Quick Spam Fried Rice

This Spam fried rice with egg is a quick and easy way to use up leftover rice. In less than 20 minutes, crispy pan-fried Spam, fluffy eggs, and simple vegetables combine to create a quick and delicious weeknight meal that the whole family will love.

I love using a can of Spam to make fried rice even though generally I am not a fan of Spam. I know it doesn’t make sense, ha ha!

This Spam fried rice recipe is easy to make, and it is perfect for using up leftover rice and vegetables. Please see my easy egg fried rice recipe and Korean egg rice (gyeran bap) for another leftover rice recipe with egg.

The crispy pan-fried Spam is salty and savory with a hint of teriyaki flavor. Kids love eating it. Spam fried rice is a perfect way to feed them something they love with vegetables included. And it’s a gluten-free fried rice as long as you use gluten-free condiments!

If you want to elaborate your rice bowl experience, you can’t beat Korean bibimbap, right?–try my easy recipe that you can make it under 1 hour!

Spam is a beloved canned food in many Asian countries, especially in Korea, as you see several Spam recipes like kimchi stew with Spam (Spam kimchi jjigae) and “Korean army stew” (budae jjigae) in Korean recipes.

Spam was introduced to Korea by American servicemen during the Korean War.

People in Hawaii also love Spam, and they often enjoy it in a breakfast fried rice with scrambled egg.  The famous Hawaiian fried rice uses Spam and pineapple, which adds sweetness in their fried rice. 

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Use day-old leftover rice for the best result. Day-old and refrigerated cold rice has lost some of its moisture content, making it more suitable for making fried rice. You will get a chewier and more pleasant rice texture. Nobody wants their fried rice to be soggy.
• You can dice up the Spam to any size you desire and pan fry the pieces until crisp. Adjust the frying time according to the size of your Spam chunks.
• Mix the sauce ingredients first so you’ll be ready to pour it over the fried rice, coating it evenly.
• Use any vegetables you have on hand that are suitable for making fried rice. I choose green peas, corn kernels, and green onion. You can also use onion, carrot, sweet pepper, zucchini, etc.
• If you like to add some spicy heat to your Spam fried rice, drizzle some sriracha sauce over the finished product when you serve.
• You can also use this Spam fried rice recipe Hawaiian style with the addition of pineapple chunks.

Ingredients for Spam fried rice

For the fried rice

• oil
• Spam – I prefer low sodium so that I can control the sodium level
• egg –  well beaten
• garlic
• green onion
• frozen peas – thawed
• frozen corn kernel – thawed
• leftover rice – any cooked white rice (medium grain, short grain or Jasmin rice)

For the sauce

• soy sauce – essential Korean pantry condiment
• oyster sauce – adds umami to the fried rice
• sesame oil
• pepper

How to make Spam fried rice

Mix fried rice sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a wok or a large skillet over med-high heat. Add the beaten eggs and stir until they are half cooked (still slightly wet). Transfer the eggs to a plate and set aside.

Heat another tablespoon of oil, add Spam pieces and fry until they are crisp and slightly browned, about 2-3 minutes.

Add garlic, green onion and stir fry for 1 minute.

Then, add peas and corn and continue to fry for 30 seconds. Add rice and toss with spam and vegetables until rice grains are separated and well incorporated.

Pour the sauce over and toss well with fried rice.

Add the reserved scramble egg and continue to toss to heat through. Serve hot. Simple kimchi makes a nice side dish to accompany.

More fried rice recipes

If you are looking for rice main dishes to use up your leftover rice, check out some of these fried rice recipes.

• All-Time Favorite Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
• Crispy Kimchi Fried Rice with Cheese
• Fragrant Thai Basil Fried Rice
• Simple Egg Fried Rice
• Bacon Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap)
• Yangzhou Style Fried Rice
• Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Spicy Fried Rice)