Thai pineapple fried rice is the perfect fusion of sweet and savory with seasoned rice stir fried with chilies, scrambled eggs, cashews, and more, so good!
Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe
If you enjoy a great fried rice recipe, you're going to love this version - Pineapple Fried Rice.
Pineapple fried rice is a Thai dish that is loaded with flavor. Here you'll find a delicious combination of rice that is crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, lots of savory elements like soy sauce, fish sauce, and shrimp paste, and spicy chilies if you want them!
It's a great balance of flavors, with the sweet pineapple balanced by the salty elements of the dish.
You'll find versions all over the world, but this Thai version is just what the spicy food lover needs.
This is how I like to make it. I hope you enjoy it!
Let's talk about how to make pineapple fried rice, shall we?
Pineapple Fried Rice Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Vegetable Oil. I like to use sesame oil, but any will do.
- Shrimp. Optional. It's great without it. You can use whole shrimp or chop it up.
- Eggs.
- Chilies. Use Thai chilies or bird's eye chilies, though you can use other spicy chilies you have on hand. Optional, though, for spicy.
- Red Bell Pepper.
- Onion.
- Garlic. Lots of garlic for me!
- Cooked Rice. Jasmine rice is preferred. Day old rice is best for this recipe, as it is dried out and better for stir frying.
- Thai Black Soy Sauce. If you can't find it in the grocery store, use Chinese dark soy sauce + ½ teaspoon sugar or palm sugar as a substitute.
- Fish Sauce.
- Shrimp Paste.
- Green Onions.
- Pineapple. Fresh pineapple is the best, but the recipe works with canned.
- Roasted Cashews.
How to Make Pineapple Fried Rice - the Recipe Method
NOTE: The full instructions are listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
First you'll stir fry the shrimp and then the scrambled eggs separately, and set them into a bowl on the side. This only takes a few minutes.
Next, stir fry the onion, peppers, and garlic, then stir fry the rice with the soy sauce, fish sauce, and shrimp paste until the rice is done just the way you want it.
I like to stir fry it all over high heat to get great flavor.
Lastly, stir in the green onions, pineapple, cashews, reserved shrimp, and scrambled eggs. Stir fry it a minute or two to warm it all up.
Boom! Done! Your pineapple fried rice is ready to serve. This is seriously delicious. I could eat the entire pan! I really should share, though.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Day old rice is important for achieving the perfect texture in fried rice. Freshly cooked rice is too sticky and won't fry up properly. It's great for leftover rice.
- Using high heat while stir frying helps create a crispy exterior on the rice grains while keeping the inside fluffy while stirring constantly.
- This is a great dish to customize and make your own. Other popular additions include chopped ham or Chinese sausage, curry powder, crunchy cucumber, peas, carrots, corn. Sriracha is always great! Try it with spam for a Hawaiian pineapple fried rice spin.
Storage & Leftovers
Leftover pineapple fried rice will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can reheat it gently in the microwave or in a wok or pan on the stove top with a bit of oil.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my fried rice with pineapple recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Cookbook Recommendation
If you enjoy spicy cooking, I hope you'll check out my cookbook! 75 easy recipes with big, bold flavor.
- The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook, by Mike Hultquist (affiliate link, my friends!)
Amazon Affiliate links, my friends! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Try Some of My Other Popular Fried Rice Recipes
Try Some of My Other Popular Thai Recipes
Also, try this Hawaiian Macaroni Salad recipe!
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 1/2 pound shrimp peeled and deveined (optional – use whole or chopped)
- 2 large eggs scrambled
- 3-4 Thai or bird’s eye peppers diced (optional, for spicy)
- 1 large red bell pepper diced
- 1 small onion diced
- 5-6 cloves garlic chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste white pepper is popular
- 4 cups cooked white Jasmine rice chilled (day old rice is best for this recipe)
- 1-2 tablespoons Thai black soy sauce or use Chinese dark soy sauce + ½ teaspoon sugar or palm sugar
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon shrimp paste
- 4 green onions chopped
- 1.5 cups chopped pineapple fresh is best
- ½ cup roasted cashews
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan or wok to medium-high. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, then add to the hot pan. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked through. Remove shrimp from pan, cover, and set aside.
- Add scrambled eggs to the hot pan and cook, stirring, until the eggs set and are nice and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Return the pan to high heat and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the peppers and onion. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes, until the vegetables soften to your liking.
- Add the garlic and stir fry 30 seconds, until you can smell the gorgeous garlic.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and heat. Stir in the rice, soy sauce, fish sauce, and shrimp paste. Stir fry the rice for 1-2 minutes, stirring to stir fry, until everything is combined and rice is done to your liking.
- Stir in green onions, pineapple, cashews, reserved shrimp, and scrambled eggs. Warm through 1-2 minutes and serve.
Nutrition Information
Diane says
I wound up using 7 pinky sized Thai chili peppers. (I don’t know why!!) Whoa! That unnecessarily cranked up the heat! I was thankful for the pineapple and cashews! Regardless, quite good.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Diane! Definitely hot! Whoops! =)
Ramya says
Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use tofu / vegan fish sauce and more salt i never had pineapple fried rice before perfect for my after office meals
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy, Ramya.