chili garlic sauce for some added spice.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep Work Before Cooking
Collecting all ingredients: This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
Prep the vegetables: Finely dice the carrots and onions into similar-sized pieces. Chop the green onions and separate the greens and whites.
Prepare garlic butter: Make a batch of homemade Benihana garlic butter.
Stir fry Eggs and Vegetables
Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of neutral oil to the wok.
Add the eggs to the hot wok, and let them set slightly. Once the whites are set, start to scramble them. Remove the scrambled eggs from the wok.
Add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil to the wok, and add the carrots, onion, and whites of the green onions. Stir fry the vegetables until they are slightly translucent.
Heat the Rice
Add the cooked, cold rice to the wok. Toss lightly to mix the rice with the cooked vegetables, and let the rice "fry" for 1-2 minutes.
Finish the Fried Rice
Top the rice with the soy-garlic butter, and season with soy sauce. Toss the rice with the garlic butter, and let the rice fry for another 1-2 minutes.
Add the scrambled eggs back to the rice, and serve.
Expert Tips
Using fresh rice: If you do not have day-old rice on hand, you can use fresh. Cook the fresh rice, and once it comes to room temperature, put it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes to dry it out.
Use small cuts: The key to making Benihana-style fried rice is to cook quickly with high heat. You will need to cut your vegetables into small pieces so that they cook through in a short period of time.
High heat is key: Do not be afraid of using high heat with your wok. High heat is the key to getting restaurant-style fried rice with the right amount of texture and smokiness.
Alternatives to a wok: If you do not have a wok at home, use a large cast iron skillet with a good amount of surface area. You can also use a flat-top griddle if you have one.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Prep the vegetables 1-2 days in advance. Store the carrots and onions separately in airtight containers, in the fridge.
- Rice can be cooked 1-2 days in advance as well. Store cooked rice in the fridge.
- Store leftover fried rice in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in a skillet. If the rice has dried out, add a splash of water while heating it to add some extra moisture.
Serving Suggestions
- Proteins: Serve this hibachi fried rice with other classics, like Benihana hibachi steak, pineapple chicken teriyaki, hakka-style schezwan chicken, or Panda Express chicken teriyaki, Panda Express black pepper chicken. This rice also pairs perfectly with PF Chang's spicy chicken.
- Vegetables: To round out your meal, pair this fried rice with hibachi-style vegetables, crispy soy-garlic broccoli, Chinese garlic green beans, or Red Lobster copycat brussels sprouts.
- Sauces: For a classic Benihana-style meal, pair this fried rice with homemade Benihana Magic Mustard sauce, or for some spice, chili garlic sauce.
More Copycat Recipes
Hibachi Restaurant-Style Fried Rice (Benihana Copycat)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups Jasmine rice - cooked, day-old & cold
- 2 large Eggs
- ⅓ cup Carrots - finely diced
- 1 Yellow onion - finely diced
- 2 stalks Green onion - finely chopped, whites & green separated
- 2 tablespoon Soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon Benihana garlic butter
Instructions
- Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of neutral oil to the wok.
- Add the eggs to the hot wok, and let them set slightly. Once the whites are set, start to scramble them. Remove the scrambled eggs from the wok.2 large Eggs
- Add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil to the wok, and add the carrots, onion, and whites of the green onions. Stir fry the vegetables until they are slightly translucent.⅓ cup Carrots, 1 Yellow onion, 2 stalks Green onion
- Add the cold rice to the wok. Toss lightly to mix the rice with the cooked vegetables, and let the rice fry for 1-2 minutes.4 cups Jasmine rice
- Top the rice with the soy-garlic butter, and season with soy sauce. Toss the rice with the garlic butter, and let the rice fry for another 1-2 minutes.2 tablespoon Soy sauce, 2 tablespoon Benihana garlic butter
- Add the scrambled eggs back to the rice, and serve.
Brenda Smith says
This is a keeper! The rice and the secret Benihana sauce are so good, we have been using the sauce on everything with great success. Making it again tonight.
Sunena says
Hi Brenda,
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review - I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
Seven says
Good recipe. I added a few more vegetables.
Sunena says
So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Tami says
This is amazing!! It’s even better than Benihana because it doesnt leave the icky taste in your mouth that Benihana does!! There are only 3 of us and we barely have any leftover.