Vegetarian Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

Written by
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt is a cookbook author and culinary teacher who specializes in Thai cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Darlene Schmidt
Updated 03/14/21
Vegetarian Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 8 mins
Total: 38 mins
Servings: 5 to 6 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
306 Calories
14g Fat
41g Carbs
7g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 5 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 306
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 17%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 31mg 10%
Sodium 594mg 26%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 7mg 33%
Calcium 43mg 3%
Iron 3mg 14%
Potassium 294mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Fried rice is the perfect preparation for mixing flavorful and nutritious ingredients to make a quick one-pan meal. Many cultures have a take on fried rice. Chinese versions have more veggies and a salty soy sauce touch, while Thai recipes are bolder on aromatics and use fish sauce as a flavoring. Our vegetarian take on a Thai pineapple fried rice is truly mouthwatering. It uses Chinese soy to keep it vegan and vegetarian-friendly and relies on fresh Thai flavors—sweet pineapple, fresh cilantro, and a blend of pungent alliums—to round out the dish. Crunchy cashews add texture and some currants complete the balance of sweet and savory.

Although our rice is vegetarian, you can use it as a base and add other proteins of your liking, like shredded breast of chicken, grilled shrimp, or tofu or tempeh for a vegan take (omit the egg in this case). Serve this fried rice as the main course or as a beautiful side dish to any meal. For true restaurant quality, you can serve it in a carved-out pineapple, which is quite easy and fun. For a non-vegetarian version, use fish sauce and chicken stock.

2:13

Click Play to See This Thai Vegetarian Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe Come Together

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked rice, cold

  • 3 tablespoons oil, divided

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 2 teaspoons curry powder

  • 2 shallots, finely chopped

  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 1 red or green chile, thinly sliced; or 1/4 to 3/4 teaspoon crushed dried chile flakes

  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetable stock

  • 1 large egg

  • 1/4 cup grated carrot

  • 1/2 cup frozen peas

  • 1 small can pineapple chunks, drained; or 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple chunks

  • 1/4 cup currants, or raisins

  • 1/2 cup roasted cashews

  • Lime juice, to taste, optional

  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves, garnish

  • 3 scallions, finely chopped, garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Vegetarian Thai Pineapple Fried Rice ingredients

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  2. Using your fingers to separate any chunks into grains, mix 1 tablespoon of oil with the rice. Set aside.

    Using fingers to separate rice from clumps to grains

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  3. In a cup, stir the soy sauce together with the curry powder. Set aside.

    combine soy sauce or fish sauce with curry powder

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  4. Drizzle the remaining oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots, garlic, and chile, stir-frying until fragrant, about 1 minute.

    Stir-frying shallots, garlic, and chile pepper

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  5. Once the pan becomes dry, add 1/4 cup of stock to keep all veggies sizzling.

    Adding stock to keep the vegetables sizzling

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  6. Crack the egg into the wok and stir quickly to cook as though you are scrambling eggs.

    Adding an egg to the vegetable stir-fry

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  7. Add the carrot and peas. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, adding more stock if needed.

    Adding grated carrot and peas to the mixture in the pan

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  8. Add the rice, pineapple chunks, currants, and cashews. Mix well to incorporate all ingredients.

    Adding rice, pineapple chunks, currants, and cashews to the mixture in the pan

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  9. Drizzle the soy sauce mixture over and gently stir-fry to combine over medium-high to high heat until the rice makes popping sounds, about 5 to 8 minutes, or until your preferred texture is achieved.

    Stirring in the soy sauce to the mixture in the pan

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  10. Mix well until the rice is of an even color. If desired, you can push ingredients aside and add a little more oil to the pan to give your rice that special "shine" you see in restaurant fried rice.

    fried rice cooking in a pan

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  11. Remove from heat. Do a taste test, adding more soy sauce if needed. Add lime juice and taste again. If too salty for your taste, add more lime juice.

    fried rice in a pan, add oil and lime

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  12. To serve, scoop rice onto a serving platter or into a carved-out pineapple. Top with cilantro. Enjoy!

    Vegetarian Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

For the Best Fried Rice

Making fried rice is fairly simple, as the technique in most recipes is similar. You just need to keep in mind a few things to achieve great quality fried rice:

  • Use cold rice. Leftover rice is best, but if you need to cook fresh rice for the recipe, allow the rice to come to room temperature before starting on the fried rice. Place it on a baking tray to speed up the process.
  • Prepare everything before you start cooking. As this dish comes together fairly fast, have all the ingredients ready for speedy preparation.
  • Use a hot pan or wok. Fried rice needs heat to achieve the perfect texture and caramelization.