The Biggest Mistake You're Making With Homemade Fried Rice

Kitchen

Tips

The Biggest Mistake You're Making With Homemade Fried Rice By Javaria Akbar Sept. 21, 2025 1:39 pm EST

OlgaBombologna/Shutterstock

Preparing a batch of vegetable fried rice , seasoned with umami-rich soy, is an awesome way to use up leftovers. The ultimate customizable meal, you can toss in everything from deli meat and frozen shrimp to peas, scallions, and diced carrots. However, if your homemade fried rice is turning out squishy and soft, rather than toothsome and filling, you might be guilty of making one big mistake; using fresh rice that's still hot. The best fried rice is actually made with chilled grains that are at least a day old due to a phenomenon called retrogradation that changes their texture.

When rice is cooled, the starch molecules inside begi