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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
Linda
Anyone try it with brown rice?
Jessi Doshier
This was soooo yummy!
Even though I totally messed up the rice (did not use day old, I instead cooked dry rice and put way too much water; ended up with soggy/mushy rice that wasn't all the way cooked-I was devastated) it still turned out great LOL
I added some roasted corn and tofu and absolutely loved the final product despite my rice catastrophe.
Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Ellen
Is there anything plant-based I can add for extra protein? Thanks.
Melissa Huggins
Yes, you can marinate, cube, and bake/fry tofu. That will add great texture, protein, and flavor.
Yolande
I see chilled rice (6+ hours is preferred) but would it work if I cook rice and chill it to room temperature?
Divorced Kat
This was very good, but I wanted a touch more flavor. Would it work to double the sauce?
Melissa Huggins
Sure, you can double the sauce. You can also add a few more dashes of tamari or a sprinkle of salt. Thank you for giving it a try. 🙂
beth
putting it in the refrigerator for that amount of time removes a significant amount of moisture. you want the rice to be much dryer than after you first cook it.
GC
Absolutely delicious!
Melissa Huggins
Thank you so much! 🙂
Ja’Nisha
Great Recipe
Glenn
Is there anything else I can use in place of onion? Anything in the onion family is a trigger for my IBS.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Glen, can you have garlic? Maybe you can add a little more Or you can sauté a little celery. You can also try to bump up the seasonings or add some cumin and coriander. It's a really flavorful dish, so you probably won't miss the onions in it. I hope this helps.
Hanifia
Delicious! I added some extra vegetables but I'm sure it would have been very good without them, too.
joseph
Very tasty Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice my favourite recipe thank.
Marc
My wife and I loved the dish. For us next time we'll cut the oil in half and less saute time for a more crisp vegetable. All positive, a personal taste is all.
Can't wait to try your other dishes.
Thank you
Nameste
Melissa Huggins
Hi Marc, thank you for making it and sharing your feedback. I'm happy you guys liked it! 🙂
Eliza
Love this recipe! Made it tonight for the first time - I am vegan and trying to encourage my family to eat more vegan meals. If they all tasted like this I think they would have no problem making the switch! Thank you for sharing!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Eliza, This is wonderful to hear! I'm glad that your family gave it a chance. I hope you find more vegan meals that they'll like. Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Rick Haggard
Hey Melissa!! This has become a go-to for me. Probably made it 4-5 times. Absolutely delicious as well as being a great thing to serve non-vegans! Thanks!!!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Rick! Thank you so much! I'm so happy you like it 🙂
Jennifer
Absolutely fantastic! I made this last night and struggled to leave enough for lunch today! I had lunch an hour early. So easy and so tasty (toasted cashews Andy pineapple are meant to be together).
Melissa Huggins
Thank you, Jennifer! I'm so happy you liked it! I agree... pineapple and toasted cashews are perfect together 🙂
Karla
I made this last week and it was a hit! I’m going to make it gain. Would tempeh be ok to add?
Melissa Huggins
Thank you, Karla! This is so nice to hear! Yes, tempeh would work perfectly. I would cook it separately first, and then add it at the very end or just top it after cooking. Have a great Sunday! 🙂