By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 12, 2026
Serves 4
540 cal · 30 min
Beef Fried Rice
Recipe GLPR2cafcd6e50d57c
A savory Chinese-style fried rice featuring tender cubed sirloin beef, fluffy long-grain rice, fresh watercress, and scrambled egg, all brought together with a light sesame and soy sauce flavor profile. This quick and satisfying one-pan dish is ready in about 30 minutes and serves four.
Save recipes you love
Create a free Grocery List Plus account to save recipes, rate them, and add every ingredient to your grocery list in one tap.
Ingredients
3/4 pound sirloin steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce, divided
2 teaspoons plus a few drops sesame oil, divided
1/8 teaspoon plus a pinch dried red pepper flakes, divided
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
1 bunch watercress (about 5 ounces), tough stems removed
1 large egg, beaten
3 tablespoons cooking oil
2 scallions including green tops, chopped
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the sirloin cubes with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil, and a pinch of the red pepper flakes. Set aside. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil, stir in the rice, and boil for about 10 minutes until the rice is tender but not mushy. Drain the rice thoroughly and return it to the pot.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat. Add the beef mixture and cook while stirring occasionally for 1 to 2 minutes until the beef is browned and cooked through to an internal temperature of 160°F. Transfer the beef to a plate. Add the watercress and 1 teaspoon of soy sauce to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds until the watercress is just wilted. Transfer to a separate plate.
Reduce the heat to moderate and add a few drops of sesame oil to the skillet. Pour in the beaten egg and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring gently, until the egg is just set. Transfer the cooked egg to a cutting board and slice into thin strips.
Heat the cooking oil in the skillet over moderately high heat. Add the chopped scallions and 1/8 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and cook while stirring for 1 minute. Add the cooked rice to the skillet and stir constantly for about 3 minutes to heat through. Add the cooked beef, wilted watercress, egg strips, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Stir everything together and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until heated through. Drizzle the remaining 1 teaspoon of sesame oil over the top and serve.
Comments
Beef fried rice hits on availability and cost: sirloin, eggs, scallions, and long-grain rice are standard at every Charlotte chain, and a sirloin steak (about $6–8) stretches across four servings for roughly $2–3 per bowl. The real time is closer to 40 minutes once you account for cooking and cooling rice or reheating day-old rice, which the 30-minute estimate glosses over. Watercress can be tricky—Harris Teeter and Publix carry it reliably, but Food Lion and Walmart may not, so budget an extra stop if your store misses it, though baby spinach or arugula work fine as swaps. The dish reheats well, makes a satisfying weeknight family meal, and asks nothing fussy of technique.
Sign in or create a free account to add your review.
