Spicy Tomato Basil Fried Rice … the perfect weeknight meal!

This delicious and easy recipe is packed with fresh veggies, tofu, and fresh basil. Make it as spicy or mild as you prefer!

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You guys … this Spicy Tomato Basil Fried Rice is one of my all time favorite recipes! It is so packed with flavor, plus it’s quick to make.

Because I love this recipe so much, it was actually one of the first ones I ever shared on my blog … and the pictures were abysmal!

I’m pretty sure no one (except me!) ever pinned, let alone made this Spicy Tomato Basil Fried Rice recipe. Which is sad, because it’s so tasty.

So I thought it was time to remedy that with all new pics and an updated recipe.

I mean, doesn’t it just look so delicious? It’s time to give this recipe the attention it deserves!

This Spicy Tomato Basil Fried Rice was inspired by a similar restaurant dish. I used to live in San Francisco, and there was a little Thai restaurant that we’d stop at occasionally after going to the beach.

I love trying new things when I eat out, but once I tried their fried rice, I don’t think I ever ordered anything else again!

That dish appealed to me for a few reasons. It was packed with veggies, and I loved the addition of tomatoes (not your typical fried rice). I also loved the addition of fresh, fragrant basil. And finally, it was spicy. I adore anything hot … the hotter, the better for me.

Obviously, I needed to recreate this Spicy Tomato Basil Fried Rice at home, right?

How to Make Spicy Tomato Basil Fried Rice

If you’ve never made it before, you might be surprised just how easy fried rice is to make. Super simple, actually.

BUT, there is one key to great homemade fried rice … you need to use cold, cooked rice. If you use hot, just cooked rice, your finished dish will be mushy.

So plan ahead and cook a little extra rice the day before or use leftover rice. It’s also a great way to use up extra takeout rice.

The other trick to making fried rice is to prep your ingredients before starting. Like most stir fries, the pace for fried rice moves fast once you get started.

So gather all your ingredients and chop everything up before you begin cooking.

You’ll start this Spicy Tomato Basil Fried Rice by sauteing an onion for lots of flavor, then adding broccoli and tofu. Cook the broccoli just until it starts to turn a brighter green.

Then, you’ll add the tomatoes. I used grape tomatoes this time, but cherry tomatoes or even regular chopped tomatoes will work, too.

Once the veggies and tofu are cooked, you’ll set them aside and start on the rice. I used brown rice for this recipe since it’s a little healthier, but feel free to use white rice if you prefer. You’ll cook it in a combination of olive and sesame oil (which adds tons of flavor), just until it has a little color.

Next, the eggs get added and scrambled, and finally, you’ll add back in the veggies and tofu. At this point, you’ll season the fried rice with soy sauce and sriracha to taste.

You can easily control the heat in this Spicy Tomato Basil Fried Rice, by adding as much or as little sriracha as you prefer. Sambal oelek (a fresh ground chili paste) is a super delicious substitute for the sriracha, if you’d like to experiment a bit.

And if you’re serving someone who doesn’t like spicy food, simply leave out the sriracha altogether. Then, let everyone add sriracha or sambal oelek to taste at the table.

Now that you know how to make this Spicy Tomato Basil Fried Rice, try it tonight! It’s sure to be a hit with your whole family.

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Spicy Tomato Basil Fried Rice

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

50 mins

 

This Spicy Tomato Basil Fried Rice is the perfect weeknight dinner! It's fast and delicious, plus you can easily adjust the spiciness to taste.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese, Thai

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 484 kcal

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 large onion, diced
• salt, to taste
• 1 large bunch broccoli, cut into florets; stems peeled and chopped
• 1 (6-oz.) package baked tofu, cubed
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved (or cherry tomatoes)
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 4 cups cooked brown rice (cold)
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2-3 tbsp soy sauce (substitute tamari to make this recipe gluten free)
• 1-3 tbsp sriracha
• 5 large basil leaves, julienned*

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
   

2. Stir onion into oil and season lightly with salt; cook until softened and beginning to brown, stirring often.
   

3. Add broccoli (florets and stems) and tofu to pan, then season lightly with salt.
   

4. Cook until broccoli turns a brighter green and tofu starts to brown, stirring often (about 3 to 5 minutes).

5. Add tomatoes to pan; cook until tomatoes are softened and broccoli is tender crisp.
   

6. Remove veggies from pan and set aside. If the tomatoes were very juicy, wipe out the pan.
   

7. Return pan to heat and add remaining tbsp. olive oil and sesame oil.
   

8. Saute garlic in oil until fragrant, stirring constantly, until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
   

9. Add rice and cook, stirring often, until it has a little color (about 5 minutes).
   

10. Push rice to side, then add eggs to empty space.
    

11. Scramble eggs.
    

12. When eggs are done, mix them into the rice along with the reserved veggies.
    

13. Season rice to taste with soy sauce and sriracha.
    

14. Stir in basil, then serve hot. Enjoy!
    

Notes

*I used regular basil this time, but if you can find it, Thai basil is delicious in this recipe.

This recipe is super flexible, so customize it to your taste. Replace the broccoli, or even the tomatoes, with your favorite veggies.

Love this Spicy Tomato Basil Fried Rice and want more?

If you like this recipe, make sure to try my Pineapple Fried Brown Rice, too!

And if you love spicy food, then I think you’ll like these recipes, too:

• Spicy Egg and Potato Breakfast Burritos
• Crock Pot Spicy 3 Bean Chili
• Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with Blue Cheese
• Southwest Hummus with Spicy Corn Relish

Have you ever tried to recreate a restaurant meal?

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