Omurice Recipe checks every comfort food box for me. You get ketchup fried rice tucked under a soft omelet, and it tastes like a cozy diner hug. I make it when I crave something quick, nostalgic, and deeply satisfying. If you love Japanese omelet rice, this version will live on your weeknight lineup.
Easy Omurice Recipe
I pack this dish with comforting flavors and kitchen-friendly shortcuts. You get sweet-tangy ketchup rice, savory chicken or ham, and a buttery omelet that melts over the top. The whole thing cooks in one pan if you reuse the skillet for both components. Kids cheer for it, adults covertly scrape the pan for extra bites, and leftovers deliver serious lunch joy.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cooked rice: 2 cups day-old short or medium grain, chilled
- Neutral oil: 1–2 tablespoons (canola or avocado)
- Butter: 1 tablespoon, plus more for the omelet
- Onion: 1/2 small, finely diced
- Carrot: 1/3 cup, finely diced
- Frozen peas: 1/3 cup
- Protein: 1/2 cup diced chicken thigh, rotisserie chicken, or ham
- Ketchup: 3–4 tablespoons (Japanese brands taste slightly sweeter)
- Soy sauce: 1 teaspoon
- Worcestershire sauce: 1 teaspoon (adds depth)
- Salt and black pepper: to taste
Omelet
- Eggs: 4 large (for two omelets)
- Milk or cream: 2 teaspoons (adds tenderness)
- Butter: 1 tablespoon
- Cheese (optional): thin slices or shredded, to tuck inside
- Fresh parsley or chives (optional): for garnish
- Extra ketchup or demi-glace (optional): for drizzling
How to Make Omurice
- Make the ketchup rice.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add oil and butter. Sauté onion and carrot until soft and lightly golden, 3–4 minutes. Add protein and cook until it sizzles and browns in spots.
- Add peas, then add rice. Break up clumps with a spatula and stir-fry until the grains steam and separate.
- Stir in ketchup, soy sauce, and Worcestershire. Toss until the rice looks glossy and evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the rice to two bowls and shape into ovals with a spoon.
- Cook the omelet.
- Beat 2 eggs with 1 teaspoon milk or cream and a pinch of salt. Heat a 9–10 inch nonstick skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon butter and swirl.
- Pour in the eggs and stir with chopsticks or a spatula in small circles, while you shake the pan. Form soft curds while the bottom sets thin and custardy.
- Stop stirring while the surface still looks slightly wet. Add cheese if you want. Nudge the omelet to one side with your spatula and tip the pan to help it fold.
- Slide the omelet over one mound of rice and cover it like a blanket. Repeat with the remaining eggs for the second plate.
- Finish and serve.
- Drizzle ketchup or spoon warm demi-glace over the top. Add herbs if you like a fresh pop.
- Tilt the omelet with a knife for that classic “open” reveal, or leave it sealed and glossy.
- Snap a photo, then dig in while the eggs still jiggle.
H3: Tornado omurice (optional show-off)
- Use a smaller 8–9 inch pan and 2 eggs. Stir constantly until half set, then spin chopsticks in the center to swirl the eggs into ribbons. Tilt and slide the twist over the rice.
Variations I’ve Tried
- Bacon and corn: Swap the protein for chopped bacon and stir in sweet corn kernels. The smoky-sweet combo hits hard.
- Curry ketchup rice: Add 1 teaspoon Japanese curry powder to the rice along with the ketchup.
- Kimchi kick: Stir in 1/3 cup chopped, squeezed kimchi and a dab of gochujang. The tang pairs perfectly with the eggs.
- Shrimp version: Sauté small shrimp in garlic butter, remove, then toss back in at the end to keep them tender.
- Cheese-in omelet: Lay a thin slice of mozzarella or mild cheddar down the center before folding for extra ooze.
- Demi-glace finish: Warm store-bought demi-glace or Japanese hayashi sauce and spoon it over instead of ketchup.
Cooking Tips
- Use day-old rice. Fresh rice clumps and steams; chilled rice fries and separates like a champ. If you only have fresh rice, spread it on a tray and chill it for 20 minutes.
- Keep the heat moderate for the eggs. I want a soft set, not browned edges. Gentle heat gives you that custardy center.
- Stir, then stop. Agitate the eggs to form soft curds, then pause to set a thin base. This timing gives you a foldable blanket, not scrambled bits.
- Shape the rice before the omelet. Those compact ovals make plating clean and quick. I mound the rice slightly higher in the center so the omelet drapes neatly.
- Sauce balance matters. Ketchup, soy, and Worcestershire give that classic omurice flavor. Taste the rice and tweak with a pinch of sugar or an extra splash of soy if you need it.
What to Serve with Omurice
I pair omurice with a light miso soup or a simple clear soup for balance. A crisp cucumber salad with rice vinegar and sesame seeds cuts through the richness. If I want comfort on comfort, I add a side of Japanese potato salad and a few pickles. For drinks, I pour iced green tea or a cold barley tea to keep the meal bright and refreshing.
Make-Ahead and Storage
My omurice reheats well, so I pack extra ketchup rice for quick lunches and cook fresh eggs in minutes.
Make-Ahead: Cook the ketchup rice and portion it into containers. Chill, then reheat the rice while you make fresh omelets. For freezer meal prep, freeze portions of ketchup rice for up to 3 months and cook the eggs fresh after thawing.
To Refrigerate: Store cooked ketchup rice and any leftover omelet in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Freeze ketchup rice only for best texture. Keep portions in zip-top bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
To Reheat: Reheat rice in a hot skillet with a splash of oil or in the microwave with a damp towel. Warm leftover omelet gently on low heat or in short microwave bursts to keep it soft. If the eggs firm up, add a thin slice of cheese on top to bring back moisture.
Omurice
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add diced chicken, and cook until no longer pink.
- Add peas and cooked rice, and stir to combine. Add ketchup and soy sauce, stirring well until rice is evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a bowl, beat eggs and milk together. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Heat butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Pour in the egg mixture, swirling to coat the bottom evenly.
- When the eggs are just set but still slightly runny on top, add the fried rice to one side of the omelette.
- Carefully fold the omelette over the rice and gently slide onto a plate, seam side down.
- Drizzle ketchup over the top of the omurice.
- Garnish with chopped parsley if desired and serve immediately.