Vegetable Fried Rice (With Cottage Cheese and Eggs)

Name: Vegetable Fried Rice (With Cottage Cheese and Eggs)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 packed cups cooked rice; 3 eggs; ⅓ cup cottage cheese; 1 tablespoon olive oil (plus more as needed); ½ onion (chopped); 2 cups broccoli (chopped small); 1 medium carrot (diced small); 1 cup frozen peas; 2 cloves garlic (grated or pressed); 1 green onion (thinly sliced); 2 tablespoons soy sauce (low-sodium); ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric (for color (trust me)); 2 pinches salt

This vegetable fried rice is an easy, healthy, and satisfying meal packed with colorful vegetables, fluffy rice, and protein-rich eggs and cottage cheese, making it a balanced dinner that’s both nourishing and delicious.

For more easy rice recipes, try our rice salad, Mediterranean lentils and rice, black beans and rice, and tofu rice bowl.

Close-up of egg fried rice with cottage cheese and tender shiny vegetables.

Why You’ll Love This Egg Fried Rice with Cottage Cheese

🥦🍚 Louise and I make this vegetable fried rice when we want something cozy, colorful, and satisfying without turning dinner into a greasy takeout-style meal. If we’re craving restaurant fried rice, we’ll order it. But when we want a wholesome dinner packed with vegetables, this is the recipe we make.

It’s also one of our favorite fridge clean-out meals. Leftover rice, broccoli, carrots, peas, and a few pantry staples come together in one skillet and somehow feel much more special than the ingredients suggest.

The rice is tossed with plenty of vegetables, then finished with soft scrambled eggs and a little cottage cheese. The cottage cheese almost melts into the eggs as it cooks, adding creaminess and extra protein without making the dish heavy.

We also skip the typical frozen vegetable mix. Fresh vegetables bring better texture, brighter color, and more flavor, while frozen peas work perfectly here.

One final tip: use cold leftover rice straight from the fridge. The grains stay fluffy and separate as they fry, and a tiny pinch of turmeric gives everything a beautiful golden color. ✨

P.S. Love vegetarian Asian-inspired dinners? Check out our Yaki Udon, Sesame Noodles, Peanut Noodles, or Tofu Stir Fry.

Ingredients

Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.

Cooked cold rice: Day-old rice makes the best easy vegetable fried rice because the grains stay fluffy. Substitute brown rice, jasmine rice, basmati rice, or quinoa.
Eggs: They add protein and richness. Substitute liquid egg whites, JUST Egg, or crumbled tofu for an egg-free version.
Cottage cheese: Melts into the eggs and adds creaminess and protein. Substitute low-fat Greek yogurt, Skyr, or dairy-free cottage cheese, stirring them in just before serving.
Olive oil: Helps the vegetables cook and adds flavor. Substitute avocado oil or another neutral cooking oil.
Onion: Adds sweetness and depth. Substitute shallots, leeks, or green onions.
Broccoli: A great way to add vegetables to this healthy fried rice recipe. Substitute cauliflower, cabbage, zucchini, or bell peppers.
Carrot: Adds color and a little sweetness. Substitute corn, diced sweet potato, or edamame.
Frozen peas: Convenient and naturally sweet. Substitute shelled edamame or green beans.
Garlic: Adds savory flavor. If you’re sensitive to garlic, use garlic-infused olive oil or simply leave it out.
Green onion: Adds freshness at the end. Substitute chives or fresh cilantro.
Soy sauce: Brings savory umami flavor. Substitute tamari for gluten-free or coconut aminos for a milder taste.
Turmeric: Gives this high-protein fried rice its golden color. Substitute a pinch of curry powder or simply omit it.

Dietary Variations

Bowl of vegetable fried rice with broccoli, peas, carrots, scallions, and fluffy scrambled eggs.

Vegan: Replace the eggs and cottage cheese with about 8 ounces (230 g) extra-firm tofu. Crumble it into the skillet with olive oil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes with a pinch of turmeric, salt, and 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast before continuing with the recipe. You can also use about ¾ cup JUST Egg instead of the eggs.
Dairy-free: Skip the cottage cheese and add 1 extra egg, or replace it with ⅓ cup dairy-free cottage cheese. The fried rice will still be flavorful and satisfying.
Gluten-free: Use gluten-free tamari or certified gluten-free soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce. Double-check any optional sauces before adding them.
Nut-free: This recipe is naturally nut-free. Just make sure any store-bought sauces you use are nut-free too.
High-protein: Add 2 extra eggs or ½ cup liquid egg whites. You can also stir in 1 cup shelled edamame, 1 cup shredded cooked chicken, or 8 ounces cooked shrimp. I don’t recommend increasing the cottage cheese, as too much can make the eggs watery and prevent them from scrambling properly. A dollop of Greek yogurt on top is another easy way to add protein.
High-fiber: Add 1 to 2 extra cups of vegetables such as cabbage, bell peppers, mushrooms, or broccoli. You can also stir in 1 cup black beans or replace some or all of the white rice with cooked brown rice.
Lower-sugar: This recipe is naturally low in sugar. For a less refined option, use cooked brown rice instead of white rice and stick with soy sauce or tamari rather than sweetened stir-fry sauces.
Egg-free: Replace the eggs with 8 ounces (230 g) crumbled extra-firm tofu or about ¾ cup JUST Egg. Cook until warmed through and lightly golden, then proceed with the recipe as written.

How to Make Egg Fried Rice

1. Scramble the eggs

Whisk the eggs, cottage cheese, and a pinch of salt in a bowl.

Warm a little olive oil in a large skillet, then add the egg mixture. Cook gently for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring often, until the eggs are just set but still soft and creamy.

Transfer them to a plate. They will finish warming up later with the rice.

Step 1 Soft scrambled eggs cooking in a skillet until lightly set.

2. Cook the vegetables

Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add a little more oil if needed.

Add the onion, carrot, and broccoli—all chopped into small pieces. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender-crisp and lightly browned.

Stir in the peas and grated garlic, then cook for 1 more minute. If the pan looks dry, add a small splash of water instead of extra oil.

Step 2 Chopped onion, carrot, and broccoli sautéing in a hot skillet.

3. Fry the rice

Add the cold rice straight from the fridge and break up any clumps with a spoon.

Season with soy sauce, turmeric, black pepper, and a small pinch of salt. Add oyster sauce or sesame oil if using.

Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is hot, fluffy, and lightly toasted in spots. This is what makes it taste like a real easy fried rice recipe, not just rice mixed with vegetables.

Step 3 Scrambled eggs folded into fried rice with sliced green onions.

4. Finish the fried rice

Add the cooked eggs back to the skillet with the sliced green onions.

Taste and adjust with more soy sauce, salt, or sesame oil if needed.

Serve hot with lime wedges on the side if you like. This one pan rice meal is cozy, colorful, and satisfying enough to be dinner on its own.

Step 4 Finished egg fried rice served warm with sesame seeds and a golden spoon.

Tips

Stick to the tested egg-to-cottage-cheese ratio: The balance in this recipe is intentional. The cottage cheese melts into the eggs, adding creaminess and extra protein without taking over the dish. Adding significantly more cottage cheese can make the mixture watery, overly rich, or cause the dairy to separate instead of blending smoothly into the eggs.
Use cold leftover rice: Freshly cooked rice tends to be soft and sticky. Cold rice from the fridge fries much better, giving you fluffy grains and that classic fried rice texture.
Chop the vegetables small: Small pieces cook quickly and blend into the rice more evenly, so you get a little bit of everything in each bite.
Let the rice toast: After adding the rice, resist stirring constantly. Let it sit for short periods so some grains become lightly golden and toasted.
Add a splash of water instead of more oil: If the pan starts to dry out, a little water helps the vegetables cook without making the dish greasy.
Taste before adding extra salt: Soy sauce already adds plenty of seasoning, so it’s best to adjust the salt at the very end.
Clean out your fridge: This recipe is perfect for using up vegetables that need to be cooked. Bell peppers, zucchini, cabbage, mushrooms, spinach, and corn all work well here.
Need more protein? Add extra egg whites, edamame, shredded chicken, tofu, or tempeh to turn this into an even more filling meal.
Finish with something fresh: A squeeze of lime juice, extra green onions, cilantro, or a sprinkle of sesame seeds can make the flavors pop right before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use freshly cooked rice instead of leftover rice?

Yes, but cold rice works best. Freshly cooked rice contains more moisture and can become sticky in the pan. If you don’t have leftover rice, spread freshly cooked rice on a baking sheet and refrigerate it for 30 minutes before using.

Can I taste the cottage cheese?

Not really. The cottage cheese melts into the eggs and rice, creating a creamy texture without a strong cottage cheese flavor. Most people won’t even realize it’s there.

Can I make this with different vegetables?

Absolutely. This recipe is perfect for cleaning out the fridge. Bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, cabbage, spinach, and corn all work well. That’s one reason it’s such a great quick weeknight dinner.

Why is my fried rice mushy?

The most common reason is using warm or freshly cooked rice. For the best texture, start with cold rice and avoid overcrowding the pan so the rice can fry instead of steam.

Can I make this recipe vegetarian?

Yes. Simply skip the oyster sauce or replace it with a little extra soy sauce or sesame oil.

Can I add more protein?

Definitely. While the eggs and cottage cheese already make this a satisfying meal, you can add edamame, tofu, shredded chicken, or extra egg whites for an even more filling leftover rice recipe.

How to store this egg fried rice?

Let the rice cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat it in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water until warmed through. We don’t recommend freezing it, as the texture of the eggs and cottage cheese can change after thawing.