Nasi goreng is a famous Indonesian fried rice dish that’s savory, slightly sweet, and often a little spicy. It’s usually cooked with leftover rice, soy sauce, aromatics, and optional meat or egg.
🍚🔥 Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)
🧾 Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked rice (preferably day-old, chilled)
- 2 tbsp oil (vegetable or sesame oil)
- 2 eggs
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 small onion or shallot (chopped)
- 1–2 chilies (optional, for heat)
- 1 cup cooked chicken, shrimp, or beef (optional)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) or brown sugar + soy sauce mix
- 1 tsp fish sauce (optional)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Optional garnish: green onions, fried shallots, cucumber slices
👨🍳 Instructions
1. Cook eggs
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pan or wok.
- Scramble eggs lightly, then remove and set aside.
2. Sauté aromatics
- Add remaining oil.
- Cook garlic, onion, and chilies until fragrant.
3. Add protein (optional)
- Stir in chicken, shrimp, or beef.
- Cook until heated through.
4. Add rice
- Break up chilled rice and add to the pan.
- Stir-fry on high heat for 2–3 minutes.
5. Season
- Add soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, fish sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Mix well so rice is evenly coated.
6. Finish
- Add scrambled eggs back in.
- Stir everything together.
- Cook 1–2 more minutes for flavor to blend.
🍽️ Serve with
- 🥒 Cucumber slices
- 🍳 Fried egg on top (classic style)
- 🌶️ Chili sauce or sambal
- 🥬 Simple salad or pickled vegetables
🔥 Tips for best nasi goreng
- Use cold, day-old rice to prevent mushiness.
- Cook on high heat for “wok hei” smoky flavor.
- Sweet soy sauce gives authentic Indonesian taste.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan—cook in batches if needed.
🔄 Variations
- 🍗 Chicken nasi goreng
- 🦐 Shrimp nasi goreng
- 🍳 Vegetarian version with tofu and veggies
- 🌶️ Extra spicy street-style nasi goreng
If you want, I can also show you a restaurant-style nasi goreng with sambal, a no-sweet-soy shortcut version, or a meal-prep fried rice version for the week.
