There’s various versions of Pineapple Fried Rice around, but I think the best is Thai. The sweet, juicy pieces of pineapple goes so well with the savoury flavoured jasmine rice! Terrific side dish for tropical dishes, summer BBQ’s and of course, with all things Thai.
Pineapple Fried Rice
Pineapple Fried Rice is of Thai origin, though there’s iterations of it all around the world. While some recipes use little more than a dash of soy sauce, this is a recipe that stays true to the Thai way and will evoke memories of warm balmy evenings in Thailand, eating at beach shack diners with your toes squidging in the sand, sipping on fruit cocktails.
Or – at rickety tables at your cheerful local Thai restaurant. 😂
This is the rice dish that was spied on the side of the Honey Soy Chicken recipe I shared on Monday. Noticed and requested by a number of readers!
Here is the photo in question:
And here’s a nice close up of the pineapple rice so you can see it in all its glory! Fluffy grains of jasmine rice, colourful veggies, sweet juicy pieces of pineapple all tossed in a savoury, slightly sweet Thai fried rice sauce.
What goes in Pineapple Fried Rice
Here’s what you need to make Pineapple Fried Rice – the Thai way (the best way!). While it is of course best to make this with fresh pineapple when they’re ripe and at their prime, canned is perfectly acceptable (and a heck of a lot faster to prep!).
3 Thai Sauce Options
The right sauce is key to making a really tasty pineapple fried rice and this recipe offers 3 options, all of which are very tasty:
Fish sauce + oyster sauce – truly authentic Thai, terrific caramelisation / depth of flavour. In fact, purists say it’s “illegal” to use soy sauce in Thai cooking. That if you do, it’s Chinese food not Thai!
Soy sauce + oyster sauce – typically thought of as Thai homestyle.
Soy sauce + Maggi seasoning* – commonly used by Thai restaurants outside of Thailand
* Thai Seasoning Sauce is a sauce with more flavour than soy sauce. Gold Mountain is the most common one in Australia. It is available in Asian stores and some grocery stores, and costs around $2 for a large bottle.
Feel free to use any cookable vegetables you want. I like using colourful veggies – on theme with this tropical dish!
How to make Pineapple Fried Rice
It’s nice and quick to make – everything is just fried up in a skillet or wok. Use a large one so you can toss enthusiastically because that’s the key to reducing the sauce down and making it almost “caramelise” the rice grains which = flavour!
What to serve it with
This is a Thai side dish, so obviously Thai foods are no–brainer companions! Thai Cashew Chicken Stir Fry or Thai Satay would be fantastic. If curry is on the brain, I have the favourites covered! Pick from Yellow, Red, Green or Massaman Curries. Meanwhile for a fresh contrast, a Green Papaya Salad is perfect.
Or even just Asian foods!! Still it would be criminal to limit our imaginations to just these cuisines. In fact, as mentioned above, this is the very side that was depicted in Monday’s grilled Honey Soy Chicken which, despite having soy sauce in it, is the only Asian thing about it.
It’s practically a mandatory side for tropical themed menus, it will pair beautifully with Caribbean foods (like Jerk Chicken), or use it to elevate simple mains such as pan seared fish.
I’d weep with happiness if I saw it alongside a pile of sticky BBQ Pork Ribs, slices of ultra tender Beef Brisket, Sticky Chicken or any seared, grilled or baked salmon, shrimp/prawns or fish.
Here’s a little preview of some of the above mentioned – plus a few extras:
Ideas for other dishes that go with pineapple fried rice
And one last thing – as with all fried rice dishes, while it’s best served straight out of the wok, this isn’t usually practical if you’re making multiple things on the stove or it’s part of a spread. So you’ll be pleased to know that it reheats very well in the microwave – or even covered in the oven! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Pineapple Fried Rice (Thai)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 1/2 onion , finely chopped
- 1/2 red capsicum / bell peppers , diced (~ 3/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup peas , frozen
- 3 cups day old jasmine rice , cooked (Note 1)
- 1 1/2 cups pineapple pieces , fresh or canned drained (~ 220g) (Note 2)
- 1/2 cup green onion , sliced
Sauce Option 1 (Base version, recommended):
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1/2 tsp sugar
Sauce Option 2:
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce , light or all purpose (not dark soy)
Sauce Option 3:
- 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Thai Seasoning (Gold Mountain)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a wok or large non stick skillet over high heat.
- Add garlic and onion, cook for 1 minute.
- Add capsicum, cook for 1 minute.
- Add peas, stir for 30 seconds.
- Add rice and Sauce ingredients of choice. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until rice grains goes from being wet with sauce to sort of caramelised.
- Add pineapple, stir for just 30 seconds to warm through.
- Stir through green onions then serve!
Recipe Notes:
- Fish sauce + Oyster Sauce (base recipe) – the version that purists say is “real” Thai fried rice because if you use soy sauce, it makes it Chinese (or other Asian)
- Soy Sauce + Oyster Sauce – more akin to Thai home cooking
- Sauce with Thai Seasoning Sauce is commonly used by Thai restaurants in Australia.
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
The local Pet-O is like Disneyland for dogs – they hoon around the warehouse in a tizzy of excitement over the smell of treats and dog food, not to mention toys, toys, everywhere…
But Dozer? He’s figured out the best place to be is behind the counter. That’s where the shop assistants reside who dole out the seemingly endless supply of dog treats. “It’s his payment for helping!” they declare.
Hmmph. He seems to be getting “paid” a LOT more than he’s helping (negative contribution, it seems to me!).
Delicious will make again. I love all the recipes from your site. Thanks
As always very nice recipe.
Thank you very much!
You’re so welcome Elena! N x
I use Thai Mountain sauce in my pad Thai. IMO it is worth hunting down. Thanks for your recipes.
Hi Nagi. I’ve been trying your recipes for a good 5 to 6 months and sadly, always neglect (due to laziness) to comment. Tried this Thai Fried rice with the Honey Soy Chicken today and it paired beautifully! Absolutely delish!X PS. Will try to be more attentive in future.
Another fabulous recipe to try. Thank you so much for sharing your talent and sense of fun. Very one of your recipes that I have made, has been easy to make and amazing to eat. All the extra notes and tips are very much appreciated. Learning lots. PS Love the Dozer updates. 💗
This was great as I had a small fresh pineapple to use up. I added a little shredded omelette cos fried rice needs egg. The colours were lovely, looked great! Glad Dozer got his shopping trip.
Perfect Susan!!
Yum! Can’t wait to try this! I love this dish and have been looking for a good recipe. I trust your recipe will be outstanding, they all are!!!
I hope you try it and love it Jenny!! N x
This is great! My wife is recently gluten/dairy free and I just sourced LKL GF oyster sauce. Great suggestions on the ingredient modifications. I’ll add a little Srirahca for a bit of heat and depth of flavor to compliment the sweet and savory.
Perfect Spence! N x
Hi Nagi, I appreciate you posting one of my all time fave fried rice dish (can you do a salted fish and chicken fried rice next?🤣)
Just wondering if it were possible to make this with brown rice at all as I don’t really eat white rice.
Thanks again!
Hi Linh, yes just sub cooked brown rice for the jasmine 🙂
This looks delicious. Thanks for the alternatives to oyster and fish sauce!
I love to have a daily read of your blog, and it’s always fun to see what Dozer is up to!
You’re so welcome Cathy, I hope you try it and love it! N x
Hi Nagi, love your recipes and Dozer snippets that land all the way from Australia to my inbox in East Sussex, England! Like nuggets of sunshine. 🌞
Your easy peasy poached chicken breast has become a reliable fixture in my limited cooking repetoir. It really is SO easy.
Could I have the Thai Pinapple Fried Rice cold as a side dish salad or would it go cold and too sticky? 🐶
No it’s great cold too! I must admit I’ve eaten it straight from the fridge being too impatient to wait for the microwave to heat it up! N x
Hi Nagi, Thanks for posting this. I saved the Honey Soy chic k en recipe but did wonder what the recipe for the rice was. Think I will be trying this one on the weekend. Dozer is too cute, He knows the best place to be.
I hope you love it Kat – let me know what you think! N x
Good Morning Dozer and of course Nagi hehe!! I love seeing all the photos of little human dozer. He is adorable.
Thanks for another great recipe!
You’re so welcome Marie!! N x
I am not really a pineapple gal but if the dish has rice and oyster sauce and fish sauce I’ll agree to the rest ! Some prawns and a ‘messy’ omelette and some fresh pine . . . yum for a main meal !! Dozer: Have told you many a time he is a very smart boy . . . remember him refusing the cucumber in gado gado . . . proof of the pudding and I hope he charms a lot of treats out of the assistants . . .
I get it Eha, just like pineapple on a pizza! And who could refuse giving him a stack of treats?!
Hi Nagi, thank you for all your wonderful recipes! Our local Thai place serves this pineapple fried rice but with chicken. Can I add chicken to this? But how do I add the chicken pieces? How do I cook the chicken? Separately and then add to the fried rice? And if separately, how is it cooked, is it pan fried or ??? Thanks so much for your time!
Hi Imelda! I just popped directions in the recipe notes – just add it in halfway through cooking the onion! That way it gets some nice garlic/onion flavour on the protein 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi, thanks so much for taking the time to rely. So kind of you. Bless you! Love your heart as well as your amazing recipes! 💖
I admit, I clicked in just to see Dozer! PS. Not a big fan of pineapple rice, but I know it must be good reading the recipe and all the steps. x
Me too!! You two crack me up!!! 😆. Then I had to look up the meaning of hoon!!!
Not a word were familiar with in the US!!!
🥰
Sarah, that’s a typical Aussie word – so very colourful and fun!
Zoe C: I also clicked in to see Dozer and I also am not fond of pineapple. However I read the recipe and it seems so easy and my husband will love it! So I will make it soon.
Cherie, I made it already for lunch today, without pineapple! Tastes great even without pineapple. 🙂
I almost prefer Dozer messages over positive recipe feedback… #shameless #crazydoglady!!