How to Make Classic Japanese Omurice (Omelette Rice)
Comfort Food at Its Best
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Why Omurice?
Omurice — short for omelette rice — is the ultimate Japanese comfort food. A simple ketchup-fried rice wrapped in a soft, thin omelette, often finished with a playful drizzle of ketchup on top.
It’s nostalgic, satisfying, and endlessly adaptable — the kind of dish that feels both cozy and special.
What Makes Omurice Special?
Omurice is a beautiful blend of Japanese and Western influences (known as yoshoku cuisine), yet it’s deeply homegrown.
It’s the kind of meal you find in cozy diners (kissaten), family kitchens, or manga panels where characters eat after long days.
Simple ingredients, pure comfort.
Omurice: Traditional vs. Easy Home Version
Traditional:
Ketchup-fried rice with chicken, onions, peas
Seasoned lightly with soy sauce, pepper, and sometimes a splash of milk for the omelette
Thin, tender omelette carefully wrapped around the rice
Home Version:
Use leftover rice, frozen veggies, or omit the meat
Adjust ketchup and soy to your liking (some like it sweeter, some tangier)
Fluffier or softer omelet styles are perfectly fine
Bottom line:
Omurice is forgiving — you don’t need restaurant technique to make it beautiful.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Omurice
Ingredients (serves 2)
For the Rice:
2 cups cooked short-grain or medium-grain rice (preferably day-old)
1/2 small onion, finely diced
1/2 cup cooked chicken, diced (optional)
1/4 cup frozen peas (optional)
2–3 tbsp ketchup (plus more for topping)
1 tsp soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp oil or butter
For the Omelette:
4 eggs (2 per omelette)
2 tbsp milk or cream (optional, for a softer omelette)
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp oil or butter
1. Make the Fried Rice
In a skillet, heat oil or butter over medium heat.
Add diced onion and cook until translucent.
Add chicken and peas; stir until warmed through.
Add rice, breaking it up if clumpy.
Stir in ketchup and soy sauce. Mix until everything is evenly coated and heated through.
Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
2. Prepare the Omelette
In a bowl, whisk 2 eggs with 1 tbsp milk and a pinch of salt.
Heat oil or butter in a non-stick pan over medium-low heat.
Pour in the eggs. Swirl gently to create a thin, even layer.
When just set but still slightly soft, turn off the heat.
3. Assemble
Mound half the fried rice in the center of the omelette.
Fold sides of the omelette over the rice as best you can.
Carefully slide onto a plate, seam side down.
Drizzle with ketchup or your favorite sauce.
4. Repeat for the second serving.
Pro Tips for Perfect Omurice
Day-old rice fries better — it’s less sticky.
Move quickly with the eggs — you want tender, not dry.
Customize fillings — mushrooms, ham, bell peppers, even bacon work beautifully.
For fancier plating: Use plastic wrap to help shape the rice into an oval before wrapping.
A Little Literary Moment
Omurice feels like the kind of meal you might find in a Banana Yoshimoto novel — simple food that holds memory, warmth, and quiet healing. It reminds us that the best meals are often the ones made with care, not complexity.
FAQs
Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes—just omit the chicken and add extra veggies like mushrooms or peppers.
Can I use fresh rice?
You can, but day-old rice fries better and won't clump as much.
What’s the best ketchup to use?
Japanese ketchups like Kagome are less sweet and more tangy, but any ketchup works!
