Best Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe (Benihana Copycat) (2024)

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Make the Best Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe Benihana style! Thissimple recipecaptures 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 homemadeJapanese fried ricedelivers 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.

Best Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe (Benihana Copycat) (1)

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, use the Jump to Recipe to 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!
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Best Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe (Benihana Copycat) (3)

My Favorite Flat-Top Grill

  • Solid Rolled Steel
  • 36-inch griddle
  • 4 Burners, 60,000 BTUs
  • Built in cover
  • Natural Gas adaptable

Simple Ingredientsfor Hibachi Fried Rice

  • 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!
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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.

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Best Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe (Benihana Copycat) (6)

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.

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Best Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe (Benihana Copycat) (8)

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?

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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.
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If you love this recipe, try similar recipes, like thisChicken Fried Rice and my tastyGround 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!
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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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is hibachi fried rice better?

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.

What makes fried rice taste like restaurant quality?

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.

What rice is typically used for hibachi?

A hibachi chef usually uses long-grain white rice, basmati is common, and jasmine rice is another favorite.

How do you evenly stir fry rice?

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.

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What to Serve with Restaurant-Quality Hibachi Fried Rice

  1. Hibachi Steak and Shrimp
  2. Shish Kebabs
  3. Healthy Beef and Broccoli
  4. Air Fryer Steak Tips
  5. Asian Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin
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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!

Read more

Perfect HibachiVegetables 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.

Read more

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.

Read more

Best Desserts to Serve with Delicious Fried Rice

How about this tangy (and easy)Lemon Dump Cake, butteryLemon Shortbread Sandwich Cookies, or simpleOld 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!

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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.

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More Easy Rice Recipes

  • Spanish Rice
  • Cilantro Lime Rice
  • Mexican Street Corn Rice
  • Wild Rice and Chicken Soup
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I hope you loved this hibachi fried rice recipe Benihana style — if you did, would you share your creation onInstagram,Facebook, andPinterest? And be sure to comment below!

Like this recipe?

Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and leave a comment below the recipe!

Best Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe (Benihana Copycat) (22)

Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe (Benihana Copycat)

Make the Best Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe Benihana style! Thissimple recipecaptures the essence of the renowned Japanese steakhouse, using simple ingredients to create a mouthwatering dish that will satisfy your cravings.

4.92 from 12 votes

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 -6 servings

Calories: 214kcal

Author: Kathleen Pope

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
  • ½ 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

US CustomaryMetric

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.

Last step! Leave a RatingRate this recipe here. This helps other readers and helps support this website.

Notes

Benihana Garlic Butter, combine the following and store in the fridge or freezer.

  • ½ cup softened butter
  • 3 teaspoon light soy sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic grated or pressed

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 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.

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!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 452mg | Potassium: 133mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2418IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

Best Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe (Benihana Copycat) (23)

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Best Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe (Benihana Copycat) (2024)

FAQs

Why does Benihana fried rice taste so good? ›

Once the rice is mature, each grain is harvested and carefully dried to maintain an ideal moisture level. This ensures perfect, tender and fluffy Benihana rice once it's cooked by our master teppanyaki chefs. At Benihana, creating classic flavors that guests crave means using quality ingredients for each recipe.

Why does hibachi fried rice taste different? ›

Butter – Hibachi fried rice recipe gets most of its flavor from the butter; therefore, a lot of butter is added. Butter gives it a nice savory flavor that makes it irresistible.

What do hibachi chefs squirt on rice? ›

What sauce do hibachi chefs use on rice? If you've been to a hibachi restaurant, you've no doubt seen the unlabeled plastic squirt bottles they use to season all the food. These bottles contain a variety of oils and a soy sauce or soy sauce blend that gives hibachi food its distinct flavor.

What is the secret ingredient to restaurant fried rice? ›

Though you might not be able to pinpoint the sweet inclusion while digging into a take-out box and piling spoonsful of fluffy rice into your mouth, the addition of sugar is a common culinary technique practiced by restaurants.

What is the best kind of rice to use for hibachi? ›

Hibachi rice is typically made with Calrose rice whereas Chinese fried rice is made with long grain rice. But the main difference between fried rice and hibachi rice is that hibachi fried rice is made on a griddle or a hot plate.

What seasoning do they use for hibachi? ›

The seasonings at hibachi restaurants are actually pretty simple. Veggies, rice, meats, and seafood are all seasoned with salt and pepper. Almost every dish also gets a hefty hunk of butter and garlic, as well as a squirt of a soy sauce based sauce.

What do hibachi chefs squirt on vegetables? ›

The squirt bottles are sesame oil, soy sauce, and Japanese barbecue sauce (like Mr. Yoshido brand or the brand name “Japanese Barbecue Sauce”). The enormous mountain of butter is homemade garlic butter made with a garlic paste and kosher salt.

What do they spray at you at hibachi? ›

“I think this is very serious.” Spraying sake from squeeze bottles into the mouths of diners, often to the chant of “sake! sake!” has become a popular part of the “hibachi” experience.

How do you make fried rice taste like restaurant? ›

To get restaurant-quality fried rice at home, it's essential to use aromatics, a group of vegetables and herbs that are so named because they lend your dish a distinct aroma. Common aromatics that are used to flavor fried rice are onion, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and red peppers.

What's the difference between Japanese fried rice and hibachi fried rice? ›

You will find eggs, meat, and vegetables in both dishes.

The only real difference is the way they're cooked. There is no particular sauce used in yakimeshi and hibachi fried rice. The taste varies from one family to another and from one restaurant to another. In other words, both rice dishes have different variations.

Why is my hibachi rice mushy? ›

Excess Water and Incorrect Water Ratio: Too much water during cooking often results in mushy rice.

What's so special about Benihana? ›

Named after his parents' Tokyo coffee shop, Benihana opened in 1964, featuring an authentic Japanese farmhouse interior and food prepared on steel teppanyaki grills right in front of customers. His highly trained teppanyaki chefs delighted customers with intricate knife work and theatrics.

What makes Benihana so good? ›

Hand-Cut on Premises. We hand-cut each piece of chicken and steak so we can inspect each cut prior to serving our guests and ensure we are providing the best piece possible. 28-Day Aging Process. The aging process helps to preserve the flavor and juiciness without adding preservatives.

What makes restaurant fried rice taste so good? ›

The answer: high heat, expert tosses, and something known as 'wok hei. ' As J. Kenji López-Alt writes for Serious Eats, expert cooking with a wok (and the gas range it requires) is one of the main reasons that fried rice from a Chinese restaurant tastes so much better than what you can make at home.

Why is Benihana so successful How does Benihana differ from a typical restaurant? ›

Benihana's production process mainly centers on cooking through showmanship. This strategy involves the ability to cook food attractively and fast. Other restaurants are unable to adopt this production philosophy, partly because they do not have the skills and refined chefs to do so.

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