Omurice (Japanese Rice Omelet)

Name: Omurice (Japanese Rice Omelet)
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: japanese
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter; 1/2 medium onion, cut in 1/2-inch dice (about 3/4 cup); 1 medium carrot, peeled, cut in 1/4-inch dice (about 3/4 cup); 2 to 3 slices deli ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 2 cups cooked medium-grain rice, preferably day-old or cooked a little dry; 2 tablespoons ketchup, plus more for serving; 1 teaspoon soy sauce; 1/4 cup frozen peas; 1 tablespoon chicken stock or dashi (optional); Salt and pepper; Canola or safflower oil, or other neutral oil; 1 teaspoon canola or safflower oil, or other neutral oil; 4 eggs; 1 teaspoon dashi or water; Salt and pepper

Recipe from Go Sugimoto

Adapted by Hannah Kirshner

Updated Dec. 1, 2023

Omurice (Japanese Rice Omelet) — Karsten Moran for The New York Times

Total Time: 20 minutes
Rating: 4(445)
Notes: Read community notes

Omurice, a beloved staple of Japanese home cooking, is a linguistic and literal mash-up of omelet and rice. A plain omelet cloaks ketchup-flavored fried rice, often called “chicken rice” even when it's made with ham or bacon, or no meat at all. It belongs to the category of so-called Western food known as yoshoku. This one takes cues from omurice served at countless kissaten, Japanese diners, but it most closely resembles a recipe from the London architect Go Sugimoto, who grew up between Washington, D.C., and Tokyo. “It was the first thing I learned to cook, and now I make it for my son,” he said, confessing that his is fancier than his mom’s, with butter instead of oil or margarine, vegetables in the rice, and a splash of dashi to flavor the omelet. —Hannah Kirshner

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Ingredients

Yield:2 servings

For the Rice

2tablespoons butter
½medium onion, cut in ½-inch dice (about ¾ cup)
1medium carrot, peeled, cut in ¼-inch dice (about ¾ cup)
2 to 3slices deli ham, cut into ½-inch pieces
2cups cooked medium-grain rice, preferably day-old or cooked a little dry
2tablespoons ketchup, plus more for serving
1teaspoon soy sauce
¼cup frozen peas
1tablespoon chicken stock or dashi (optional)
Salt and pepper
Canola or safflower oil, or other neutral oil

For the Omelet

1teaspoon canola or safflower oil, or other neutral oil
4eggs
1teaspoon dashi or water
Salt and pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Make the rice: Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon butter, and then onion and carrot. Cook, stirring, until onion is translucent and a little browned at the edges, about 3 minutes. Add ham and cook, stirring, until it begins to brown, about 30 seconds.
Step 2
Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and then rice, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or long chopsticks. Adjust heat to medium and cook until the grains are glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in ketchup and soy sauce, and cook, stirring, another 30 seconds or so to caramelize. Stir in peas to heat through, and deglaze the pan with dashi or chicken stock. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 3
To make a perfect mound of rice on each plate, grease a small bowl with canola or safflower oil and pack 1 cup of the rice. Invert this over a plate and remove the bowl. Repeat with the other half of the rice on a second plate.
Step 4
Make the omelet: In a small (6- or 7-inch) nonstick skillet (or a well-seasoned carbon steel omelet pan), heat ½ teaspoon oil, or just enough to coat the pan, over medium-high. Beat 2 eggs with ½ teaspoon dashi or water, until yolks and whites are completely blended. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 5
Pour the egg mixture into the heated pan. Shake and swirl the pan over the heat, stirring constantly with chopsticks or a fork as the eggs cook. When lots of small curds have formed and the eggs are custardy, about 30 seconds, let cook undisturbed until nearly set, about 30 seconds. Run a butter knife or small spatula around the edge of the omelet, and tap the pan firmly against the stove to release the omelet. Turn the omelet out onto the rice, custardy side down. Use a clean dish towel or paper towel to push the edges under the rice.
Step 6
Repeat with the other 2 eggs for the second omelet. Dress the omelets with a zigzag of ketchup (or a cute design if you’ve got a steady hand), and serve.

Ratings

4 out of 5

445 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

Jimbo5 years ago

This dish was utterly delicious and surprisingly filling. Perfect for those who need to monitor glucose levels. I served the salmon with the herbs, a small salad, and a buttermilk biscuit.

nb4 years ago

I saw this made on Queer Eye and then read a New Yorker article about omurice so I wanted to try it! This was so good. I don’t usually fuss around with presentation-y things but the details here were relatively easy and made things perfect. I didn’t use any meat, made a quick dashi (truly, 5 minutes) with kombu in my pantry, and an improvised ketchup/soy sauce glaze at the end instead of just ketchup on top. Also topped with scallions and sesame seeds. Fun to make and delicious.

Sarah3 years ago

I love this. So much. I probably make it once a week at this point — we don’t eat chicken so I usually add a diced veggie hotdog or a bit of ground Impossible ‘beef’. I also throw a bit of sesame oil into the fried rice because sesame oil makes everything extra delicious.

Kevin K1 year ago

My Japanese mom used to make this for me as a child and it was a favorite of mine. It’s a flexible recipe and you can integrate almost any veggies and meats you have in the fridge just like you would a traditional omelet. I like mushrooms, bell peppers and diced pickled jalapeños in mine for more kick. You can add a 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes for even more spice. Dressing with ketchup is very kid-friendly, but the adults can add gochugaru paste instead (Korean red chili paste).

me!3 years ago

Susan liked this

LunarPole2 years ago

Nutritious and simple to create in very short order. As our teenaged daughter reminded us, you'll want to eat it the way we do in Japan, not with a fork, but with a large spoon.

Yessica2 months ago

This was so yummy! I made with leftover coconut rice, green onions, and some frozen corn. It came out so nice and soft. Easy, quick, delicious

Factchecker7 months ago

Kissaten are coffee shops, not diners (which are shokudo).

Mary9 months ago

I have attempted this twice but have yet to achieve the perfect consistency for the omelette. It still remains tasty. If anyone has advice I would love to hear it.

Kevin1 year ago

Lightly salt onion and carrots at beginning

Chris Bakes Knox1 year ago

Easy and Delicious! Subbed a strip of bacon because that’s what I had. Wife approved

Jason Rico1 year ago

I'm not sure who has a 6 inch non stick skillet but sadly it was not me. If you have a larger pan the omelette will be near impossible to get it to look nice. This was tasty, but not worth the effort. I'll go out to eat and let the experts make this one.

Ernest Murphy1 year ago

A similar dish served in Honolulu Filipino restaurants may be even better. The filling is pork adobo fried rice. The omelet, usually made in a wok, is large and paper thin. Looks like a big ol' burrito, tastes like heaven. Pork adobo is a Filipino cuisine classic, easy to make without any exotic ingredients, and lots of recipes for it are online.

Kevin K1 year ago

Juliacalhoon2 years ago

Amazing breakfast food! I like to dress the omelette with a little Kewpie mayo in addition to the ketchup. Also tastes great adding curry spice into the eggs.

eamward2 years ago

Delicious. Used some teriyaki-marinated tofu in place of ham and added some frozen corn as well as peas. Also used brown basmati rice for more nutrition and that fried rice look. Will definitely make again

Nicole Q2 years ago

This is amazeballs. I added more ketchup and wish that I didn't. I overcooked the eggs and wish that I didn't. Still a keeper and going to perfect over many many tries! <3

Ellen S2 years ago

Omurice is a perfect example of why I pay such close attention to this website. I consider myself to be an inventive cook, but I never would have concocted Omurice on my own. When I read the recipe, I thought, well, I have everything it calls for except ham, but I have cold salmon. Otherwise, I followed the directions exactly. The result was beyond delicious and there were no leftovers. Thank you, NYTCooking!!

Juliesmiles2 years ago

Surprisingly tasty. I just left the rice mix in the pan and cooked omelet in a 2nd pan.

LunarPole2 years ago

Nutritious and simple to create in very short order. As our teenaged daughter reminded us, you'll want to eat it the way we do in Japan, not with a fork, but with a large spoon.

Nicole Fitzhugh2 years ago

I didn't understand the omelet directions at all, but faked my way through it and everyone raved over it. Definitely will make again! Served with a cucumber salad (sunemono).

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