Thai Pineapple Fried Rice is an incredibly flavorful recipe that can double as a side dish or the main course! The flavor palate is a perfect balance of sweet and salty. Between the crunch of the cashews and the pop of fresh fruity flavor from the pineapple, there’s a whole lot to love about this bright recipe! Enjoy it as is or top with delicious seared shrimp.
Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
If you’re a lover of classic fried rice, you’re going to love this fruity twist! While my favorite fried rice will always be the Khao Pad (Thai Fried Rice), this is a great variation of that signature dish. Usually, fried rice is a completely savory dish, but this version takes it to a whole new level with the addition of sweet pineapple chunks, crunchy cashews, and a little touch of sweetness in the sauce.
Speaking of the sauce, the sweetness comes from the oyster sauce, Thai sweet chili sauce, and brown sugar. It’s not an overwhelming sweetness, but it does lend a touch of sweet flavor that perfectly compliments the pineapple. Plus, I like keeping things true to authentic Thai flavors by using both the fish and oyster sauces. Also mixed into the sauce is freshly squeezed lime juice and white pepper. All of the ingredients meld together to create a mouthwatering sweet, yet savory palate.
You can keep this Pineapple Fried Rice totally vegetarian, or add some protein by topping it with seared shrimp! I personally like to add even more summery flavor with the shrimp, as they perfectly compliment the fried rice and make it less of a side dish and more of an entree. Between the flavorful seared shrimp, tender rice, crunchy cashews, and juicy pineapple, the variation of texture is pretty satisfying.
How to Make Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the rice:
- Rice – I use about 4 cups of fully cooked, cold jasmine rice for this recipe. It’s a great way to use up leftover rice if you have any in the fridge.
- Cashews – use halved cashews or you can cut whole cashews.
- Peanut Oil
- Vegetables – A medley of yellow onions, bell peppers, carrots, garlic, and ginger give the rice a vibrant appearance and delicious flavor. Green onions also give a great pop of freshness!
- Pineapple – Make sure you use fresh pineapple chunks for the best flavor. For the reference, use my instructions on How To Cut A Pineapple.
For the sauce:
- Fish Sauce
- Lime Juice – This needs to be freshly squeezed for the best flavor!
- Brown Sugar
- Thai Sweet Chili Sauce – Both sweet and tangy with the slightest touch of spice, this ingredient brings an array of delicious flavor to the sauce!
- White Pepper
- Salt
For the shrimp:
- Shrimp – If you’re using frozen shrimp, they’ll need to be fully thawed prior to cooking.
- Lime Juice
- Oyster Sauce
- Oil – You can use peanut or vegetable oil.
- Garlic Cloves – Use fresh garlic, not pre-minced or paste garlic.
- White Pepper
- Salt
Cooking Directions
Prepare.
This is a very fast moving recipe, so it’s important to have all of your ingredients ready to grab and go. You won’t have time to stop and chop once you get going!
Dice the vegetables, mince the garlic and ginger, and carefully measure the sauce ingredients. Make the sauce by simply combining the ingredients.
Marinate the shrimp.
Let the shrimp marinate while you cook. Simply combine them with the other ingredients and set aside.
Cook the veggies.
Toast the cashews, then set them aside. In the same pan, add oil and cook the onions, carrots, and bell peppers until soft.
Make a well in the middle of the pan and add the garlic and ginger. Sauté until aromatic, then mix with the other veggies.
Remove the veggies from the pan and set aside.
Cook the pineapple.
Add a little bit more oil to the pan and toss in the pineapple chunks. Sauté until golden brown.
Make the fried rice.
Add the cooked rice, veggies, and cashews to the pan. Lower the heat, toss in the green onions, and stir everything together.
Pour the sauce into the pan and mix until it thoroughly coats the fried rice.
Sauté for just a few more minutes, then serve and enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use leftover rice in fried rice?
As always, when it comes to fried rice, try to use day old cooked rice for the best results. Leftover rice rehydrates nicely when cooking and soaks some more of the sauce flavors.
If you do have to cook rice just for this dish, and I often forget to do it the day before, try to under-cook the rice slightly! Make sure the rice is cooked al dente, to have just a slight crunch in the center. Also, make sure to fluff it, take it out of the pot, and set it aside to cool completely before adding to fried rice.
What should I serve with Thai Pineapple Fried Rice?
You can keep this dish vegetarian and serve it as a side dish or make it a main dish by adding some shrimp. I’ve provided the shrimp recipe that I love to serve on top of this rice. If you want to keep it as a side, these are some great dishes it will go with: Asian Baked Chicken Thighs, Teriyaki Salmon, Mango Chicken, Sweet Garlic Grilled Chicken, Coconut Lime Chicken Drumsticks, and so much more.
Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked jasmine rice
- 1/2-3/4 cup halved cashews
- 2-3 tbsp peanut oil
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 medium carrot
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger shaved or minced
- 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh pineapple
- 3 green onion stalks
Sauce:
- 4 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Thai sweet chili sauce
- 1/8-1/4 tsp white pepper
- salt to taste
Shrimp (optional)
- 1 lb shrimp
- 1 lime – juice only
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsbp vegetable or peanut oil
- 2 garlic cloves pressed
- pinch white pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare your ingredients first since this is a fast recipe. So dice the vegetables, mince garlic and ginger, and measure out ingredients for the sauce. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a measuring cut and mix them well.
- For the shrimp, peel and devein them if needed and combine with the other ingredients for the shrimp in a bowl. Mix and set aside to marinade while you cook fried rice.
- Preheat a large wok or a large cooking pan with tall sides over medium-high heat.
- Once the pan is hot, toast the cashew and set them aside.
- Add some oil and cook the diced onion, carrots, and bell peppers until softened. Once cooked and softened, make a little well in the middle of the pan and add garlic and ginger. Let them sauté for a few seconds, until aromatic, and mix it in with the veggies. Take the veggies out of the pan and set aside.
- Add a little more oil to the pan and add pineapple chunks. Let pineapple chunks sauté until golden brown.
- Add cooked rice to the pan and add back the vegetables and cashews. Add in green onion, lower the heat, and stir everything together.
- Give the sauce another stir to mix and pour it all over the rice and you gently stir.
- Mix everything well and sauté for just a couple of minute. Take off heat and serve.
For the shrimp (optional):
- Preheat a cooking pan over medium-high heat and make sure that the pan is hot first, before adding the shrimp.
- Add the shrimp (not the liquid or the shrimp will steam instead of searing) and let them cook until that aside turns opaque, just a minute or two.
- Flip each shrimp and let them sear on the other aide until turns opaque, another minute or so. Take the shrimp out and serve over fried rice.
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