Nasi Goreng is a spicy, fragrant stir‑fried rice that’s more flavorful than ordinary fried rice thanks to shrimp paste, fish sauce, tamarind and a touch of sweetness.
Topped with a runny fried egg with irresistibly crispy edges, this classic Indonesian street-food dish makes a perfect family dinner or cozy movie-night meal.
“Made this the other night and it was amazing. Thanks again for a top class recipe 🙂”
-Charles
Nicky’s Notes
This recipe is one of my father’s favourites. He learned the flavours during his time in Singapore and brought back a love for Indonesian and Malaysian food. As a child I preferred simpler dishes, but over the years I’ve come to crave the smoky, tangy, slightly sweet balance of Nasi Goreng.
It’s a brilliant, relaxed meal — perfect to eat from a bowl on the sofa on film night. No takeaway required.
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Notes
- What do we need?
- How to make Nasi Goreng
- Recipe Tips
- Make ahead and Leftovers Guide
- 📺 Watch how to make it
- Nasi Goreng Recipe
- More Fried Rice Recipes
What do we need?
This version uses straightforward pantry ingredients. The flavour comes from a simple paste combined with cooled rice and a few fresh aromatics.
- For the paste: shrimp paste, garlic, red chilli, fish sauce, brown sugar, tamarind, tomato purée and dark soy sauce.
- Also: cooked long‑grain rice (preferably cooled), shallots, spring onions (scallions), vegetable oil, cornflour (cornstarch), and eggs.
How to make Nasi Goreng
Full recipe with detailed steps is in the recipe card below.
- Toss thinly sliced shallots in cornflour, then fry in hot oil until crisp and golden. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté shrimp paste, garlic and chopped red chilli in a little oil until fragrant. Add fish sauce, brown sugar, tamarind, tomato purée and dark soy sauce and cook briefly to combine.
- Add the cooled rice and stir over high heat until everything is hot and evenly coated.
- Push the rice to one side of the wok, scramble an egg in the empty space, then mix it through the rice.
- Fold in sliced spring onions, a pinch of salt and the crispy shallots. Reduce the heat and keep warm.
- Fry the remaining eggs in a separate pan until the whites are crisp at the edges but the yolks are still runny.
- Serve the rice in bowls topped with a fried egg. A spoonful of sweet chilli sauce makes a great accompaniment.
Recipe Tips
- Use cooked, fully cooled rice. Freshly steamed rice is too soft and can become sticky in the pan — refrigerate it so the grains dry slightly and fry up separately.
- To get bubbly, crisp edges on the fried eggs, spoon hot oil from the pan over the whites as they cook; this helps them cook quickly and creates attractive texture.
Nasi Goreng simply means “fried rice” in Indonesian. It’s rice stir‑fried with aromatics and sauces. You can vary the dish by adding proteins or vegetables — for example chicken, prawns or lamb.
Traditionally it’s topped with a runny fried egg and served with slices of cucumber and tomato. A dollop of sweet chilli sauce is a popular extra.
Make ahead and Leftovers Guide
- Fry the rice (but not the eggs), spread it out so it cools quickly, then cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Do not leave cooked rice at room temperature.
- Take care to refrigerate quickly, store for no more than 24 hours, and reheat thoroughly until piping hot.
- Reheat in a hot wok over medium‑high heat, tossing with a spatula and adding a splash of oil if the rice seems dry.
Make the fried eggs just before serving for the best texture.
📺 Watch how to make it
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Nasi Goreng Recipe
10 mins
35 mins
45 mins
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 shallots or 1 small onion peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 1 tsp shrimp paste
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 red chilli chopped finely
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 heaped tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp tamarind paste
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 900 g cooked long grain rice (about 2 lbs) cooled
- 5 eggs
- 5 spring onions (scallions) chopped
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
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Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large wok or frying pan until hot.
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Dust the shallot or onion slices in cornflour and fry for 5–6 minutes until browned and crispy. Remove and drain on paper, then set aside.
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Turn the heat to medium and add another 1 tbsp oil. Add shrimp paste, garlic and chilli and cook for about a minute. Stir in fish sauce, brown sugar, tamarind, tomato purée and dark soy sauce and heat for a further minute.
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Add the cooled rice and toss on high heat for about 5 minutes until the rice is hot and coated in the sauce. Use a spatula to prevent sticking.
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Push the rice to one side of the wok, crack an egg into the empty space, scramble it gently until just set, then combine with the rice.
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Stir in the spring onions, a pinch of salt and the crispy shallots. Reduce the heat to low to keep warm.
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Heat the remaining oil in a separate pan and fry the remaining eggs until the whites are crisp at the edges but the yolks remain runny. Baste with hot oil if you like crispier edges.
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Divide the rice between four bowls, top each with a fried egg and serve immediately. Offer sweet chilli sauce on the side if desired.
Video
Notes
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Fried rice often tastes even better reheated. Cook the rice, spread it out to cool quickly, then cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Do not leave cooked rice at room temperature.
- Refrigerate it as quickly as possible
- Don’t store for more than 24 hours in the fridge
- Reheat thoroughly until piping hot
Reheat in a wok over medium‑high heat, tossing and adding a splash of oil if needed. Fry the eggs just before serving.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Cool the rice quickly, transfer to an airtight container and freeze. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat as above. Fry eggs fresh before serving.
Nutritional info is per serving and approximate.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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This Nasi Goreng was first posted in August 2015 and has since been updated with new photos and a video.
Some links in the original post may have been affiliate links. Nutrition information is approximate. For full terms and conditions please refer to the site where this recipe originally appeared.
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