Schezwan fried rice recipe with easy instructions to make your own schezwan sauce for rice. This spicy schezwan fried rice is a breeze to whip up in just 20 minutes with the best homemade sweet, sour and hot sauce. Made with everyday ingredients, it is insanely flavourful & delicious!! This recipe is vegetarian, but you can easily add the protein of your choice. Easily customize it to your taste and add the choice of veggies or even egg.

Schezwan fried rice is a popular fried rice variety from the Indo chinese cuisine. It is quite popular & is most ordered in Indo-Chinese restaurant. Unlike the regular fried rice, schezwan fried rice is hot & spicy with bursting flavors of ginger, garlic, soya sauce & red chilli paste.
Table of contents
About this recipe
This is an easy recipe to make better than restaurant quality schezwan fried rice. It is so much flavorful, delicious and super simple to make with pantry staples.
Schezwan rice is made by frying rice along with schezwan sauce which is a unique blend of sauces cooked together. In this post I have also shown how to make the sauce from scratch & use the same for your schezwan fried rice.
Usually bottled Schezwan sauce from the stores contain additives & preservatives. So that keeps me away from using them most times. This homemade sauce is much flavorful & superior in taste that the ready made one. So do try the simple sauce I have shown here.
The Schezwan fried rice served in most restaurants in India do not have Sichuan peppers since it is already included in the store bought sauce they use.
The unique aroma actually comes from the sichuan peppers. However if you do not have then just skip them. Your dish will still turn out amazing.
To make schezwan sauce, red chilles are soaked in warm water and then blended to make red chilli paste. But if you do not have red chilies or do not want to blend them, then just use red chilli powder the same way I have used in this post.
But do note that the taste of the red chilies is much superior to the red chilli powder in the sauce. If you want to make your own sauce & store it then you can check this Schezwan sauce recipe.
Preparation
You can cook rice in whatever way you like. It has to be grainy and not mushy. Here I have shown how I do.
1. Rinse and soak 1½ cups basmati rice for 20 to 30 minutes. Bring about 10 cups water to a rolling boil in a large pot. When the water begins to boil, drain the water from the rice and add it to the water. Also add 1 teaspoon oil to the water. Cook rice on a medium high flame till al dente. It must be grainy, almost cooked and not mushy.

2. Drain the rice immediately to a colander. To avoid drying, cover and keep the rice.

Preparation for Schezwan sauce – skip this section if you have the sauce.
3. Soak about 8 to 10 deseeded red chilies in little warm water for 15 minutes. Later make a fine paste in a blender jar along with little water. I like to use red chili powder just to skip the lengthy process of soaking and blending.
To make that, add good quality Kashmiri red chili powder to a small bowl. Then pour very little water. Stir and make a fine paste.
Making sauce for schezwan fried rice
4. Pour 1½ tablespoons oil and heat it. Fry ½ tablespoon ginger and 1 tablespoon garlic until it turns aromatic.

4. Next add 1 medium onion chopped.

5. Fry until the onions turn golden. If using celery add 2 tbsps chopped celery. I do not use it. Saute for 2 to 3 mins.

If you already have the sauce and want to use it, skip to 11.
6. Next stir in 1½ tablespoon soya sauce, 1 tablespoon red chilli paste, 1 tablespoon ketchup (optional), ½ tablespoon sugar, vinegar and ½ teaspoon salt. To make red chilli paste, stir together ¾ to 1 tbsp red chilli powder with 3 tablespoons water.

7. Add ¾ to 1 teaspoon crushed Sichuan pepper or half teaspoon crushed black pepper. Please note you have to crush the Sichuan peppers well. If using them in ground form, cut down to half.

8. Saute furthermore till the sauce thickens.

9. Pour water and stir again. Cooking further brings out the flavor of onions and pepper.

10. Cook until it thickens. Set the sauce aside until needed. To the same pan, add 1½ tablespoon more oil and proceed to the next step.

How to make schezwan fried rice
11. Regulate the flame to high. Pour 1.5 tablespoons oil. When the oil turns hot, add spring onion whites, carrots, french & beans. Stir fry chopped veggies until half cooked yet crunchy.

12. Add capsicum. Stir and fry until they are half done but not soft.

13. Add the spring onion greens and Schezwan sauce.

14. Add cooled rice. I added a bit of oil at this stage. Gently mix to coat the rice with sauce.

15. Stir fry further for 2 minutes. If making for later use or for packing in lunch box, then just mix and do not fry longer. Rice becomes harder. Taste test and add more salt and sauce if needed.

Serve hot and spicy veg schezwan fried rice with any Indo chinese side dish.

Servings suggestions
Serve Schezwan fried rice with any Indo chinese appetizers or sides like
veg manchurian
paneer manchurian
chilli paneer
Pro Tips
Cool Rice: Always use only completely cooled grainy rice. Either you can cook freshly and cool it while you make the sauce. Or just use precooked rice. Avoid using mushy rice or sticky rice.
Store bought sauce: If you do not want to make your own schezwan sauce, you could just grab a bottle of schezwan sauce from the nearest Indian or Chinese store or buy online.
Wok or a skillet: To make the best schezwan rice, use a wok if you have. Even a cast iron skillet works great.
Fry on a high heat: To get a smoky aroma always fry the veggies at the highest flame. You can also skip the veggies in the recipe. I have seen many restaurants serving the schezwan fried rice plain without any veggies added to it.
Variation: Since this is a vegetarian recipe I have used only mixed veggies but you can also stir in some beaten eggs or your choice of meat like chicken or shrimp.
If using chicken just boil it first until tender & then fry it before adding the veggies. Same with shrimp. If using egg then fry the veggies first & then the eggs.
Make ahead: You can make the sauce ahead & refrigerate it. When needed you can just stir the sauce in some hot oil and fry the rice together.
More fried rice recipes
Veg fried rice
Mushroom fried rice
Paneer fried rice
Egg fried rice
Chicken fried rice
Related Recipes

Schezwan fried rice | How to make schezwan rice
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 1½ cups rice uncooked (any premium quality)
- ¼ cup spring onions or onions
- ¾ cup carrots fine chopped (1 small) (optional)
- ¾ cup french beans fine chopped (4 medium)(optional)
- ¾ cup capsicum chopped or (½ bell pepper)
- 1½ tablespoons oil
- ½ tablespoon ginger chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped finely
- 2 tablespoons celery chopped finely (optional)
to make sauce or use 2 to 3 tbsp ready-made Schezwan sauce
- 1½ tablespoons oil
- 1½ tablespoons soya sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- ½ to ¾ tablespoons vinegar
- ¾ to 1 tablespoon red chili powder mixed with 3 tbsps water (or 1 tbsp red chilli paste)
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt as needed
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon Sichuan pepper corn (or ½ tsp black pepper powder)
- 3 tablespoons water to cook the sauce
Instructions
Preparation
- Wash rice and soak for 20 to 30 mins. Bring 6 cups water to a boil.
- When the water begins to boil rapidly, then add rice and 1 teaspoon oil. Cook on a medium high flame till al dente.
- Al dente rice is firm but fully cooked. Make sure rice is not over cooked.
- When the rice is cooked al dente, drain it to a colander.
- While the cooked rice cools completely, chop the vegetables.
How to make schezwan fried rice
- Pour oil to a hot wok. Fry ginger & garlic till they smell good.
- Next add onions and fry until golden.
- Skip this step if you have the sauce ready. Stir in red chili powder with water. Add this to the pan along with soya sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, salt and schezwan pepper. Cook until it thickens. Pour 3 tbsps more water and cook till it thickens, Remove to a bowl. To the same pan, add 1½ tablespoon more oil.
- On a high flame, fry spring onion whites, carrots, beans & capsicum until half cooked yet crunchy.
- Next add Schezwan sauce, cooled rice and spring onion greens.
- Mix and stir fry schezwan rice for 2 minutes. Taste test and adjust salt and spice if needed.
- Serve schezwan fried rice hot or warm with any Indo chinese side.
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes

pria says
It was very good thank u for the recipe????
Rayshma says
It’s really nice.the step by step procedures are very easy and simple to cook…
gauri says
Hiii mam,
Yummy nd tasty recipes.Thank u
Rani daranya says
In this website all dishes are too awesome…………………………….I love it sooooo much. thank you for giving us a wonderful dishes. there is no words to appreciate this website
swasthi says
Thanks Rani.
Appreciate your feedback.
🙂
ABDUL KARIM says
nice
Anupama says
Thank you
swasthi says
Welcome Anupama
🙂
Ana says
awesome! wanna try
Ana says
Really all reciepies are fantastic it is Real kitchen guide for all women’s
swasthi says
Thank you
αlѕhífα ѕhαíkh ? says
αwєѕσmє díѕhєѕ…….. lσvєd ít ?
swasthi says
Thank you Alshifa
αlѕhífα ѕhαíkh ? says
αwєѕσmє díѕhєѕ ?
swasthi says
Thank you Alshifa
Jayashree says
Hi mam my baby ending of 6month please advise me what kind of food eatable for baby. i already try solid foods he’s comfortable for that…
swasthi says
hi jaya,
You can check this food chart for 8 months and this food chart as well.
Lalith says
Spicy and easy tasty rice. Loved it chef, thank u
swasthi says
welcome
thanks for the comment. glad you made it tasty
Rajvir says
Made this so easy and quick delicious as well
swasthi says
Happy to know it turned out nice. Thanks for the feedback
Ossika says
It came out excellent and was an absolute relish!! My family just loved it..Thank you for the quick and easy part [using red chili powder] as all the other recipes ask for grinding chilies etc.
swasthi says
Welcome Ossika,
Glad to know it turned out good
Aaisha says
Hi mam , it looks yummy but dont know how to prepare schezwan sauce ,can u please help me
swasthi says
Hi Aaisha,
Steps 2 to 10 are for making schezwan sauce. You don’t need to make separate sauce for this recipe. You can make the sauce first and in the same pan make the fried rice. Hope this helps
Aaisha says
Thank u so mach mam
Mrs. Jacinto says
Quick and easy. I added chicken (separately boiled) since our family loves non-veg. This was a delicious recipe! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
swasthi says
Welcome Mrs. Jacinto
i am glad it turned out good. You may like to check this post on schezwan chicken fried rice.
Thanks for the feedback
Teena says
Jhat phat. Tasty recipe
swasthi says
Thanks Teena
Sindhiya says
Schezwan fried rice looks delish!! nice click…
swasthi says
Thanks Sindhiya
seema says
Turned out very tasty. Made this fir the hubbys box. Called me back to say it was awesome. Love all your recipes. Thank you so much for all the good recipes.
swasthi says
Welcome Seema
I am so happy it turned out good. Appreciate your feedback and thanks a lot. Have a good day.
nandoo says
such a nice and tempting click.. love it…
swasthi says
Thanks Nandoo
mrunalini says
Hai Maam, I tried this recipe and it was fabulous. I just wanted to ask u if we can substitute the use of vinegar with any other ingredient???
Thanx for the wonderful recipes u post regularly.
God bless your good work.
swasthi says
Welcome Mrunalini,
Good to know it turned out nice. I don’t think there is any substitute for vinegar to use in fried rice. Since you are pregnant it is good to limit your intake of soya sauce & vinegar.
Thank you so much for the wishes.
Have a wonderful week ahead
mrunalini says
Thanq sooo much madam