Vegetarian Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

By
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt is a cookbook author and culinary teacher who specializes in Thai cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/28/22
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 5 to 6 servings

Fried rice is the perfect preparation for mixing flavorful and nutritious ingredients to make a quick one-pan meal. Many cultures have a take on fried rice. Chinese versions have more veggies and a salty soy sauce touch, while Thai recipes are bolder on aromatics and use fish sauce as a flavoring. Our vegetarian take on a Thai pineapple fried rice is truly mouthwatering. It uses Chinese soy to keep it vegan and vegetarian-friendly and relies on fresh Thai flavors—sweet pineapple, fresh cilantro, and a blend of pungent alliums—to round out the dish. Crunchy cashews add texture and some currants complete the balance of sweet and savory.

Although our rice is vegetarian, you can use it as a base and add other proteins of your liking, like shredded breast of chicken, grilled shrimp, or tofu or tempeh for a vegan take (omit the egg in this case). Serve this fried rice as the main course or as a beautiful side dish to any meal. For true restaurant quality, you can serve it in a carved-out pineapple, which is quite easy and fun. For a non-vegetarian version, use fish sauce and chicken stock.

Thai pineapple fried rice

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 cups cooked rice, cold

  • 3 tablespoons oil, divided

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 2 teaspoons curry powder

  • 2 shallots, finely chopped

  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 1 red or green chile, thinly sliced; or 1/4 to 3/4 teaspoon crushed dried chile flakes

  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetable stock, or mock chicken stock

  • 1 large egg

  • 1/4 cup grated carrot, optional

  • 1/2 cup frozen peas

  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups pineapple chunks, fresh or canned and drained

  • 1/4 cup currants, or raisins

  • 1/2 cup unsalted roasted whole cashews

  • Lime juice, to taste

  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves

  • 3 scallions, finely chopped

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients to make pineapple fried rice

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Using your fingers to separate any chunks into grains, mix 1 tablespoon of oil with the rice. Set aside.

    Hands separating clumps of white rice

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. In a cup, stir the soy sauce together with the curry powder. Set aside.

    Soy sauce and curry powder mixture

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Drizzle the remaining oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots, garlic, and chile, stir-frying until fragrant, about 1 minute.

    Shallot, garlic, and red chile cooking in a pan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Once the pan becomes dry, add 1/4 cup of stock to keep all veggies sizzling.

    Shallot, garlic, and red chile cooking in stock

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Crack the egg into the wok and stir quickly to cook as though you are scrambling eggs.

    A spoon stirring eggs in the pan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Add the carrot and peas. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, adding more stock if needed.

    A spoon stirring peas and carrots in a pan with egg

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  8. Add the rice, pineapple chunks, currants, and cashews. Mix well to incorporate all ingredients.

    Rice, pineapples, and other ingredients being stirred in a pan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  9. Drizzle the soy sauce mixture over and gently stir-fry to combine over medium-high to high heat until the rice makes popping sounds, about 5 to 8 minutes, or until your preferred texture is achieved.

    A spoon stirring soy sauce into the pan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  10. Mix well until the rice is of an even color. If desired, you can push ingredients aside and add a little more oil to the pan to give your rice that special "shine" you see in restaurant fried rice.

    Fried rice pushed to one side of a pan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  11. Remove from heat. Do a taste test, adding more soy sauce if needed. Add lime juice and taste again. If too salty for your taste, add more lime juice.

    Soy sauce and lime juice being added to the fried rice

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  12. Scoop rice onto a serving platter or into a carved-out pineapple to serve. Top with the cilantro and chopped scallions.

    Thai pineapple fried rice topped with scallions and cilantro

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Tips for the Best Fried Rice

Making fried rice is fairly simple, as the technique in most recipes is similar. You just need to keep in mind a few things to achieve great quality fried rice:

  • Leftover rice that has been refrigerated overnight is best. The rice should be cool when it's added to the wok.
  • If you only have freshly cooked rice to work with, spread it out on a baking sheet and refrigerate it, uncovered, for at least 1 hour.
  • Measure and prepare all of the ingredients before you start cooking. As this dish comes together fairly fast, have all the ingredients ready for speedy preparation.
  • Use a hot pan or wok. Fried rice needs heat to achieve the perfect texture and caramelization.

Recipe Variations

  • Swap out the cashews with the same amount of roasted peanuts.
  • For extra color, add about 1/2 cup of diced red bell pepper along with the pineapple chunks.
  • Increase the protein with some crispy fried tofu or baked tofu.

How to Store and Freeze

  • Refrigerate leftover fried rice in shallow, airtight containers within 2 hours. The fried rice should last for about 5 days, but make sure to include the day (or days) the rice was refrigerated before frying.
  • To freeze leftover fried rice, transfer the cooled rice to zip-close freezer bags, squeezing out as much air as possible. Defrost the rice in the fridge or reheat it from frozen.
  • To reheat fried rice, place it in a saucepan and sprinkle a little water over it. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until hot. Alternatively, put the rice in a microwave-safe container and cover with a moistened folded paper towel. Microwave on medium power, stirring every 30 seconds, until hot. The USDA recommended minimum safe temperature for leftovers is 165 F.

Can I Make this Dish Vegan?

Vegans may omit the egg without sacrificing flavor or nutrients of this great dish. You may add a few extra cashews or tofu to replace the egg protein.


What Rice Is Best for Fried Rice?

Fried rice is typically made with long-grain white rice, but Thai fried rice is usually made with medium-grain jasmine rice.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
359 Calories
14g Fat
53g Carbs
8g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 5 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 359
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 31mg 10%
Sodium 595mg 26%
Total Carbohydrate 53g 19%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 27mg 133%
Calcium 57mg 4%
Iron 3mg 19%
Potassium 397mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)