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Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice ~ sweet, savory and spicy! So easy to make and takes 30 minutes on the stove.
Some of you may recognize this Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice recipe already. I originally published it in 2016 and it's been a popular recipe on my site ever since.
It's also very popular in our house and it's on heavy rotation along with my Potato Leek Soup and Avocado Black Bean Corn Salad.
Well, I've made some small changes to the recipe over the years, and I think it's time to share them. Along with fresh new photos, too!
Here are the changes I made to amp things up:
I wanted to make this more into a meal while still keeping the recipe simple. So, to make it more filling, I added frozen peas and roasted cashews. It adds extra protein and a variety of texture too.
To amp up the savory flavor, I added Curry Powder and increased the amount of Tamari. If you thought this meal was addictive before, wait until you try it now. Curry powder for the win!
I also amped up the ginger amount and added fresh-cut cilantro to the finished dish. It added a little more brightness and zest to the flavor profile. It's mouth-watering good!
I'm very happy with these subtle changes, and I hope you'll love them too!
How to Make Pineapple Fried Rice
It's so easy! Here's what you'll need to do:
- STEP 1: Sauté the onions in oil until softened and slightly browned.
- STEP 2: Add carrots, crushed red pepper, ginger, and garlic. Sauté until carrots are tender.
TIP: if food starts to stick to the pan, you can splash in a little vegetable broth to deglaze.
- STEP 3: Add pineapple chunks and sauté until slightly browned.
- STEP 4: Now add the rice, thawed peas, and green onion.
- STEP 5: Pour the tamari and curry powder mixture over the rice. Combine well and cook for 3-5 minutes until heated throughout.
- STEP 6: Taste for seasoning and add more if needed.
- STEP 7: Serve and top with green onions, fresh-cut cilantro, and roasted cashews. You can also add Sriracha for an extra kick!
What's the best rice to use for Pineapple Fried Rice?
I like to use medium-long grain rice, but most will work fine. I'll just use whatever I have available and this time I used Mahatma White Rice and it worked perfectly!
This dish works best with cold, day-old rice because it’s drier than freshly cooked and it will keep a firmer texture. You can cook it the night before and refrigerate overnight (or at least 6-8 hours). It will still be tasty if you haven't chilled the rice, but the texture will be a lot softer than typical fried rice.
I found some great tips on prepping and storing rice in this article HERE.
So easy, right? Enjoy!!
Interested in more 30-minute meals? Here are my faves:
I’d love to hear from you
If you make this Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or preferred cooking oil)
- 1 small red onion , diced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger , grated
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
- 1 cup carrots , peeled & diced (or matchstick)
- 1 ½ cups pineapple chunks , fresh or canned
- 3 cups cooked rice , chilled for 6-8 hours if possible
- ½ cup green onion , sliced + more for topping
- 3 tablespoons gluten-free tamari , low sodium (sub soy sauce)
- 1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
- ½ cup frozen peas , thawed
Optional toppings
- ½ cup roasted cashews
- ¼ cup cilantro , chopped
Instructions
- Whisk the tamari and curry powder together. Set aside.
- Heat coconut oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until softened.
- Now add the garlic, ginger, red chili pepper flakes and carrots. Sauté 7-9 minutes or until carrots are tender. (* if veggies start to stick, you can add a splash of vegetable broth to deglaze)
- Add the pineapple chunks and sauté until slightly browned, about 4-5 minutes
- Add tamari, rice, peas and green onions. Stir frequently. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed. Cook about 4-5 minutes, until all ingredients are combined and heated through.
- Remove from heat and serve with optional toppings. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Sherry
Very good,
Not a huge fan of curry powder as the main flavor so will probably reduce or omit next time otherwise very yummy. I air fried my cashews until toasted and thew them on top. I might air fry the pineapple a little too next time.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Sherry, yes go ahead and tweak to your liking. That is the beauty of homecooked meals. 🙂 Thanks for trying the recipe.
KD
Totally Yum E
Melissa Huggins
Thank you , KD! 🙂
Yvonne Vitosky
Loved this recipe! It smells so good while cooking and tastes delicious.
Melissa Huggins
Iy really is Yvonne. Glad you were able to try it. 🙂
The Student-turned-Doctor @ Food for Dissertating
I made this recently and it was delicious! I wasn't sure I would like the red pepper flakes in this but I'm glad I went ahead and added them. The flavors were so beautifully complex!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi! We are so happy to hear that you loved the recipe - thanks so much for giving it a try 🙂
Konrad
I love this recipe! I’ve added some leek for variety and sunflower seeds for protein (I highly recommend it). It was delicious!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Konrad! That sounds delicious - thanks so much for trying it out and we're happy you loved it!
Cynthia
I love it! I make it often. Its delicious. I need to find more vegan options that I like as much!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Cynthia! We are so happy to hear that you love the recipe and make it frequently! Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂
Leanne McGee
Sooo satisfying after a long day at work.
Didn't have peas, used chopped broccoli florets. Skipped the curry, due to husband's taste and used fresh sweet pineapple chunks. Not canned. Very delicious! The toasted cashews made it 5 stars!!
Thank you!!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Leanne! We are so happy to hear that you love the recipe! Thanks so much for giving it a try! 🙂
Lauren Shapiro
LOVED it and made with a modified version of tofu stir fry (w/o noodles) it was one of my best vegan dinners! Thanks for the inspiration.
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Lauren! We are so happy that you loved it! Thank you for stopping by to leave a review 🙂
Renee
I was skeptical. I like salt and this recipe didn’t call for any. And I don’t like curry. But I made exactly as specified and it was perfect! Thank you 😁
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Renee! We're so happy that you were pleasantly surprised! Thanks so much for giving it a try 🙂
Collette Turner
OMG!!! this recipe is incrdable!!Love it!
Thanka!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Collette! We are so happy to hear that you loved the recipe! Thanks so much for giving it a try 🙂
Janet
Melissa, OMG this is awesome!! It is my new favorite comfort food. This recipe is perfect as written IMHO. Thank you!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Janet, thank you so much for the review! We're so happy to hear you loved the recipe, thank you for sharing 🙂
Natasha
Sounds great. Looks good. I've made this before. You can add tofu for the protein. I've been vegan 21 years so this is actually not new dish. Most people back in th e day used the same ingredients. Vegans weren't just popular back when I started. Good job!