Peanut butter rice with vegetables

Peanut butter rice with vegetables is an incredibly simple but delicious vegan fried rice recipe. Packed with flavors this peanut butter and rice is a perfect weeknight meal recipe that gets ready in just 20 minutes.

For a lot of busy people around the world, fried rice is a staple weeknight meal. It's quick, easy to make, delicious, and generally liked by everyone. Plus, you can create a lot of different versions of fried rice by using the ingredients available in your kitchen.

Today I am sharing the recipe for peanut butter fried rice with vegetables which is a treat for every peanut butter lover.

This simple fuss-free recipe gets ready in just 20 minutes and is vegan.

Ingredients needed

To make peanut butter rice, you will need the ingredients shown below:

Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions

• Cooked rice: Use medium grain rice, preferably jasmine rice. Leftover rice that has been cooked at least 3-4 in advance is the best for making fried rice. If possible, refrigerate the cooked rice for at least 2 hours before using it in the recipe.
• Mixed vegetables: I have used frozen mixed vegetables (greens beans, peas, carrot, sweet corn kernels) and fresh cabbage. You can use all fresh vegetables too. Some other vegetables that taste good in fried rice are bell pepper, cauliflower, and broccoli. You can also use mushrooms and fried or baked tofu.
• Peanut butter: Both creamy and crunchy peanut butter are fine to be used in this recipe. I have used creamy, you can pick whichever you like.
• Leafy greens: I have used spring onion, you can also add bok choy or spinach to fried rice.
• Red chili sauce: Use any hot sauce of your choice. Skip, if your heat tolerance is low.
• Toasted sesame oil: Toasted sesame oil adds a very nice nutty flavor to Asian food. It's drizzled on a dish when it's ready. Add it in moderation as it has a very strong flavor.
• Vegetable oil: You can also use canola oil or peanut oil in this recipe.
• Coconut milk: Adding coconut milk is optional. It helps in making a nice creamy peanut sauce for the fried rice. You can skip it if you don't like the taste of coconut milk. Instead of coconut milk, add some hot vegetable stock or water to adjust the consistency of the sauce. You can also use any other milk of your choice.

Other ingredient details and nutritional information is given in the recipe card ahead.

How to make peanut butter rice (step-by-step instructions)?

To make this peanut butter fried rice recipe, follow the easy step-by-step instructions given below:

Step 1: Start with preparing a peanut sauce for rice by mixing peanut butter with warm coconut milk in a bowl. Add chili flakes, soy sauce, red chili sauce, and lime juice.

Step 2: Whisk until you get a creamy peanut butter sauce. Keep it aside.

Step 3: Heat vegetable oil in a large pan or wok. Add chopped onion and garlic. Cook until the onion turns translucent.

Step 4: Add chopped vegetables. Stir fry on high heat for 3-4 minutes. If you are using cabbage too don't add it at this stage.

Step 5: Once the other vegetables are almost cooked but still crunchy, add chopped cabbage and green onions. Saute for 1-2 minutes.

Step 6: Add chili flakes, ground black pepper, and a little salt. Saute for a minute.

Step 7: Add peanut butter sauce and cook until the peanut butter starts melting.

Step 8: If the sauce is too thick add some water or coconut milk to get a consistency of the sauce that can coat the rice.

Step 9: Cook for 1-2 minutes.

Step 10: Add cooked rice and toasted sesame oil.

Step 11: Mix and stir fry on high flame for around 2 minutes.

Step 12: Garnish with roasted white sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

Your easy peanut butter rice is ready to be enjoyed!

How to serve peanut butter rice?

Serve this peanut butter fried rice hot or warm.

It's a meal in itself but if you want, you can serve it with an Asian side dish like broccoli in garlic sauce, baked cauliflower manchurian, Asian eggplant, Stir-fried snow peas, vegetable manchurian, sweet and sour tofu, Chinese vegetables in hot garlic sauce, chili garlic tofu, etc.

Storing and reheating tips

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. It will be fine for 3 days.

To reheat either microwave for a few minutes or reheat covered in a pan on the stovetop. Add a splash of water while reheating.

Recipe tips, tricks, and variation suggestions

• Don't use overcooked rice to make fried rice, it will turn mushy.
• Never use freshly cooked rice to make any fried rice recipe. Leftover rice that has been refrigerated for at least hours is the best for this recipe.
• Use a large pan or wok to make fried rice so that the ingredients can be stirred easily.
• You can use creamy as well as crunchy peanut butter in this recipe depending on the type of texture you prefer.
• The peanut butter I am using already has sugar in it but if you are using natural peanut butter without added sugar, you can add around 1 teaspoon of palm sugar to the sauce. Brown or white sugar can be added too.
• Add extra salt only if needed as the soy sauce and chili sauce are already savory. However, I feel the coconut milk slightly brings down the savoriness of the soy sauce so I add a little (around ⅛ teaspoon salt to the sauce too). Taste the sauce, before adding salt.
• Feel free to use vegetables of your choice. I have used mixed frozen vegetables which have green beans, green peas, carrots, and sweet corn kernels. I also added chopped fresh cabbage. You can use vegetables of your choice. Other vegetables that go well in peanut butter rice are broccoli, cauliflower, and bell pepper. Mushrooms and fried or baked tofu cubes can be added too.
• To add heat to this peanut butter rice, drizzle some chili oil or chopped hot peppers on top.

Frequently asked questions