This Yakimeshi recipe (also known as Chahan and Japanese-style Chinese Fried Rice) is amazing! It’s an easy fried rice recipe that takes better than take out.
For more ideas of what to cook, check out all of our recipes.
Yesterday would have been my grandma’s 97th birthday. Unfortunately, though, it’s the second one we’ve had to spend without her. We were so lucky to have her as long as we did, but it’s never enough. You always want one more day, one more birthday, one more Christmas. So, instead of celebrating with her, I made Yakimeshi to think of her.
Yakimeshi is one of my favorite Japanese foods.
Okay. Scratch that.
It’s one of my favorite foods to eat in Japan.
My grandma introduced me to it the first time I went to Japan with her in 1998. It’s a Chinese fried rice called Chahan in China and Yakimeshi in Japan. It’s not the fried rice you get at a Chinese take out place here in the US. There’s no peas or carrots or yellow rice.
I don’t make it often, but the last two years, I’ve made it at least once a year.
If you like fried rice, but you don’t want it with pork, make our Kani Yakimeshi instead. That recipes uses imitation crab meat instead of pork.
Yakimeshi (Japanese-Style Chinese Fried Rice) Recipe
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Yakimeshi Ingredients:
You can get the full list of ingredients with measurements in the recipe card below.
- White rice – Many fried rice recipes use day old rice, but we use fresh rice (because we never have leftover rice).
- Ham trimmings – If you can’t find this, you can substitute pancetta.
- Garlic – This adds a really nice seasoning to the rice.
- Green onion sprigs – This adds taste and texture to the rice and is a garnish as well.
- Salt – This adds a little seasoning to the plain rice.
- Soy sauce – This adds a little flavor and salt.
- Eggs – This coats the rice and helps to keep the ingredients together when you’re eating it.
How To Make Yakimeshi:
Make the rice in a rice cooker. A good rule of thumb is 1 cup of rice per 2 cups of water.
Chop up the garlic and the bottom half of the green onions.
Chop up the ham trimmings, discarding any of the fat.
Cook down the ham trimmings in a wok until they are completely cooked and crisp. Set them aside.
In the leftover grease from the ham trimmings, cook the garlic and onion.
Add the cooked rice to the wok with the garlic and onion.
Sprinkle the salt on top of the rice.
Pour the soy sauce on top of the rice as well.
Quickly scramble the eggs in a separate bowl.
Pour the egg on top of the rice and quickly stir. You want the egg to break up and cook very quickly.
Add the ham trimmings back to the pan.
Chop up the greens of the green onion. Reserve a few for garnish.
Add them to the wok.
Use some of the green onion for garnish. Serve warm.
More Japanese Recipes:
This is just one of the Japanese foods we make on a regular basis. For more, check out our list of Japanese recipes you can make at home, filled with tons of ideas.
Yakimeshi (Chinese Fried Rice)
This Yakimeshi recipe (also known as Chahan and Chinese Fried Rice) is amazing! It’s an easy fried rice recipe that takes better than take out.
Ingredients
- 2 cups white rice, uncooked
- 5 oz. ham trimmings
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 3 green onion sprigs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Make the rice in a rice cooker. A good rule of thumb is 1 cup of rice per 2 cups of water.
- Chop up the ham trimmings, discarding any of the fat. Cook down the ham trimmings in a wok until they are completely cooked and crisp. Set them aside.
- In the leftover grease from the ham trimmings, cook the garlic and onion.
- Add the cooked rice to the wok with the garlic and onion.
- Add the salt to the wok.
- Pour in the soy sauce.
- Quickly scramble the eggs in a separate bowl. Pour the egg on top of the rice and quickly stir. You want the egg to break up and cook very quickly.
- Add the ham trimmings back to the pan.
- Chop up the greens of the green onion. Reserve a few for garnish. Add them to the wok.
- Use some of the green onion for garnish. Serve warm.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 134Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 77mgSodium 760mgCarbohydrates 17gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 9g
Have you made this Yakimeshi (Chinese Fried Rice) recipe? Let us know what you thought in the comments.
rob barrett
Tuesday 2nd of December 2025
When do you add the soy sauce and salt?
Lisa
Wednesday 3rd of December 2025
Right after you add the green onions to the wok.
Kay McConville
Sunday 2nd of October 2022
Can I leave egg out of this recipe please
drugstore diva lisa
Monday 3rd of October 2022
You can.