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Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)

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Nasi goreng is a fried rice revelation! It's quick and easy to make, with an irresistibly sweet and salty flavour profile that will have you craving it again and again. This is a very flexible dish - make it with or without vegetables or meat (chicken, pork, or shrimp). Use the Indonesian sweet soy sauce, or make it gluten-free with a quick homemade version.

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plate of Indonesian fried rice, with fried egg on top, tomatoes and cucumbers, against a burgundy cloth.

This month, for our Eat the World recipe challenge, we head off to beautiful Indonesia. Okay, if you've read the book 'Eat, Pray, Love', by Elizabeth Gilbert, or seen the movie (starring Julia Roberts), you'll be familiar with one small part of this diverse and romantic tropical country. The island of Bali, where the author finds love, is definitely a must-see on many people's bucket lists, but it is only one province of the Republic of Indonesia which consists of over 17,000 islands! Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic nation.

The cuisine of Indonesia is vast and diverse, being influenced by a long history of trade and connection with surrounding nations. Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Polynesian, and Melanesian cuisines have left their imprint, as well as Spanish, European, and Dutch cultures. The famous 'Spice Islands' are a part of the Indonesian archipelago.

In 2018, the government of Indonesia listed nasi goreng (nasi meaning 'rice' and goreng meaning 'fried') as one if the country's five national dishes. Originally, this dish was prepared for breakfast, to make use of leftover rice from the previous night's dinner. Bits of meat and vegetables, spices, and eggs were added to make it a tasty and complete meal. Today nasi goreng is still eaten by locals for breakfast, but can also be served at any other time of the day. It is eaten in homes throughout the country, ordered in restaurants, and offered as street food.

Ingredients for Nasi Goreng

labeled ingredients needed to make Nasi Goreng.
  • Rice must be cooked and chilled for this dish. Fresh rice will be too soft and moist, clumping up and getting mushy when stir-fried. Chilled rice will keep separate grains that stay firm.
  • Kecap manis - Nasi goreng's unique flavour comes from the Indonesian sweet soy sauce, kecap manis (also ketjap manis). This thick, sweet sauce adds a salty, umami kick and slight sweetness. You can find it in the Asian section of many grocery stores. You can also make a gluten-free version by boiling equal amounts of brown sugar and gluten-free soy sauce or tamari. It tastes just as good (see Notes in the recipe card below). If you have it, add a pinch of ground star anise to the gluten-free kecap manis.
  • Indonesian shrimp paste (belacan) is also often included in the flavourings. You can omit it, or use fish sauce instead.
  • To add a light amound of spice, use a fresh chili pepper (seeds removed) or the Indonesian chili paste, sambal oelek, or just a pinch of dried chili flakes. Omit if you want a mild version.
  • Vegetables, such as green beans, peas, diced bell peppers, carrots, etc., can be added
  • Meat can be added - try chicken breast or thigh, pork, shrimp, or tofu cubes
close-up of plate of fried rice with egg, cucumber, and tomatoes.

To Make Nasi Goreng, Quick & Easy

Nasi goreng is very flexible, with a lot of different options for making a flavourful Indonesian fried rice dish.

Sauté chopped onion, garlic, and hot pepper (or use a spoonful of sambal oelek or a pinch of dried chili flakes). Add diced meat, if you are using it. At this point you can also add some sliced green beans, chopped bell pepper, or any other vegetable of choice (I kept it simple, with just chicken thighs). If you choose to add frozen peas, add them a bit later, so they just heat up and stay green.

4 photo collage for making nasi goreng, cooking onions and garlic, adding meat, cooking meat, adding ketjap manis.
1. cook the onions, garlic, and pepper or sambal oelek until soft. 2. add the diced meat, if using it, or diced vegetables. 3. cook until the meat is partially cooked. 4. add the ketjap manis (or the gluten-free version) and fish sauce, if using it.

Cook the chicken and/or vegetables and kecap manis until they are nicely browned and caramelized. If you choose to add neither of them, then just cook the onions and garlic with a smaller amount of ketjap manis and fish sauce. Add the cold, cooked rice and more kecap. Cook and toss until the rice is all coated with that sweet and salty sauce. Stir in the sliced white and light green part of a couple green onions (also optional, but we love the fresh crunch).

4 photo collage for making nasi goreng, caramelizing the meat, adding the rice and more ketjap manis, stirring to coat the rice, adding green onions.
1. cook the meat and ketjap manis until it's browned and caramelized. 2. add the rice and more ketjap manis. 3. stir to coat the rice. 4. add the white part of green onions.

Meanwhile, fry a few eggs to your liking - using more oil makes the bottoms nice and crispy and keeps the yolks gorgeously runny, but fry them to your taste. Slice a couple tomatoes and some thin-skinned cucumber into chunks, and a tantalizing plate of nasi goreng is ready to devour.

plate of nasi goreng with fried egg on top.
serve nasi goreng with a fried egg on top and chunks of fresh tomato and cucumber on the side for the authentic, traditional Indonesian way to enjoy it

Check out all the wonderful Indonesian dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Find out how to join Eat the World here and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!

Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Nasi Goreng with Chicken
Pandemonium Noshery: Sop Buntut - Indonesian Beef Soup
Culinary Cam: Rijsttafel, An Indonesian Feast with a Colonial Twist
A Day in the Life on the Farm: Gado Gado
Sneha’s Recipe: Nasi Goreng - Vegetarian
Kitchen Frau: Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)
Sugarlovespices: Slow Cooked Beef Rendang, Indonesian Beef Stew

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Guten Appetit!

square thumbnail close-up of plate of nasi goreng.

Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)

Margaret Bose Johnson
Nasi goreng, Indonesian fried rice, is quick and easy to make and can be adapted to whatever ingredients you have on hand.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Save for Later
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Indonesian
Servings 4

Ingredients
 

  • 3 tablespoons oil, divided
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 long red chili pepper (or jalapeño pepper), seeds removed and finely chopped or 1 teaspoon sambal oelek chili paste, or a pinch of dried red chili flakes optional
  • 8 oz. (225 g) diced boneless, skinless chicken breast (1 medium) or thighs, or diced pork, shelled & deveined shrimp, or tofu cubes optional
  • 1 teaspoon Indonesian shrimp paste (belacan) or 1 tablespoon fish sauce, optional
  • ½ cup chopped fresh green beans or frozen peas or other diced vegetables of choice optional
  • 3 tablespoons kecap manis (ketjap manis) or sweet soy sauce or for gluten-free: 3 tablespoons tamari or gluten-free soy sauce boiled with 3 tablespoons brown sugar (see Notes, below)
  • 4 cups cooked and chilled jasmine rice see Notes below
  • 2 green onions

to serve:

  • 1 small English cucumber or 2 Lebanese cucumbers
  • 2 fresh tomatoes
  • 4 eggs, fried to taste
  • additional sambal oelek, for spiciness if desired

Instructions
 

  • In a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cook the onion, garlic, and chili for 2 minutes, until translucent.
  • If using meat, add it now and cook it for 2 to 3 minutes, until it's partially cooked. Add 1 tablespoon of kecap manis (or the gluten-free replacement) and the shrimp paste (or fish sauce) if using it, and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce is sticky and caramelized in spots.
  • If using vegetables (except for peas), add them when you add the kecap manis to the meat.
  • Add the cold rice and the remaining 2 tablespoons of kecap manis, and cook and stir it until the rice is all coated with the sauce and is warmed through.
  • Slice the white part of the green onions and fold it through the hot nasi goreng.
  • In another skillet, fry the eggs in a good amount of very hot oil so the bottoms get crispy and the yolks stay runny or are just lightly set.
  • Top each serving of Nasi Goreng with a fried egg and fresh slices or chunks of cucumbers and tomatoes on the side. Thinly slice the green tops of the green onions and sprinkle them over the top.

Notes

Nasi goreng can be made with or without meat or vegetables of your choice. If using fresh vegetables, add them with the meat. If using frozen peas, add them with the rice, since they don't take as much time (you want them to stay bright green).
To make gluten-free kecap manis (sweet soy sauce): boil an equal amount of gluten-free soy sauce (or tamari) with brown sugar. A pinch of ground star anise is really good with it, but not necessary. Bring the soy sauce and brown sugar to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes, until it is slightly syrupy (like maple syrup). The sauce will thicken up as it cools. For this recipe, you will need 3 tablespoons of each (soy sauce and brown sugar). You can make a larger amount if you plan to make nasi goreng more often, or use it with other stir fries. It will keep for months in a jar in the fridge.
The rice must be cooked and chilled, or it will be mushy when combined with the other ingredients. Make it the night before, or a few hours ahead and chill it in the refrigerator. For this recipe, you can cook up 1⅓ cups (265 g) of rice with 2 cups of water, to get 4 cups of cooked rice (rinse the rice before cooking). 
 
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Check out my past ‘Eat the World’ Recipe Challenge posts:

(in alphabetical order)

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Wendy Klik

    This dish was the most popular for these events and I can see why. I love fried rice and can't wait to try this version.

    Reply

    • Margaret

      It has been our favourite for years, Wendy😍. There's something about that slightly sweet/salty combination that is very addictive!

      Reply

  2. Juli

    5 stars
    It seems this is a recipe not to be missed! I love the flexibility and the tip on making your own sweetened soy sauce, thank you!

    Reply

    • Margaret

      Thank you, Juli. 🥰 Yes, this really is a recipe worth trying, and I'm sure all the versions are equally good. It's easy to see why it's such a beloved comfort food in Indonesia (and quite quick and easy).

      Reply

  3. Nicoletta

    This looks like such a tasty recipe, Margaret! I like fried rice and I'm sure I would like this one (not for breakfast, though 😉 ).

    Reply

    • Margaret

      Thanks so much, Nicoletta! It really is a tasty fried rice (and I hear you about breakfast - there are some days only something sweet will do in the morning 😋)

      Reply

  4. Rosalinda Bose

    Thank you Margaret for demystifying this dish for me; I remember years ago serving it when I was a waitress at the Old Dutch Inn, Qualicum beach and being curious about its interesting history , but intimidated by its exotic name …. You make it look easy enough to try it, and I love the idea for a savory , hearty brunch, thank you

    Reply

    • Margaret

      So glad the dish evoked some memories for you! ❤️ I love it when food does that. It really is an easy dish - basically just another tasty variation of fried rice. I hope you enjoy making it. 😋

      Reply

  5. Sneha Datar

    I love that you did a chicken version of this recipe, it looks so good!

    Reply

    • Margaret

      Thanks so much, Sneha❤️ This is for sure one of our favourites!

      Reply

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