Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
Thai-style sweet and spicy pineapple fried rice with scrambled eggs and cashews. This is a healthy and quick weeknight dinner! So much better than take-out.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
I haven’t done any real cooking in our Austin kitchen yet, but this homemade Thai pineapple dish is looking pretty tempting after all the tacos I ate yesterday! I’m determined to eat all the tacos in Austin.
Back to Thai food. This pineapple fried rice recipe was inspired by a meal at Sweet Basil in Norman, Oklahoma over the holidays. I really loved the combination of sweet, caramelized pineapple with Thai spices.
I can’t claim that my version is traditional, but it does taste very close to my memories of that dish. I used some leftover bell pepper instead of tomato and thought it was pretty great that way.
The cooking method for this fried rice is a riff on my spicy kale and coconut fried rice. If you’re a fan of that recipe, I think you’ll love this one, too, as well as my veggie fried rice and the coconut fried rice in my cookbook. Please let me know how it turns out for you in the comments!
Before you get started
A couple of quick notes:
- This meal comes together very quickly, so make sure your ingredients are ready to go before you get started.
- Chilled leftover rice works best in stir fries because it doesn’t clump together, so cook the rice in advance if time allows (see recipe notes).
How to Make Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
Thai-style sweet and spicy pineapple fried rice with red bell pepper, cashews and cilantro. This is a healthy and quick, vegetarian weeknight dinner! This dish comes together very quickly, so be sure to have your ingredients (including chilled leftover rice) prepped in advance. Recipe yields 2 large, restaurant-sized portions or 4 more modest portions.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or quality vegetable oil, divided
- 2 eggs, beaten with a dash of salt
- 1 ½ cups chopped fresh pineapple
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- ¾ cup chopped green onions (about ½ bunch)
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- ½ cup chopped raw, unsalted cashews
- 2 cups cooked and chilled brown rice*, preferably long-grain brown jasmine rice
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1 to 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or sriracha
- 1 small lime, halved
- Salt, to taste
- Handful of fresh cilantro leaves, torn into little pieces, for garnishing
Instructions
- Heat a large wok, cast iron skillet or non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat and place an empty serving bowl nearby. Once the pan is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles on contact, add 1 teaspoon oil. Pour in the eggs and cook, stirring frequently, until the eggs are scrambled and lightly set, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer the eggs to the empty bowl. Wipe out the pan if necessary with a paper towel (be careful, it’s hot!).
- Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and add the pineapple and red pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid has evaporated and the pineapple is caramelized on the edges, about 3 to 5 minutes. Then add the green onion and garlic. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Transfer the contents of the pan to your bowl of eggs.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pan. Pour in the cashews and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Add the rice to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until the rice is hot, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.
- Pour the contents of the bowl back into the pan and stir to combine, breaking up the scrambled eggs with your spoon. Cook until the contents are warmed through, then remove the pan from heat. Add the tamari and chili garlic sauce, to taste. Squeeze the juice of ½ lime over the dish and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and set aside.
- Slice the remaining ½ lime into 4 wedges. Transfer the stir-fry to individual serving bowls and garnish each bowl with a lime wedge and a light sprinkle of cilantro. Serve with bottles of tamari and chili garlic sauce or sriracha on the side, for those who might want to add more to their bowls.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my spicy kale and coconut fried rice.
*Rice notes: For 2 cups cooked rice, you’ll need to cook up about ⅔ cup dry rice. To cook the rice, rinse it well in a fine mesh colander, then bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the rice and let it boil, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Drain off the remaining cooking water, then return the rice to the pot. Cover the pot and let the rice steam, off the heat, for 10 minutes. To chill the rice ASAP, spread it across a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet and let it cool in the refrigerator.
MAKE IT VEGAN/EGG FREE: Skip the eggs by heating the pan and then start cooking with step 2. This fried rice would be great with crispy baked tofu, which you could toss in during step 4.
MAKE IT GLUTEN FREE: Make sure to use a certified gluten-free soy sauce (tamari is usually gluten free, but check to be sure).
STORAGE SUGGESTIONS: The dish tastes great the next day, whether reheated or served at room temperature.
If you love this recipe: Be sure to check out my other Thai-inspired recipes here!
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I made the pineapple fried chicken for dinner. I followed the recipe exactly the way it was written and it was SO good. I added some tofu and grilled shrimp marinated in soy and franks sweet chili sauce. It was 5+ stars. Thank you for an amazing recipe. My husband , 20 month old and 5 year old liked it too. I can’t wait to try your other recipies.
Thank you, Kristy! So glad you all enjoyed the fried rice! I hope you enjoy my other recipes just as much. All my best to you and your family.
I liked it. It was a good combination of sweet, salty and savory, but still light. I made it with sushi rice, but I might try jasmine next time. Thanks Kate!
Thanks, Ted! Glad you enjoyed the fried rice!
This recipe was a winner! I am not a vegetarian but have a ton of friends who are and made this for a group who came over for dinner. Your recipes rock!
Hooray! Thanks, Steph!
Kate, this fried rice was amazing, thank you!!! I tried it with a Thai sauce I had at home and tossed in mushrooms and cubed soya, so good! The pineapple was just incredible :)
Thank you, Gayatri! :)
okay…after making this AGAIN I had to comment and tell ya that I love this recipe! Turned my sis on to it, too, and we can’t be kept away. A keeper and quick!
Hooray! Happy to hear it, Emily. Thank you for sharing my recipe with your sister!
Although this is a fun rice dish, it doesn’t have the authentic Thai flavors I was seeking. It is more of a compilation of (some Asian) ingredients. Still looking for the perfect Thai pineapple fried rice recipe with complex and rich flavors.. maybe coriander and curry powder is what I’m missing..
Thank you for your feedback, Renee. I bet coriander and curry powder would be great additions.
I added basil, carrots and red pepper. AMAZING
Made this tonight! Very easy and so good! Thanks. :)
Glad to hear it! Thank you, Mel!
I was in the mood for Pineapple Fried rice. Found this yahoo. Tried it on a wim. My wife and daughter, an ex-restaurant manager, said it is a keeper. Fantastic. Thank you. Cooked it AS IS.
Excellent! Thank you, Dave!!!
I made this tonight- with a few minor changes- and it was Sooo good :)
Very easy and quick to pull together.
I added some cooked broccoli, peas and corn and used a Thai Sweet Chili and Lime sauce (made by Watties, I live in New Zealand and we don’t have sriracha here :) )
And it turned out delicious!
It made enough for 3 large dinner bowls full :)
Thanks heaps for another amazing recipe, you haven’t let me down yet :)
Hi Jadzia, so glad you enjoyed t! Your version sounds delicious!
So, so good! I made it as directed, and added fresh trout…not vegetarian,but it made a fabulous meal-thanks for the recipe!
Thanks, Sharron! Glad you enjoyed it!
I make this for my girlfriend and I once every other week. The lime, cashews and coconut oil really tie it all together. We’re not vegetarian, so we throw pork into it, and it still holds up. One of my favorite online recipes!
Thanks, John! Glad to hear it!
Delicious! I added mushrooms (using up what I had) and broccoli (for color) and it was awesome. I was even bold enough to serve it to my husband’s parents who do not usually do meatless meals! There was only one spoonful left at the end, so I think it was a hit. Thanks!
Great ideas! So glad it went over well with the whole family. Thanks for letting me know, Natasha!
Hello! I made this recipe this week and it was AMAZING! :D It’s been a while since a recipe wowed me. :) Thank you! I would like other people from my country to try it too so I was wondering if you would be OK with me translating it on my blog. I will credit you and link to your blog, of course. ^_^
Hi Alina! Thank you, I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I don’t mind if you translate the recipe as long as you link back to this post!
Whoa! This was so, so, so good. I just made it tonight and I can’t wait to make it again. I actually ended up layering the various components to make it more like a rice bowl. It was a veritable flavor explosion. Thank you, from my family to yours.
Yay! Happy to hear it. Thank you, Kendra.
This recipe had my kids coming back for third serves. I added the kernels from 1 cob of organic corn + a few mushrooms (just because they were there), and used the crispy tofu variation (rather than eggs) – that tofu is really good. Thanks for the inspiration. :-)
Thank you, Jenny! Glad to hear it!
I made this last night and it was amazing (boyfriend approved too)! I simply substituted the egg for scrambled firm tofu to make it vegan. Thank you!
Thanks, Betsy! Glad to hear it!
Just had pineapple fried rice from your recipe for dinner tonight. It was amazing. Very yummy. My husband made it and it was waiting for me when I got home from work. Only difference is that he put small shrimp in it instead of cooked egg. loved it!
Thanks, Dorothy! Glad you enjoyed it! :)
I really liked this recipe.
I’ve tried several of your recipes and really have enjoyed them all.
I am trying to eat more vegetarian meals so your website has been very helpful. Do you have a cookbook? If so can I get more info?
Also your dog is adorable!!!
Hi Janette! Thank you. I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes. I don’t have a cookbook yet, but I am hard at work on one, coming spring 2017!
I just made this for lunch, and when I saw how much it made, I was sure that we would get at least two meals from it. Wow! This was so delicious!! My husband and I almost ate the entire thing. We just kept commenting on how good it was and going back for seconds and thirds. We’ve only been eating vegetarian for a little over a week, and I’ve encountered and produced my share of culinary disasters within that time. THIS, however, makes up for it. It was absolutely wonderful, and was surprisingly easy. Thank you, thank you!!
Thank you so much, D’Arla! So glad you both loved this one. All of my recipes are vegetarian, so you’re in the right place!
Sorry, I forgot to rate it!
I tried this recipe last night and I ended up making double the amount, which I am so glad that I did because it was soo yummy and now my husband and I get to eat it for lunch as well. This is the fourth recipe of yours that I have tried and they have all been great. Thanks for such a great blog.
Thank you, Fran! Delighted to hear that. :)
My family LOVED this recipe! We doubled it and it made at least enough for 6-7 people. Delicious!! Would absolutely recommend. Super quick to make — if you’re pressed for time, make the rice ahead! And then come back and make the rest of the meal. Thanks Kate!
Thank you, Amanda! Glad it was a hit!
Made this last night and it’s a new favorite!
Yay, thanks Stephanie! Glad to hear it!
So delicious! I added some bok choy for greens. Will definitely be adding this to my ‘meat free monday’ roster. Thanks!
Thank you, Kathryn! Great idea to add bok choy.
I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious….I can’t stop eating it! My boyfriend and I have made multiple recipes from your blog, and they have all been on point. Thank you for sharing your recipes with the world!
Thank you, Christina! I’m so happy to hear that. :) Happy New Year!
Hello…Looks delicious! Have you calculated nutritional content for this dish? Regardless, can’t wait to try it! THANKS…Shelly
OMG! The pineapple fried rice was amazing. I’m a little embarrassed (not really) to say that I ate all servings by myself. I’ve been on a vegan fast to begin 2016 and this by far has been my favorite new recipe.
Thanks for sharing how delicious vegetarian/ vegan eating can be.
Thank you, Erica!!!
Just made this for dinner yesterday. So delicious! I’ve been trying to eat vegetarian more and more, and your site is my absolute favorite place to find inspiration. Thanks for all the hard work and great recipes!
Thank you, David! :D
I made this last week. It was delicious! This was a hit with my entire family including two picky preschoolers.
Hi, searched for this recipe yesterday and yours popped up, so decided to try it, and was not disappointed at all, even the hubby was impressed. The only thing I didn’t see was how much rice to use. Needed less to say, can’t wait to try more of your recipes! Thank you from the Bay Area, CA!
Belated thank you, Kim! The recipe calls for 2 cups cooked rice, which would be roughly 2/3 cup dry rice, cooked. I’ll add that detail now!
This recipe is STELLAR. I whipped it up after a long day of work and it was so easy and delicious. Great with some Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (soy sauce) on top! Also great hot or cold so perfect for leftovers. SO DELICIOUS.
Thank you, Audrey! So glad you loved it.
Made this tonight with the tofu… just saying I didn’t make enough cause there were no leftovers for lunch.
Hooray!
I made this for a second time. It’s really delicious and fragrant and great the next day! 5 stars
Thank you very much, Terry!
Kate, thanks for the recipe. I made it once and plan to make it again this weekend. I just don’t have/can’t use tamari, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce or sriracha so I just left them out. It was good without but I’m believing it will be better with “something” else. Any suggestions what?
Thanks!
Hmmmm. Red pepper flakes and extra garlic would probably work in place of hot sauce. I’m not sure what to suggest in place of tamari/soy sauce, but I know that those with soy sensitivities often replace them with coconut aminos or Bragg’s aminos.
I just moved to a village in northern New Mexico from Anchorage, AK and have been missing Asian food! Anchorage is an amazing place for Thai, Lao, Vietnamese, middle eastern, Indian foods and so much more! Though I’m digging the New Mexican food I have wanted some awesome Thai for a while, but the local grocery stores don’t carry many Asian ingredients, so I’m so thrilled to have found your blog and this stellar recipe! Easy to make, with ingredients I can find, and it’s gonna hit the spot! Thanks so much for your creativity and delicious thai receipe!
Thank you, Amy! I didn’t know that Anchorage was a hot spot for Asian food. Hope you loved this recipe!
This was delicious! As another reader suggested, I added about a cup and a half of broccoli, cut small, with the red pepper and pineapple, and it worked well and added to the visual appeal of the dish. I think maybe a half cake of firm tofu, in small cubes, might go in at the same time, just to boost the protein. And peanuts would work as well as cashews. Don’t you think?
Thank you, Elizabeth! Yes, I bet peanuts are great instead of cashews. I just based it off a restaurant dish that used cashews, so I went with those.
I was looking so forward to this dish, but was very disappointed! It had no taste whatsoever, and I had to keep adding ingredients hoping to get the flavour that should have been. :(
I’m so bummed you didn’t love this one, Michelle. It includes so many flavorful ingredients that I’m not sure how it missed the mark. Maybe your produce was lacking in flavor, or it just needed a little salt to enhance the flavors?
Thank you soooo much for this recipe! My boyfriend and I LOVED it! I added a little something extra which is to cook the brown rice in coconut milk and it had an incredible taste! Thank you for being so awesome and I hope ou continue sharing!
Thank you so much, Tania! I’m glad you both enjoyed this one. Great idea to cook the rice in coconut milk for extra coconut flavor. I’ll have more recipes for you soon!
I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious! This is truly the best fried rice recipe I’ve ever made!
It was easy to tailor this recipe for my family. My daughter is vegan, so I added the egg at the very end, after I put some aside for her. I tossed in a bit of chopped carrot, just because I had some in the fridge. Also, I’m not a fan of spicy, so I used black bean garlic sauce instead of the chili sauce.
My family loved this dish it’s definitely classified as a “make again.” (The highest possible compliment in this house) Thanks!
My boyfriend made this for us for dinner and it was one of the best meals we’ve ever cooked. So delicious. Will be making many times again.
Hooray! Thank you for letting me know, Emily.
So I was slightly confused by the “2 cups of rice” ingredient. I ended up measuring out two cups of un-cooked rice and then cooking it, which as you can guess was an abundant amount of rice. Other than that it was delicious. I might as a few more seasonings during the frying of the vegetables though, I added quite a bit of soy sauce at the end and still felt it could use a little bit more of a kick. Great recipe though!
Hi Charlotte, I’m sorry to hear about the confusion. I had a little note about that in the recipe headnote, but it would be easy to miss. Just added a better note at the bottom of the recipe. I’m glad you enjoyed this one nonetheless!
Your recipes are always good: my husband and I found you last year. He made this for dinner tonight and we loved it.
Kate, I love your recipes and blog! This one was delicious, as usual!!
Thank you, Carrie!
This rice was really good, but I felt it was missing some protein…I will definitely try this recipe again but will add pan fried tofu or maybe some shrimp.
Thanks, Alejandra. I have some tips on how to add tofu in the vegan notes, if you want to check them out.
This was absolutely one of the best dishes I’ve made in a long time! I made sure I printed it out in case I should forget where I found it.
So good. I added some shrimp for my sister who came over and she loved it. No pineapple, unfortunately, at my local store but was still super flavorful.
Can’t wait for your book, Kate.
I made this for myself and my three-year-old daughter today and we both loved it! I just stumbled across your blog a few days ago and I have to say you’ve made my week, your site is filled with recipes of all my favorite ingredients and it is fantastic to get some new inspiration. I can’t wait to read through more of your writing. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Saara! So happy you find my site useful, and glad to have you here :)
Thanks for the recipe. Was a breeze to knock together and turned out great. Peace n love
You’re so welcome!
Making this for the second time tonight. My family loves this recipe! I had never made anything “Thai ” before. Delicious! Thank you for a great recipe!
I’m so happy you liked it, Sarah! It’s great to move outside your comfort zone, but it can be a little intimidating at first.
I made this recipe for dinner last night. It was a solid, doable recipe. I might consider adding a little ginger next time. I’m new to your website and loving it!
Welcome, Susan! I’m so glad you found my blog.