Fried Rice Recipe

Are you looking for a quick one-pot meal to serve to your toddler? Does it need to tick all the right boxes – vegetables, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and nutrients – while being flavorful and fun to eat? Then this delicious Vegetable Fried Rice for babies is just what you need! Not only can it be prepared in less than an hour, but it’s also versatile enough to adapt as your toddler’s tastes evolve. Add their favorite veggies, or switch up the seasonings to keep them excited about mealtime. It’s a healthy and satisfying dish that you’ll feel good about serving.

How to Make Fried Rice

Here’s a simple fried rice recipe for toddlers.

Cooking Time

Total Servings: 3-4

Cooking Method: Gas stove or induction

Type of Meal: Vegan

Suitable for: Babies over 12 months

Meal Schedule: Lunch and Dinner

Recipe Type: Main Meal

Ingredients

Instructions

This step by step procedure on how to make Fried Rice is a great way to start that rice dish on your baby’s varying palate. Easy and quick to make, this dish is a wholesome meal in itself.

• Heat oil in a large skillet, pan or wok.
• Add the onions and sauté for a minute till they become translucent.
• Cook the vegetables in water with a pinch of salt before sauteeing the onions.
• Cook the rice and let it cool down before adding it in the final stage.
• Once the onions are cooked, add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for another two minutes till the raw smell disappears.
• At this stage add the cooked vegetables and stir continuously till it blends well with the onions.
• Once done, add the cooked rice and mix well.
• Serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

• The dish is ideal for vegetarians and vegans.
• If you wish to add eggs, then scramble an egg separately and add it to the rice at the end. Alternatively, you could move the cooked rice and vegetable to one end of the wok and break the egg on the other and scramble it. You can then mix everything together.
• You can also use frozen vegetables instead of using fresh ones. Do ensure that the frozen vegetables are thawed before you cook them.
• Long grain rice, basmati rice or jasmine rice are the best quality rice that you can use for this dish.
• Chilled or a day old rice is best for this dish. If you have any left over rice then use it in the dish. The dish tastes best when made with left over rice. Make sure to heat the rice thoroughly when cooking the recipe.
• For babies over 18 months, you could add a dash of mild soy sauce to make it taste a little tangy and sour.
• If you are non-vegetarian, then you can add shredded pieces of cooked chicken, pork or mutton too. Make sure that the pieces are well cooked so that your baby can chew them.
• You can also try adding some pineapple chunks to throw in a hint of sweetness which your toddler will appreciate.
• Garnish the rice with chopped herbs like coriander or parsley.

Nutritional Facts Per Servings

Health Benefits

Now that you have learnt the easy Fried Rice recipe, read on to find out some of the health benefits it will give to your baby:

• Rice is a good source of carbohydrates and will keep your child full for longer. It is also easily digestible.
• The combination of vegetables – carrots, peas, potatoes – is a great bucket of nutrition in one dish.
• Carrots are rich in Vitamin A and also help in improving vision.
• Peas are rich in Vitamin C and good for digestion.
• Potatoes are high on carbohydrates and also rich in fibre.

Buying Guide

Just a few things to remember when you are making homemade Fried Rice baby food recipe.

• Wash the vegetables well in clean water before you chop them.
• Wash the rice in clean water thoroughly before you cook it.
• Make sure you buy good quality vegetables. If you are buying fresh peas, then check for tiny worms in the pod. Most vegetables used in the dish are seasonal and available during winter. It is a perfect winter dish.
• You can choose to saute the vegetables in butter to enhance the taste.
• If you choose to use soy sauce, then make sure you buy a branded one that is good in quality.

FAQs

1. Can I add mild seasonings to fried rice for my toddler?

Yes, you can introduce mild seasonings to your toddler’s fried rice to make it more flavorful. Common seasonings like garlic powder, a small amount of onion powder, or a sprinkle of mild herbs like parsley or basil can be safe and tasty options. Avoid using salt-heavy seasoning blends, and always start with a small amount to see if your toddler enjoys the taste.

2. How can I make fried rice softer for babies?

For babies who are still getting used to solids, you can make fried rice softer by cooking the rice a bit longer than usual or using more water for a mushier texture. Adding a bit of vegetable or chicken broth can also help make the dish easier to chew and swallow.

3. Is it okay to add soy sauce to fried rice for toddlers?

Soy sauce can add flavor, but it’s generally best to avoid it for toddlers due to its high sodium content. Instead, you can use a small dash of low-sodium soy sauce or skip it entirely. Alternatives like a bit of lemon juice or herbs can add flavor without extra salt.

This was our simple and easy fried rice recipe for babies and toddlers. Fried Rice for babies is a wholesome dish that can be served with some delicious accompaniments. You can serve this with a bowl of curd and some cooked and fried potatoes. Vegetable fried rice is an adaptable dish and you can try different variations to the same. There are different add-ons that you can try.

References/Resources:

1. Rice, white, long grain, unenriched, raw; Food Data Central; U.S. Department of Agriculture; https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2512381/nutrients

2. Rice; Nutritionfacts.org; https://nutritionfacts.org/topics/rice/

3. Rice; Harvard T.H. Chan; https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/rice/

4. Jéquier. E; Carbohydrates as a source of energy (The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition); National Library of Medicine; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8116550/; March 1994

5. When Can My Baby Start Eating Solid Foods?; Nemours KidsHealth; https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/solid-foods.html

6. Feeding Guide for the First Year; Stanford Medicine; https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=feeding-guide-for-the-first-year-90-P02209

7. Feeding Your 1- to 2-Year-Old; Nemours Kids Health; https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/feed12yr.html

Also Read:

Coconut Rice Recipe
Rice and Carrot Porridge Recipe
How to Make Rice Porridge for Babies & Toddlers?