Broccoli Rice With Eggs

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Updated October 9, 2025

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Media 1 of 1
Ready In
40 min
Rating
5(432)
Comments
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This simple one-pot broccoli rice is a cozy weeknight option that will delight both adults and children alike. When cooking a simple bowl of rice, adding oil and salt to the cooking water is an easy way to bring indulgence, and, in Cantonese home kitchens, this is often a way to repurpose oil previously used for deep-frying. Oil imparts a silky mouthfeel to the rice while preventing the rice from sticking, resulting in slick, pearly, separated grains. Finely chopped, crisp-tender broccoli adds a fresh, subtle sweetness and hearty texture to the rice. Complete the dish with a hearty fried egg, drizzled with an easy soy sauce and oil seasoning to add savoriness that is not overly salty.  If you’re lucky enough to have any leftover broccoli rice, it can easily be repurposed into fried rice. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 1 ½ cups white rice, preferably short-grain (see Tip)

  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

  • Salt 

  • 2 small heads broccoli (1 pound)

  • 4 eggs

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce 

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

66 grams carbs; 160 milligrams cholesterol; 489 calories; 12 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 19 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 576 milligrams sodium; 14 grams protein; 2 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the rice in a medium Dutch oven or similar heavy pot. Wash the rice, swirling it around with your fingers, and then carefully pour out the starchy water. Repeat this two more times, until the water runs clear. Add 2 ¼ cups of water, 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 teaspoons of salt and stir to combine. Place on medium-high heat and when it comes to a rolling boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 14 minutes. 

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, separate the broccoli head from the stem and then slice or peel off the woody exterior from the stem. Finely chop the florets and the stem. (You can use a food processor to do this, pulsing a few times until the broccoli is finely chopped. Remove any larger pieces and chop by hand to prevent overprocessing.)

  3. Step 3

    After 14 minutes, add the broccoli to the top of the rice, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt and then cover again with a lid. Cook until the rice is tender and the broccoli has softened and is bright green, 8 to 10 minutes. (The prescribed cooking time yields broccoli that is crisp tender but if you prefer a softer bite, add it to the rice 2 or 3 minutes earlier.)

  4. Step 4

    While the rice finishes cooking, heat a wok or large well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high. When hot, add a drizzle of oil and crack in the eggs, adding however many will comfortably fit in your pan; you may need to work in batches.

  5. Step 5

    Reduce the heat to medium and fry until the edges are frizzled, the whites are set and the yolk is cooked to your liking. Season with a pinch of salt. Remove and repeat with the remaining eggs. Set aside.

  6. Step 6

    In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the soy sauce. (It won’t emulsify, and that is OK.)

  7. Step 7

    When the rice and broccoli are ready, turn off the heat and stir to combine. Taste and season with more salt, if needed. 

  8. Step 8

    Divide among bowls and top each with a fried egg. Give the oil and soy sauce a quick stir and drizzle a little over each egg. Serve immediately.

Tip

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Ratings

5 out of 5
432 user ratings
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Comments

MB

This is really good. We topped with sesame oil, soy sauce and chili crisp.

Diane

And yet more words to insult something others may find helpful.

Lynne

Oh boy! Welcome to my new favorite way to have an egg. I might skip the soy sauce and sprinkle this with chile crisp the next time…. But I’m pretty sure I’d follow Hetty Lu to the ends of the earth.

Timing is off

Well, I seem to be in the minority here. This recipe as written is not good. The timing is off, the flavors nonexistent and the whole thing is more easily made in a rice cooker. I have found Mckinnon’s recipes to often make something incredibly delicious from a list of ingredients that does not inspire confidence. She is often a wizard with flavors and so I had hopes for this recipe. This one did not deliver. Using her timing my broccoli was raw, I think I tripled the amount of time before I gave up and just called it done. The broccoli was still more raw than tender crisp by my rice was threatening to become mushy. I really hoped the soy/oil mixture would save it. It did not. Nor did the eggs. A ton of chili crisp, sesame oil and other bits and bobs made it worth eating but, that’s not the recipe she delivered. I believe this rice would be been more successful in the rice cooker. I would add the broccoli later if you like crunchier texture and earlier if you prefer it more tender. Adding it at the beginning may not be the move since I think that will deliver very soft broccoli. Yes even with this timing math it would be simpler than the technique she has given us here. Anyway. Love Hetty but this is not her best work. I still think it needs tons of garnishes to actually be delicious. Otherwise it is bland and boring.

Michelle

Way too salty :( Almost inedible.

Amy

I almost wonder if the real genius of this recipe is its permissiveness. Broccoli rice is a meal! The NYT says so!

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