There’s various versions of Pineapple Fried Rice around, but I think the best is Thai. The sweet, juicy pieces of pineapple goes so well with the savoury flavoured jasmine rice! Terrific side dish for tropical dishes, summer BBQ’s and of course, with all things Thai.

Pineapple Fried Rice

Pineapple Fried Rice is of Thai origin, though there’s iterations of it all around the world. While some recipes use little more than a dash of soy sauce, this is a recipe that stays true to the Thai way and will evoke memories of warm balmy evenings in Thailand, eating at beach shack diners with your toes squidging in the sand, sipping on fruit cocktails.

Or – at rickety tables at your cheerful local Thai restaurant. 😂

This is the rice dish that was spied on the side of the Honey Soy Chicken recipe I shared on Monday. Noticed and requested by a number of readers!

Here is the photo in question:

And here’s a nice close up of the pineapple rice so you can see it in all its glory! Fluffy grains of jasmine rice, colourful veggies, sweet juicy pieces of pineapple all tossed in a savoury, slightly sweet Thai fried rice sauce.

What goes in Pineapple Fried Rice

Here’s what you need to make Pineapple Fried Rice – the Thai way (the best way!). While it is of course best to make this with fresh pineapple when they’re ripe and at their prime, canned is perfectly acceptable (and a heck of a lot faster to prep!).

3 Thai Sauce Options

The right sauce is key to making a really tasty pineapple fried rice and this recipe offers 3 options, all of which are very tasty:

• Fish sauce + oyster sauce – truly authentic Thai, terrific caramelisation / depth of flavour. In fact, purists say it’s “illegal” to use soy sauce in Thai cooking. That if you do, it’s Chinese food not Thai!
• Soy sauce + oyster sauce – typically thought of as Thai homestyle.
• Soy sauce + Maggi seasoning* – commonly used by Thai restaurants outside of Thailand

* Thai Seasoning Sauce is a sauce with more flavour than soy sauce. Gold Mountain is the most common one in Australia. It is available in Asian stores and some grocery stores, and costs around $2 for a large bottle.

Feel free to use any cookable vegetables you want. I like using colourful veggies – on theme with this tropical dish!

How to make Pineapple Fried Rice

It’s nice and quick to make – everything is just fried up in a skillet or wok. Use a large one so you can toss enthusiastically because that’s the key to reducing the sauce down and making it almost “caramelise” the rice grains which = flavour!

What to serve it with

This is a Thai side dish, so obviously Thai foods are no–brainer companions! Thai Cashew Chicken Stir Fry or Thai Satay would be fantastic. If curry is on the brain, I have the favourites covered! Pick from Yellow, Red, Green or Massaman Curries. Meanwhile for a fresh contrast, a Green Papaya Salad is perfect.

Or even just Asian foods!! Still it would be criminal to limit our imaginations to just these cuisines. In fact, as mentioned above, this is the very side that was depicted in Monday’s grilled Honey Soy Chicken which, despite having soy sauce in it, is the only Asian thing about it.

It’s practically a mandatory side for tropical themed menus, it will pair beautifully with Caribbean foods (like Jerk Chicken), or use it to elevate simple mains such as pan seared fish.

I’d weep with happiness if I saw it alongside a pile of sticky BBQ Pork Ribs, slices of ultra tender Beef Brisket, Sticky Chicken or any seared, grilled or baked salmon, shrimp/prawns or fish.

And one last thing – as with all fried rice dishes, while it’s best served straight out of the wok, this isn’t usually practical if you’re making multiple things on the stove or it’s part of a spread. So you’ll be pleased to know that it reheats very well in the microwave – or even covered in the oven! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it