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5.0 from 48 votes

Nasi Goreng Recipe (Indonesian Fried Rice)

This Indonesian fried recipe recipe (Nasi Goreng) is a favorite with stir fried rice tossed with kecap manis, a sweet soy sauce, birds eye chilies and more.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 202 kcal
Course: Side Dish , Main Course
Cuisine: Indonesian , American

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1-2 spicy red chili peppers use your favorites – birds eye peppers are nice an spicy here, or use cayenne
  • 1 large shallot minced
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 large eggs I like to use extra
  • 3 cups cooked rice
  • 1 green onion sliced
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce or more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons kecap manis sweet soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
  • Seat salt to taste
  • For Garnish: Sliced cucumber sliced or diced tomato

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat the oil in a large pan or wok over high heat. Add the peppers and shallot. Cook for 2-3 minutes to brown slightly.
  2. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds, stirring.
  3. Add the eggs and scramble them up. Cook them for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring, until the eggs cook mostly through.
  4. Lower the heat to medium-high heat and add the cooked rice, green onion, soy sauce, kecap manis and shrimp paste. Season with salt to taste. Stir fry the rice until the rice starts to caramelize, 2-3 minutes, scraping up the bottom of the pan as you go to avoid burning.
  5. Garnish with cucumber and tomato and serve!

Notes

  • The Rice. Day old rice is ideal for making stir fried rice. It has less moisture, which can cause the dish to steam rather than stir fry. Try drying out cooked rice in the refrigerator awhile before cooking.
  • Kecap Manis. Kecap Manis is a sweet soy sauce common in Indonesian cuisine. It should be readily available at most grocery stores in the Asian or International section. If you can't find it, mix 2 tablespoons soy sauce with 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar or palm sugar over low heat, stirring, until it becomes syrupy. Use as needed.
  • Shrimp Paste. Shrimp paste adds a wonderful umami element to this dish. Belecan is a good alternative, though needs light frying before use. Miso or fermented soy paste are good alternatives. 
  • The Heat Factor. I'm using birds eye chilies for the spice factor here, though Thai peppers are great. Any spicy pepper will work for this recipe. Try it with a spicy chili paste, like sambal oelek, harissa, gochujang, or others. Learn to make your own homemade chili paste from fresh peppers, or, just use sriracha. 
  • Other Ingredients. You can use other seasonings for this recipe to your preference. Turmeric and coriander are popular. I enjoy spicy chili flakes with mine. A splash of lime juice is a nice addition.
  • Add Proteins. You'll often find a fried egg on top of your nasi goreng, which makes it more of a meal. Consider adding in chopped chicken or pork, shrimp, fish or your own favorite proteins.

Nutrition Information

Calories 202kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 30g (10%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Cholesterol 64mg (21%) Sodium 495mg (21%) Potassium 87mg (2%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 99IU (2%) Vitamin C 3mg (3%) Calcium 25mg (3%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 202

% Daily Value*

Calories 202kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 30g 10%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 64mg 21%
Sodium 495mg 21%
Potassium 87mg 2%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 99IU 2%
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Calcium 25mg 3%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.