Pineapple Fried Rice

By Lori Stultz, VO Rocky Mountain Outreach Coordinator

If you’re like me, rice is one of those wonderful foods that you can prepare one night during the week and then have enough left over for at least three, and sometimes even four, more meals.

Rice is so versatile—it can serve as a tasty grain in a whole host of dishes. Heck, I’ve been known to reheat it for breakfast. I throw some in the microwave with a bit of soy milk, chopped banana and nuts, and little bit of cinnamon.

A few weeks ago, I made a tasty red vegetable curry, but, as usual, I had a ton of leftover rice. Not wanting to put much thought or effort into spicing up the leftovers, I Pinterest searched “vegan rice recipes,” and one of the first recipes to pop up was Pineapple Fried Rice.

I don’t actually recall eating fried rice before I went vegan, but I know a lot of my vegan friends make their own at home because the fried rice dishes offered in restaurants typically have scrambled egg mixed in.

This particular recipe stuck out to me because it puts pineapple front and center. Plus, I wanted to give fried rice a try.

This recipe was ridiculously simple! Since I already had the rice made, it took no time at all to put it together. The recipe I followed is pretty basic, but there is an endless list of add-ins that could make this dish even tastier than what it already is! Check out the notes at the end of the recipe for a few recommendations.

I also recommend checking out Vegan Huggs, the blog site I referenced to make this fantastic meal.

Pineapple Fried Rice

Yields about 4-5 servings.

Ingredients

Directions

1. Heat coconut oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Add red onions, garlic, ginger, red chili pepper flakes (if using), and carrots. Saute 7-9 minutes, or until carrots are tender.
2. Add pineapple and saute until slightly browned, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Add tamari or soy sauce, rice, and green onions. Stir frequently and taste for flavor. If needed, add a touch more tamari or soy sauce or a pinch of salt.
4. Cook about 4-5 minutes, until all ingredients are combined and heated through.
5. Remove from heat and serve.

Recipe Variations

• If you’re using coconut oil, it might be fun to sprinkle in some shredded coconut flakes. The oil and pineapple make this dish on the sweeter side, so the coconut would be a great addition.
• If you’re missing the scrambled egg texture usually found in fried rice, try crumbling up ¼-½ of a block of tofu and adding it when you add the tamari or soy sauce, rice, and onions to the pan.
• Throw in any other vegetable that you like—green peas, chopped zucchini, or even broccoli florets would pair nicely.