Thai Crab Fried Rice
by Sommer Collier — last updated on May 12, 2025 
Make this savory sizzling Thai Crab Fried Rice recipe with tender chunks of real crab meat, scrambled eggs and fresh scallion in under 30 minutes.
This Homemade Thai Crab Fried Rice Is Better Than Takeout
This simple and quick Thai Crab Fried Rice Recipe is a seafood lover’s dream! It features chunks of sweet and tender crab meat snuggled in with scrambled eggs, rice, and veggies.
We have several fried rice recipes on the site, like Shrimp Fried Rice, Triple Pork Fried Rice, Hawaiian Fried Rice with Kimichi, Thai Chicken Fried Rice, and traditional Japanese Hibachi Fried Rice. However, the combination of clarified butter and crab included here offers a rich, luxurious flavor combined with bold punches of scallions and ginger. And if you want to kick up the spice department, you can add crushed red pepper flakes or chili garlic paste to the stir-fry rice!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
A note before getting started: As with all fried rice recipes, it’s important to start with pre-cooked cold rice. When the rice is refrigerated, it firms up so that it stays fluffy and piecey when you stir fry it. If you use freshly cooked hot rice, it turns to mush.
But the good news is that if you don’t have time to cook and chill the rice ahead of time, you can buy pre-cooked vacuum-sealed rice at the grocery store to use in its place.
Why You’ll Love This Thai Crab Fried Rice
- Quick and satisfying – This crabmeat fried rice recipe comes together in only 30 minutes!
- Weeknight wonder – Elevate your rotation of weeknight dinners with this fancy but approachable fried rice dish.
- Bold seafood flavors – This fried recipe is a luxurious upgrade on the classic version thanks to the fresh crab meat.
Make this Thai Fried Rice Recipe part of your weekly meal plan as a way to use day-old rice and have lunch ready to enjoy the next day.
Ingredients and Tips
- Cooked crab meat – Use freshly cooked crab or a refrigerated store-bought tub of jumbo lump cooked crab meat.
- Clarified butter – You can also use regular unsalted butter.
- Eggs – Use large at room temperature to make those delicious scrambled eggs.
- Scallions – You’ll need sliced scallions that are separated into greens and white onion ends.
- Ginger – Use freshly grated ginger for that zesty spicy twist.
- Jasmine rice – I recommend using previously cooked rice, completely cooled, or ready-to-use vacuum-sealed rice.
- Soy sauce – I like to use a low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos.
- Sesame oil – Get that nutty flavor from a good quality sesame oil, otherwise use other high-heat and neutral-tasting cooking oil, like avocado oil or canola oil.
- Frozen peas – These are ptional, but they give a really great crunch and pop of color to this dish.
Recipe Variations and Dietary Swaps
- Vegetables – Add in some shredded carrots for sweetness and cucumber slices for extra crunch.
- Heat – Sprinkle in some crushed red pepper flakes or drizzle some chili oil onto the rice for a spicy twist.
- Pineapple – Stir in diced pineapples for a tropical flavor.
- Low-carb – Use cauliflower rice instead of jasmine rice.
How To Make Thai Crab Fried Rice
Make this scrumptious and comforting Thai Crab Fried Rice recipe in one pan and in under 30 minutes!
Find the full Thai Crab Fried Rice recipe with detailed instructions and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Place leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days.
- Reheating Leftovers – Reheat leftovers in a skillet and add some water if the rice has gotten too dry.
Serving Suggestions
Crab rice is savory and flavorful on its own, but feel free to top it with traditional cucumber slices and any number of sauces and garnishes! Try adding a drizzle of homemade yum yum sauce, eel sauce, kewpie mayo, spicy sriracha, chili oil, or chili garlic sauce.
And a sprinkling of chopped herbs like Thai basil, cilantro, or mint brings a nice pop of freshness. Or add some spicy heat with crushed red pepper flakes!
Lighten your meal with a refreshing salad, like green papaya salad (som tum) or crispy ramen noodle salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
You sure can! The recipe is prepared the same way – but you want to use a wooden spatula so you don’t damage the Blackstone’s surface.
Traditional Chinese fried rice is made with short-grain white rice and soy sauce. This crab meat Thai fried rice recipe, on the other hand, uses longer jasmine rice and includes rice wine in the stir fry sauce.
I don’t recommend freezing fried rice. The rice has already been cooked twice, so it will likely become quite mushy if frozen, thawed, and reheated again.
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Thai Crab Fried Rice Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons clarified butter or peanut oil
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 1 bunch scallions chopped and divided into greens and whites
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 4 cups cooked jasmine rice COLD
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine
- 1 tablespoons sesame oil
- 16 ounces cooked crab meat fresh-cooked or refrigerated tubs
- ½ cups frozen peas optional
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Prep all the ingredients: Beat the eggs, chop and separate the scallions, grate the ginger, and drain the crab meat.
- Set a large wok or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Once hot, pour the beaten eggs into the skillet and move around the pan until fully cooked. Then move the eggs to a plate and chop into small pieces.
- Add the scallion whites and grated ginger to the skillet. Stir and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the remaining butter and drained crab meat to the skillet. Stir and sauté for another 2 minutes.
- Add the cold rice to the pan, followed by the soy sauce, rice wine, and sesame oil. Stir fry the rice for approximately 5 minutes, until warmed through. Stir once a minute so the rice doesn’t burn.
- Finally add the chopped scrambled egg, peas, scallion greens, and lime juice to the pan. Stir and allow the peas to warm through. Then turn off the heat.
- Taste, salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
- Chili Garlic Sauce
- Chili Oil
- Pineapple Tidbits
- Shredded Carrots
- Fresh Mint or Cilantro
- Sliced Cucumber for Garnish
This sounds really delightful. Just the name grabbed me. However, could I use cauliflower rice and imitation crab? Crab is so expensive here.
Hi Cynthia,
Yes, you can use both! Let me know how it turns out. :)
I was looking for an authentic Thai crab fried rice recipe, and this one did not disappoint! It came together so quickly and easily, this will be on repeat in my kitchen!
Hands down the best crab fried rice I’ve ever made! The seasonings are perfectly balanced, and it has just the right amount of crab.
This Thai Crab Fried Rice is absolutely incredible! It’s easy to make and tastes just like my favorite Thai restaurant – it’s definitely a new favorite in our house!