Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe | Recipes From A Pantry (2024)

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Pineapple Fried Rice is bursting with tons of flavor, tender vegetables, and sweet pineapple chunks. The perfect way to use up all those leftovers, this pineapple fried rice recipe comes together quickly and is ready to serve in just 15 minutes!

Suitable for vegan and gluten-free diets. Post includes variations for making Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice and Chicken Pineapple Fried Rice.

Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe | Recipes From A Pantry (1)

If you love eating out or takeaways (who doesn’t right?!), then you will love this restaurant-style Pineapple Fried Rice. Especially as it uses up your leftover rice and veggies, is very easy to make and is ready in just 15 minutes.

It’s hard to beat a recipe that requires not much more than throwing a few ingredients in a pot to cook up something delicious and satisfying. Unless you can do that very same thing using pantry staples and refrigerator leftovers.

That is why this Pineapple Fried Rice recipe is the perfect no-fuss, super frugal meal. Yeap, it really is as simple as taking a handful of ingredients, some tasty leftovers (see below), and flinging it all together to transform them into delicious fried rice. #flungtogetherfoodfeb

An ideal dish for any day of the week, but especially for those busy, busy, busy weeknights. Also perfect for date nights in.

Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe | Recipes From A Pantry (2)

Tasty Leftovers Used in This Fried Rice Recipe

The ingredients needed for making Pineapple Fried Rice are all pretty simple. And the best part? You can easily make this dish with items you already have in your pantry or fridge. I used the following leftovers when creating this recipe :

  • Cooked brown rice from dinner the night before.
  • Extra pineapple chunks from Sunday dessert.
  • Leftover sliced scallions from my weekly meal prep routine.

So peeps, go check out what sort of tasty leftovers you have stashed away in the fridge, gather ’em up, and I will show you……

How To Make Pineapple Fried Rice In Just 15 Minutes

  1. Heat oil in a wok or saucepan over medium-high heat until hot.
  2. Stir fry the onion and pepper for 5 mins until the onions are soft.
  3. Add the pineapple and sweet corn and stir fry for approx 3 mins until the pineapple juices have evaporated.
  4. Add the rice and stir-fry for 2-3 mins until the rice is warmed through.
  5. Switch off the heat, mix in the remaining ingredients and serve.

Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe | Recipes From A Pantry (3)That is it. Just 5 easy steps to the Best Pineapple Fried Rice you have ever tasted!!!!!!

Fried Rice Tips

  • Use chilled rice. This will ensure that that rice does not stick together – this is why using leftover rice for this recipe is so perfect!
  • Separate the rice grains. Separating the rice grains before it goes into the pot means that the rice grains stay separate and the flavor works its way through every single grain.
  • Be prepared. Everything cooks really quickly in this recipe so make sure you have all the ingredients prepped before you start cooking.
  • Cook on high heat. Make sure the pan is hot enough before you start cooking (especially when you add the rice) so as to avoid the rice steaming and cooking in clumps.
  • Use small amounts of sauce. Adding too much of the sauces would actually result in soggy rice. So start with small amounts and you can always add a little more.
  • Use the right pan. A wok is the best pan to use for this as the shape makes it easier to toss the ingredients. If you don’t have one then you can use a cast iron pan instead.

Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe | Recipes From A Pantry (4)

Pineapple Fried Rice Variations

This recipe is flexible and you can add ingredients to your taste. Feel free to use chilled white rice instead or other veggies like chopped green beans, peas or carrot cubes. Roasted nuts like peanuts or crispy shallots are a good crunchy topping.

Vegan Fried Rice

This Pineapple Fried Rice is also a Vegan Fried Rice recipe as it skips the traditionally added egg and any meats or fish. If you did want some protein in it then why not add is some crispy baked tofu or some fried tofu instead.

Hawaiian Fried Rice

This is actually a Hawaiian Fried Rice recipe with the ham omitted to keep it vegan. You can easily add some chopped ham along with the pineapple and sweet corn in step 3 of the recipe.

Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice

To make this a pineapple chicken fried rice with chicken instead, simply add some cooked chicken at step 3 of the recipe and you are good to go.

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice / Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice

To make this an authentic Thai Pineapple Fried rice, add some protein like cooked chicken or shrimp along with roasted cashew nuts. You can really amp up the flavor of your pineapple shrimp fried rice by adding some sweet chili sauce and fresh basil leaves.

Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe | Recipes From A Pantry (5)

Flung Together Food Challenge

Before we get to the recipe, let me tell you about the awesome challenge the folks at Love Food Hate Waste have put together.

With the goal of raising awareness of the need to reduce food waste, they are encouraging people to take action and participate in their ‘Flung Together Food’ challenge. I have accepted their challenge to create and share as many ‘flung together’ food recipes as possible this month, starting with this easy and super tasty pineapple fried rice.

As I’ve been a bit obsessed with creating all sorts of great-tasting recipes using leftover ingredients, I jumped at the chance to do my part to help show just how easy it is to get in the habit of wasting less food.

Soooooo, what sort of tasty recipes can you fling together with your leftovers?!?! Learn more about this super fun challenge by checking out www.lovefoodhatewaste.com and following them on Instagram @lfhw_uk.

What To Serve With This Fried Rice

  • Instant Pot Chicken Breasts.
  • Vietnamese Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin.
  • Cilantro Lime Air Fryer Shrimp Skewers.

More Rice Recipes

  • Easy Instant Pot Mexican Rice.
  • Tomato Rice.
  • Instant Pot Brown Rice.
  • Jollof Rice.

Thank you for reading my Pineapple Fried Rice recipe post. And please visit again as I continue dreaming up recipes, traditional African recipes, African fusion recipes, Sierra Leone recipes, travel plans and much more for you. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, UK food blog.

Get The Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe

Don't forget to tag #recipesfromapantry on Instagram or Twitter if you try Pineapple Fried Rice! It is really, really awesome for me when you make one of my recipes and I'd love to see it. You can also share it on my Facebook page. Please pin this recipe to Pinterest too! Thank you for reading Recipes from a Pantry.

Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe | Recipes From A Pantry (6)

Print Recipe

4.80 from 10 votes

Pineapple Fried Rice

Pineapple Fried Rice is the perfect way to use up all those leftovers!

Prep Time3 minutes mins

Cook Time12 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Main

Cuisine: American, Western

Servings: 6

Calories: 387kcal

Author: Bintu Hardy

Ingredients

  • 1.5 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 onion peeled and finely diced
  • 1 large red bell pepper deseeded and diced
  • 250 g (1.5 cups) chopped pineapple
  • 90 g (0.5 cups) sweetcorn kernels
  • 500 g (2.5 cups) cooked brown rice that has been chilled
  • 2 tbsp tamari soy sauce or regular soy sauce if not gluten-free
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 3 spring onions (scallions), sliced
  • optional: herbs or chill to taste

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a wok or cast iron pan till hot.

  • Fry the onion and peppers for 5 mins until the onions are soft.

  • Add the pineapple and sweet corn and stir fry for approximately 3 mins until the pineapple juices have evaporated

  • Then add in the rice and stir fry for 2-3 mins until the rice is warmed through.

  • Switch off the heat, mix in the tamari soy sauce, sesame oil and spring onions.

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Notes

Pineapple Fried Rice Tips

  • Use chilled rice. This will ensure that that rice does not stick together – this is why using leftover rice for this recipe is so perfect!
  • Separate the rice grains. Separating the rice grains before it goes into the pot means that the rice grains stay separate and the flavor works its way through every single grain.
  • Be prepared. Everything cooks really quickly in this recipe so make sure you have all the ingredients prepped before you start cooking.
  • Cook on high heat. Make sure the pan is hot enough before you start cooking (especially when you add the rice) so as to avoid the rice steaming and cooking in clumps.
  • Use small amounts of sauce. Adding too much of the sauces would actually result in soggy rice. So start with small amounts and you can always add a little more.
  • Use the right pan. A wok is the best pan to use for this as the shape makes it easier to toss the ingredients. If you don't have one then you can use a cast iron pan instead.

Pineapple Fried Rice Serving Suggestions

Instant Pot Chicken Breasts.

Vietnamese Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin.

Cilantro Lime Air Fryer Shrimp Skewers.

Nutrition

Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 342mg | Potassium: 386mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 730IU | Vitamin C: 31.4mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg

Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe | Recipes From A Pantry (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient in Chinese fried rice? ›

Butter: This is my secret ingredient! This is what they use at hibachi restaurants for their fried rice and has been a game changer ever since I started using it. It adds a lot more flavor and helps to brown the rice.

How to make fried rice without it being a day old? ›

To get that perfect day-old rice without waiting 24 hours, the process is actually fairly simple. Just rinse and drain fresh, raw rice and sauté in oil. Add a little less water than you normally would to the pan, and bring to the boil before covering and simmering.

What makes Chinese fried rice taste so good? ›

To give your dish that signature fried rice taste, you'll need to drizzle in sesame oil and soy sauce, but feel free to use as much or as little as you wish. You can even mix in things like garlic powder, ginger root, or Sriracha sauce and chili pepper for a bit of a kick.

Why is pineapple fried rice so good? ›

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice. A popular Thai dish bursting with flavours of curry powder, pops of fresh pineapple and crunchy cashews. Serve in a pineapple bowl for that extra "wow" factor. It's quick and easy, with the option to use coconut rice for extra richness.

What gives Chinese fried rice its color? ›

Dark mushroom soy sauce is what gives this fried rice its rich brown/caramel colour. This soy sauce doesn't add much to the saltiness but is used to give dishes that nice caramel brown colour. Dark mushroom soy sauce also adds a hint of umami to a dish, but not much saltiness.

What is the difference between fried rice and Chinese fried rice? ›

The usage of rice

But in Chinese rice, it is suggested to use leftover cooked rice to avoid the rice from being sticky. In Fried Rice, most quick-service restaurants (QSRs) use long-grain white rice like Basmati, whereas Jasmine Rice is used in Chinese Rice.

What is fried rice syndrome? ›

Fried rice syndrome is caused by a bacterium called Bacillus cereus, which is present in these types of starchy foods prior to cooking. Bacillus cereus is a heat-resistant bacteria, so even recooking foods that have not been appropriately refrigerated can result in food poisoning.

What to add into fried rice? ›

Eggs: Which add great flavor, texture and protein. Carrots, onions, green onions and peas: This is the base mix of veggies that I always use for fried rice, but feel free to add in other stir-fry veggies you love (see ideas below). Garlic: Freshly-minced. Soy sauce: I created this recipe using low-sodium soy sauce.

Does rice have to sit overnight for fried rice? ›

Allow the pot to sit on the warm hotplate for 10 minutes to allow the steam to continue cooking the rice. Use a fork to fluff the rice grains and transfer to a large baking tray. Place the rice, uncovered, in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (overnight is best though) before using for fried rice.

How to get a Chinese flavor in fried rice? ›

The key sauces to add are soy sauce, oyster sauce, and fish sauce in fried rice. All three add unique flavors to the rice, but it can be easy to go overboard. Make sure you add small amounts of each and regularly taste your rice. The goal should be to emphasize the flavors of your rice, meat and vegetables.

Why does homemade fried rice not taste like restaurant? ›

The answer: high heat, expert tosses, and something known as 'wok hei. ' As J. Kenji López-Alt writes for Serious Eats, expert cooking with a wok (and the gas range it requires) is one of the main reasons that fried rice from a Chinese restaurant tastes so much better than what you can make at home.

Should I put rice vinegar in my fried rice? ›

Add the cooked rice to the wok, the soy sauce, dark soy sauce and rice vinegar. Toss everything together and cook until the rice is pale brown and toasted. It should have a chewy texture and should take about 3 minutes.

What is fried rice usually made up of? ›

Fried rice is a traditional Chinese preparation of cooked rice, vegetables, protein, soy sauce, and aromatics. The ingredients are stir-fried in a large pan or wok for even flavor distribution.

What is the difference between Chinese fried rice and Thai fried rice? ›

Thai fried rice is made with Thai jasmine rice, while Chinese fried rice is made with regular long grain white rice, or a blend of white rice. The other difference is that Thai fried rice is often seasoned with fish sauce, oyster sauce, and/or soy sauce. Chinese fried rice are not seasoned with fish sauce.

What's the difference between Chinese and Vietnamese fried rice? ›

The main difference between the 2 types of fried rice is how they are seasoned. Vietnamese fried rice uses fish oil or fish sauce as the main seasoning, while Chinese fried rice typically uses soy sauce. The flavors are also milder for Vietnamese fried rice due to the seasonings.

What is forbidden rice in Chinese? ›

Black rice (also known as forbidden black rice or emperor's rice) is used in traditional Chinese medicine. It was once reserved only for the wealthy and powerful to ensure their health and long life. No one else was allowed to eat it.

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