Printed July 28, 2026
XO Sauce Fried Rice with Lap Cheong
Hong Kong's famous seafood condiment meets Chinese sausage in this luxurious fried rice that transforms leftovers into something craveable. It's umami on umami, and completely unapologetic.
Ingredients
- 1 cup day-old cooked rice
- 1 Chinese sausage (lap cheong), sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons XO sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 stalks Chinese garlic chives or green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- White pepper to taste
Preparation
XO sauce is one of those condiments that changes the game—packed with dried seafood, chili, and aromatics, it's luxury in a jar. When you combine it with sweet-savory lap cheong and use proper fried rice technique, you get something that tastes like it came from a Hong Kong dai pai dong, but it's just you, your wok, and fifteen minutes.
Preparation
- Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until smoking. Add oil and swirl to coat. Add the sliced sausage and cook for 2 minutes until the fat renders and edges caramelize.
- Push sausage to the side, pour beaten egg into the empty space, and let it cook undisturbed for 10 seconds, then scramble quickly.
- Immediately add the cold rice, breaking up any clumps with your spatula. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, letting the rice sit undisturbed for several seconds at a time to develop some crispy bits.
- Add XO sauce and soy sauce, tossing everything together until the rice is evenly coated and heated through.
- Add the garlic chives and cook for 30 seconds until just wilted. Remove from heat, drizzle with sesame oil, and season with white pepper.
What makes this fried rice special is the layering of umami: the XO sauce brings dried scallop and shrimp, the sausage adds sweet pork richness, the soy provides salty depth. Each grain of rice should be separate, lightly crisped, and coated in that complex sauce. It's the kind of solo dinner that might spoil you for regular fried rice forever.
