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Here’s an easy and yummy lunch idea: pineapple fried rice. It is a great way to put some sparkle in your leftover rice. I’m a big fan of fried rice. Cooking over higher heat seals in all the natural flavors of the pineapple and leaves your rice with a subtle crispness.
This stir-fry is a great meatless choice and everyone in my family loved it! Once your food hits the stove, it’s done in under 10 minutes. Quick and easy!
Ingredients for Pineapple Fried Rice:
1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1/2 sweet red bell pepper, diced
1/2 small onion, finely diced
1 Tbsp ginger, grated
1 garlic clove, pressed or finely diced
1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp soy sauce, or to taste
2 cups cooked white rice, cold (=1 cup uncooked white rice with 1 Tbsp butter & 1/4 tsp salt)
1 tsp sesame oil, optional (but highly recommended)
Garnish:
2 Tbsp green onions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp sesame seeds, optional
How to Make Fried Rice:
1. Rinse rice thoroughly and cook according to package instructions. We used a ricemaker and added 1 Tbsp butter and 1/4 tsp salt then let it cool completely. This works best with cooled, leftover rice. Don’t use warm or hot rice or it will get sticky.
2. Prep your vegetables before you fire up the stove. You won’t have time to chop in between cooking steps.
3. Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet or wok over medium heat, then swirl in 2 Tbsp oil. Add diced onion and cook about 1 minute or until softened. Next toss in pressed garlic and grated ginger and saute another minute, stirring constantly.
4. Increase heat to med/high and add diced bell pepper with pineapple and continue to saute everything for 3-5 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently.
5. Add 2 cups cooked rice and 1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp of soy sauce, or to taste. Continue to stir over the heat another minute or until soy sauce is well blended in. Turn off the heat stir in 1 tsp sesame oil, or to taste. I love how sesame oil. It gives Asian-inspired meals authentic flavor.
Plate the rice and sprinkle each bowl with some chopped green onions and sesame seeds if desired and serve warm.
Pineapple Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple
- 1/2 sweet red bell pepper
- 1/2 onion
- 1 Tbsp ginger
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce, or to taste
- 2 cups cooked white rice, cold (=1 cup uncooked white rice with 1 Tbsp butter & 1/4 tsp salt)
- 1 tsp sesame oil, optional (but highly recommended)
Garnish:
- 2 Tbsp green onions
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds, optional
Instructions
- Rinse rice thoroughly and cook according to package instructions. We used a rice maker and added 1 Tbsp butter and 1/4 tsp salt then let it cool completely. This works best with cooled, leftover rice. Don't use warm or hot rice or it will get sticky.
- Prep your vegetables before firing up the stove. You won't have time to chop between steps.
- Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet or wok over medium heat, then swirl in 2 Tbsp oil. Add diced onion and cook about 1 minute or until softened. Next toss in pressed garlic and grated ginger and saute another minute, stirring constantly.
- Increase heat to med/high and add diced bell pepper with pineapple and continue to saute everything for 3-5 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently.
- Add 2 cups cooked rice and 2 Tbsp of soy sauce, or to taste. Continue to stir over the heat another minute or until soy sauce is well blended in. Turn off the heat stir in 1 tsp sesame oil, or to taste. I love how sesame oil. It gives Asian-inspired meals authentic flavor. Plate the rice and sprinkle each bowl with some chopped green onions and sesame seeds if desired and serve warm.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes that make my heart go pitter-pat:
I bet this fried rice would be nice with a brown rice too. Have any of you tried it that way?
P.S. Have a great weekend! Have any fun plans?
Love -Natasha 🙂
I had some leftover coconut rice (cooked with coconut milk) that I used with this. That was amazing!
Glad you liked it!
This is a simple but tasty recipe that my wife loves.
I’m so glad she enjoyed it!
My family loves this pineapple fried rice. I substituted the soy sauce with coconut aminos because my son prefers them but otherwise followed the recipe. Delicious!
That’s great, Susan!
Hi Natasha.
This looks delicious. I will be making this recipe soon. But I need clarification, please:)
Sesame oil. Your link to sesame oil is to Toasted sesame oil. Normally, I wouldn’t use it for frying, since it tastes burned to me. Can I use regular sesame oil?
Hi Susanna, it worked really well in this recipe. If you try regular sesame oil, I’d love to know how you like it.