If you love cracking the code on a secret restaurant recipe, this article is for you! Keep reading for the best Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe (Benihana Copycat).
I'm including all my tips and tricks to create a really delicious pan of fried rice. So whether you have a flat top grill or just good skillet, you're just a few minutes away from a fabulous hibachi experience at your own kitchen table.
What you need to make this recipe:
Before we get to the step by step directions, a few notes about the ingredients.
Rice: cold rice is easiest to turn into a perfect bowl of fried rice. You'll find medium grain white rice like Calrose on the grill in most hibachi restaurants. I prefer a long grain rice variety like Jasmine rice for this recipe. The grains are fluffy and less sticky and easier to manage for a home chef on a their kitchen stove. Regardless of your rice choice, be sure to rinse your grains to reduce the starch and stickiness in the final version of your Japanese fried rice.
Veggies: this recipe follows Benihana's lead by using finely diced yellow onion, carrot and green onions. Feel free to throw in a handful of frozen green peas, snow peas or any other fresh and crunchy veggie.
Garlic butter: Benihana garlic butter is the stuff of legend. Just 3 simple ingredients (butter, fresh garlic and light soy sauce) make this copycat recipe authentic and delicious. The garlic butter adds flavor and just enough moisture to keep the rice dry, which is the key to great fried rice!
Safflower oil: my research shows this is the oil hibachi chefs most often use in your favorite restaurants. Other neutral oils like canola, peanut oil and vegetable oil are good substitutes. Stay away from olive oil, which has a lower smoke point and adds conflicting flavor to the dish.
Full ingredient list and measurements included in the printable recipe card below.
How to Make this Recipe:
1. Prep and portion ingredients
To begin your fried rice adventure, prepare all ingredients and have them out in bowls, ready to add to the wok or skillet. Using well chilled, day-old rice is ideal, but if you're in a fried rice emergency situation, just spread your rice on a baking sheet and pop in the freezer to cool quickly.
Whisk eggs well in a small bowl. Finely dice onion, carrot and scallions. Measure soy sauce into a small bowl. Measure 1 teaspoon of salt and ยฝ teaspoon black pepper into a bowl.
2. Make garlic butter
Prepare garlic butter by stirring together softened butter, grated garlic and light soy sauce. Set aside.
3. Scramble eggs
Heat wok or large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil, along with beaten raw egg and a pinch of salt and black pepper.
Cook well, cutting the eggs into small pieces. Once cooked, remove to a medium bowl. Wipe out pan and return to heat.
4. Cook vegetables
Next, add a teaspoon of oil to the pan, along with finely diced onion and carrots, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Cook 5-6 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Add scallions to the pan and toss for about 30 seconds.
Add the cooked vegetables to the bowl of cooked eggs. Wipe out pan and return to heat.
5. Cook rice
Now add the final 2 tablespoons of safflower oil to the hot skillet, along with your cooked and chilled rice, salt and pepper.
Use a wooden spatula to break up the rice and heat it through for 3-4 minutes, tossing and stirring. Now add the bowl of cooked vegetables and eggs, along with the garlic butter. Toss and heat through, letting the butter melt. Season with a good pinch of black pepper.
6. Add sauce
Finally, scrape the rice to the side of the pan and pour the soy sauce straight onto the pan, allowing the sauce to sizzle up for a few seconds and thicken. Too much moisture is the enemy of really delicious fried rice, so we want to maximize flavor while limiting liquid ingredients.
By letting the soy sauce sizzle up and thicken for a few seconds, it concentrates the flavor and keeps the rice fluffy and seasoned.
6. Garnish and serve
Once the soy sauce has thickened, fold the rice into the soy glaze, tossing and cooking until it is well combined and evenly browned. Add the sesame seeds. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat.
Serve cooked fried rice with additional sliced scallions, Hibachi Shrimp, Hibachi Salmon, Grilled Hibachi Vegetables and Yum Yum Sauce.
FAQ's and Serving Suggestions:
Hibachi is a traditional Japanese cooking method that involves grilling food over a high-heat charcoal fire. In modern cooking terms, "hibachi" is associated with a style of Japanese cuisine that involves cooking on a flat iron griddle or teppanyaki grill. Hibachi grills are typically large, flat cooking surfaces made of cast iron or steel. Hibachi-style cooking at home involves a variety of fresh ingredients, including vegetables, rice, and noodles, as well as shrimp and other proteins.ย
The basic ingredients for Benihana fried rice include cooked rice (preferably day-old and chilled), soy sauce, butter, garlic, onions, carrots, and eggs.ย
Add 1 cup of your choice of protein (such as chicken, shrimp, or beef). I often add extra scrambled eggs to the skillet to increase the protein. And also because scrambled eggs are the best part of fried rice for me.ย
Traditionally, Japanese short-grain rice is used for fried rice. However, you can use other types of rice. Medium-grain or long-grain rice will work if that's what you have on hand. Just keep in mind that the texture and stickiness of the rice may vary slightly. Though not traditional, my preferred rice for Japanese fried rice is Jasmine rice. I have found that it consistently cooks up fluffy with individual grains that take well to frying up the next day.
Serve your Benihana-style fried rice withย Hibachi Shrimp,ย Hibachi Salmon, Grilled Hibachi Vegetablesย andย Yum Yum Sauce.
Store leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm in 30 second increments in the microwave, or in a skillet over medium high heat.
Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe (Best Benihana Copycat)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6
Ingredients
3 tablespoons safflower oil
2 large eggs, beaten
โ cup yellow onion, finely diced
โ cup carrot, finely diced
โ cup scallions, sliced
3 cups cooked rice, chilled
1 teaspoon kosher salt
ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
1 ยฝ tablespoons light soy sauce
2 teaspoons white sesame seeds
Garlic butter:
2 ยฝ tablespoons butter, softened
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
Instructions
- Prepare all ingredients and have them out in bowls, ready to add to the wok or skillet. Whisk eggs well in a small bowl. Finely dice onion, carrot and scallions. Measure soy sauce into a small bowl. Measure 1 teaspoon of salt and ยฝ teaspoon black pepper into a bowl. Prepare garlic butter by stirring together softened butter, grated garlic and light soy sauce. Set aside.
- Heat wok or skillet over medium heat. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil, along with beaten eggs and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Cook well, cutting the eggs into small pieces. Once cooked, remove to a medium bowl. Wipe out pan and return to heat.
- Next, add a teaspoon of oil to the pan, along with finely diced onion and carrots, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Cook 5-6 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Add scallions to the pan and toss for about 30 seconds. Add these cooked vegetables to the bowl of scrambled eggs. Wipe out pan and return to heat.ย
- Now add the final 2 tablespoons of safflower oil to the hot skillet, along with your cooked and chilled rice, salt and pepper. Use a wooden spatula to break up the rice and heat it through for 3-4 minutes. Now add the bowl of cooked vegetables and eggs, along with the garlic butter. Toss and heat through, letting the butter melt. Season with a good pinch of black pepper.
- Finally, scrape the rice to the side of the pan and pour the soy sauce straight onto the pan, allowing the sauce to sizzle up for a few seconds and thicken. Then fold the rice into the sesame glaze, tossing and cooking until it is well combined and evenly browned. Add the sesame seeds. Taste and adjust seasoning.ย
- Remove from heat. Serve with additional sliced scallions, Hibachi Shrimp, Hibachi Salmon, Hibachi Stir-Fried Vegetablesย andย Yum Yum Sauce.
Notes
By letting the soy sauce mixture sizzle up and thicken for a few seconds, it concentrates the flavor and keeps the rice fluffy and seasoned.
Calrose Rice or Jasmine Rice work well in this recipe.ย
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Easy Recipes
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Asian
Jasmine
Amazing! Makes me want to finally invest in a wok! Can't wait to make it a gain soon.
Christina Jolam
You and me, both! 2024 will be our year to buy woks ๐ Thanks for the great review, Jasmine.
Che
This was the absolute closest to Benihana rice that I have made after trying 3 other recipes.The recipe was organized well so even a novice like my self could follow it. The flavor was spot on. Many many thanks.
Christina Jolam
Wow - what a compliment - thank you, Cheryl! So glad you loved it. Honestly I would make it every night if I could. The flavor makes me SO happy. Appreciate you coming back to leave such a helpful review!