Description
Pineapple Fried Rice is a flavorful and colorful dish that combines savory ham, sweet pineapple chunks, and crisp vegetables with perfectly cooked rice tossed in a tangy soy-based sauce. A delicious and easy-to-make Asian-inspired main course that balances sweet, salty, and spicy flavors with a satisfying texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Fried Rice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
- 8 oz. ham steak, diced (about 1 heaping cup)
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- ¾ cup carrots, julienned and roughly chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups cooked leftover rice
- 1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks (about 1.5 cups), drained and patted dry
- 2 green onions, sliced
- ⅓ cup cashews, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Prep Work: Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Drain pineapple chunks and cut into smaller pieces if desired. Use paper towels to remove excess moisture. Measure and prepare all other ingredients before cooking.
- Scramble the Eggs: In an 8-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add whisked eggs and cook gently until just set, stirring occasionally. Remove eggs from skillet and set aside.
- Cook the Ham: Heat up to 1 tablespoon of peanut oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced ham and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes until browned and slightly crisp. Remove ham and set aside. Turn heat off.
- Deglaze the Pan: Add the dry white wine to the skillet and set heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan and let the wine reduce by half, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add diced onion to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Then add carrots, red bell pepper, and minced garlic. Cook for an additional 2 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp.
- Cook the Rice: Add the cold leftover rice along with the prepared sauce to the skillet. Increase heat to medium-high and continuously toss or stir for about 3 minutes, allowing the rice to absorb the sauce and heat through.
- Combine Ingredients: Reduce heat to medium and add the cooked ham, pineapple chunks, and scrambled eggs. Toss gently to combine and heat everything through.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from heat. Sprinkle sliced green onions and chopped cashews on top. Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- For perfect rice, cook 1 cup white long grain rice with 2 cups chicken broth. Bring broth to boil, add rice, boil again, cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Let stand covered for 10 minutes before fluffing.
- Day-old leftover rice or rice cooled and dried for a few hours works best for fried rice to achieve a crispy texture.
- If desired, rinse rice before cooking, but not rinsing helps retain starch for better consistency.
- Use a wide skillet or wok for even cooking and more surface area allowing rice to fry properly.
- Substitute peanut oil with olive oil or canola oil if preferred.
- For a vegetarian version, omit ham and try adding more vegetables or use my Vegetable Fried Rice recipe.
- White wine options like Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc work well; alternatively, use chicken broth or 2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine.
- Remove excess moisture from pineapple chunks with paper towels to keep rice from becoming soggy.
- Store leftover fried rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat thoroughly before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1 cup)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
