High Protein Egg Fried Rice
Ground turkey, whole eggs, and liquid egg whites fried with day-old rice, peas, carrots, and a savory soy-sesame sauce in one skillet. ~35g protein per serving. The egg white addition is the protein upgrade that separates this from standard fried rice. 20 minutes, doubles as meal prep or weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Meat & Protein
- ¾ lb ground turkey 93% lean
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ½ cup liquid egg whites from a carton — the protein upgrade that separates this from standard fried rice
Produce
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 cup shredded carrots store-bought pre-shredded
- 4 green onion thinly sliced — divided, half in rice, half for garnish
Pantry & Canned Goods
- 3 cups long grain white rice cooked and cooled — day-old rice from the fridge is ideal
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed
- 3 tbsp soy sauce low sodium
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Seasonings & Spices
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it into small crumbles, for 4 to 5 minutes until browned. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Push the turkey to the sides of the pan.
- Add the beaten whole eggs and liquid egg whites to the center of the pan. Scramble them, pulling from the edges toward the center, until just set — about 60 to 90 seconds. Break into small pieces and fold into the turkey.
- Add the shredded carrots and peas. Stir and cook for 1 minute until warmed through.
- Add the cold cooked rice to the pan. Break up any clumps and spread evenly. Cook undisturbed for 2 minutes so the bottom layer of rice starts to crisp and toast — this is the fried rice texture that separates this from reheated rice. Stir, press flat again, and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Drizzle the soy sauce and sesame oil over the rice. Add half the green onion and the red pepper flakes if using. Stir everything together thoroughly and cook for 1 final minute. Taste and adjust soy sauce and pepper. Remove from heat.
- Divide among 4 meal prep containers or serve directly from the pan. Garnish with remaining green onion and sesame seeds if desired. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Notes
Estimated protein per serving: ~35g. Ground turkey contributes approximately 22g, the egg and egg white combination adds 10g, and peas contribute 2 to 3g.
Cold rice is non-negotiable for good fried rice. Freshly cooked rice is too moist and steams in the pan instead of frying — the result is clumpy, soft fried rice with no texture. Day-old rice from the fridge has dried out slightly, which allows each grain to fry separately and develop the toasted, slightly crispy texture that defines the dish. Plan ahead: cook the rice the night before or the morning of.
The liquid egg whites are the protein upgrade that makes this high-protein fried rice rather than standard fried rice. ½ cup of liquid egg whites adds approximately 13g of protein with essentially no fat or carbs. The flavor difference is undetectable — the sesame oil and soy sauce overwhelm any difference in taste between whole eggs and egg whites. Add the egg whites to the pan at the same time as the whole eggs so they cook together seamlessly.
Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water rather than the microwave — this restores the fried texture rather than making it soggy. Microwave works in a pinch on medium power in 90-second intervals.
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