Easy Omurice Recipe (Japanese Omelette Rice) オムライス

Want to up your breakfast or brunch game on a lazy Sunday morning? Try something Japanese: Omurice (Japanese Omelette Rice) オムライス.

There is not much better than the smell of a freshly cooked omurice in the morning. And by the way, it works just as well for lunch or even a quick dinner. Omurice is a simple and interesting take on the classic omelette (omu, オム) paired with rice (ライス).

It’s part of what Japanese people call yōshoku (洋食), a Western-influenced fusion cuisine. The dish has been around since the early 20th century, and become very popular in Japan. Read more to learn how to make it yourself!

Origins of Japanese Omurice

Source: thespruceeats

The inventor of our beloved omurice is not known. But it’s rumored that it all started in a Tokyo restaurant called Renga-tei in the early 1900. The concept behind it was to have something easy to carry and eat at your desk so that you can start your day strong after a dreadful commute to the office. After it first started, the dish quickly became popular and many restaurants started adding it to their menu.

Nowadays, omurice is a popular contemporary Japanese fusion dish, mixing Western omelette and Japanese fried rice. Although it started at a restaurant, and plenty of restaurants still advertise it in their plastic food vitrines, especially Western type diners, it is now mostly enjoyed at home. 

The easy way to make it, is to pan fry the rice with ketchup and chicken, and then wrap it in a thin sheet of egg omelette. It’s perfect to use leftover rice too! It will take you less than 20 minutes to get the dish ready, from prep to table, and children absolutely love it! I mean, who doesn’t like some sweet tomato sauce with soft omelette? 

Ingredients

To prepare the omelette, you need:

• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons of separated milk
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 6 tablespoons of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

For the fried rice, you need:

• 1 boneless chicken thigh
• 2 helpings of cooked Japanese short-grain rice
• ½ onion
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• ½ of frozen mixed vegetables, defrosted
• ⅛ teaspoon of kosher or sea salt (or use half if using regular salt)
• ⅛ teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of soy sauce
• Ketchup

Directions

Start by preparing the rice base first. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Finely chop the onion.
2. Cut the chicken into ½ pieces.
3. Sauté the onion with oil, overheat until softened.
4. Add the chicken to the onion pan.
5. Add the mixed vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Add the rice.
7. Add the ketchup and soy sauce. Mix evenly.

Now that the rice has finished cooking, it’s time to make the omelette. Here’s how:

1. Whisk 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of milk in a bowl.
2. Generously coat a pan with olive oil, heat over medium-high heat.
3. Pour egg mixture into the pan, then lower the heat when the bottom of the mixture has set.
4. Add 3 tablespoons of cheese and half of the fried rice into the pan.
5. Fold both sides of the egg over to close the omelette.
6. Repeat to make a second omelette.

Variations of Omurice

Source: livejapan

There are quite a few variations available, such as omusoba, where basically, you just replace the rice with yakisoba noodles. You could get your instant yakisoba delivered straight to your home from ZenPop, and start from there. Simply prep the noodles, softly fry the eggs, wrap it all up, and enjoy your treat!

Another variation could be the Taco Rice from Okinawa. As the name says, it’s got a slight Mexican influence. It uses lettuce, tomato, ground beef, cheese and of course, salsa, but switches out the usual taco shell for some rice instead. And that’s how the Japanese invented the omutako. 

If you simply want to spice up your dish, you could try adding some shichimi (七味唐辛子, seven spice mix), or some curry power on top! Whatever you prefer, you won’t regret experimenting with the now classic Japanese dish. Omurice is a treat, you deserve it!