Don't know what to do with your leftover rice? Well, I have a delicious vegan solution for you! Nasi Goreng, Indonesian-style fried rice. It is very popular for its aromatic, sweet yet savory flavor.
Serve with finely chopped spring onions, crispy onions, a drizzle of kecap manis and lime juice, fresh tomatoes, and cucumber, for a deeper layer of flavor and texture.
When you’re in the mood for street food or take-out style dish at home, this is the one to go for! I have shared the Stovetop version with leftover rice and an Instant Pot version of making Nasi Goreng in this post. 🙂
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Hello all!
I am here with yet another recipe for leftover rice for you all. A couple of weeks ago, I have shared the Instant Dosa recipe with leftover rice and that recipe is loved by you all wonderful readers.
So my today’s recipe is Nasi Goreng, a vegan version.
What does Nasi Goreng mean?
Nasi Goreng, in simple words, is Indonesian Fried Rice. It's simple food, made with leftover ingredients.
The thing that differentiates it from all Fried Rice recipes is it consists of the kecap manis sauce, a sweet soy sauce that gives the rice dark brown color and caramelizes the rice when it cooks.
It is very popular in Indonesia, Singapore, and Malasia.
Authentic Nasi Goreng is also seasoned with a little Terasi shrimp powder. Here I've made it vegan-adaptable.
This version is loaded up with healthy veggies and protein-packed tofu.
This dish is a fast and healthy dinner recipe the whole family will love!
This recipe is shared by my cousin. She is from Malasia and she helped me in understanding the flavors and also shared all the basic information and tips and tricks to make the delicious Vegan Nasi Goreng. 😊
Why I love this recipe?
- A very flavorful and unique dish
- Best use of a leftover rice
- Crowd pleaser
- Perfect for a busy weeknight, lazy weekends, gatherings, or movie nights.
- Leftover tastes even better
- Loved by all ages
- Perfect for kids or adult lunch-boxes
Ingredients required to make this recipe -
- Rice -Day-old cooked rice works best. All types of fried rice are best made using day-old cooked rice that has been refrigerated overnight. It dries it out, making it easier to stir fry to evenly coat the grains with the flavorings. If you are cooking in an Instant pot use uncooked rice. I have used Jasmin rice for the instant pot version. You can use leftover quinoa, brown rice, or cauliflower rice to make this dish.
- Sambal Oelek - It is an Asian chili paste, traditionally made with hot red chilies and salt. You can find it at Asian markets or in the international/Asian aisle of most grocery stores.
- Kecap Manis – Kecap Manis (sometimes called Ketjap Manis) is an Indonesian sweet soy sauce that is thicker and sweeter than other soy sauces, with a consistency like syrup. Sometimes, it is just labeled as sweet soy sauce. Kecap manis is available in major supermarkets, on Amazon, and in Asian stores. But if you can't find it at the store, you can make it at home too. The process is very easy. Just reduce soy sauce and brown sugar. Please check the notes given in the recipe card. I've included directions for you.
- Vegetables - Use any vegetables of your choice for this recipe. I have used bell peppers, spring onions, bok choy, and carrots.
- Lemongrass - it gives great aroma and flavor to this dish. Lemongrass is fairly woody and tough so I generally like to cut it very finely. Remove the outside one or two layers, then remove the end (root end) and discard along with the outer layers. Use a knife to cut the lemongrass in half the long way, so that you have two pieces that each have a flat side. A place that flat side of the piece on the cutting board, chop along the length of lemongrass very finely. Again gather the chopped pieces together, and chop through them a few more times to get very small pieces.
- Protein - As a protein, I have used extra firm tofu. I have pan-fried it and used it in the recipe.
- Garnishing - I have garnished this rice with fried onions, spring onions, lime juice, kecap manis. Fried onions are sliced onions that have been fried until crunchy. They are a great garnish and add a pop of texture to the dish but are optional because it’s not traditional! I have made it from scratch but it can be purchased at most grocery stores.
- Other ingredients - On top of the above ingredients, you will need grated garlic, oil, and salt.
How to make Vegan Nasi Goreng? Step by step recipe
Step 1 Pan fry the tofu
Heat oil in a pan. Add Tofu cubes.
Pan fry them on one side for 5 minutes or until golden brown on medium heat.
Reduce the flame to low heat. Carefully flip the tofu cubes.
Cook them for another 5 minutes on medium heat.
Take it on a plate and keep it aside.
Step 2 Cook Nasi Goreng in the instant pot
(stovetop version is shared in the recipe card, please scroll the page)
Heat oil in a pan. Now add garlic and lemongrass. Saute for few seconds.
Now add green onion, carrots, bok choy, bell pepper, sambal, kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), washed jasmine rice, and water.
Give it a quick stir and make sure nothing is stuck in the bottom of the pot.
Press the rice and submerge under the water.
Add pan-fried tofu on top. Do not stir.
Cover the instant pot with its locking lid, vent valve on sealing position.
Press the manual/pressure button and set a timer for 5 minutes.
Once the cooking time is done in IP, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then quickly release the remaining pressure.
Open the instant pot and give a gentle stir with a fork.
Step 3 Frying onion
Let’s fry the onion for toppings. You can skip this step and use store-bought fried onions to make the process easy.
Heat 1 cup oil in a pan.
Once the oil is hot, reduce the flame to medium heat.
Add thinly sliced onions and fry them until golden in color.
Take them out on a plate lined with a paper towel. Keep it aside. For a detailed crispy fried onion recipe with tips and tricks, click here.
Step 4 Serving
Take Nasi Goreng in a serving bowl.
Garnish it with fried onions, chopped spring onions green, a drizzle of Kecap Manis, and some lime juice.
Your Vegan Nasi Goreng is ready to devour! 😊
Pro-tip and Quick FAQs
To make Kecap Manis at home, Just combine ¼ cup regular soy sauce (I use Kikkoman) and ¼ cup brown sugar over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce until it becomes a maple syrup consistency. It will thicken more when it cools. To make gluten-free Kecap Manis, substitute soy sauce with tamari.
Yes! Make this GLUTEN FREE by making your kecap manis using Tamari. Check the recipe card for the recipe.
Like other fried rice recipes, it keeps great for a day or two in the fridge. Sprinkle some water while reheating the rice in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Traditionally, Nasi Goreng is topped with a runny fried egg and served with a few slices of fresh tomato and cucumber. But as we don't eat eggs, I have skipped that and served with slices of fresh cucumber and tomatoes, a drizzle of kecap manis and lime juice, and a sprinkle of fried onions and spring onions.
Freshly cooked rice becomes sticky when it’s added to stir recipes. We let the rice cool down to allow the outer layer to dry a little. This gives it the perfect texture while stir-frying, and ensures it isn’t sticky.
Yes, you can air fry the tofu or bake it in the oven and use it in the recipe.
Sure you can. Fried onions are optional.
Some Asian inspired recipes
- Korean Braised Tofu (Dubu Jorim)
- Sweet And Spicy Crispy Tofu
- Orange Tofu Broccoli
- Thai Peanut Sauce Noodles (Instant Pot) | Vegan Peanut Butter Noodles
- Thai Pineapple Fried Rice (Instant Pot + Stove-top version)
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Vegan Nasi Goreng | Indonesian fried rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup extra firm tofu cubes drained and pressed
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3 cup cooked rice it should be cold (If making it an instant pot, take 1 cup UNCOOKED Jasmine rice)
- ½ cup spring onion chopped
- 1 cup bell pepper diced
- ½ cup carrots diced
- 1 ½ cup - bok choy, chopped you can substitute it with spinach, water spinach works best
- 3 ½ tablespoon - kecap manis sweet soy sauce (check recipe notes to make it at home)
- 2 tablespoon - Sambal
- 1 tablespoon - Very finely chopped lemongrass see notes
- 3 cloves - garlic grated
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon - Oil
- 1 cup - thinly sliced onion
- Oil for frying
- Lime juice
- Spring onion greens
- Some more kecap manis
Method
- Heat oil in a pan. Add Tofu cubes.
- Pan fry them on one side for 5 minutes or until golden brown on medium heat.
- Reduce the flame to low heat. Carefully flip the tofu cubes.
- Cook them for another 5 minutes on medium heat.
- Take it on a plate and keep it aside.
- Let’s fry the onion for toppings. You can skip this step and use store-bought fried onions to make the process easy.
- Heat 1 cup oil in a pan.
- Once the oil is hot, reduce the flame to medium heat.
- Add thinly sliced onions and fry them until golden in color.
- Take them out on a plate lined with a paper towel. Keep it aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat.
- Add garlic and finely chopped lemongrass, stir for 10 seconds.
- Add spring onion, carrots, bok choy, and bell peppers cook for 1 minute.
- Add pan-fried tofu, kecap manis, sambal, salt, and cook for a further 1 minute or until tofu is a bit caramelized.
- Add cold cooked rice, cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until rice grains start to caramelize. Switch off the flame.
- Take a serving bowl, place the Vegan Nasi goring, garnish it with fried onions, spring onions green, drizzle some kecap manis some lime juice, and enjoy!
- Heat oil in a pan. Now add garlic and lemongrass. Saute for few seconds.
- Now add green onion, carrots, bok choy, bell pepper, sambal, kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), washed UNCOOKED 1 cup jasmine rice, and 1 cup water.
- Give it a quick stir and make sure nothing is stuck in the bottom of the pot.
- Press the rice and submerge under the water.
- Add pan-fried tofu on top. Do not stir.
- Cover the instant pot with its locking lid, vent valve on sealing position.
- Press the manual/pressure button and set a timer for 5 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is done in IP, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then quickly release the remaining pressure.
- Open the instant pot and give a gentle stir with a fork.
- Take Nasi Goreng in a serving bowl.
- Garnish it with fried onions, chopped spring onions green, a drizzle of Kecap Manis, and some lime juice.
- Your Vegan Nasi Goreng is ready to devour! 😊
Nutrition
Notes
- Rice -Day-old cooked rice works best. All types of fried rice are best made using day-old cooked rice that has been refrigerated overnight. It dries it out, making it easier to stir fry to evenly coat the grains with the flavorings. You can use quinoa, brown rice, or cauliflower rice to make this dish. If you are cooking in an Instant pot use uncooked rice. I have used Jasmin rice for the instant pot version.
- Kecap manis is available in major supermarkets, on Amazon, and in Asian stores. But if you can't find it at the store, you can make it at home too. The process is very easy. Just reduce soy sauce and brown sugar. To make Kecap Manis at home, Just combine ¼ cup regular soy sauce (I use Kikkoman) and ¼ cup brown sugar over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce until it becomes a maple syrup consistency. It will thicken more when it cools. To make gluten-free Kecap Manis, substitute soy sauce with tamari.
- Lemongrass is fairly woody and tough so I generally like to cut it very finely. Remove the outside one or two layers, then remove the end (root end) and discard along with the outer layers. Use a knife to cut the lemongrass in half the long way, so that you have two pieces that each have a flat side. A place that flat side of the piece on the cutting board, chop along the length of lemongrass very finely. Again gather the chopped pieces together, and chop through them a few more times to get very small pieces.
- Use any vegetables of your choice for this recipe. I have used bell peppers, spring onions, bok choy, and carrots.
- For quick FAQs, please check above the recipe card.
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know We would love to hear your thoughts! Please leave your comments, ratings, and any ideas or changes you think could help us make our recipes even better. Thank you for your feedback!Warm Regards,
Dhwani.
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