This Breakfast Fried Rice has only 5 ingredients- perfect for a weeknight dinner or an easy meal prep breakfast!

Recently, I’ve been overwhelmed with the meal planning process. Finding new dinners to make, what everyone will eat, putting it all on the grocery list… I’ll be honest, it was making my brain shut down.

And I realized that I really need simple meals. Preferably ones that don’t require getting out a ton of ingredients and actually remembering to use them all.

I’ve been intrigued with 5-ingredient recipes, wondering whether I can get any kind of variety out of them. Turns out, I can!

This easy 5-Ingredient Breakfast Fried Rice is something I came up recently, and it doesn’t even have to be for breakfast. I call it that because it has breakfast sausage, but we actually ate it for dinner. It’s great any time of the day- for an easy breakfast or quick dinner!

It’s a great way to use up day-old rice, extra eggs, or any extra vegetables you may have!

Keep reading to get to the recipe card and all the ingredients/substitutions you can make!

Ingredients

I don’t make many fried rice recipes, but this one has simple ingredients that are easy enough for my ADHD brain to handle.

• Large eggs
• Cooked rice- I like making a big batch of rice and using any leftover rice for this! You can use cold rice or warm rice, whichever is fine.
• Breakfast sausage links
• Mixed vegetables
• Olive oil- Sesame oil works too

Extra Additions/Substitutions

Keep in mind, I only used 5 ingredients to keep this recipe simple. If you have extra things you want to add, go for it!

• Sausage: I used turkey sausage, but you could easily use pork sausage, bacon, or plant-based meat! If you use bacon, you can use the bacon grease instead of olive oil to cook the vegetables.
• Rice: I think white rice is the best rice because I feel it fits better with fried rice. But you could use Jasmine rice, or brown rice for extra fiber! Using a rice cooker is easiest for me, but instant rice can work too.
• Vegetables: A bag of frozen mixed veggies is easiest for me. Feel free to use any vegetables you have on hand- carrots, yellow onion, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.
• Toppings: Any extra seasonings or toppings would work. Green onions, almonds, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, a little bit of hot sauce, curry powder, etc.

How to Make Breakfast Fried Rice

In a large skillet, add olive oil and mixed vegetables and cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

If your sausage links are frozen, heat them in the microwave for about a minute, just long enough to make them soft. Slice them into smaller pieces.

Add the sausage to the skillet and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

In a small bowl, add the eggs and whisk to combine. Add salt and pepper if you like.

Push the rest of the ingredients to one side of the pan and add the egg mixture to the skillet, scrambling with a spatula. When the scrambled eggs are mostly cooked, stir the entire mixture together.

Add the rice and combine, heating for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.

Divide into 4 bowls and enjoy!

How to Store

You can store any leftovers in individual air-tight containers. This tastes even better the next day, and they’re perfect for lunch!

This fried rice recipe makes the perfect breakfast meal prep for busy mornings. Make a double batch to last all week. Or you could eat it for dinner- it goes either way! If you make it for the first time, let me know what you think!