A plate of gapao rice features stir-fried ground meat with onions, red bell peppers, herbs, and a sunny-side-up egg on top, served over rice in a blue and white patterned bowl on a wooden table.

Recipe Highlights

Gapao Rice is one of those dishes I turn to when I want something fast, flavorful, and deeply satisfying. This Japanese version keeps the bold garlic, chilis, and basil while using ingredients that are easy to find in everyday kitchens. Served over Japanese short-grain rice with a fried egg on top, it becomes a comforting weeknight meal that feels both exciting and familiar.

  • Quick one-pan dish
  • Big flavor from simple ingredients
  • Perfect with a fried egg and hot rice

If you love rice bowl meals, try my Soy-Glazed Eggplant Donburi, Oyakodon, and Gyudon recipes next!

A plate of flavorful gapao rice topped with a perfectly fried egg and served with steaming white rice.

What is Gapao Rice?

Gapao Rice (ガパオライス) is the Japanese name for the Thai dish pad krapao (phat kaphrao), a basil stir-fry served over steamed rice and topped with a fried egg. In Thai, kaphrao refers to holy basil.

The original pronunciation includes consonant sounds like “kr” that do not exist in Japanese, and over time kaphrao was simplified to “gapao” when adapted into Japanese.

The name “Gapao Rice” is used mainly in Japan and reflects how this Thai street food was introduced and adapted for Japanese home cooking.

Ingredients for Gapao Rice

  • ground pork – You can substitute with other ground meat or tofu crumbles.
  • onion
  • red bell pepper
  • bird’s eye chili (Thai chili) – A good substitute is serrano peppers.
  • garlic
  • basil leaves – Ideally, holy basil; Italian basil is close in flavor.
  • neutral oil
  • seasonings – soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and water
  • fried eggs
  • cooked Japanese short-grain rice

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Jump to Recipe

How to Make Gapao Rice

  1. Prep the ingredients. Mix the sauce ingredients. Dice the onion and red bell pepper. Slice the bird’s eye chili and mince the garlic.
  1. Sauté the aromatics. Preheat a frying pan over medium heat. Add neutral oil, then sauté the chili and garlic briefly until fragrant.
  1. Cook the pork and vegetables. Add the ground meat and break it up with a spatula. Cook until no longer pink. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Then add the bell pepper and cook until tender.
  1. Season and simmer. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and water. Stir and simmer until the sauce reduces slightly.
  1. Add basil and serve. Turn off the heat and add the basil leaves. Divide the rice onto plates and spoon the pork mixture on top. Add a fried egg and garnish with basil.
A person slices red bell pepper into small square pieces on a wooden cutting board with a sharp knife, preparing fresh ingredients for gapao rice.
Sliced green chili peppers and minced garlic are being sautéed in a black skillet on a stovetop, forming the aromatic base for authentic gapao rice.
Ground meat and sliced green peppers are being cooked in a black frying pan on a stovetop, similar to the preparation of gapao rice. The meat is browning as the peppers are scattered throughout the pan.
A hand pours dark sauce from a small pitcher into a skillet with cooked ground meat, chopped onions, green bell peppers, and red bell peppers on a stovetop—perfect flavors for making gapao rice.
A blue and white patterned bowl filled with gapao rice—stir-fried ground meat, onions, red bell peppers, basil, and rice—topped with a sunny-side-up egg. A fork and spoon rest on the side of the bowl.
Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Nami’s Recipe Tips

These simple tips will help you make Gapao Rice perfectly every time.

  • Sauté briefly. Cook the chili and garlic just until fragrant so they don’t burn.
  • Break up the pork well. Small crumbles cook evenly and absorb the sauce better.
  • Cook vegetables in stages. Add the onion first, then the bell pepper. Don’t overcook them as you continue to stir fry.
  • Let the sauce reduce. Simmer until slightly thickened so it coats the pork and concentrates the flavor.
A wooden spatula stirs ground meat, chopped onions, and red bell peppers in a black skillet on a stovetop, creating the flavorful base for gapao rice.
  • Add basil off the heat. This keeps its fresh aroma and prevents it from overcooking.
  • Serve immediately. A bed of hot rice plus a freshly fried egg tastes best.
A plate of gapao rice features stir-fried minced meat with red bell peppers, onions, and basil over white rice, topped with a sunny-side-up egg. A hand holds a spoonful of the dish above the patterned blue and white plate.

Variations and Customizations

Looking to change things up? Try these easy and tasty ideas!

  • Use ground chicken. Swap the pork for ground chicken if you prefer a lighter option. Use tofu crumbles for a plant-based version.
  • Substitute serrano peppers. If you can’t find bird’s eye chilis, use serrano peppers. For a milder dish, remove most or all of the seeds.
  • Serve over a different base. Spoon the holy basil stir-fry over jasmine rice or brown rice instead of Japanese short-grain white rice.
  • Make lettuce wraps. Serve the basil pork in crisp lettuce leaves for a lighter, low-carb option.
  • Add extra vegetables. Increase the onion or bell pepper for more texture and color.
A plate of gapao rice with a spoon.

What to Serve with Gapao Rice

Gapao Rice is a simple meal in itself, but you can add simple sides to create more balance.

White plates containing Harumaki (Japanese spring roll).
A flower shape bowl containing Japanese Cucumber Salad with Crab.
A white plate containing Japanese-style Stir Fry Vegetables (Yasai Itame).
Black ceramic bowls containing glass noodle soup with tofu, fluffy egg, and wakame seaweed.

Storage and Reheating Tips

To store: Transfer the pork and rice into separate airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for 3–4 weeks.

To reheat: Warm the pork and rice until heated through. Fry fresh eggs before serving.

FAQs

Is Gapao Rice spicy?

Yes. Gapao Rice is typically spicy because it uses bird’s eye chilis. You can reduce the heat by using fewer green chilis or removing most or all of the seeds, or substituting serrano peppers.

Can I use regular Italian basil instead of holy basil for Gapao Rice?

Yes. Holy basil (tulsi) is traditional, but Italian basil tastes most similar and works well in this recipe. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious. Thai basil has a sweeter, more anise-like flavor, so for this dish, Italian basil is actually the closest substitute.

Can I use ground chicken instead of pork in Thai basil pork?

Yes. You can substitute ground chicken for ground pork. The cooking method and seasonings remain the same.

I’d love to hear how yours turned out! 💛 Please leave a star rating and comment below to share your experience. Your feedback not only supports Just One Cookbook but also helps other home cooks discover recipes they can trust.

A plate of flavorful gapao rice topped with a perfectly fried egg and served with steaming white rice.
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Gapao Rice (Pad Krapao)

by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Gapao Rice is the Japanese name for the Thai dish pad krapao, a bold basil pork stir-fry served over rice and topped with a fried egg. This Japanese adaptation of the famous street food is quick to prepare and made in one pan. It's a flavorful rice bowl that's perfect for an easy weeknight meal.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients 
 

  • ½ lb ground pork (or use other ground meat; or tofu crumbles for vegetarian)
  • ½ onion (small)
  • ¼ red bell pepper (seeds removed)
  • 1–2 bird's eye chili (Thai chili) (best substitute is serrano peppers, which I used today; most seeds removed for less spicy option)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 10 basil leaves (ideally holy basil, otherwise Italian basil tastes most similar; plus more for garnish)
  • 1 Tbsp neutral oil
  • 2 fried eggs
  • 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice

For the Seasonings

Instructions

  • Gather all the ingredients.
    Top-down view of cooking ingredients for gapao rice on a wooden surface, including ground meat, sliced red bell pepper, onion, green chilies, fresh basil, garlic cloves, and small bowls of sauces, sugar, and water.

To Prep the Ingredients

  • Mix the 1½ Tbsp soy sauce, ½ Tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tsp fish sauce, 1½ tsp sugar, and 2 Tbsp water in a small bowl. Set aside.
    Two side-by-side images: on the left, hands hold small bowls of brown liquid and granulated sugar over a larger bowl—perfect for creating sauces like those used in gapao rice; on the right, the liquid is poured in as a spoon stirs the mix.
  • Cut ½ onion into 1/2-inch slices, then cut crosswise to dice.
    Two side-by-side images show hands chopping a white onion on a wooden cutting board, first slicing vertically and then horizontally to create diced pieces—perfect prep for flavorful gapao rice.
  • Cut ¼ red bell pepper into ½-inch strips, then cut crosswise to dice.
    A person prepares ingredients for gapao rice by using a knife to slice a red bell pepper into strips on a wooden cutting board, then dicing the strips into small pieces.
  • Slice 1–2 bird's eye chili (Thai chili) and remove most of the seeds. Mince 3 cloves garlic now, or add it directly into the frying pan later using a garlic press, as I did.
    Two close-up images of hands slicing fresh green chili peppers on a wooden cutting board with a large kitchen knife—perfect prep for making spicy gapao rice. Seeds and pepper slices are scattered across the board.

To Cook

  • Preheat a frying pan over medium heat. When it's hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil. Then, add 3 cloves garlic (I used a garlic press).
    A person pours oil into a skillet on a stove in the left image and presses minced garlic—perfect for making gapao rice—into the hot oil with a garlic press in the right image.
  • Add the chili and sauté with the garlic until fragrant. Add ½ lb ground pork and cook, breaking up the chunks with a spatula.
    Two side-by-side photos show a black skillet on a stove. In the first, sliced green chili and minced garlic are sautéd as ground meat for gapao rice is added. In the second, the meat is partially cooked and mixed with the chilis.
  • Cook until the meat is no longer pink, then add the onion. Stir and cook until the onion is translucent.
    Two photos of a skillet on a stove: left, chopped onions and red bell peppers are added to sautéed ground meat and green peppers—classic gapao rice ingredients; right, hands stir the savory mixture with a wooden spatula.
  • Add the bell pepper and cook until tender.
    Two side-by-side images show a person cooking gapao rice in a skillet. The left side features chopped onions, red bell peppers, and ground meat being stirred. On the right, fresh basil leaves are added to the sizzling mixture.
  • Pour in the seasonings and stir to combine. Simmer until the sauce reduces a bit.
    A hand pours sauce from a small bowl into a skillet filled with cooked ground meat, diced onions, red and green bell peppers for gapao rice; next to it, the same skillet is shown with all ingredients mixed and sizzling.
  • Turn off the heat and add 10 basil leaves.
    Two side-by-side images show a person cooking gapao rice in a skillet. The left side features chopped onions, red bell peppers, and ground meat being stirred. On the right, fresh basil leaves are added to the sizzling mixture.

To Serve

  • Divide 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice on individual plates and serve the pork mixture on top. Place the 2 fried eggs on top and garnish with basil leaf.
    Two blue-and-white patterned bowls hold rice and stir-fried gapao rice with meat, vegetables, and basil; one bowl is being served, while the other has a fried egg on top and a fork beside it.

To Store

  • Store the pork and rice in separate airtight containers and keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days or in the freezer up to 3–4 weeks.

Notes

Variations and Customizations
Looking to change things up? Try these easy and tasty ideas!
  • Use ground chicken. Swap the pork for ground chicken if you prefer a lighter option. Use tofu crumbles for a plant-based version.
  • Substitute serrano peppers. If you can’t find bird’s eye chilis, use serrano peppers. For a milder dish, remove most or all of the seeds.
  • Serve over a different base. Spoon the holy basil stir-fry over jasmine rice or brown rice instead of Japanese short-grain rice.
  • Make lettuce wraps. Serve the basil pork in crisp lettuce leaves for a lighter, low-carb option.
  • Add extra vegetables. Increase the onion or bell pepper for more texture and color.
 

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