We Filipinos love rice with our meals. There’s definitely no denying that because a lot of Filipino dishes are cooked down in delicious, savory sauces that you’ll want to scoop over some rice. This Fried Garlic rice or Sinangag is a staple in Filipino households and was something I really loved with a wide variety of ulam (viands) like adobo, sisig, tocino, and kare-kare growing up.
WHAT IS SINANGAG?
Fried Garlic rice, or Sinangag as we call it in Filipino, is one of the most common rice dishes you will find in Filipino restaurants and in Filipino households.
It’s simply rice cooked with lots of garlic and some salt, to taste.
USING LEFTOVER RICE FOR SINANGAG OR FRIED GARLIC RICE
I find that the best is to use leftover rice (much like other fried rice recipes) since the grains are easily separated and aren’t mushy. I also prefer to use white rice but other types of rice work well too–it’s really up to your preference.
I could personally eat this plain but it’s of course perfect with Filipino dishes such as:
- Adobo
- Filipino Kaldereta or ‘Meat’ Stew
- Mushroom Tocino
- Lumpiang Gulay or Fried Vegetable Spring Rolls
- “Pork” Barbecue
- Mushroom Tocino
- Crispy Tofu Sisig
- Bola-Bola (Filipino Meatballs)
- Lumpiang Shanghai
- Burger Steaks and Gravy
- Filipino Tofu Tapa
- Tofu and Mushroom Salpicao
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE SINANGAG:
Garlic, lots of garlic!! Because garlic is life and it’s what gives the rice its flavor.
And of course, leftover or cooked and cooled rice! If you’re making rice specifically for fried rice, you can cook it with less water so that the grains come out a bit more chewy.
CAN I USE OTHER RICE?
Yes, of course! Feel free to use other rice or grains of your choice. Brown or red rice work well too but white rice is the best and what’s usually used.
HOW TO COOK SINANGAG OR FRIED GARLIC RICE
- Heat a large wok or non-stick pan over medium high heat.
- Once hot, add in the oil. Add in the salt and mix into the oil.
- Add in the garlic and cook over medium heat until golden brown.
I like my garlic really crisp and golden brown but if you’re not a big fan of crispy garlic, you can add the rice sooner.
- Add in the leftover cooked and cooled rice, and break apart any large chunks, if there are any.
- Mix the rice into the oil and garlic and leave to cook for 4-5 minutes over medium high heat. Feel free to season with more salt, to taste, if you’d like.
- Turn off the heat and enjoy with your favourite ulam (viand)!
I enjoyed my Mushroom Tocino with some Sinangag for a perfect hearty meal.
This Sinangag or Freid Garlic Rice is also one of my family’s favourite ways to revamp leftover rice. When we have leftover rice from the previous day you can expect to see some fried garlic rice the next day for either breakfast or lunch.
MORE FILIPINO RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Adobo
- Tofu Sisig
- Tokwa’t Baboy
- Filipino Kaldereta or ‘Meat’ Stew
- Mushroom Tocino
- Fried Garlic Rice
- Lumpiang Gulay or Fried Vegetable Spring Rolls
- Filipino “Pork” Barbecue
- Filipino Spaghetti
- Burger Steaks and Gravy
- Filipino Tofu Tapa
Filipino Fried Garlic Rice (Sinangag)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1/2 tsp salt or more to taste if needed
- 10 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups rice cooked and cooled (leftover is best)
Instructions
- Heat a large wok or non-stick pan over medium high heat. Once hot, add in the oil. Add in the salt and mix into the oil.
- Add in the garlic and cook over medium heat until golden brown.
- Add in the leftover cooked and cooled rice, and break apart any large chunks, if there are any. Mix the rice into the oil and garlic and leave to cook for 4-5 minutes over medium high heat. Feel free to season with more salt, to taste, if you’d like.
- Turn off the heat and enjoy with your favourite ulam (viand)!
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This Post Has 39 Comments
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Oh my word is this delicious! Seems pretty benign just rice & garlic BUT that is where I was wrong IT IS HANDS DOWN THE BEST RICE DISH EVER. I know I will be making this again & often too! ?
So happy you like it!! This is one of my fave ways to use of leftover rice and i could eat it as is haha.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! My son has been craving this for so long and it turned out so perfect 😋🙏🏼
Yay!! ❤️thanks so much too!
Greetings. I’ve been making this dish for many years since I encountered it as a breakfast item in Manila. When it was presented to me it had a mild coconut flavor as a mild background to the garlic. It took me years of playing around until I substituted coconut oil for the neutral oil. Perfect! I urge you to try it. PS. I do not add salt to the oil, instead I season with garlic salt. No such thing as too much garlic.
Hey Tom! Using coconut oil is something I’ve never tried! Will def have to give it a shot 🙂 thanks for the garlic salt tip too! Never too much garlic for sure!!
Thank you for your recipe. We ate garlic fried rice again and again during our holiday in the philippines one week ago. We love it! 👌
Thank you too, Paola! Really hope you liked it! ◡̈
Wow this is an amazing rice dish. I had some day old cooked basmati so just used but it worked. Made this with stir fried pak choy and your vegan nuggets with gochujang sauce, what a delicious meal. Love your recipes.
Thank you so much Pauline!! Rly appreciate you leaving reviews on my posts. Helps out a lot!! ◡̈
One of the most delicious rice dishes I have ever tasted! So easy to make and packed with a ton of flavor! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Yay thank you Tiffany, glad you liked it! ◡̈
Just tried this and I love it so much! So glad I came across a tiktok that you made, I will try more filipino dishes <3 Thank you
Yay so happy you liked it Cherie! ◡̈
It’s a good recipe, and a great way to use up rice. I like garlic, but this was a bit too aggressive with 10 cloves. Next time I make I’ll minimize – maybe 3-5 cloves. Also will try using an infused oil to change up the taste. Good, easy and quick recipe!
Thanks Meri! The infused oil is a great idea!!
this is a recipe for garlic fried rice LOL!
if you do not like garlic, why bother! It is supposed to be this way.
Simple is best! Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe.
Thanks Bart, hope you liked it! ◡̈
Simple, tasty and always doable. I cooked your Adobo with it but that didnt turn out as I hoped so I will have to try it again next week!
Hope the adobo turns out good Niklas! Thanks for leaving a review! ◡̈
I saw your recipe and it looked delicious and I decided to make it right away. I did not have day-old rice so I made a fresh pot. It turned out just fine. Absolutely scrumptious! I couldn’t stop eating it. Will be serving this garlic rice regularly and when I have guests over
Hey Wendy, thanks so much for trying this out. Glad you enjoyed it ◡̈
My son loved it. Thank you for the simple garlic fried recipe. 😋
Glad he liked it! Thanks Linda!! 🙂
Best slop ever, took very few ingredients for very big taste.
Make our daily grool go down better. Would recommend for beginners as it was very easy to make.
Absolutely the best rice we’ve ever eaten. It’s simple yet very delicious. We served it with your tofu Sisig. Thank you for the wonderful dish. We can’t wait to enjoy it over and over.
I loove sinangag too, glad you like it!! 🙂
love your recipe!!! delicious!!!
Thanks Tobias!! 🙂
This is SO good and SO easy. It’s addictive. I can’t stop eating this, then I feel kind of ashamed. Yes, it’s that good! Whenever I make rice, I make extra to chill so I can make this dish.
hey Frances, I’m so so happy you like sinangag! And I agree, it’s so simple yet so good! I love it as-is too 🙂
This is my first reply. Recipe was awesome. Minimal ingredients. My kids and myself loved it.
Glad you liked it Randall! 🙂
I didn’t have any leftover rice but I used my rice cooker and fried some garlic in oil and poured it in and it was delicious! And something different from plain rice to go with chicken adobo. I’ll try it the original way next time but it was so good. Thank you for the recipe!
oohh interesting!! Thanks for sharing Sarah 🙂
Thanks for sharing this simple yet delicious garlic fried rice recipe. Just had it for lunch and everyone is loving it. I also grilled Chicken Inasal to go with it! Awesome!
Garlic rice and Chicken inasal is a great combo!! I’m glad you liked this recipe 🙂