Cheap Aldi dinner

Veggie Fried Rice

Name: Veggie Fried Rice
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: Southern Grove Long Grain Rice 3 cups cooked; Frozen Mixed Vegetables 2 cups; Friendly Farms Eggs 3; Burman's Soy Sauce 3 tbsp; Tuscan Garden Sesame Oil 1 tsp; Yellow Onions 1

VegetarianQuick

The cheapest dinner in this collection: about $4.83 for four servings, or $1.21 a plate, from rice, a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, three eggs, and soy sauce. It works because cold rice fries into separate, slightly chewy grains instead of steaming into mush, and the eggs plus a teaspoon of sesame oil give it enough richness that nobody calls it a side dish. Fifteen minutes in one hot pan, and the only knife work is half an onion. Keep this in your back pocket for the end of a long week, a genuinely empty fridge, and using up vegetables before they go soft.

Total time

15 min

Serves

Total cost

$4.83

Per serving

$1.21

Ingredients

Estimated Aldi prices for the amount this dinner uses, based on regular shelf prices and the current weekly ad.

Southern Grove Long Grain Rice3 cups cooked$0.93

Frozen Mixed Vegetables2 cups$1.29

Friendly Farms Eggs3$0.45

Burman's Soy Sauce3 tbsp$0.30

Tuscan Garden Sesame Oil1 tsp$0.86

Yellow Onions1$0.40

Estimated total · serves 4$4.83

Steps

1Use cold, day-old rice (cook ahead and chill for best texture).
2Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok over high heat; add the onion and frozen vegetables and stir-fry 3 minutes.
3Push the veg to one side, add a little more oil, and scramble the eggs quickly; break into bits.
4Add the cold rice and break up any clumps; stir-fry 3 minutes until heated through and slightly crisped.
5Pour in the soy sauce and sesame oil; toss over high heat 1 minute to coat.
6Taste and adjust seasoning; serve hot.

Tips & swaps

Any cooked grain works — brown rice, or even leftover quinoa.
Frozen peas, corn, and carrots all behave the same way; use whatever is in the freezer.
A splash of soy sauce plus a teaspoon of sugar mimics takeout-style fried rice.
A handful of peanuts or cashews at the end adds crunch.

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Put Veggie Fried Rice into your week

Add it to a plan built around this week's Aldi deals, or browse all 50 cheap dinner ideas and pick the rest of the week yourself.

Build my week All 50 meal ideas

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