Nasi Goreng Recipe | Authentic Indonesian Fried Rice with Sambal
Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)
Indonesia's national dish: day-old rice fried hard in a smoking wok with shallots, garlic, sambal, and sweet kecap manis, then crowned with a crispy fried egg. Nasi goreng is eaten for breakfast, lunch, and midnight supper across the archipelago — this is the authentic street-cart version adapted for the home stove.
Chef Yossie
Traditional Indonesian Recipe
Make this recipe taste authentic
Street-cart nasi goreng gets its fire from real sambal — not ketchup or sriracha. Our Sambal Oelek is handmade in Lancashire using Chef Yossie's Indonesian family recipe, and it ships across the UK.
What You'll Need
Hard to find these outside Indonesia? These are the ingredients and tools that make this recipe authentic.
- Kecap Manis (sweet soy sauce)Sweet, thick Indonesian soy — key to nasi goreng & marinadesView on Amazon →
- Sambal OelekThe chilli base for most Indonesian dishesView on Amazon →
- Terasi / Belacan (shrimp paste)The umami backbone of authentic sambalView on Amazon →
- Jasmine / Long-grain RiceThe foundation for fried rice and every mealView on Amazon →
- Carbon Steel WokHigh-heat stir-frying for nasi goreng and moreView on Amazon →
- Rice CookerPerfect rice every time, hands-offView on Amazon →
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Interactive Cooking Guide
Master high-heat wok technique with step-by-step guidance for smoky, street-style nasi goreng
Break up the cold, day-old rice with wet hands so there are no clumps. Have all other ingredients chopped, measured, and within arm's reach.
Equipment needed:
Chef's Tip:
Wet hands stop the rice sticking to you. Every clump you break now is a clump that fries instead of steams later.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok over the highest heat until it just starts to smoke. Stir-fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes until cooked and lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
Equipment needed:
Chef's Tip:
Small dice cooks fast and distributes through the rice. Thigh stays juicier than breast at this heat.
Important:
The wok should be genuinely smoking — a lukewarm pan makes soggy nasi goreng.
Add the remaining oil. Fry shallots and garlic for 30-60 seconds until golden, then add the toasted terasi and sambal and fry 30 seconds more until the oil turns red.
Equipment needed:
Chef's Tip:
The sambal is 'cooked' when it smells sweet-spicy rather than raw and the oil takes on its colour.
Push everything to one side of the wok. Pour the beaten egg into the empty side and scramble roughly until just set.
Equipment needed:
Chef's Tip:
Slightly underdone is right — the egg finishes cooking when tossed with the rice.
Add the rice and chicken back to the wok. Toss, then press the rice against the hot metal, then toss again. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
Equipment needed:
Chef's Tip:
The press-and-toss rhythm is the secret to 'wok breath' — the faint smokiness of real street nasi goreng.
Add kecap manis, light soy sauce, and white pepper. Keep tossing for 2 minutes until every grain is glossy brown and slightly caramelised.
Equipment needed:
Chef's Tip:
Drizzle the kecap manis around the edge of the wok, not on the rice — it caramelises on the hot metal first.
Fry the remaining egg in the same wok until the edges are crispy and the yolk still runny. Top the rice, and serve with cucumber, tomato, krupuk, lime, and extra sambal.
Equipment needed:
Chef's Tip:
A splash more oil and high heat gives the egg its lacy, crispy edge — 'telur mata sapi' done street-style.
Get the Perfect Sambal for Nasi Goreng
This recipe uses our Sambal Oelek. Get the authentic taste Chef Yossie uses in professional kitchens.
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The Indonesian Sambal Starter Guide
A free PDF covering the essential sambals, the pantry ingredients you actually need, and how to build authentic Indonesian flavour in a home kitchen. Sent straight to your inbox.
🛒 Perfect Ingredients for This Recipe
Recipe Match
Sambal Oelek
Pure, fiery chilli paste — the traditional heat behind street-cart nasi goreng. Ships UK-wide.
Recipe Match
Buy Sambal Online UK
Browse the full Spice Island Indonesia sambal range and find the right heat level for your cooking.
👨🍳 More Delicious Sambal Recipes
Sambal Fried Rice
The hotter, chilli-forward cousin of nasi goreng — sambal front and centre
Ikan Bakar (Indonesian Grilled Fish)
Indonesia's famous grilled fish — the classic dish to serve alongside fried rice
Sambal Scrambled Eggs
Another 10-minute Indonesian egg dish for when the rice runs out
📚 Learn More About Indonesian Cuisine
The Complete Guide to Indonesian Sambal Varieties
Which sambal belongs in your nasi goreng? A tour of 15+ varieties from across the archipelago
How Spicy Is Indonesian Food? A Guide for British Palates
How spicy is Indonesian food really? Calibrate your sambal dose before you start frying
Indonesia's National Dish
Nasi goreng is Indonesia on a plate. Born from the thrifty habit of frying yesterday's rice so nothing goes to waste, it became the dish every Indonesian eats — sizzled on street carts at midnight, served at hotel breakfasts, cooked at home when there's "nothing in the house" but rice, an egg, and a jar of sambal.
What separates it from every other fried rice in Asia is kecap manis — the thick, sweet Indonesian soy sauce that caramelises against the hot wok and stains every grain a glossy mahogany — plus the backbone of sambal and shrimp paste underneath. Sweet, smoky, spicy, savoury: all four at once, in twenty minutes, from leftovers.
How Indonesians Serve It
The Classic Plate
- • Crispy fried egg on top, yolk runny
- • Krupuk (prawn crackers) on the side
- • Fresh cucumber and tomato slices
- • A spoonful of extra sambal
Make It a Feast
- • Add chicken satay skewers
- • Serve alongside ikan bakar (grilled fish)
- • Fried shallots scattered over the top
- • Acar (pickled cucumber and carrot) to cut the richness