Spicy Thai Fried Rice

Eat as a side or a meal…

This spicy Thai fried rice recipe is delicious as a side to most any Thai meal, but it’s hearty enough to eat as a meal in its own right. We use steak here, but you can sub in shrimp just as easily.

There’s plenty of heat here with both Thai chili paste (Nam Prik Pao) and Thai peppers. Thai chilies are, in fact, pretty significant spice, anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville heat units which is 6 to 40 times hotter than a jalapeño. If this is too spicy for you, you have a few options: Cut back on the Thai chilies used or substitute in a milder chili. Fresno chilies (2,500 – 10,000 SHU) or red jalapeño peppers (2,500 – 8,000 SHU) make excellent substitutions here

If you like this recipe, be sure to try our Sriracha fried rice recipe as well.

Spicy Thai Fried Rice

Spicy Thai Fried Rice

Delicious as a side or a meal
4.25 from 4 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Meal, Side
Cuisine Thai
Servings 6 servings
Calories 351 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 cup Jasmine rice cooked
  • 2/3 pound sliced beef
  • 5 Thai chili peppers chopped
  • 1/2 yellow onion chopped
  • 1/2 carrot peeled and grated
  • 1 scallion chopped (green top)
  • 3 tablespoons Thai chili paste a.k.a. Nam Prik Pao
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice optional
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander

Instructions
 

  • In a wok or high-sided saucepan, heat the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat, then saute the beef until close to cooked.
  • Add the Thai pepper, yellow onion, carrot, scallions, and garlic. Continue to saute until the onion is cooked through and the beef is fully cooked.
  • Add the cooked rice, fish sauce, Thai chili paste, curry powder, coriander, and basil to the wok and stir to combine.
  • Add the lime juice (optional) and stir to combine.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Are Thai peppers too spicy for you? Substitute in red jalapeño or Fresno peppers instead. Both are significantly milder but share a similar red color. 

Nutrition

Calories: 351kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 16gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 1239mgPotassium: 324mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 915IUVitamin C: 33.4mgCalcium: 183mgIron: 2.3mg
Keyword Nam Prik Pao, Thai Chili Paste
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UPDATE NOTICE: This post was updated on March 19, 2022 to include new content.