Thai pineapple fried rice is quick, healthy and easy vegetarian dinner. This one-skillet dinner comes together in 15 minutes. This is not average Chinese fried rice , staying true to it’s name – this is super tasty Thai fried rice and it’s BOMB!
Easy, and one dish to cleanup! Isn’t that convenient on a busy weekday. Throw in everything into the pan one ingredient at a time and stir until done.
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 light, refreshing and great meal for fussy kids too. I speak from experience. Kids love the fruity, flavor packed rice.
It’s great for summer parties too! Think of summer potlucks and BBQ party, this Thai pineapple fried recipe would make a great addition.
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!
If you love pineapple as much as we do, then we recommend you to try our other popular pineapple recipes. These are perfect –
Grilled Pineapple Shrimp Skewers
PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE
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!
How To Hollow Out A Pineapple (Helpful Video Attached)
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.
THAI PINEAPPLE 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 PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE
Left over 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 normal 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 flavored 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 Recipe
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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Thai Pineapple Fried Rice (KHAO PAD SAPPAROT)
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
- ⅓ 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Add chopped green onions and give it a quick toss. Continue tossing/stirring for 30 seconds.
- 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).
- Add frozen corn and peas (that are pre-cooked) and toss for 2 minutes.
- 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.
- Next, add the pineapple and the cashews. Stir until well combined.
- Garnish with little sesame seeds, the green onions, cashews, crushed peanuts. Serve in pineapple bowl warm. Enjoy!
Frazier Doris
Can you suggest anything to spice it up a little? Can’t wait to try this on Sunda.
Gloria
You can never go wrong with fried rice. This has so much flavour…and I would make sure I had lots of leftovers to enjoy. It is always better the next day.
Padmajha Sureshbabu
Such a flavorful fried rice and you have served it so well. The pics look stunning Jyothi. I have always wanted to try this rice and serve it on a craved out pineapple bowl. Not sure if it will so good though!
Claudia Lamascolo
this has to be the prettiest idea ever. I love that this pineapple is the serving bowl. What a delicious way to serve rice
Noel Lizotte
Fried Rice is a favorite at our house. I didn’t know that day old rice was the best ingredient. Now I’ll have the best fried rice on the block!
Veena Azmanov
Aww so cute.. you served it in a pineapple. I remember we use to eat in this Thai restaurant in Bali and they would serve us Pineapple fried rice on a plate that was designed like a pineapple. This looks so cool. Love fried rice.
Valerie
I love freshly made fried rice. The texture of yours looks fantastic and it sounds like it’s got a distinctive flavor as well.
Natalie
There’s so much flavors going on in this rice that I just MUST make this and try. I bet my family will love it to Love the decoration and presentation. I think I’ll do exactly the same. Saving this.
Marisa Franca
I love your presentation!! We really enjoy fried rice but you’ve taken it to another level. I like your finish with cashews — a great crunch to the rice. Thank you for the advice about the difference in rice. It’s good to know.
Nicolas Hortense
What a super cool way to serve fried rice. And I never knew that Thai people had there own way to cooking fried rice. Always nice to see something a bit different. Adding pineapple is something I would never have thought of, but those little captules of sweetness would certainly take it to another level. Nice work!
Melissa
First off, how cute is it to serve in the pineapple?!? I can picture this being a big hit with our friends! I love the cashews in it too, not often I get to cook with my favourite nut.
Karyn
Love this recipe. It sounds amazing! Showed to my hubbie..He is going to try making it on Wednesday
Alexis
Oh goodness, I know my kiddos are going to love this dish. It looks so fresh and delicious. Thank you, I’ll be adding this to our next meal plan.
swathi
I too make thai pineapple fired rice, your recipe looks delicious I add scrambled egg too as thai street vendors use to add it.
Tammy
I LOVE the sound of this so much! I cannot wait to make this and the presentation is fantastic. Saving this recipe for later ^_^