Benihana Fried Rice (Copycat Recipe) (2024)

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This Japanese restaurant-style Benihana Fried Rice is loaded with delicious veggies and scrambled eggs. Benihana is a popular Tappanyaki restaurant that’s an ideal spot for special occasions. The chefs prepare meals right in front of you in a spectacular display of knife work and theatrics. It’s actually quite simple to make this copycat recipe at home. Plus, you can easily customize this dish by adding chicken, shrimp or steak.

If you’d like to recreate the Benihana experience at home,there’s no better way than with their classic fried rice! You may not have theknife juggling skills of a teppanyaki chef, but with a few simple ingredientsand your stovetop, your finished product will be just as delicious.

At least once a week I make some copycat favorites includingTexas Roadhouse Chili,KFC Zinger Burger, andthis delicious Benihana fried rice.

Ingredients forBenihana Fried Rice

• Cooked Rice:As with all fried rice recipes, you’ll want to use cooked, cold, day-old rice.Use your choice of rice and cook it a day in advance. Let it cool, then put itin the fridge overnight. You won’t get the best results by using freshly cookedrice.
• Oil: Benihanais known for using safflower oil. Infact, the word “benihana” loosely translates to “red safflower.” If you can’tfind safflower oil, another neutral oil such as canola may be used.
• Garlic Butter:Garlic butter may be purchased ready-made, or you can make your own. Werecommend making your own special Benihana garlic butter (see below).
• Eggs: Benihanafried rice isn’t complete without eggs. Add in the eggs at the end so they’llbe gently scrambled.
• Carrots: Wash,peel and chop your medium-sized carrot into 1/2 inch cubes before you begincooking.
• Onion: Welike using white onions, but go ahead and use whichever one you have. Shallots,yellow and white onions are all delicious options
• Green Onions:Sometimes referred to as scallions, these make a delicious garnish for yourfried rice.
• Soy Sauce: You’llneed soy sauce for that classic umami flavor. Find soy sauce in the Asiansection of your grocery store.
• Oyster Sauce:This sweet, savory sauce can be found in most supermarkets. You may also optfor hoisin or fish sauce.
• Sesame Seeds:A generous sprinkling of sesame seeds is the crunchy finishing touch on yourBenihana fried rice.

How to Make Benihana Fried Rice Recipe

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the egg and cook until scrambled. Set it aside.
2. Add oil to the skillet and add carrots and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Stir-fry until the veggies are soft.
3. Add green onions, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Stir until combined.
4. Add cooked rice and garlic butter. Continue sautéing for 3 more minutes to fry the rice.
5. Then add in the cooked eggs and stir to combine.
6. Remove from heat. Taste and season with extra soy sauce if preferred. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

Tips for the BestBenihana Fried Rice

• Use Garlic Butter: For the best flavored fried rice, you’ll want to use garlic butter. Butter makes your fried rice soft and fluffy and the burst of garlic flavor takes this dish to the next level. See below for a special Benihana garlic butter recipe.
• Use Cold Rice: It’s best to use cold rice as a fresh batch of warm or even lukewarm rice will not fry well.
• Cook on High Heat: To make the best replicate Benihana’s fried rice, cook on high heat. These chefs use woks on blazing high flames to fry the rice just right.
• Let the Rice Brown in the Bottom: For authentic, slightly crispy fried rice, let it brown in the bottom of the pan. This also gives you that classic fried rice flavor.
• Season with More Soy Sauce in the End: The umami flavor is one of the best things about Benihana fried rice. Go ahead and add a generous splash of soy sauce to finish off this dish.

What Kind ofCooking Oil Does Benihana Use?

Benihana restaurants are famous for their use of Safflower oil. The restaurant’s founder, Rocky Aoki named the brand after his parents’ coffee shop back in his home country, Japan. The name loosely translates to “red safflower” in Japanese. This oil has a mild, slightly sweet taste that gives Benihana fried rice its signature flavor for the best recreation, you’ll definitely want to use safflower oil. If you can’t get any, go ahead and use your choice of vegetable oil such as canola.

What Kind of Riceis Best for Benihana Fried Rice

Any kind of long or medium-grain rice will do for this recipe. You may opt for traditional varieties such as jasmine. White rice is most popularly used for this recipe, but you can use brown rice if you prefer. The most important thing is to use COLD, day-old rice for the best results.

Benihana GarlicButter

Benihana’s famous garlic butter has all the flavor you needto take your fried rice to the next level. You’ll need 8oz of unsalted whippedbutter, or two sticks of softened butter. Stir in 2oz of soy sauce and fivebulbs of minced garlic. Add a splash of lemon juice. After you’ve used it inyour fried rice, this rich garlic butter can be stored in the fridge and used inall kinds of recipes.

Do I Need to CookRice Before Making Fried Rice?

For best results, you’ll want to use cooked, day-old rice to make your fried rice. Using freshly cooked rice will result in mushy fried rice. When left in the fridge overnight, rice becomes firmer and is able to retain its shape and texture.

What’s theDifference Between Benihana Fried Rice and Hibachi?

When you visit a Benihana restaurant, the chefs prepare foodright before your eyes on a teppanyaki grill. These are large, flat grills thatcan cook large amounts of food at once. Hibachi is a cooking method that uses asmall charcoal stove. The difference between Benihana fried rice and Hibachi isthe cooking tool that is used.

Variations

• Benihana Chicken Fried Rice: Why not add succulent cubes of grilled or pan-seared chicken breast to your fried rice? You’ll want to cook the chicken separately, then add it to your cooked fried rice.
• Benihana Steak Fried Rice: Strips of tasty sirloin steak are a great addition to your Benihana fried rice. Season it just the way you like and cook the steak to your preferred level of doneness.
• Benihana Shrimp Fried Rice: Seafood lovers will certainly enjoy fresh, tasty shrimp with their fried rice. If your shrimp are on the smaller size, keep them whole, but chop jumbo shrimp into smaller chunks. Cook your shrimp separately, before folding them into your fried rice.

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If you tried this recipe, let me know how your Benihana Fried Rice turns out in the comments below!