If you’ve got some leftover rice in the fridge and a pack of tarako in the freezer, you’re already halfway to dinner. This Tarako Fried Rice is one of those easy, comforting meals that delivers big flavor with minimal effort. The salted cod roe melts into buttery shallots and garlic, coating every grain of rice with savory goodness. Topped with a crispy-edged fried egg and a scatter of scallions, it’s simple, satisfying, and so quick to make—perfect for a weeknight meal or lazy weekend lunch. Buttery, briny, and so deeply satisfying…let’s get into it.
What is Tarako?
Tarako is a type of salted cod roe, often used in Japanese cuisine. It has a delicate, slightly briny flavor and a smooth texture, and is typically enjoyed in a variety of ways. Tarako can be eaten as is raw or cooked, served alongside rice or pasta, or used as a filling for onigiri or in sauces. Sometimes it’s even mixed with butter or mayonnaise to make a savory spread for toast or pasta dishes. In short, it’s a flavor packed ingredient that adds deep umami oomph to even the simplest dishes. I’ve you’ve never tried it before you’re in for a treat! You can find tarako at most Asian grocery stores, particularly those with a well-stocked Japanese section. It’s often sold in vacuum-sealed packages in the refrigerated section or in the freezer section in larger boxes.
Tarako is one of my family’s favorite things. We adore it. So salty, funky, and very different from other types of fish roe or caviar. Tarako is not inexpensive but a little goes a long way. Generally the better the tarako, the larger and more uniform the pieces. It’s really not necessary to buy the best grade of Tarako for this recipe since it’s getting cut up and mixed in. And if it’s your first time trying tarako, I would recommend you get just enough to make this rice.
Making Tarako Fried Rice
If you’ve made fried rice before, you know it’s always best to used leftover rice. Cold, leftover rice is key for the perfect fried rice because it’s drier and firmer than freshly cooked rice, preventing it from turning mushy. The grains stay separate, giving you that signature chewy, slightly crispy texture when stir-fried. Fresh rice, on the other hand, tends to be too soft and sticky, making it harder to achieve that classic fried rice consistency. Whenever I make rice I make a double batch so that later in the week I can make a quick fried rice meal, like this Caramelized Beef Fried Rice or Thai Chicken Fried Rice or Shrimp Fried Rice. Having cooked rice in the fridge is like money in the bank.
I start making my Tarako Fried Rice by gathering and prepping the ingredients. The shallots and garlic get thinly sliced:
The tarako gets cut into bite-sized slices:
Slice the scallions and have all the ingredients ready by the stovetop. Like most fried rice dishes, this cooks quickly so you want to have everything within reach before starting.
Melt the butter in a non-stick skillet:
Add the shallots:
Cook for 3 minutes until shallots are soft and caramelized:
Once they are nicely browned, add in the garlic.
Lower the heat a bit and add the tablespoon of the oil and the tarako.
Cook it for a minute, stirring occasionally. It’s not necessary to cook the Tarako all the way through. It can be eaten raw and actually most Japanese people prefer it half cooked. Either way, the Tarako will continue cooking as you add other ingredients.
Now it’s time to add the rice! You might want to un-clump it with wet hands if it’s really hard rice that’s been sitting in the fridge a while. Mine is from the night before so it’s cold but still kind of soft.
Press the rice gently into the pan.
Use the wooden spatula to mix the rice into the tarako. Try to cut into the rice to mix rather than just mixing to avoid crushing the grains of rice.
Continue cooking and mixing the rice for about 3 minutes, until all the rice is coated with tarako.
Taste and season. Tarako is fairly salty so you might not need as much salt as you would normally use. I do like to add a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.
Add in the scallions.
Top with a Crispy Fried Egg!
Heat a small non-stick skillet and add oil.
I like to crack my eggs into a small bowl first so that I can be assured the yolks are intact.
Cook the eggs for one minute and then cover with a lid, cooking for an additional 45 seconds to 1 minute. This yields eggs with a crispy bottom and a very runny yolk. Which adds a whole new level of deliciousness when it mixes with the rice. Check out my Perfect Fried Eggs for a refresher course!
I like to garnish with more scallions for a fresh little bite.
I hope you love this Tarako Fried Rice, it’s such a low effort, high reward dish! Let me know what you think and if you make it tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love seeing your creations!
Tarako Fried Rice
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: serves 2
- Category: entrees
- Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients
- 2 pieces tarako (salted cod roe), about 4 ounces
- 3 cups cooked cold short grain rice
- 2 large shallots, trimmed and finely sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons neutral oil, divided
- 2 eggs
- 2 Scallions, trimmed and chopped plus a little extra for garnish if desired
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Gather your ingredients and prepare them- Use wet fingers and de-clump the rice if your rice is one hard ball. Cut the tarako into thick chunks and set all of your ingredients by the stove.
Make the fried rice-Heat a medium non-stick pan over medium high heat and add the butter and the shallots. Cook for 3 minutes until the shallots are soft and caramelized. Lower the heat to medium if you find the shallots are starting to burn.
Add the garlic and stir into the shallots. Add 1 Tablespoon of oil plus the tarako and lower the heat to medium if you have not already done so. Cook for a minute, stirring occasionally.
Add the rice and press it gently into the pan. Cut into it with a wooden spoon or spatula as you cook the rice (so you don’t smash up the grains of rice), heating it up and mixing it into the tarako mixture. Cook for about 3 minutes until the rice is fully hot and the tarako coats the rice grains evenly.
Taste the rice and add salt and ground black pepper to taste (The tarako is salty and you may find the rice seasoned enough as is.). Add the scallions and stir into the rice, cooking for an additional minute. Set the pan aside while you fry the eggs.
Make the fried eggs– Heat a small non-stick frying pan over medium high heat and add 2 teaspoons of oil and the eggs (I find it better to crack the eggs into a bowl first so you are guaranteed an intact yolk.). Cook the eggs for one minute and then cover with a lid, cooking for an additional 45 seconds to 1 minute. This yields eggs with a crispy bottom and a very runny yolk.
Transfer the rice to a deep plate and top with the eggs and more scallions if desired. You can also serve the rice in two bowls, topping each with a fried egg.
Serve Tarako Fried Rice immediately.
Notes
*If you have any leftovers, you can store it in the fridge and re-heat for a couple minutes in the microwave.
*If you are unable to find tarako, you can substitute mentaiko, which is essentially a spicy version of tarako. I do not recommend using other forms of fish eggs like ikura (salmon roe) or masago (capelin roe). If you cannot find tarako or mentaiko, dried shrimp is a good substitute. Look for the tiny whole shrimp, which have a similar, briny salty flavor. Use several tablespoons, adding it in at the same point in the recipe that the Tarako is added.
Keywords: tarako, roe, fried rice, rice bowls, tarako gohan
