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    Home » Entrées

    Easy Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice

    October 16, 2018 By Melissa Huggins / 77 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe

    Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice ~ sweet, savory and spicy! So easy to make and takes 30 minutes on the stove. 

    vegan pineapple fried rice on a white plate. Striped napkin and forks on the side.

    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!

    Table of Contents

    • Here are the changes I made to amp things up:
    • How to Make Pineapple Fried Rice 
    • What's the best rice to use for Pineapple Fried Rice?
    • Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice (Gluten-Free)

    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 

    Sautéing onions, carrots and ginger in a gray pan.

    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.

    Process photos of sautéing pineapple chunks and then cooking rice, peas and green onion.

    • STEP 3: Add pineapple chunks and sauté until slightly browned.
    • STEP 4: Now add the rice, thawed peas, and green onion.

     

    Process photos of pouring tamari into rice and then fully combined pineapple fried rice.

    • 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!!

    Two white plates with vegan pineapple fried rice on them. Gray pot in the background with gray napkin underneath.

    Interested in more 30-minute meals? Here are my faves:

    • One-Pot Basil & Tomato Orzo
    • Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto
    • Portobello Vegan Fajitas 

    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.

     

    closeup view of vegan pineapple fried rice on a white plate. Gray pot in the background.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    4.96 from 45 votes

    Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice (Gluten-Free)

    Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice ~ sweet, savory and spicy! So easy to make and takes 30 minutes on the stove. It's gluten-free too!
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Thai Cuisine, Vegan
    Servings: 4 People
    Calories: 452kcal
    Author: Melissa Huggins

    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
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 436mg | Potassium: 624mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 5855IU | Vitamin C: 32.4mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 2.9mg
    Tried this recipe?Follow me @veganhuggs and mention #veganhuggs!


     

     

    rice in a cast iron skillet topped with green onion.  Overhead shot of rice in a skillet. Topped with green onions and flowers on the side.  Fully cooked vegan pineapple fried rice in a cast iron skillet on a striped napkin. Purple and orange flowers on the side.   Rice in a skillet with flowers and green candle in the background.

    vegan fried rice

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    About Melissa

    I’m Melissa Huggins – the creator of Vegan Huggs. I started this blog to share delicious vegan recipes that everyone will love. Yep, that includes carnivores, too! Read more...

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Linda

      August 22, 2020 at 7:51 am

      Anyone try it with brown rice?

      Reply
    2. Jessi Doshier

      July 09, 2020 at 8:38 pm

      5 stars
      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! 🙂

      Reply
    3. Ellen

      June 08, 2020 at 7:34 pm

      Is there anything plant-based I can add for extra protein? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        June 09, 2020 at 1:07 pm

        Yes, you can marinate, cube, and bake/fry tofu. That will add great texture, protein, and flavor.

        Reply
    4. Yolande

      May 15, 2020 at 7:58 am

      I see chilled rice (6+ hours is preferred) but would it work if I cook rice and chill it to room temperature?

      Reply
    5. Divorced Kat

      March 02, 2020 at 5:37 am

      5 stars
      This was very good, but I wanted a touch more flavor. Would it work to double the sauce?

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        April 07, 2020 at 10:30 pm

        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. 🙂

        Reply
      • beth

        August 30, 2020 at 2:41 pm

        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.

        Reply
    6. GC

      June 30, 2019 at 12:01 pm

      Absolutely delicious!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        July 05, 2019 at 5:08 pm

        Thank you so much! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Ja’Nisha

      June 27, 2019 at 8:25 am

      Great Recipe

      Reply
    8. Glenn

      April 25, 2019 at 7:34 am

      Is there anything else I can use in place of onion? Anything in the onion family is a trigger for my IBS.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        April 25, 2019 at 9:05 am

        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.

        Reply
    9. Hanifia

      December 24, 2018 at 1:27 am

      5 stars
      Delicious! I added some extra vegetables but I'm sure it would have been very good without them, too.

      Reply
    10. joseph

      November 29, 2018 at 11:13 pm

      Very tasty Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice my favourite recipe thank.

      Reply
    11. Marc

      October 20, 2018 at 6:51 am

      4 stars
      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

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        October 23, 2018 at 7:47 pm

        Hi Marc, thank you for making it and sharing your feedback. I'm happy you guys liked it! 🙂

        Reply
    12. Eliza

      July 28, 2018 at 8:41 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        July 28, 2018 at 9:29 pm

        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 🙂

        Reply
    13. Rick Haggard

      June 06, 2018 at 11:51 am

      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!!!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        June 14, 2018 at 11:53 am

        Hi Rick! Thank you so much! I'm so happy you like it 🙂

        Reply
    14. Jennifer

      May 10, 2018 at 6:02 pm

      5 stars
      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).

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        May 13, 2018 at 11:30 pm

        Thank you, Jennifer! I'm so happy you liked it! I agree... pineapple and toasted cashews are perfect together 🙂

        Reply
    15. Karla

      April 15, 2018 at 11:45 am

      5 stars
      I made this last week and it was a hit! I’m going to make it gain. Would tempeh be ok to add?

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        April 15, 2018 at 11:54 am

        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! 🙂

        Reply
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