Best Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe (Benihana Copycat)
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Make the Best Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe Benihana style! This simple recipe captures the essence of the renowned Japanese steakhouse, using simple ingredients to create a mouthwatering dish that will satisfy your cravings.
With its vibrant mix of fluffy rice, crisp vegetables, and savory seasonings, this homemade Japanese fried rice delivers the perfect balance of textures and flavors.
If you’ve eaten at Benihana, you know how delicious their hibachi fried rice is! Bring the hibachi experience home, save some cash, and make the dish in your very own kitchen.
I enjoy giving precise details in my recipe posts to lead my readers through any questions. If you’re just here for the printable recipe, feel free to click “Jump to Recipe” right under the title of this post, and you’ll head straight there!
The secret ingredient of fried rice Benihana-style is the divine garlic butter sauce, which I include in this perfect copycat recipe. So, let’s dive right in!
Why You Will Love Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe Benihana Style
- Easy Recipe: We love easy! Especially when it comes to those busy weeknights or chaotic weekends.
- Flavor Packed: Fresh garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, and garlic butter– YUM!
- Versatile: Fried rice is the perfect base for leftover chicken, steak, or pork, adding flavor to a simple dish!
My Favorite Flat-Top Grill
- Solid Rolled Steel
- 36-inch griddle
- 4 Burners, 60,000 BTUs
- Built in cover
- Natural Gas adaptable
Simple Ingredients for Hibachi Fried Rice
Ingredients, directions and nutritional information in the printable recipe card at the end of the post.
- Rice | Use day-old, cooked white rice; Basmati or Jasmine are favorites in Hibachi restaurants. Day-old rice works best, removing moisture as it sits and avoiding mushy fried rice. Either way, ensure it is cold before adding it to the heat. Make it easy by using a rice cooker to prep the rice.
- Oil | Toasted sesame oil brings that signature hibachi flavor, while the avocado oil is perfect for high heat stir-frying. Use another high-heat oil, like peanut oil, instead of avocado oil if preferred.
- Garlic and Onions | Season the rice with minced or pressed garlic cloves and a diced onion. If necessary, use garlic powder instead.
- Peas and Carrots | Use frozen peas and carrots to make the recipe even easier. I like to use organic frozen veggies.
- Eggs | Scramble one to three eggs into the rice for added protein, making this a complete meal.
- Sauces | The fried rice’s flavor will come from the oyster or fish sauce and soy sauce—sub soy for liquid aminos or coconut aminos.
- Garlic butter | Make Benihana Garlic butter with softened butter, light soy sauce, and fresh garlic cloves grated or pressed.
- Pepper | Have a pinch of black pepper season the rice to taste before serving.
- Yum Yum sauce | Drizzle the hibachi rice with my homemade yum yum sauce if you’d like! Making it authentic Benihana Hibachi Fried Rice!
How to Make Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe Benihana Style
Heat hibachi grill like a Blackstone griddle on medium-high heat or in a wok; add a thin layer of high-heat oil, using your spatula to spread it around.
Saute the onion, garlic, carrots, peas, and whites of green onion until golden brown, 2-4 minutes; keep them moving on the hot griddle.
Next, add the cooked rice and stir fry until it’s crispy and hot. At the same time, add the oyster sauce and soy sauce, incorporating them into rice and vegetables.
Scramble the eggs to the side of the fried rice, when cooked, incorporate them into rice.
Finally, add garlic butter, using your spatula to coat the hibachi fried recipe and season the dish with a pinch of pepper and salt (taste before adding).
Drizzle with creamy yum-yum sauce or a little soy sauce, garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, then serve hot! Now don’t you feel like a Benihana Chef?
Fresh Tips
- Stir often, scraping the bottom of the pan or griddle.
- This recipe is still possible even if you don’t have a traditional wok or hibachi surface. Use a large cast iron skillet, cast iron griddle, or a hot large frying pan. Read more on my Hibachi Steak and Shrimp post.
- If you use a smaller pan or skillet to cook this dish, you may want to split the ingredients into two skillets to ensure they cook evenly with plenty of space.
If you love this recipe, try similar recipes, like this Chicken Fried Rice and my tasty Ground Pork Stir Fry with Holy Basil (Pad Kra Pao)— YUM!
Variations & Substitutions
- Spicy: Add some spice to the fried rice by including cayenne pepper, sriracha sauce or hot paprika in the recipe.
- Change the Veggies: Not a fan of carrots and green peas? Add zucchini, green beans, onions, broccoli, bell peppers, or water chestnuts.
- Low-Carb Version: Swap the rice for cauliflower rice for low-carb fried rice. Brown rice is also a healthier choice.
- Reduce Calories: Skip the garlic butter; while the recipe won’t taste identical to the Benihana version, it will still be delicious!
Tips to Prevent Foods Sticking on Your Flat Top Griddle
- Clean and season the griddle after each use to keep it in good condition.
- Apply thin layers of oil for seasoning rather than using excessive amounts.
- Choose a high-smoke or griddle seasoning oil; avoid using bacon fat or meat drippings.
- Ensure the griddle is hot before cooking to achieve optimal results.
- Avoid using harsh chemical cleaners on steel or cast iron griddle tops.
- Keep the burners clean and in proper working order.
Tips to Make Gluten-Free and Vegetarian Fried Rice
Make the recipe gluten-free using GF sauces, like soy sauce, Yum Yum, and others.
For vegetarians, replace the oyster or fish sauce with a vegetable version, omit the garlic butter and add an additional splash of toasted sesame oil at the end.
Tips for Two
Store leftover rice in meal prep containers (my favorite set), in the fridge or freezer to serve as a last-minute lunch or dinner, or use the button on the recipe card to reduce.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main difference between hibachi rice and other styles is lots of garlic butter and certain sauces, including soy sauce, oyster, and/or fish sauce.
The key to perfecting a copycat dish like Benihana chicken fried rice is using the right ingredients and equipment and cooking them at a high temperature, stirring or tossing them often.
A hibachi chef usually uses long-grain white rice, basmati is common, and jasmine rice is another favorite.
Before tossing the cooked and cold rice into the skillet, wok, or griddle, be sure to break up the chunks stuck together so the rice cooks evenly and is toasted to perfection.
Storage Tips for the Best Hibachi Fried Rice
Refrigerate: Cool fried rice to room temperature, store the extras in an airtight container, and keep it in the fridge for up to five days.
Freeze: Transfer cooled leftover hibachi fried rice to an airtight container or freezer-safe baggie and freeze for up to three months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheat: Place rice in a microwave-safe bowl, add 1-2 tablespoons of water or broth, cover with a paper towel, and heat on high for 1-2 minutes; stir and heat in 30-second bursts until piping hot.
Or, my favorite way, heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat until hot, add a little oil, then stir fry the rice until hot, which will only take a minute or two.
What to Serve with Restaurant-Quality Hibachi Fried Rice
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t own a wok or hibachi! Make this recipe using a large skillet or griddle instead. You can even make this using an outdoor grill; place your cast iron skillet or griddle on the grill and hibachi away! Check out our tips in this post.
Best Proteins for Hibachi Style Fried Rice
We enjoy this Hibachi fried rice with this delicious Hibachi Steak and Shrimp recipe and Hibachi Vegetables drizzled with yum yum sauce!
Fried rice, in general, is great to use up your leftover meats. I love using this Asian Marinated Pork Tenderloin in fried rice, leftover steak (try these luscious and easy Air Fryer Steak Bites), leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, and even tofu!
Easy Hibachi Steak and Shrimp Recipe with Fried Rice
Easy Hibachi Steak and Shrimp Recipe. Buttery shrimp and tender steak marinated in soy sauce, accompanied by crisp hibachi vegetables, served on perfectly-fried rice, and topped with creamy Yum Yum sauce!
Perfect Hibachi Vegetables Recipe (Benihana Copycat)
Experience the flavors of your favorite Hibachi restaurant with Benihana Hibachi Vegetables recipe. Loaded with tender zucchini, broccoli, bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms, it's a quick and delicious dish to make on your flat top griddle or stovetop.
Asian Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Tender, tangy, Asian pork marinade; super easy to put together for a quick weeknight meal. Freeze for an ready made meal.
Best Desserts to Serve with Delicious Fried Rice
How about this tangy (and easy) Lemon Dump Cake, buttery Lemon Shortbread Sandwich Cookies, or simple Old Fashioned Lemon Squares? Lemon is the perfect palate cleanser.
Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake Recipe
You are going to love my Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake Recipe. This rich, moist cake is an easy cake recipe filled with rich lemon flavor and creamy ricotta that is an authentic Italian treat – made right in your kitchen. This easy lemon ricotta cake may look plain, but the taste is out of this world! An Italian cheesecake if you will!
Lemon Dump Cake Recipe
Filled with tangy lemon curd, fluffy cake mix, and yummy cream cheese, my lemon dump cake recipe is the ultimate! This is one of those easy dessert recipes that comes together with just 15-minutes of prep time! Also called lemon cream cheese dump cake.
Favorite Blackstone Tools
More Easy Rice Recipes
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Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe (Benihana Copycat)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups cooked white rice, day old is best, I like Jasmine or Basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, regular is fine too
- 1-2 tablespoons avocado oil, or other high heat oil
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 2 green onions, diced, whites and greens separated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 cup peas and carrots, frozen or fresh
- 1-3 large eggs, beaten
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce, or fish sauce
- 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce, or alternative, e.g. coconut aminos, liquid aminos, Tamari
- 2 tablespoons garlic butter, see recipe below
- black pepper, to taste
- Yum Yum sauce, optional, store-bought or homemade
Instructions
- DAY BEFORE! Cook rice, then fluff the cooked rice, cool completely and refrigerate it overnight to remove moisture for best results.
- Make Garlic Butter (if using) by mixing room-temperature butter, minced garlic, and soy sauce to prepare the garlic butter.
- DAY OF! Over high heat on a hibachi griddle (or heat a wok, cast iron pan or griddle over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, on stove or grill) and spread a thin layer of high-heat oil (like avocado oil). Then stir fry onion, garlic, carrots, peas, and whites of green onion until golden brown.
- Add rice and stir fry until crispy and hot, adding oyster sauce and soy sauce and incorporating into rice and vegetables, move to side and keep hot.
- Scramble the eggs to the side, and incorporate them into fried rice.
- Stir fry in garlic butter and season with pepper, taste and adjust seasonings if needed. If desired, drizzle with a little yum-yum sauce, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and green onions, and serve hot.
✱ Kathleen’s Tips
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 3 tsp light soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic grated or pressed
- Refrigerate: Cool fried rice to room temperature, store the extras in an airtight container, and keep it in the fridge for up to five days.
- Freeze: Transfer cooled leftover hibachi fried rice to an airtight container or freezer-safe baggie for up to three months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat: Place rice in a microwave-safe bowl, add 1-2 tablespoons of water or broth, cover with a paper towel, and heat on high for 1-2 minutes; stir and heat in 30-second bursts until piping hot. Or, my favorite way, heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat until hot, add a little oil, then stir fry the rice until hot, which will only take a minute or two.
- Spicy: Add some spice to the fried rice by including cayenne pepper, sriracha sauce or hot paprika in the recipe.
- Change the Veggies: Not a fan of carrots and green peas? Add zucchini, green beans, onions, broccoli, bell peppers, or water chestnuts.
- Low-Carb Version: Swap the rice for cauliflower rice for low-carb fried rice. Brown rice is also a healthier choice.
- Reduce Calories: Skip the garlic butter; while the recipe won’t taste identical to the Benihana version, it will still be delicious!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Fresh Cooky is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
About Kathleen Pope
Recipe Innovator | Food Photographer | Food Writer
Hi, I’m Kathleen Pope. Here at The Fresh Cooky you will find easy, mostly from-scratch, trusted recipes for all occasions. From speedy dinners to tasty desserts, with easy step-by-step instructions. I am here to help teach you how to make mouthwatering recipes without spending hours in the kitchen. Read more about Kathleen here.
i love cooking rice in the Hibachi ! the char crispy edges is amazing
So true!!!
This fried rice was so good! The yum yum sauce makes this recipe!
It really does!! Thank you!
Just looking at this makes me hungry. I love the fried rice at Benihana, and I order it every time.
Yay!!
You’re making me drool! This fried rice looks like something I need to make soon.
You should!!
Wow, what a fantastic Hibachi Fried Rice recipe! Your Benihana Copycat version is absolutely spot-on and delivers an incredible dining experience right in the comfort of my own home. The flavors are perfectly balanced, and the rice has that irresistible smoky aroma that transports me to a hibachi grill. Your clear instructions and helpful tips made it easy for me to recreate this restaurant favorite, and the end result was a deliciously satisfying meal that impressed my family and friends. Thank you for sharing this incredible recipe—I’ll definitely be making it again and again!
So very glad you loved it!!