Recipe: Edamame & Veggie Fried Brown Rice

5/5 - (1 vote)

A super healthy combination of Edamame & Veggie Fried Brown Rice would be an ideal option for both brunch, lunch, and a busy dinner. Different types of veggies with whole grain brown rice are incredibly a matching combo, definitely satisfying those who are on a diet or vegetarians. 

I was cleaning out my freezer the other day, getting rid of the old, tired and freezer-burned in order to make new for the new (a.k.a. the turkey & chicken stock I’d just made), when I found a whole, unopened bag of shelled edamame.  How this precious food gem had escaped my usually observant eyes, I have no clue, but I wasn’t about to question it.  This was pure serendipity in my book – I mean, how often does one’s freezer know that you’re having an edamame & udon noodle craving?

Once I got that issue taken care of, I looked at my remaining edamame and pondered what to do with it.  See, once I’m aware of these young little soybeans being in the same room with me, it’s kind of hard to let ‘em just sit there.  They must be consumed!  And while I’m happy to just snack on them like candy, I find edamame lasts much longer if you, you know… use it in something.

Since I’m still on a major bare bones kick (and may stay there for awhile if a new job doesn’t show up soon!), I figured it’d be fun to make a quick, simple fried rice with edamame as the star of the show.  Though I have a natural preference for brown rice over white,  my last couple fried rice recipes have been made with takeout leftovers, so it was high time to make one with brown rice.  The healthy additions of edamame & other veggies seemed to cry for the healthier rice as well, so it was a match made in heaven.

What I love about fried rice, aside from how easy it is to make, is how much it yields.  It’s the kind of dish that can help you through some rough financial patches because it doesn’t take much to make it, and you end up with enough food for a couple different meals.  And when you’re really struggling, meals like fried rice, pasta bakes, etc., are a godsend.  They’re filling, high-yielding, and because they’re made from relatively low-cost ingredients, they’re also affordable.

If you’re a meat-lover, feel free to throw in some cooked chicken or shrimp, as this can only make things better.  Because edamame is already high in protein, there’s no need for any meatless eaters to add tofu or other vegetarian protein sources for nutritional purposes, but you’re certainly welcome to do so.  Otherwise, this recipe is simple, straightforward, and a good one to bookmark for Meatless Mondays.  Shall we take a look?

Edamame & Veggie Fried Brown Rice (makes 4-6 servings; total cost per serving: $0.65)

Ingredients
1-2 T cooking oil
1/3 c chopped yellow onion
2 c cooked brown rice (preferably day old)
1 c frozen shelled edamame
1 1/2 c frozen mixed veggies (I used the Asian Stir Fry blend in mine, but regular mixed veggies also work)
3 large eggs, scrambled
2-3 T low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 c chopped green onions

Directions
1.   Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the chopped onion and cook quickly, until fragrant and slightly translucent.  Add the cooked brown rice and cook for about 1-2 minutes, then add the edamame and other frozen veggies.  Cook until the veggies are thawed.

2.  Add the fried egg and soy sauce and mix together well.   Finally, add the chopped green onions and fold them into the rice gently.  Garnish with extra chopped scallions and soy sauce, serve with your favorite protein or on its own, and enjoy!

PGEW Tip: This recipe yields quite a bit, so you may not want to dig into all of it at once.  To  make it last, reserve about half the rice & veggie mixture before you add the eggs & scallions.  Place individual portions into ziploc bags or plastic containers, and freeze.  When ready to use, defrost the rice and continue with Step 2 until the recipe is complete.  This is a great way to speed up the cooking process on busy weeknights!

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