This healthy pineapple fried rice is a lovely blend of sweet and savory flavors. A fusion dish with an Asian influence, this pineapple fried rice recipe has it all- carbs, vegetables, fat and spice. This dish is flavored with teriyaki sauce and sweetened with pineapple chunks.

A quick and easy recipe that can be made in less than 30 minutes .It is perfect and healthy for weeknight dinners or a weekend lunch menu.You can skip out the takeout line altogether with this easy recipe made at home.
Table of Contents
A bit of Pineapple history
Summer is here , which means the pineapple season is on. The peak season for pineapples are between March and July, when they are at their delicious best, though they are available all through the year.

The pineapples we get here are the Dole variety, coming to us all the way from Hawaii.
The most-visited tourist attraction in the state of Hawaii is the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument (also known as the Pearl Harbor bombing site). The second most visited attraction is about 20 miles north: the Dole pineapple plantation.
“In peak season between March and July, this tropical fruit evokes the 50th state in the Union for many” says the Smithsonian Magazine.
While its exact origins have yet to be determined, botanists agree that the pineapple originated in the Americas, most likely in the region where Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil meet .
As to how the plant arrived, and was domesticated, in Hawaii is apocryphal.
Some sources point to Spanish sailor Don Francisco de Paula Marin, who arrived in the Islands in the early 1790s. In addition to serving as an interpreter for King Kamehameha I, Marin had a reputation for being an ace horticulturalist credited with introducing citrus and mangoes to the island nation. He does, however, provide us with the first written record of this fruit in the New World, the simple January 1813 diary entry: “This day I planted pineapples and an orange tree.”
The Hawaiian pineapple industry wouldn’t take a turn for the better until the United States’ annexation of Hawaii in 1898 after the Spanish American War and the arrival of 22-year-old Massachusetts native James Dole the following year.
Despite knowing nothing about canning, Dole opened the Hawaiian Pineapple Company in 1901.Dole was certainly not the first to introduce pineapple to the mainland American market. Rather, his business savvy and the economic conditions of the times allowed him to champion the fruit.
Pineapple was cultivated in Florida, but recurring frosts destroyed the crops and what survived was of sub-par quality. Baltimore had a canning industry, but its fresh fruits were imported from the Bahamas, which heightened production costs due to importation taxes.
With the combination of ideal growing conditions, the consolidation of cultivation and production and advertising that asserted the superiority of Hawaiian pineapple over all competitors.
Hawaii was poised to dominate the canned pineapple trade. And it did. By the 1920s, it developed into a culinary fad, most notably in the form of upside down cake.
By 1923, Dole was the largest pineapple packer in the world.
The Back Story
The first time I had ever been to a pineapple farm was during summer holidays as a kid. My paternal grand mom always took us grand kids to show us the country side when we visited her during our summer breaks.
One day she sat us up during one of her many evening story telling sessions and asked, “Who among you want to go see the Ananas farm tomorrow? We could also visit the famous Bahubali/Gomateshwara* statue, while there”.
Note : * The monolith of Gomateshwara formed the nucleus around which the Jain Mutt and Basadis/Jain temple or shrine sprang up in the little village, of Karkala in the South Indian state of Karnataka.
This Bahubali/Gomateshwara temple on top of a hill, drew 3 streams – devotees, lovers of art and students of history.
Revered by Jains, the world over, the statue of Gomateshwara stands as a true symbol of their faith.
Many tiny little hands went up, we were always up for the adventure, they made the most memorable summer vacation times for us grandkids.

True to her word, she took us to see the Gomateshwara statue first, which stood 45 feet tall over a small hillock surrounded by luscious greenery all around …..a scenic spot indeed!

This was followed by a visit to the pineapple farm. Up until then I had always thought, these ananas/pineapples were hanging fruits from a bush. I had never really imagined them standing up shining their golden light against the setting sun on top of the plant.

The kind pineapple farmer gave us kids each a ripe pineapple to take home that evening, Needless to say they were delicious to the last bite!
Summer will always have pineapple memories for me. Be it India or in the U.S, a fruit is a fruit is a fruit, packed with summer sunshine and good memories.
How to make pineapple fried rice?
Now that summer is here and the fresh juicy pineapples are a plenty, I decided to try this fusion dish with an Asian flavor.The Pineapple Fried rice is going to adorn our table today.
Fragrant basmati rice is stir fried with aromatic spices, caramelized onions, ginger, garlic with rich bursts of buttery crunchy cashews and balancing pops of sweet pineapple.It can be served as a tempting side or as the main dish itself.
When paired with spicy seafood or meat, this fried rice serves as a delectable meal for a weekend lunch.
If you are looking for different ways to use your leftover rice, this pineapple fried rice would rank among your favorite choices.
Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe
Nutrition Facts
6 servings per container
- Amount Per ServingCalories466
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 8g 13%
- Saturated Fat 1g 5%
- Sodium 516mg 22%
- Potassium 949mg 28%
- Total Carbohydrate 91g 31%
- Dietary Fiber 6g 24%
- Sugars 11g
- Protein 10g 20%
- Vitamin A 33%
- Vitamin C 38%
- Calcium 7%
- Iron 11%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
What can you pair Pineapple fried rice with?
- Mussel Meat Fry
- Marwai/Clam sukka (Mangalorean style)
- Butter Prawns (Malaysian style)
- Prawn Tikka Masala
- Baked Chicken Drumsticks
- Glazed Honey-Lime sriracha Chicken
If you prefer to eat the pineapple fried rice just as is, with no sides you can do so too, or a pick a vegetarian recipe to with, if enjoy the veggies.
The Bottom Line
Are you going to give this Asian influenced Pineapple Fried Rice recipe, a try this summer? If you do, please don’t forget to click a quick snap and share it on your social media with #stirringmyspicysoul to encourage others like you.

Give us your feedback in the comments section below.
I love pineapple fried rice! This recipe looks yummy. I’ll try it.
Thank you .It is quick & easy recipe & delicious too. would love to hear your feedback when you try it !
What a great recipe idea. I feel like it freshens and lightens up fried rice as a summer recipe. I’m going to try adding pineapple next time I have fried rice.
Thank you, for your kind words.It certainly is a light and refreshing summer meal.Do give it a try & et us know how it turned out for you
Love pineapple. Sounds like this would be sweet and delish.
Thank you. Yes, it is a delicious & easy recipe.
I love adding pineapple to dishes. My family doesn’t seem to understand my love of pineapple though. So I may just have to make this for myself. Looks delicious.
Thank you. Sometimes, self care looks like pineapple fried rice too 😉 So indulge in a little self care, you will relish this recipe for sure.
Sounds delish! I love pineapple… so it was an interesting read on the history!
Thank you, for your kind words. So glad to hear that you enjoyed reading what I had to share. So appreciate you letting me know that coz it is very encouraging.Do give this recipe a try, you will enjoy it, if you like pineapples.
This sounds amazing! Once I am done with my cooking strike, I will have to try it. LOL!
Thank you, for your kind words.Whenever you decide to break your cooking strike, celebrate the victory big, with my pineapple fried rice recipe 😉 Enjoy!
I love fried rice, and I love pineapple, so this looks really good! I like to make sweet and sour chicken, and this would be great with it.
Thank you. This Pineapple Fried rice recipe of mine is a must try, if you love fried rice and pineapples, they taste delicious together.You can also check my chicken recipes, to go with the pineapple fried rice, I have quite a few chicken dishes here. If you prefer sweet & sour chicken, I have a sweet & sour Lychee chicken recipe in my collection which you can check out to see, if you enjoy it. Have fun, can’t wait for you to try out my recipe & see how it turns out for you. Please don’t forget to share your feedback here & on social media with #stirringmyspicysoul , would greatly appreciate it!
Wow does this sound yummy! I don’t have a pressure cooker can I cook the rice another way?
Thank you. No worries, if you have an electric rice cooker or an insta pot that should work too, to cook the rice.The cooked rice made with an electric rice cooker, will not be as moist as it turns out in the pressure cooker. I don’t own an Insta pot, but friends tell me, the rice turns out equally good there too, so you might want to try any of these options.If you don’t own any of the above, don’t worry, cook rice separately in a thick bottomed vessel and then mix the cooked & cooled rice with prepared ingredients.The taste might vary from the original recipe.If you are looking to buy a pressure cooker, you can order on amazon thru my link,I use the brand ‘Prestige’ pressure cooker.Hope that helps.Happy cooking!
I have never used a pressure cooker. Thank you for the recipie.
You are most welcome. If you are not comfortable using a pressure cooker, opt for the electric one instead, it might take a little longer, but it will do the job. With a pressure cooker, you done with cooking rice in 10 -12 minutes & it is soft & moist, unlike the electric where thr rice tends to get dry fast.
Yum! This sounds incredible!
Thank you, so appreciate your kind words.
This looks delicious! I bet it will be a hit when I make it!
Thank you.Would love to hear your feedback on how it turned out for you, when you try my recipe.Have fun.
Oh my goodness I can’t wait to try this recipe! I love cooked pineapple so this will be perfect!
So happy to hear that.Do give this recipe a try, I know you will enjoy it if you love cooked pineapples, coz this would fit in perfectly.
Yum! My boys love anything pineapple!
Thank you. Then this Pineapple fried rice recipe is a must try. It is mildly spiced & deliciously sweet.Enjoy!
Oh, yum! I’m reading this at 4:30 p.m., and now I’m starving–looked at all your other recipes too.
Thank you, for your kind words. Feel free to check out my other recipes too.If you enjoy what you see, do consider subscribing to my blog so you can get weekly updates on the all of my recipes, right into your inbox.
You got me hooked at “pineapple fried rice”!
Thank you. Have fun making the pineapple fried rice.
I love pineapple, and this sounds delicious!
Thank you. It is delicious & a very easy recipe to prepare. Have fun.
This is so delish and easy! I had all the ingredients and not being a meat eater, this was the perfect, light summer lunch for a super hot day. Thank you!
Thank you. So glad to hear that.Have fun trying out the recipe. Would love your feedback 7 how it turned out for you
I’ve always wanted to try this!
So glad my recipe reached you in perfect time. Thank you.
Can’t wait to try Pineapple Rice, that sounds so good
Thank you. Its a perfect for summer lunch or dinner. Enjoy!