Pineapple Fried Rice is delicious on its own, but feel free to get creative! You can easily add pork, beef, shrimp, chicken, cashews, or even more veggies. Leftovers taste great – the flavors meld and deepen!
Prep Time: 15 mins • Cook Time: 10 mins • Total Time: 25 minutes • Makes: 2 to 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 2 eggs, beaten with a dash of salt
- 1 ½ cups chopped fresh pineapple, reserve pineapple halves for serving
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 3/4 cup chopped green onions
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup green peas
- 2 cups Jasmine rice, cooked and chilled (made the day before, and refrigerated is better!)
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 to 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
- Juice of half a small lime
- Salt, to taste
DIRECTIONS
- Heat a large skillet, over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of oil. Add the beaten eggs and cook, stirring frequently, until the eggs are scrambled and just set, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer the eggs to a bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet 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. Add the green onion and garlic. Cook while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. With a spoon, transfer ingredients to the bowl of eggs.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the skillet. Add the chilled rice to the skillet and stir to combine. Cook until the rice is hot, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.
- Add the reserved egg, pineapple, red pepper, green onion, and garlic plus the green peas (and shrimp if using) to the rice, and stir to combine. Cook until all the ingredients are warmed through, then remove the skillet from heat. Add the soy sauce and chili garlic sauce. Add the lime juice and stir well to combine. Taste, and adjust seasonings with salt, and/or soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce.
- Spoon the pineapple fried rice into the reserved pineapple shells for serving.
NOTE: Shrimp is a great addition to this dish. To include: After step 1, wipe out the skillet with a paper towel. Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to the skillet. Add 12 ounces of tail-on, peeled, and deveined medium-sized shrimp in a single layer to the skillet, and cook over medium-high heat for approximately 3 minutes per side, or until fully cooked. With a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate. Using a paper towel, carefully wipe the skillet of excess oil and liquids. Continue with step 2 in the directions.
How to make pineapple bowls
- Cut a pineapple in half lengthwise.
- Run a knife around the inside edges leaving at last ½-inch from the edge.
- Cut the pineapple flesh three to four times across and once down the center.
- Scoop out the pineapple chunks using a spoon.
- Smooth out the bottom surface of the bowl.
- Drain any remaining juices and pat the inside of the pineapple dry.
- Cut the pineapple you sliced into chunks and use in making the fried rice.
