Featured Recipe
Shrimp Fried Rice Sheet Pan
By Kate
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Sheet pan fried rice loaded with diced vegetables and shrimp, baked until edges crisp and aromatics bloom. Uses a zingy soy-ginger sauce with a touch of heat, balancing sweet and savory notes. Carrots caramelize slightly, shrimp firms up without toughening, zucchini stays tender-crisp. Ideal to make ahead, holds well for leftovers. Substitutions include chicken or tofu for shrimp, or swapping basmati for jasmine rice. Avoid soggy rice by baking at high heat and stirring mid-way. Stir-fried flavor achieved in oven without standing over stove.
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Prep:
25 min
Cook:
35 min
Total:
Serves:
4 servings
dinner
meal prep
seafood
sheet pan recipes
Introduction
Shrimp fried rice gone sheet pan. Skip standing at stove stirring in a pan. Toss ingredients, roast, then toss again. Watch heat closely — oven can turn shrimp tough or veggies mushy fast. Use leftovers or prep rice ahead — essential for no-soggy grains. Sauce cut with water and sweetener balances salty, adds depth with toasted sesame oil replaced by avocado oil; safer with less burnt flavor risk. Parsnips instead of carrots adds subtle sweetness, yellow squash for mild freshness. Gochujang or chili garlic sauce swap for sambal, different heat profile but vibrant. Simple, fast, hands-off. Crisp edges, tender interior. Lime finish punches brightness. Get hands dirty but not glued to a pan.
Ingredients
Sauce
- 60 ml (4 tbsp) low sodium soy sauce
- 20 ml (1.5 tbsp) water
- 20 ml (1.5 tbsp) maple syrup
- 20 ml (1.5 tbsp) avocado oil
- 7 ml (1.5 tsp) gochujang or chili garlic sauce substitute
- 2 medium parsnips, peeled and diced fine instead of carrots
- 20 ml (1.5 tbsp) minced fresh ginger
- 40 ml (2.5 tbsp) vegetable oil
- 375 g (13 oz) small peeled shrimp thawed (can use diced chicken breast)
- 1 medium yellow squash, diced replacing zucchini
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 L (4 cups) cooked jasmine rice, cooled - best if day old
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- Lime wedges for serving (optional)
Rice Mix
About the ingredients
Swapping carrots with parsnips offers earthier sweetness and firmer texture when roasted. Parsnips don’t brown as quickly, so check color cues rather than relying only on time. Yellow squash holds its shape better than zucchini, avoiding that watery texture creeping into the rice. Avocado oil chosen for high smoke point and mild flavor, helps crisp without dominating. Maple syrup swaps brown sugar for subtle caramel notes that amplify roast flavors without clumping or gritty textures. Gochujang or chili garlic sauce balances heat with a slight fermented tang, less sharp than sambal, allowing more nuanced end flavor. Using day-old rice or completely cooled fresh rice is non-negotiable in fried rice cooking; too moist and it clumps, too dry and it crumbles. Measure oil carefully; too much weighs down rice and prevents crisping, too little risks sticking and burning.
Method
Sauce
- 1. Start with sauce in a small bowl. Whisk soy sauce, water, maple syrup, avocado oil, and gochujang until smooth with no clumps. Adjust heat level based on preference. Set aside.
- 2. Preheat oven to 230°C (450°F) with rack in center. High heat helps crisp edges and caramelize veggies. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or silicone mat for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- 3. Toss diced parsnips with grated ginger and 20 ml (1.5 tbsp) oil. Spread evenly on sheet pan. Roast 7-8 minutes until parsnips start to soften and turn golden around edges. Caramelization here kicks flavor.
- 4. Remove from oven. Add shrimp, yellow squash, garlic, and remaining oil. Spread evenly again to single layer. Return to oven 8-9 minutes. Watch shrimp carefully; they cook fast. Shrimp should be opaque and just firm, not rubbery. Veggies stay tender but not mushy.
- 5. Pull pan out. Crumble cold cooked jasmine rice evenly on top. Drizzle sauce over rice. Toss gently with spatula to combine ingredients thoroughly but don’t mash rice.
- 6. Spread rice mixture flat, return to oven. Bake 8-9 minutes until rice edges look toasted, slight crispness forms on surface. Remove from oven, sprinkle with sliced green onions. Toss one last time to distribute flavors evenly and release aromas from onions.
- 7. Serve with wedges of lime to squeeze on top. The citrus brightens the savory heat and caramel notes. If no limes, a splash of rice vinegar or lemon also works.
- Avoid dumping hot rice directly to pan - cool or day old rice is key to preventing clumps and sogginess. Fresh rice steams and clumps badly.
- If budget or time is tight, swap shrimp with ground turkey or firm tofu chunks. Cook time slightly changes—just watch for opacity in meat and no mush in tofu.
- Stir mixture halfway through each roast interval if uneven cooking or clumping is noticed. Helps all sides brown evenly.
- Use garlic sparingly; it can burn and turn bitter quickly in oven. Fresh minced only, no powders here.
Rice Mix
Notes
Technique Tips
Start sauce mixing early so flavors meld while roasting. Oven must hit full 230°C (450°F) before starting to ensure even caramelization and crispness; a lower temp causes steaming, wilting. Spread vegetables and shrimp into one thin layer for quick, even cooking. Overcrowding traps moisture and kills roasting action. Visual cues like golden edges on parsnips and shiny, opaque shrimp indicate readiness more than minutes plated. Adding cold rice to hot veggies shocks grains just enough to avoid mush but maintain cohesiveness. After adding rice and sauce, spread out again so top layer crisps; a piled heap steams instead. Final green onions added off heat preserve texture and fresh bite. Avoid garlic burning by mixing with oil and veggies just before roasting to protect from direct hot air. Toss entire pan contents gently but thoroughly at each step to prevent uneven cooking patches or flavor pockets. Use two spatulas or tongs for ease.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Use day-old rice. Fresh rice clumps and makes soggy rice. Cool any warm rice before adding. Toss gently. Crispiness is key. Monitor edges. Watch for golden browning.
- 💡 Swap shrimp for diced chicken or tofu. Adjust cooking time slightly. Always ensure to watch for doneness. Aroma matters. Should smell sweet, savory, light char.
- 💡 Don’t overcrowd the pan. Roasting outline is critical for crisp results. Thin layers cook evenly. Keeps moisture away from food. Check vegetables frequently. Color equals flavor.
- 💡 Parsnips offer a wonderful sweetness when roasted. More earthy than carrots. Monitor them closely; they can char too quickly if not spread evenly. Stir halfway.
- 💡 Check for burnt garlic. Can turn bitter, overpower everything. Combine with oil before exposure to heat. Use fresh only, avoid powders. Papery texture means no good.
