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This Spam Fried Rice recipe puts a delicious meal on your table in no time -with salty and savory Spam, flavorful veggies, and tender rice.
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I love visiting Hawaii—there’s something about the sunshine, ocean breeze, and comforting local flavors that instantly makes me feel at home. One food that’s truly iconic there is Spam! It shows up in everything from musubi to breakfast plates, noodle bowls, and yes—fried rice. This Spam Fried Rice is inspired by those island flavors, and it’s become one of my favorite easy dinners to make at home.
Whether you already love Spam or you’re just looking for a fun new twist on fried rice, this recipe is always a hit. The savory, salty cubes of Spam get a boost of flavor from a quick marinade, then everything is stir-fried with garlic, green onions, vegetables, fluffy rice, and eggs. It’s hearty, budget-friendly, and ready in about 30 minutes!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Spam – This shelf-stable pork product is super popular in Hawaii, and it’s a tasty and affordable protein that crisps up beautifully in the pan.
- Spam Marinade – A simple blend of soy sauce, oyster sauce, and brown sugar adds a sweet and savory glaze. You can substitute fish sauce or even teriyaki sauce if needed.
- Sesame Oil – Adds rich, nutty flavor. Vegetable oil works too, but I highly recommend sesame if you have it.
- Green Onions – Chop and separate the whites and greens. They’re added at different times for the best flavor.
- Garlic – For a fragrant punch of flavor.
- Frozen Peas and Carrots – Quick, easy, and colorful.
- Edamame – Adds a nice texture and a bit of plant-based protein.
- Eggs – Scrambled right in the pan for that classic fried rice touch.
- Cooked White Rice – Leftover rice is perfect here! Day-old rice gives you the best texture.
- Soy Sauce for Serving – I like to drizzle a little extra soy sauce on top, along with sriracha and toasted sesame seeds for extra flavor.
How to Make Spam Fried Rice
- Marinate the Spam – Cut Spam into cubes and place in a zip-top bag. Mix together oyster sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar until dissolved, then pour it over the Spam. Let it marinate for 15 minutes. Drain the marinade and save it for later.
- Cook the Aromatics – Heat sesame oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the white parts of the green onions and cook until softened and lightly browned. Stir in the garlic.
- Fry the Spam – Add the marinated Spam cubes and cook until golden brown on all sides—about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the Veggies – Toss in the peas, carrots, and edamame. Stir-fry until everything is heated through and tender.
- Scramble the Eggs – Push the mixture to one side of the pan. Crack in the eggs and scramble until fully cooked, then mix them into the rice.
- Mix in the Rice – Add the cooked rice and stir everything together. Pour in a few spoonfuls of the reserved marinade until the rice is lightly coated and flavorful. Add more if you like it saucier!
- Finish and Serve – Sprinkle with the green parts of the onions and any toppings you love—soy sauce, sriracha, sesame seeds, or even pineapple for a Hawaiian twist.
Tips and Variations
- Sesame oil is hands down the best oil to use when making Spam Fried Rice, but you can use vegetable oil in a pinch.
- Add your favorite veggies for a more nutritious meal – bell peppers, baby corn, broccoli, corn, zucchini, or cauliflower.
- Use a long grain rice like basmati or jasmine. You can also use cauliflower rice.
- Day-old rice makes the best fried rice! Next time you make rice for dinner, make a few extra cups to save and use for fried rice.
- If you’re not crazy about Spam, this fried rice tastes delicious with shredded or cubed pork, chicken or even shrimp. Or for a vegetarian dish, use tofu.
- Add a drizzle of sriracha for a spicy kick!
- Marinating the Spam is not necessary, but it does add a ton of flavor! If you’ve got 15 minutes to marinate, then we highly recommend it.
Frequently Asked Questions
This dish is popular in Hawaii and Japan. In Hawaii, they add pineapple as well.
Pan frying is the most popular spam cooking method. Cook for a few minutes on each side until slightly browned.
No, you do not need to rinse off Spam. If you do, then it might not fry up as crispy.
Yes you can use diced ham or even leftover spiral ham. If you don’t like ham you can use chicken, shrimp, or tofu!
Long-grain rice like jasmine or basmati works best. Leftover rice is ideal because it’s drier and fries up beautifully.
Spam Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Spam
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 green onions chopped, whites and greens separated
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup carrots and peas diced, frozen works great
- 1/2 cup edamame shelled
- 3 eggs
- 3 cups long-grain white rice cooked (leftover rice works best)
Instructions
- Cut the Spam into cubes and put in a Ziplock bag. Mix oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar until sugar is dissolved and add to the bag with the SPAM. Marinate for about 15 minutes. Drain the marinade from the bag into a small bowl. Save and set aside.
- Heat sesame oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the whites of the green onions to the hot oil and stir until clear and light brown. Stir in garlic. When garlic is lightly browned, add Spam and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add carrots, peas, and edamame and cook until they are tender. Scoot everything to one side of the pan and crack eggs onto the empty side. Scramble with a spatula or chopsticks. When they are cooked, mix in with the rest of the ingredients.
- Add cooked rice to skillet and mix in thoroughly. Add leftover SPAM marinade a few tablespoons at a a time until the rice is lightly coated in sauce. Add more to taste, if desired. Top with the greens from the green onions.
Video
Notes
- For a “dry” fried rice, steam the white rice a day ahead. After cooking rice, let it cool to room temperature. Place the rice in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge overnight. Add refrigerated rice to the skillet as described in the instructions above.
- If you’re not crazy about Spam, this fried rice tastes delicious with shredded or cubed pork, chicken or even shrimp. Or omit the meat altogether for a vegetarian dish.
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- For a low sodium option, simply use low sodium soy sauce or even liquid aminos.
Nutrition Information
SPAM has always been a secret favorite of mine and I loved it in this fried rice, it was perfection!!
What a fun twist on basic fried rice. I loved making this and it was so loved by all!
I’ve been missing out!! This rice is delicious!! Love what the spam adds!! I have found a new way to make fried rice!
We really enjoyed this one, and it’s in our regular rotation now! We’re not very happy with SPAM, and will probably substitute something else for it since it has some bad stuff in it and isn’t all that good for us…
That’s fine! You can use chicken, shrimp, tofu, beef, pork…the possibilities are endless!