Pineapple Fried Rice
on Feb 06, 2025
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This easy sweet and savory Hawaiian-inspired fried rice fragrant with garlic ginger, and scallions is a great side dish for any Asian meal.
Fried rice bursting with juicy bits of pineapple – that’s a stir-fry we can all get behind. It’s so interesting how fruit in savory dishes crosses so many culinary lines. And the savory-sweet Hawaiian-influenced combo really works, the contrast providing a lot of excitement in every bite.
This vegetarian stir-fried rice would be amazing with Spicy, Sweet, and Nutty Tofu, Japanese Cucumber Salad, and this Mongolian Beef recipe. But you could also serve it up with a very simply cooked piece of protein like Baked Chicken Thighs or Baked Salmon.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Cooked rice – Use your favorite type of rice in this stir-fry — see below for more tips.
- Ginger – Use fresh ginger in this recipe.
- Garlic – Mince the garlic well.
- Soy sauce – I prefer less-sodium soy sauce.
- Peas – Fresh or frozen (and no need to defrost if frozen).
- Scallions – Use the white and green parts.
- Pineapple – Fresh diced pineapple makes a big difference.
- Eggs – As with many stir-fry recipes, the eggs are scrambled in the pan.
Variations
- This is a vegetarian dish (leave out the eggs for a vegan pineapple fried rice!), but if you want to add some cubed chicken or pork (or ham), you should go for it.
- The vegetables are also really just suggestions — you can add in small-diced carrots, celery, zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, corn kernels, sliced baby corn, whatever is hanging out in your fridge or pantry. It’s a great way to use up those odds and ends in the vegetable bin.
- Try Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice for another twist on this sweet and savory stir-fry.
How to Make Pineapple Fried Rice
- Stir-fry the rice: Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add the cooked rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is coated in the oil and starts to get a little toasty, about 3 minutes.
- Stir-fry the other ingredients: Add the ginger and the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add the soy sauce, peas, scallions, and pineapple, and stir until everything is hot and well combined.
- Scramble the eggs: Shove the rice mixture to one side of the pan, leaving some empty space. Pour the beaten eggs into the space you’ve cleared in the pan. Stir the eggs until they are scrambled, without allowing them to blend into the rice just yet. Then stir so that the cooked eggs get incorporated into the mixture.
- Serve: Serve right away, sprinkled with extra scallions.
Best Rice to Use for Stir-Fries
Whatever rice you choose, make sure it has cooled completely, and the grains are separate, not clumpy. The best way to achieve this is to cook rice the day before you plan to make a stir-fry with it. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it. The cold rice should easily separate into individual grains, which is what you want here.
Try white rice, brown rice, jasmine, or basmati rice in this stir-fry. Changing up the rice will give the dish a whole other subtle flavor and texture, so keep it lively!
How to Cut Pineapple for a Stir-Fry
If you can use fresh pineapple in this dish, you will be very happy with the results. Look for a pineapple that is very ripe — the best indicator is the smell. Turn the pineapple over and smell the bottom. If it smells like perfume pineapple, you are good to go. Otherwise, you can let it sit on the counter for 1 to 3 days to ripen. Technically, pineapples don’t ripen once they’ve been picked, but I think a few days on the counter to at least soften can add to the flavor of the fruit.
You’ll want to cut the pineapple into very small pieces, about 1/2-inch dice. Here’s everything you need to know about cutting pineapple!
Another fine option is canned pineapple. Buy only canned pineapple in juice for this recipe, not syrup. Options include drained canned crushed pineapple, or you can drain and dice up larger pineapple chunks or rings. If you can, pick up cans of pineapple “tidbits,” which are little small pieces of pineapple; those are just the right size for stir-fried rice.
Leftovers and Storage
Leftover stir-fried rice can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat.
What to Serve With Pineapple Fried Rice
More Stir-Fried Rice Recipes
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Pineapple Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- 3 cups cooked white rice
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
- ½ cup thinly sliced scallions (white and light green parts; plus more for garnishing)
- 2 cups small-diced pineapple (either fresh or canned pineapple in juice, drained)
- 3 large eggs (beaten)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add the cooked rice and cook, stirring occasionally until is coated in the oil and starting to get a little toasty, about 3 minutes.
- Add the ginger and the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add the soy sauce, peas, 1/2 cup scallions and pineapple and stir until everything hot and well combined.
- Shove the rice mixture to one side of the pan, leaving some empty space. Pour the beaten eggs into the space you’ve cleared in the pan. Stir the eggs until they are scrambled, without allowing them to blend into the rice just yet, and then stir so that the cooked eggs get incorporated into the mixture.
- Serve right away, sprinkled with extra scallions.
Notes
- This is a vegetarian dish (leave out the eggs for a vegan pineapple fried rice!), but if you want to add some cubed chicken or pork (or ham), you should go for it.
- The vegetables are also really just suggestions — you can add in small-diced carrots, celery, zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, corn kernels, sliced baby corn, whatever is hanging out in your fridge or pantry. It’s a great way to use up those odds and ins in the vegetable bin.
- Leftover stir-fried rice can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat.
Perfect balance of flavors and so easy.