Pineapple Fried Rice
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Loaded with shrimp, eggs, fresh pineapple, and crunchy cashews, this pineapple fried rice is a complete meal in one bowl.
Pineapple fried rice is one of my favorite Thai takeout orders, but it’s even better homemade because you can really load it up with the good stuff—extra shrimp, lots of egg, and juicy bites of fresh pineapple throughout. This version gets its classic savory Thai restaurant flavor from a combination of soy sauce and fish sauce, along with fragrant curry-spiced rice and just a hint of sweetness. For a fun restaurant-style presentation, you can even serve it in a hollowed-out pineapple half. Best of all, it comes together in about 30 minutes.
What You’ll Need To Make Pineapple Fried Rice
- Shrimp: Adds protein and makes the fried rice hearty enough to serve as a main course. Buy peeled and deveined shrimp to save time.
- Eggs: A classic fried rice ingredient that adds richness and texture.
- Shallots and scallions: Shallots provide a mild, sweet onion flavor, while scallions add freshness and color.
- Jasmine rice: Day-old rice works best because it’s drier and less sticky, which helps the grains stay separate. But don’t feel like you need to plan ahead—microwaveable jasmine rice used straight from the package works beautifully here and is what I use most often.
- Soy sauce, fish sauce, curry powder, sugar, and white pepper: This combination gives the rice its signature sweet-savory Thai flavor.
- Fresh pineapple: Adds juicy sweetness that balances the savory flavors. Fresh pineapple is best here.
- Cashews: Add a delicious crunch and a salty contrast to the sweet pineapple. They’re optional, but I love the texture they provide.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the shrimp. Season the shrimp with a pinch of salt. Heat 1½ tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook until just opaque, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, leaving the oil in the skillet.
Step 2: Scramble the eggs. Pour the eggs into the skillet and scramble until just cooked. Transfer them to the plate with the shrimp—they’ll be added back to the rice later.
Step 3: Cook the shallots and warm the rice. Add the remaining 1½ tablespoons oil to the skillet. Add the shallots and cook, stirring constantly, until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice and cook, breaking up any clumps with a wooden spoon or spatula, until heated through, a few minutes.
Step 4: Finish. Stir in the soy sauce, fish sauce, curry powder, sugar, white pepper, and remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt. Toss until the rice is evenly coated and fragrant. Then add the pineapple, cashews (if using), scallions, cooked shrimp, and scrambled eggs and toss until everything is warmed through and well combined.
Pro tip: For a heartier fried rice, feel free to add a handful of cooked peas or some diced carrots along with the pineapple. You can also substitute diced chicken for the shrimp.
Step 5: Serve. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Then serve warm and enjoy!
More Fried Rice Recipes You May Like
Pineapple Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 12 oz extra-large shrimp (24 shrimp), peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
- Salt
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- ⅔ cup finely chopped shallots (from 3 to 4 shallots)
- 4 cups cooked cold jasmine rice (day-old or microwavable rice is best)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1½ teaspoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
- ½ cup roasted salted cashews (optional)
- 4 scallions, light and dark green parts, finely sliced
Instructions
- Season the shrimp with a pinch of salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and ⅛ teaspoon salt.
- Heat 1½ tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook until just opaque, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, leaving the oil in the skillet.
- Add the eggs to the skillet and scramble until just cooked. Transfer to the plate with the shrimp (they’ll get added back to the dish together).
- Add the remaining 1½ tablespoons of oil to the pan. Add the shallots and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly softened and fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the rice and cook, breaking up any clumps with a wooden spoon or spatula, until heated through, a few minutes. Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, curry powder, sugar, white pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Toss until the rice is evenly coated and fragrant.
- Add the pineapple, cashews (if using), scallions, cooked shrimp, and scrambled eggs. Toss until everything is warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve warm.
Notes
- For the rice, you have a few options. Day-old, cold rice works best because the grains are drier and less sticky. Freshly cooked rice will also work—just spread it out on a baking sheet and let it cool for about 30 minutes. For the easiest option (and the one I use most often), use two microwaveable jasmine rice packets straight from the package, without heating them first. I especially like the Veetee and Royal brands.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The dish is best freshly made, but leftovers reheat well. Store cooled fried rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in a skillet over medium heat until hot. If the rice seems a little dry, add a splash of water before reheating. To freeze, let the fried rice cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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