Nasi Goreng is Indonesian style fried rice that is sweet, salty, and a little bit spicy all at once. It gets its color and depth from turmeric and ground coriander, plus kecap manis, a thick, dark sweet soy sauce that caramelizes as soon as it hits the hot pan. I load mine up with vegetables and top it with a fried egg, because a runny yolk breaking over warm rice is one of my favorite things to eat at any meal. Cold, day-old rice is the real secret here, since it fries up in separate, chewy grains instead of turning to mush.
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Nasi goreng simply means fried rice, but in Indonesia it holds a much bigger place than that name suggests. You’ll find it on breakfast tables, at street food carts, and on menus at nicer restaurants, and every region and every cook seems to have their own version. What stays constant is that sweet-savory backbone from the kecap manis and the habit of frying the rice hot and fast so every grain gets coated and colored.
My version leans heavily on vegetables, but shrimp, chicken, or tofu all work well if you want more protein in the mix. I love having a batch of rice cooked and cooling in the fridge specifically so I can whip this dish up. The fried egg on top is not optional in my kitchen. Once you break the yolk into the rice, it turns the whole plate rich and silky, and I think it might be the best part of the dish.
Ingredient Notes
Kecap manis is the ingredient that makes this taste like nasi goreng instead of just any fried rice. Look for it in the international aisle of a well-stocked grocery store or at an Asian market, and if you can’t find it, stir together a tablespoon of soy sauce and a tablespoon of dark brown sugar as a stand-in. Ground turmeric and coriander givesthe rice its golden color and earthy, warm flavor. If you don’t want to purchase so many seasonings, you can substitute Bumbu Nasi Goreng, a pre-mixed seasoning paste for making this fried rice dish.
Cold rice is worth planning for a day ahead. Freshly cooked rice holds too much moisture and turns gummy in the pan, while rice that has cooled completely in the refrigerator fries into separate, chewy grains.
For the vegetables, I like a simple mix of diced carrot and peas, but this is a good place to use up whatever you already have in the produce drawer.
How To Make Nasi Goreng
This dish depends more on technique and timing than anything else. You start by building the aromatic base, cooking the onion and garlic until soft and fragrant, then blooming the turmeric and coriander briefly so their flavors open up in the hot oil. From there, the cold rice goes in, and the real work is breaking up any clumps with your spatula so every grain separates and picks up color in the pan. Once the rice is heated through, add the kecap manis and soy sauce, and toss everything together until the rice turns a deep amber and smells irresistible.
What To Serve With It
Nasi Goreng makes a satisfying meal on its own, especially topped with a fried egg, but it also holds its own as part of a bigger spread, too. Thai Chicken Satay or Lemongrass Chicken add a smoky, grilled protein alongside the rice, and any leftover peanut sauce makes a great dip for both. Cucumber Salad with Peanut Dressing or Japanese Cucumber Salad brings a cool, crunchy contrast to the warm rice. If you want something crispy to round things out, Air Fryer Spring Rolls are a natural match for a Southeast Asian spread like this one.
Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)
Robin Donovan
Ingredients
For the Fried Rice
- 4 cups cold cooked rice
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons kecap manis sweet soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 cup diced vegetables such as carrot and peas
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Toppings (Optional)
- 2 to 4 fried eggs
- Sliced cucumber
- Tomato wedges
- Chopped green onions
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant and starting to soften.
- Stir in the turmeric and coriander and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the cold rice and vegetables to the pan. Break up any clumps with a spatula and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until the rice is heated through.
- Pour in the kecap manis and soy sauce, stirring to coat the rice evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the nasi goreng hot, topped with fried eggs, sliced cucumber, tomato wedges, and chopped green onions, if using.
Notes
- If you can’t find kecap manis, substitute a tablespoon of soy sauce mixed with a tablespoon of dark brown sugar.
- Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or soy sauce to loosen the rice.
