✔ Updated · garlic butter method, real amounts + new step photos
Hibachi fried rice is the buttery, garlicky rice the chef flips on the griddle at a Japanese steakhouse, and it's surprisingly easy at home.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Use rice cooked the day before and chilled. Fresh, warm rice clumps and turns mushy in the pan.
Cold leftover rice, a big spoonful of garlic butter and a really hot pan do all the work.
Why You'll Love This Fried Rice
- Garlic butter in every bite, the flavor that makes steakhouse fried rice so addictive.
- Ready in about 20 minutes from fridge to table.
- A great use for leftover rice and the odds and ends in the freezer drawer.
What Is Hibachi Fried Rice?
At Japanese steakhouses in the US, the chef cooks right at your table on a flat iron griddle (technically teppanyaki, though most people call it hibachi). The fried rice is a highlight: cold rice, garlic butter, egg and a few vegetables, seasoned with soy and flipped around with a lot of showmanship.
The first time I watched it made at a table-side grill, I went straight home to work out how to make it myself. A big skillet or a flat griddle and very high heat get you remarkably close.
Hibachi vs. Chinese Fried Rice
| Hibachi fried rice | Chinese takeout fried rice | |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | Butter, often garlic butter | Neutral oil |
| Seasoning | Soy sauce, a little sesame oil | Soy sauce, often oyster sauce |
| Cooking surface | Flat-top griddle | Wok |
| Flavor | Rich, buttery, garlicky | Savory, smoky wok flavor |
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Day-old rice is non-negotiable. Chilled rice has dried out a little, so the grains fry separately instead of steaming into mush. In a pinch, spread fresh rice on a sheet pan and refrigerate it uncovered for an hour.
- Make the garlic butter first. Mashing the garlic into soft butter means it cooks gently into the rice instead of burning on the hot pan. It's the flavor everyone remembers.
- Let the rice sit. Spread it out and leave it alone for a minute between stirs. Those little golden, crispy bits are my favorite part.
- Drizzle soy around the edges. Pouring it around the hot pan rather than on top lets it sizzle and caramelize a little before you toss.
- Go easy on sesame oil. One teaspoon is plenty. It's strong, and too much tastes bitter and takes over the butter.
The 3 Secrets From Our Video
Our step-by-step video shows exactly how to make this hibachi fried rice. Watch it in the recipe card below; these are the three tips that make the biggest difference.
- Use cold, cooked rice. Fresh rice turns mushy; day-old rice fries into separate, golden grains.
- Cook the eggs first. Scramble them, set them aside, and fold them back in at the end.
- Go easy on the sesame oil, and let it brown. A teaspoon is plenty, and leaving the rice alone for a moment gives you those toasty bits.
Hibachi Fried Rice
4
servings10
minutes12
minutes380
kcal22
minutesJapanese steakhouse-style hibachi fried rice: cold, day-old rice fried in garlic butter on a very hot skillet or griddle with scrambled egg, onion, peas and carrots, then seasoned with soy sauce and a little toasted sesame oil.
Ingredients
- For the Garlic Butter
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- For the Fried Rice
4 cups cooked white rice, chilled overnight (from about 1 1/3 cups uncooked)
2 large eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
1 tablespoon neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
1 small yellow onion, diced
3/4 cup frozen peas and carrots
3 tablespoons soy sauce, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 green onions, sliced (optional)
Directions
- Prep
- Mash the softened butter with the minced garlic in a small bowl. Break up the cold rice with your hands so there are no big clumps.
- Cook
- Heat a large skillet, wok or flat griddle over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the garlic butter, pour in the eggs and scramble until just set, about 1 minute. Move them to a plate.
- Add the oil and onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened. Add the peas and carrots and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until hot.
- Add the rice and the rest of the garlic butter. Spread the rice out and let it sit for 1 minute to toast, then stir and repeat for 3 to 4 minutes, until hot with some golden, crispy bits.
- Drizzle the soy sauce around the rice and toss until every grain is evenly colored. Add the sesame oil and pepper.
- Chop the egg into small pieces with your spatula and fold it back in. Taste, add a splash more soy if needed, scatter with green onions and serve hot.
Notes
- You can serve the fried rice with warm yum yum sauce if you want. Leftovers of the Hibachi fried rice can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
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Variations
- Chicken fried rice: cook 1/2 pound diced chicken in a little garlic butter until it reaches 165°F, set it aside and add it back with the egg.
- Shrimp fried rice: sear 1/2 pound peeled shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until pink and opaque (145°F), then fold it in at the end.
- Steak fried rice: add bite-size seared steak at the end for a hibachi-dinner-in-a-bowl.
- Extra veggies: add diced zucchini, mushrooms or corn with the onion.
More Fried Rice Recipes
If you love this, try my Benihana-style fried rice, a copycat Panda Express fried rice or a quick salmon fried rice for leftovers. There are plenty more ideas in our rice recipes roundup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes hibachi fried rice different from regular fried rice?
Hibachi fried rice leans on butter, especially garlic butter, and soy sauce, cooked fast on a very hot flat-top griddle. Chinese-style takeout fried rice usually uses more oil and often oyster sauce. The hibachi version tastes richer and more buttery, with a mild, savory soy flavor.
What kind of rice is best for hibachi fried rice?
Medium- or short-grain white rice, like Calrose, is closest to what Japanese steakhouses use, but long-grain white rice and jasmine work well too. The type matters less than the timing: cook it a day ahead and chill it so the grains are firm and dry.
Why is my fried rice mushy?
Usually the rice was freshly cooked, the pan wasn't hot enough or the pan was overcrowded. Use cold, day-old rice, heat the pan until it's very hot, and cook in two batches if your skillet is small. Adding too much soy sauce at once can also make it soggy.
What sauce do hibachi restaurants serve with fried rice?
Most Japanese steakhouses in the US serve a creamy pink sauce often called yum yum sauce, made from mayonnaise, tomato paste or ketchup, melted butter, a little sugar, garlic powder and paprika, plus a ginger dipping sauce. Both are good spooned over the rice.
How long does leftover fried rice keep?
Cool it quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a hot skillet with a splash of water or in the microwave until steaming hot, 165°F, throughout. Cooked rice left out at room temperature for long periods can make people sick.
