This Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice is a wholesome version of your favorite take-out dish! It’s an easy vegan recipe perfect for busy weeknights!
Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice
What’s a girl to do when she has 389423 jars full of every type of rice every grown on earth? Make batch after batch of fried rice!
Seriously, that ^^ is a true story. I’m pretty sure I have every variety of rice in my pantry right now: brown, brown basmati, white basmati, jasmine, wild, black, ruby red (who even knew that was a thing?). So, I’ve been cooking up any & every rice dish I can think of lately because food waste is not my vibe.
Last week’s Hawaiian Chickpea Burgers have also had me on a huge pineapple kick. I mean seriously what’s better than a fresh, juicy pineapple? Maybe watermelon, but that’s an argument for another day. ANYWAY, what better way to use up some rice and celebrate summer than with Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice?!
Ingredients for Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice
If you’re skeptical about the pineapple, you’re gonna have to trust me! It gives it a naturally sweet flavor, so the whole dish is a good mix of salty, spicy and sweet. Embrace the extra antioxidants🍍
This recipe is super customizable, so use what you’ve got on hand! To make it a bit more balanced and satiating, add a cup of shelled edamame or scrambled tofu to amp up the protein. Here’s the basis what you’ll need:
- Yellow onion. Honestly, what delicious recipe doesn’t start with sauteeing onion and garlic? This vegan pineapple fried rice is no exception.
- Garlic. I recommend 3 fresh cloves, but you can use more or less based on preference.
- Veggies. Here’s where you can really mix it up! I used carrots, red bell pepper, corn, and green peas. Use what you’ve got! Fresh, frozen and canned are all welcome to join the party.
- Cooked brown rice. Ideally leftover rice that’s been sitting in the fridge for a day or two. Leftover rice not only allows you to minimize food waste, but it actually works better in stir fries because the rice sticks together, which makes it easier to crisp up in the pan.
- Soy sauce or liquid aminos. Either will work in this vegan pineapple fried rice!
- Sriracha. If you like your vegan fried rice spicy, than feel free to give it an extra drizzle.
- Pineapple. You’ll need 1 1/2 cups, which is about 1/2 pineapple if you’re using fresh. Bonus if you’re using fresh is you can get fancy and serve your pineapple fried rice in the pineapple!
- Optional toppings. Chopped peanuts and sliced green onions are delicious on top of this vegan pineapple fried rice. Sesame seeds and an extra squeeze of sriracha would also be great!
How to Make Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice
Don’t let the fancy plating in the pineapple shell fool you, this vegan pineapple fried rice is actually super easy to make. It truly is the best easy vegan recipe for busy weeknights. I mean seriously, it hits ALL the marks:
- We’re using leftover rice to save you time.
- This is a pantry staple recipe, so you most likely already have many of the ingredients on hand.
- It’s all made in one pan.
- Everything comes together in under 30 minutes.
To make it, you’ll want to prep your veggies first so everything’s ready once you start cooking. Chop up all your veggies if you’re using fresh, thaw anything frozen and drain anything canned. Then, start by adding some oil to a large skillet or wok on the stove and get it nice and hot. Once it’s hot, add your onion and sautee until it starts to brown. Then, add in your garlic, carrots and bell pepper and continue to cook until the veggies are softening. You’ll want to keep everything moving so that your veggies don’t burn, so don’t walk away – stir your heart out!
Once your veggies have softened, thrown in your leftover rice, corn, peas, soy sauce and Sriracha. Once the rice is warmed all the way through, add in your pineapple and cook for another one or two minutes. 30 minutes later, you’ve got yourself a big skillet of vegan pineapple fried rice! Serve it up with some chopped peanuts and green onions and maybe an extra drizzle of Sriracha.
This Pineapple Fried Rice is Perfect for Vegan Meal Prep
This vegan pineapple fried rice is super leftover friendly, which is just one of the many reasons why I love it! Not only does this recipe take advantage of leftover rice as an ingredient, but it also makes for great leftovers itself!
To store the leftovers, simply scoop any remaining fried rice into an air tight container (I love my glass set!) and it will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. It can all be packed into one big container, or if you like to meal prep your lunches, you can divide it up into individual servings. You can reheat it in a skillet if you’re eating at home, or just pop it in the microwave at work for a couple minutes. But honestly, it’s also one of those meals that’s also delicious cold! Scoop some on top of salad greens for an easy cold lunch for those super hot summer days!
More Vegan Pineapple Recipes
Let me know if you try this pineapple fried rice! It’s the perfect weeknight meal since it’s done in 30 minutes and full of veggies, complex carbs, and FLAVAAAA. Because, let’s be honest, that’s what we care about the most. If you’re looking for more ways to get your pineapple fix, check out these vegan pineapple recipes!
- Hawaiian Chickpea Burgers
- Pineapple Three Bean Salad
- Vegan Sweet and Sour Chickpeas
- Pina Colada Smoothie
- Jerk Tofu Vegetable and Rice Bowl
- Hawaiian BBQ Tofu Bowls (on Fit Mitten Kitchen!)
Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice
This Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice is a wholesome version of your favorite take-out dish! It’s an easy vegan recipe perfect for busy weeknights!
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup carrots, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 cups cooked brown rice*
- 1/2 cup corn, canned or frozen
- 1/2 cup green peas, canned or frozen
- 1/4 cup organic soy sauce or liquid aminos
- 1/2 – 1 tablespoon Sriracha (more for spicier)
- 1 1/2 cups pineapple, chopped (about 1/2 pineapple)
- Chopped peanuts, for garnish
- Green onions, sliced
Instructions
- In a wok or large skillet over medium heat, warm a little water or oil. Add onion; cook for 5-7 minutes, until they begin to brown.
- Add garlic, carrots, and bell pepper. Cook for 5-7 more minutes, until carrots and bell pepper are tender. Stir frequently.
- Add cooked rice, corn, green peas, soy sauce, and Sriracha; stir to combine. Cook until the rice is warmed, about 5-10 minutes. Add pineapple; cook for 1-2 more minutes.
- Serve with chopped peanuts and sliced green onion.
Notes
*This works better when the rice has cooled in the fridge, so this recipe would be great to make the day after cooking a batch of rice.
**Some scrambled/baked tofu or edamame would make this even more satisfying!
