Perhaps a little-known fact, Havana was once home to a large concentration of Chinese immigrants. At one time, Havana even claimed to have the largest Chinatown in all of Latin America. You can still tour the area to this day! Although much of the Chinese population has since left the island, the food culture remains and perhaps one of the most loved Cuban rice dishes is arroz frito.
I’ve partnered with Mahatma Rice, our family’s favorite rice brand for generations, to make a Cuban style fried rice. Use their fragrant jasmine rice or, my recent favorite, their organic white rice. This Cuban recipe is great because you can use leftover white rice from other recipes to create a new meal with savory flavors.
Cuban Fried Rice
Every Cuban family has a slight variation on Cuban fried rice, though the rice dish is unified by the salty flavors of ham and soy sauce, commonly referred to as “salsa china.”
Cubans eat so much arroz frito that you can often find it on the menu for breakfast with a fried egg or as a chicken stir fry for dinner. Here’s how my family makes this traditional Cuban rice dish.
Arroz Frito
Ingredients for this fried rice recipe include:
- 2 cups cooked Mahatma rice (leftover rice is best)
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- ½ cup carrot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup chicken broth, as needed
- 2 cups cooked ham, diced (or lechón asado)
- ½ cup frozen green peas
- ½ cup green onions, chopped
How to Make Stir-Fried Rice
Coat your pan with a thin layer of oil and scramble eggs with a splash of the soy sauce. Cook the eggs and set aside once done.
Add additional oil to pan. On low heat, cook onions and carrot until onions are translucent. Add garlic, making sure not to let brown. Add cooked rice to onion mixture with additional oil if necessary. Flavor rice with chicken broth slowly, making sure not to make the rice “soupy.” The amount of chicken broth needed will depend on how dry your rice is. Add a few splashes of soy sauce for good measure. Fry the rice mixture for several minutes, stirring frequently.
Once well incorporated, add scrambled eggs, diced ham and green peas. Stir gently and let cook for a few minutes. Stir in chopped green onions and remove from heat. Serve warm.
Rice Recipes to Enjoy
Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp – We ate this delicious garlic shrimp with white rice in Hawaii and immediately cooked it up at home!
Cuban Arroz con Pollo – I grew up on this savory Cuban rice dish and my kids do too!
Costa Rican Gallo Pinto – Our favorite breakfast rice dish from a country we adore.
West African Jollof Rice – delicious African rice dish made with stewed tomatoes.
Arroz con Leche – a Cuban dessert recipe made with short-grain rice.
Arroz Congri – A traditional Cuban dish cooking white rice and black beans together
Mango Curry with Organic Rice – a savory curry made with mango and organic chicken
Traditional Mexican Rice – stewed tomato sauce in toasted white rice simmed with smoky spices
Easy Coconut Rice in a Rice Cooker – simple, yet so savory
Yellow Indian Jasmine Rice – made with turmeric and cumin!
Cuban Fried Rice - Arroz Frito
An easy stir-fry rice recipe that also happens to be a traditional Cuban rice dish! Arroz frito - or Cuban fried rice – is delicious and a simple weeknight meal. Add chicken or pork or enjoy as a vegetarian recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked Mahatma rice (leftover rice is best)
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- ½ cup carrot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup chicken broth, as needed
- 2 cups cooked ham, diced (or lechón asado)
- ½ cup frozen green peas
- ½ cup green onions, chopped
Instructions
Coat your pan with a thin layer of oil and scramble eggs with a splash of the soy sauce. Cook the eggs and set aside once done.
Add additional oil to pan. On low heat, cook onions and carrot until onions are translucent. Add garlic, making sure not to let brown. Add cooked rice to onion mixture with additional oil if necessary. Flavor rice with chicken broth slowly, making sure not to make the rice “soupy.” The amount of chicken broth needed will depend on how dry your rice is. Add a few splashes of soy sauce for good measure. Fry the rice mixture for several minutes, stirring frequently.
Once well incorporated, add scrambled eggs, diced ham and green peas. Stir gently and let cook for a few minutes. Stir in chopped green onions and remove from heat. Serve warm.
