This Fried Rice Recipe Will Turn Anyone into a Spam-Lover

I always have a can of Spam in my pantry because I love it, whether it’s sliced and simply pan-fried or served over a bed of steaming white rice and cabbage kimchi. The unique salty, meaty flavor works well in so many recipes, such as Spam pigs in a blanket and Spam hash, which are just a couple of my favorites.

But, in my opinion, one of the best ways to enjoy Spam is in fried rice. With a handful of additional pantry staples (scallions, eggs, and oyster sauce, to name a few), you can make one of the most delicious fried rice dishes in about 30 minutes. With just one bite, you’ll fall in love with Spam (if you aren’t already).

Why You’ll Love It

• Mashing half of one can of Spam and cubing the rest adds two different textures to the fried rice. This way its deep, meaty flavor fully penetrates the dish.

• Spam fried rice is a fantastic way to repurpose leftover cold rice.

Key Ingredients in Spam Fried Rice

• Canned Spam: This is the main ingredient that makes this fried rice so special! You can use other types of luncheon meat or different flavors of Spam for this recipe, but I highly recommend using the original.

• Cooked rice: The secret to amazing fried rice is using cold, leftover cooked rice. You can use either brown or white rice for the recipe. If you don’t have leftover rice, you can quickly chill the rice by spreading it out on a small baking sheet and placing it in the fridge while you prepare your other ingredients.

• Oyster sauce: There’s very minimal seasoning in this fried rice because Spam is already quite salty by itself, but adding slightly sweet, umami-packed oyster sauce brings everything together beautifully.

• Scallions: Be generous with your scallions — especially when making fried rice. It makes the dish taste and look even better!

• Eggs: Instead of making them in a separate pan, scramble the eggs in the center of the rice.

How to Make Spam Fried Rice

1. Prepare the Spam. Cut 1 can of Spam in half first. Cut half into small cubes, and then smash the rest using either the flat part of a chef’s knife or the palm of your hands to create pasty, irregular, craggy pieces.

2. Mix the smashed Spam with rice. The craggy pieces get mixed with cold rice so that each grain of rice absorbs the flavors of Spam. Use your hands preferably to make sure that all of the pieces are mixed with the rice evenly. You can either do this in a large bowl or a baking sheet.

3. Fry the cubed Spam in a wok. Lightly fry the cubes in a wok (or a large skillet) with a little bit of oil until they are golden-brown.

4. Cook the rice. Cook your Spam-seasoned rice in a wok, and vigorously stir everything, preferably using a spatula. Focus on breaking apart any rice clumps while folding the pieces into the rice. Season with oyster sauce and sugar.

5. Make the scrambled eggs in the center. Push the rice to the side to make a well in the center. Add a little bit of oil, and add the scrambled eggs. Cook the eggs until almost set then mix the rice into the eggs. Take your time to scramble eggs so that the rice doesn’t get mushy. Garnish with the reserved scallion greens and a few cracks of black pepper.

Helpful Swaps

• You can substitute oyster sauce with other salty, umami seasonings like hoisin sauce, teriyaki sauce, or fish sauce. When substituting, don’t use a full 1 tablespoon as the recipe says — start with 1 teaspoon to taste, then adjust accordingly.

• You can substitute granulated sugar with light or dark brown sugar.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

• You can keep the leftovers in the fridge for up to four days.

• You can also freeze this for up to one month. When ready to heat up, place a wet paper towel or an ice cube on top and microwave for two to three minutes — it will taste like you just made it.

• Cook your rice ahead of time.

What to Serve with Spam Fried Rice

• Egg Drop Soup

• Three Cup Chicken

• Beef and Broccoli

• Hot and Sour Soup

• Vegetable Stir-Fry

Spam Fried Rice Recipe

Crispy, meaty Spam is a fantastic addition to change up your fried rice.

Prep time 15 minutes

Cook time 20 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 (12-ounce) can Spam luncheon meat

• 5 medium scallions

• 4 cups cold cooked brown or white rice (see Recipe Notes)

• 2 large eggs

• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Cut 1 (12-ounce) piece Spam in half. Using the flat part of a chef’s knife, lightly smash half of the spam into paste-like, irregular, craggy pieces. Cut the remaining Spam into 1/4-inch cubes. Thinly slice 5 medium scallions, keeping the white and light green parts separate from the dark green parts.

2. Place the smashed Spam and 4 cups cold cooked rice in a large bowl or rimmed baking sheet. Run your hands through to loosen the grains and break up any clumps while incorporating the Spam. Place 2 large eggs and 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt in a small bowl, and whisk with a fork until broken up and no streaks of egg white remain. Place 1 tablespoon oyster sauce and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar in a small bowl.

3. Heat a large wok or 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and the cubed Spam, and stir-fry until the Spam is golden-brown, about 3 minutes. Add the scallion white and light green parts, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4. Add the rice and Spam mixture and stir-fry until combined. Spread into an even layer and let cook undisturbed until starting brown on the bottom and lightly char in spots, 4 to 5 minutes.

5. Scrape in the oyster sauce mixture and stir-fry until combined, about 1 minute. Push the rice mixture to one side (if there isn’t much room in the pan, remove some of the rice mixture). Drizzle the open space with the remaining 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and add the eggs. Cook, stirring occasionally, until almost set, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir the eggs into the rest of the rice mixture (return the rice if you took some out), breaking it up into small pieces as you go.

6. Remove the pan from the heat. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, sprinkle with the dark green scallion parts, and add a few grinds of black pepper. Toss to combine. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed.

Recipe Notes

Rice: Cook 1 1/3 cups raw white or brown rice to get 4 cups cooked rice.

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.