Quick and easy garlic fried rice where every grain of fluffy rice is coated with aromatic garlic-infused oil and studded with crispy golden garlic bits in every spoonful. This classic Filipino breakfast staple is ready in just 10 minutes and transforms leftover rice into something special.
What is Filipino Garlic Fried Rice?
Sinangag is the Filipino term for garlic fried rice, a beloved breakfast dish that’s served alongside fried eggs and breakfast meats like tocino, longganisa, or tapa. The dish is simple but incredibly flavourful. Imagine leftover rice stir-fried with generous amounts of minced garlic until the grains are slightly crispy and infused with garlic flavour.
This is comfort food at its finest. Growing up, I remember my mother making sinangag for breakfast, and now I make it often for my daughter Mamon, who would happily eat rice three times a day if I let her! While rice isn’t a staple where we live now, we always come back to it steamed, fried, or in soups.
The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity. With just a handful of ingredients and 10 minutes, you can transform day-old rice into a satisfying meal. I can practically make this with my eyes half closed, and Amon has learned to prepare it too while I work on other dishes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Perfect for leftovers: This is the best way to use up refrigerated rice. Day-old rice actually works better than fresh because the grains are drier and separate more easily.
Lightning fast: From pan to plate in 10 minutes, making it perfect for busy mornings or quick weeknight dinners.
Minimal ingredients: Just rice, garlic, oil, and basic seasonings. You likely have everything in your kitchen already.
Versatile: Serve it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Top with a fried egg, pair with grilled meats, or enjoy with vegetables.
Kid-friendly: The garlicky flavour is mild enough for children but flavourful enough to satisfy adults.
Ingredients for Filipino Garlic Fried Rice
- 2 cups cooked rice (preferably day-old and refrigerated)
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil (vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil)
- 4-5 cloves garlic (about 1-1.5 tablespoons minced)
- Pinch of salt (for cooking the garlic)
- 1 tablespoon chopped spring onions or green onions
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Ingredient Notes
Rice: Day-old refrigerated rice is ideal because the grains have dried out slightly, preventing mushiness. If using freshly cooked rice, spread it on a tray to cool and dry for 20-30 minutes first. Jasmine or long-grain rice works best.
Garlic: Don’t skimp on the garlic because it’s the star of this dish! Use fresh garlic and mince it finely so it cooks evenly. Pre-minced jarred garlic won’t give you the same flavour or crispy texture.
Oil: Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point like vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil. Avoid olive oil as it has a lower smoke point and distinctive flavour.
Spring onions: These add a fresh, mild onion flavour and a pop of colour. Substitute with chives if needed.
How to Make Perfect Filipino Garlic Fried Rice
Step 1: Prepare the rice. Take your leftover rice out of the fridge 15-20 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Use a fork or your fingers to break up any clumps so the grains separate easily. This is crucial for achieving fluffy, non-sticky fried rice.
Step 2: Cook the garlic. Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and a pinch of salt. Stir constantly and cook until the garlic turns golden brown and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Watch carefully because garlic can burn quickly, and turn bitter.
Step 3: Reserve half the garlic (optional). For extra crispy garlic bits on top, scoop out half of the cooked garlic and set aside. This ensures some stays crispy while the rest flavours the rice.
Step 4: Fry the rice. Add the rice to the wok. Break up any remaining clumps and toss to coat every grain with the garlic oil. Spread the rice in an even layer across the surface of the wok.
Step 5: Let it crisp. Leave the rice undisturbed for 2 minutes to allow the bottom layer to get slightly crispy and toasted. This adds texture and depth of flavour.
Step 6: Toss and repeat. Flip the rice and spread it out again. Let it sit undisturbed for another 1 to 2 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the rice grains start to “jump” in the pan and look slightly toasted.
Step 7: Season and serve. Sprinkle the chopped spring onions over the rice and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with the reserved crispy garlic if using. Serve immediately while hot.
Pro Tips for the Best Sinangag
Use day-old rice: Freshly cooked rice contains too much moisture and will turn mushy. Refrigerated rice that’s been stored overnight is drier and produces the best texture.
Don’t overcrowd the wok: If you’re making a large batch, fry the rice in batches. Overcrowding prevents proper crisping and leads to steaming instead of frying.
High heat, constant motion: Use medium-high heat and keep the rice moving (except during the crisping stages) to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
Watch the garlic closely: The line between golden and burnt garlic is thin. Stay by the stove and stir constantly while the garlic cooks.
Fluff before cooking: Break up all clumps in the rice before adding it to the pan. This ensures even cooking and prevents mushy spots.
Season gradually: Start with less salt since you’ll be adding salty proteins or condiments. You can always add more at the table.
Serving Suggestions
Sinangag is traditionally part of a Filipino breakfast called “silog” (derived from sinangag + itlog, meaning garlic rice + egg). Here are classic and creative ways to serve it:
Traditional Filipino breakfast:
- Top with a fried egg (sunny-side up with a runny yolk is traditional)
- Serve alongside tocino (sweet cured pork), longganisa (Filipino sausage), or tapa (cured beef)
- Add fried or dried fish with sliced tomatoes and onions
Other serving ideas:
- With Filipino Chicken Adobo for lunch or dinner
- Alongside Ilocano Pinakbet (Filipino vegetable stew)
- With grilled meats or seafood
- Topped with a poached egg and served with sautéed vegetables
- As a side dish with Japanese pickles or radish salad
Classic condiments:
- Spiced vinegar (sukang maasim) with chopped garlic and sliced chillies
- Fish sauce (patis) with calamansi and chillies
- Soy sauce with garlic and chilli
- Banana ketchup for a sweet-tangy contrast
Storage and Reheating
Storage: Store leftover garlic fried rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat in a pan with a splash of oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. You can also microwave it, but the texture won’t be as good. Add a teaspoon of water if the rice seems dry.
Make ahead: While best served fresh, you can prepare the rice and mince the garlic ahead of time. Store separately and fry when ready to serve.
Recipe Variations
Golden fried rice: Add turmeric or beaten egg for colour and richness. Check out our golden fried rice recipe for details.
Vegetable sinangag: Toss in diced carrots, peas, or corn for added nutrition and colour.
Spicy version: Add sliced red chillies or chilli flakes while frying the garlic.
Shrimp sinangag: Stir in cooked shrimp or prawns for a protein-packed meal.
Bacon garlic rice: Use bacon fat instead of oil and add crispy bacon bits for an indulgent twist.
FAQs
Can I use fresh rice instead of leftover rice? Yes, but it’s not ideal. Fresh rice contains too much moisture and can become mushy. If you must use fresh rice, spread it on a tray and let it cool and dry for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
Why is my garlic fried rice mushy? This usually happens when the rice is too fresh or wet, or when the heat is too low. Use day-old rice and cook over medium-high heat to achieve the proper texture.
Can I make this without a wok? Absolutely! A large frying pan or skillet works fine. The key is having enough surface area to spread the rice in a thin layer.
How do I prevent the garlic from burning? Use medium heat (not high), add a pinch of salt which helps regulate the temperature, and stir constantly. Remove half the garlic once it’s golden if you’re worried about burning.
Is sinangag eaten only for breakfast? Not at all! While traditionally a breakfast dish in the Philippines, garlic fried rice is enjoyed any time of day. It’s a popular side dish for lunch and dinner too.
Can I freeze garlic fried rice? You can, but the texture will change. Freeze in portions in airtight containers for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pan with a little oil.
More Filipino Recipes to Try
- Filipino Chicken Adobo
- Tortang Talong (Aubergine Omelette)
- Filipino-Style Spaghetti
- Macaroni Salad Filipino Style
- Ginataang Mais (Filipino Sweet Corn Pudding)
Made this garlic fried rice? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below telling me how you served yours, or tag me on Instagram @cookingmummy with your creation. Did you make it spicy? What protein did you pair it with?
Browse more recipes here or follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for more countryside cooking adventures and Filipino family favourites.
FILIPINO GARLIC FRIED RICE (SINANGAG)
Equipment
- Wok or large frying pan
- Spatula or wooden spoon
- Fork (for breaking up rice clumps)
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked rice (day-old, refrigerated)
- 2 tbps neutral cooking oil (vegetable, canola, or sunflower)
- 4-5 cloves garlic minced (about 1-1.5 tablespoons)
- salt pinch
- 1 tbsp spring onions or green onions chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Remove rice from the fridge 15-20 minutes before cooking. Use a fork to break up any clumps so grains are separated.
- Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until garlic turns golden brown and fragrant (1-2 minutes). Watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Optional: Scoop out half the cooked garlic and set aside for topping later.
- Add the rice to the wok. Break up any remaining clumps and toss to coat all grains with the garlic oil. Spread rice in an even layer across the wok surface.
- Let rice sit undisturbed for 2 minutes to crisp the bottom layer. Flip the rice, spread it out again, and let it sit for another 1-2 minutes. The rice is ready when grains start to "jump" in the pan and look slightly toasted.
- Sprinkle chopped spring onions over the rice and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with reserved crispy garlic if using.
- Serve immediately topped with a fried egg or alongside your favourite breakfast protein.
Video
Notes
Notes
- Best texture: Day-old refrigerated rice is essential for the best results. Fresh rice will be mushy.
- Don’t burn the garlic: Use medium heat and stir constantly. Burnt garlic tastes bitter.
- Crispy garlic: Remove half the garlic after cooking to keep it crispy as a topping.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Traditional serving: Top with a sunny-side up egg and serve with Filipino breakfast meats, fried fish, tomatoes, and spiced vinegar.
English
What condiments do you serve alongside fried rice?
Vinegar with chopped garlic and chillies would be a great condiment for Filipino garlic fried rice. Try a fish sauce or soy sauce, garlic and chilli combination too! Enjoy your fried rice!
We eat this with dried or smoked fish with tomatoes on the side. Yum!
You made me miss smoked fish back home. There’s smoked fish here too but not like ours but I like it as much with labanos.
I like the crispy garlic idea. My mother used to make garlic fried rice but not browned like this. I like runny egg yolk to make the rice creamy. Eat with fried dried fish and tomatoes and onion for best breakfast.
Browned, crispy garlic adds more depth to garlic fried rice. Totally with you on the easy egg. It’s a pity dried fish is not widely available here, not hot enough to dry the fish in the sun here so I will save that for when I go home.
Crispy garlic definitely adds oomph to the garlic fried rice. And easy yolks make this even tastier. Dried fish is one I dream about when I have sinangag for now fried fish will do.
My favorite for breakfast with tosino or longganisa. I like the egg sunny side up and easy cooked. Serve with Vinegar with garlic and chilies.
How good that breakfast is! Tosino and longanisa are the best with sinangag.
Sarap ng maraming bawang na sinangag. Ang gawa koy ihinahalo ang itlog sa kanin hindi sunny side up masarap din
Bawang galore ay napakasarap sa sinangag
Kalamansi at patis with sili and more bawang sa side po masarap
Ang sarap naman ng suggestion nyo po natakam tuloy ako.
I took all the garlic out and left just the oil in the pan to cook the rice because I burnt the garlic when I left them in. Otherwise very good recipe. Simple and easy to follow.
That’s a good idea and suggestion to take out the garlic to prevent them from burning. I will give that a try. Thank you for trying the garlic fried rice recipe.
Pang almusal, tanghalian at hapunan man napaka-dali at masarap pa.
Pang all seasons din.
I tried this and it is like my grandmother’s sinangag dry not wet. It pairs well with dried fish and sawsawan.
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