Thai Pineapple Fried Rice (KHAO PAD SAPPAROT)

Thai pineapple fried rice is quick, healthy and easy vegetarian dinner. It’s one-pan, skillet kind of dinner where you throw in everything into the pan one ingredient at a time and stir until done. It all comes together in 15 minutes. Easy, and one dish to cleanup! This is not average Chinese fried rice , staying true to it’s name – this is super tasty Thai-like fried rice and it’s BOMB!

Fried rice has takers from all around the world, kids to adults everyone loves fried rice. Thai-style pineapple fried rice is fruity, sweet and spicy. This signature dish from Thailand is heavenly, hearty and filling dinner. It’s great for summer parties too!

Thai style fried rice is different from Chinese fried rice. Thai fried rice has nam pla — fish sauce — in addition to soy sauce — where Chinese fried rice typically uses soy sauce alone. Thai pineapple fried rice uses jasmine rice whereas Chinese fried rice uses normal rice. Also Thai curry powder is used in Thai fried rice for that authentic Thai flavor and taste.

Thai pineapple fried rice is refreshing twist to regular fried rice. You can serve it as a meal, a side dish with your meat also in meal preps! It’s super easy to make and extremely flavorful! Chunks of pineapple, loads of vegetables, great Asian flavors! It takes 15 minutes from stove to table! All you need is some left-over rice to get stirring!

With fried rice you need all the ingredients prepped and ready to go into the wok (or skillet if you are someone like me who love all things Asian but don’t own a traditional wok yet!). Traditionally Chinese wok is used to toss everything for fried rice, but skillet will work just fine too.

Before you get started have all the vegetables chopped, sauce mixed up, everything else measured and kept near the stove.  Always use left over chilled rice(rice cooked the previous night) works great for fried rice.  Fresh hot rice soon as it hits the pan it will turn into soggy, heavy, goopy fried rice– no good!

The version of Thai pineapple fried rice is meatless. Leave out the fish sauce if you want to convert into a vegan pineapple fried rice. Throw in some chicken, shrimps, bacon pieces and eggs in you want.  Thai chicken fried rice would be my favorite go-to dinner when I want to add proteins to my fried rice recipe.

Bonus points for serving this delicious thai pineapple fried rice in pineapple hollow or “pineapple bowls” as I call it.  How cool is that!

Let’s get tossing-

How do you hollow out a pineapple?

Use sharp knife to make hollow out a pineapple. Cut pineapple completely in half length-wise to create two bowls for the table. To create one big boat, cut the pineapple just above the leaves.

Make straight incisions into pineapple flesh and using strong spoon scoop out all the flesh of the pineapple.

Cut a small portion on the backside for pineapple bowls to sit steady(to get rid of wobbly/shaky pineapple bowls). Keep bowl aside until use.

Note – use scooped out pineapple fruit flesh to make pineapple juice, smoothies or in any other dish.

What vegetables go well with pineapple?

Cut frozen vegetables can be used for quick prep if you do not have time for chopping fresh vegetables.

The base mix of vegetables that I always use for fried rice is

Carrots

Onions

Green peas

Corn

And bell peppers

But feel free to add any stir-fry vegetables you love.

What is Thai special fried rice?

Thai special fried rice is just like regular fried rice but has few ingredients extra.

Thai style fried rice is different from Chinese fried rice. Thai fried rice has nam pla — fish sauce — in addition to soy sauce — where Chinese fried rice typically uses soy sauce alone. Thai pineapple fried rice uses jasmine rice whereas Chinese fried rice uses normal rice. Also Thai curry powder is used in Thai fried rice for that authentic Thai flavor and taste.

We also added fresh Thai basil to the recipe for complete Thai fried rice experience.

Tips for making BEST THAI PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE

Day-old rice is best – Use a day old rice that has been refrigerated. You need to plan ahead if you want to make fried rice. Cook rice previous night, and place it in refrigerator over night. Fresh hot rice soon as it hits the pan it will turn into soggy, heavy, goopy fried rice– no good!

But if you don’t have time to  pre-cook rice or forgot to plan, then cook rice as you normall would, spread rice out evenly onto 1 or 2 large plates, cover loosely with kitchen towel and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Or pop the rice in freezer for 15 minutes for fast option.

For umami Thai flavors – Do not skip fish sauce and Thai basil. It gives you great Thai flavoured fried rice. Also stir in jasmine rice. I used normal rice here as I could not source jasmine rice easily.

Get everything prepped before you start – have vegetables chopped, sauces mixed together, everything lined up and ready near the stove to throw into the wok.

Don’t stop – Keep stirring – You want to saute first the vegetable that takes longer to cook, lastly add vegetable that takes less time to cook. Toss vegetables until it’s just cooked, you want to keep it crunchy. And don’t forget – keep stirring, tossing.

High heat – First heat up the wok or skillet until is smoky hot. Use high heat to toss everything in hot wok.

Can I use canned pineapple for Thai Pineapple Fried Rice?

I highly recommend you to use fresh pineapple cut into cubes for this Thai fried rice. You won’t get the tanginess in canned pineapple, and that acidity is needed for this recipe.

However, canned pineapple would work too.

How to Make Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

Heat wok or skillet until smoky hot.

Add oil and saute ginger and garlic.

Add in green onions and keep stirring.

Add all vegetables one at a time starting from carrots, bell peppers, corn, peas. Adding corn and peas in the last as I’ve used frozen corn and peas which is partly cooked.

Season with salt and Thai curry powder (I skipped Thai curry powder as I had run out of it, so substituted with pepper powder)

Mix in rice.

Pour the sauce over the rice

Toss until everything comes together.

Garnish with toasted cashews, green onions, crushed peanuts and little toasted sesame seeds.

Serve warm in pineapple bowls.

Can I freeze Thai Pineapple Fried Rice?

Yes, absolutely. Don’t add the garnish green onions as they don’t freeze well. Freeze cooked fried rice in zip lock bags or air-tight containers.

To serve frozen Thai fried rice, remove rice from freezer and leave it on room temperature for few hours then heat and serve. Please remember you won’t get that fresh taste from frozen fried rice.

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More Asian inspirations for you-

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Watch how to make Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

5 from 10 votes

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Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Thai pineapple fried rice is quick, healthy and easy vegetarian dinner. It’s one-pan, skillet kind of dinner where you throw in everything into the pan one ingredient at a time and stir until done. It all comes together in 15 minutes. Easy, and one dish to cleanup! This is not average Chinese fried rice , staying true to it’s name – this is super tasty Thai-like fried rice and it’s BOMB!

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

• 2 cups pre-cooked rice Jasmine rice is best
• 1 ¼ cup fresh pineapple cubes
• 1 cup green onions
• 1 carrot large
• 1 red bell peppers small
• ¼ cup frozen corn
• ¼ cup frozen green peas
• 5 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 2 teaspoon ginger finely chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh Thai basil chopped
• 2 tablespoon sesame oil or peanut oil

For Sauce -

• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar

For Garnish –

• ¼ cup cashews
• ¼ cup roasted peanuts crushed
• Fresh green onions
• Few fresh Thai basil leaves

Instructions

1. For best fried rice use left-over(pre-cooked) rice from the day before. Plan ahead and cook rice like you normally would, spread on a large plate or baking tray to cool. Transfer into air-tight container and store in fridge until use.
2. Get everthing prepped and ready – chop all the vegetables. Stir in all the ingredients mentioned under the sauce category, whisk and keep it aside near the wok.
3. Place large wok/skillet on high heat. Wait until it’s smoky hot. Pour sesame oil. When oil turns hot add finely chopped ginger and garlic and saute for 1 minute high heat.
4. Add chopped green onions and give it a quick toss. Continue tossing/stirring for 30 seconds.
5. Add chopped carrots and red bell peppers. Toss for 3 minutes stirring continuously. Cook carrots and bell peppers until just done (don’t cook it completely).
6. Add frozen corn and peas (that are pre-cooked) and toss for 2 minutes.
7. Then stir in the cooked rice and season with salt and Thai curry powder(we substituted Thai curry powder with pepper powder) and the soy sauce mix.
8. Next, add the pineapple and the cashews. Stir until well combined.
9. Garnish with little sesame seeds, the green onions, cashews, crushed peanuts. Serve in pineapple bowl warm. Enjoy!

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