Author: Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice is a quick and easy recipe that you can whip up in just one pan! Loaded with veggies and bursting with flavor, it's perfect for those busy weeknights when you're craving something delicious without the fuss. So stop ordering expensive takeout and make something that tastes a billion times better, is way cheaper, and much healthier! 😉😋🥡
My Pineapple Fried Rice recipe perfectly blends warming curry spices with sweet pineapple chunks, crunchy cashews, and loads of veggies, creating a comforting dish that's seriously out-of-this-world. It's also a really fun, zero-waste, cost-effective way to use up your leftover rice. And if you don't have all the veggies I've listed below, that's no problem! You can swap them out with whatever you have on hand. Easy-peasy! This dish is not only delicious but super flexible, making it a total win and my new go-to recipe for a tasty weeknight meal.
Why This Pineapple Fried Rice Is Better Than Takeout
- Homemade: Which means you KNOW it's vegan, it's healthier, and it's cheaper too.
- Loaded with veggies and tofu: So much that you can make this a meal rather than just a side dish!
- Bursting with flavor: Sweet, savory, and umami make pineapple rice SO delicious.
Ingredients for Pineapple Fried Rice
- Tofu: Extra-firm tofu soaks up the flavor of soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic powder. Tempeh or vegan chicken can be swapped in too.
- Sriracha: You can use more, less, or omit it altogether for mild fried rice.
- Light oil: Such as canola or vegetable, for crisping the rice.
- Vegetables: Red bell pepper, carrot, and green onions, along with green peas which are added later in the recipe.
- Raw cashews: You can substitute the cashews for peanuts or omit the cashews and sprinkle a few teaspoons of sesame seeds on the finished dish.
- Garlic: Mince this or push it through a garlic press.
- Curry powder and ground cumin: Earthy, aromatic spices that add flavor.
- Rice: It should be cooked and cooled. Leftover rice is best.
- Pineapple tidbits: I use canned pineapple and rinse and drain it, but you can swap in fresh if you'd like.
- Soy sauce: Or tamari for a gluten-free option.
How to Make Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice
- Marinate the Tofu: Toss the tofu cubes in a bowl with soy sauce, ½ tablespoon sesame oil, and garlic powder. Marinate for about 10 minutes while prepping the veggies and other ingredients.
- Cook the Tofu: Heat the remaining sesame oil in a skillet or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and marinade. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is browned, about 5 - 10 minutes. Transfer the tofu to a dish.
- Cook the Veggies: Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat. Heat the oil, then add the red pepper, carrot, white and light green parts of the green onions, cashews, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables just begin to soften and brown. Sprinkle with curry powder and cumin, and cook until fragrant.
- Add the Rest of the Ingredients: Stir in the cooked tofu, rice, pineapple, peas, soy sauce, and Sriracha (if using). Cook until heated through; if the rice is dry, add a splash of the pineapple juice. Serve with the dark green parts of the green onions for garnish.
Tips and Variations
Vegetable substitutions: Feel free to play around with the vegetables and use what you have on hand. Snap peas, snow peas, bell peppers (yellow, orange, green), zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, baby corn, bean sprouts, edamame, cabbage, and spinach all work well. Keep in mind the cooking times for each vegetable to ensure they are cooked properly but not overdone. For example, harder vegetables like broccoli may need more time, whereas softer vegetables like spinach should be added towards the end of the cooking process.
How to Cook Rice Correctly: Start by rinsing your rice! Rinsing removes excess starch and ensures your rice doesn't become mushy and clumpy when cooked. Pay attention to the correct ratio of 2 parts water to 1 part rice (1 cup of uncooked rice yields about 3 cups of cooked rice). To cook your rice, you can either use a rice cooker or a pot. In a rice cooker, simply press start. If using a pot, bring the water and rice to a simmer, cover, and continue gently simmering until cooked and the water is absorbed. Once done, use a fork to fluff the rice, breaking up any remaining lumps or clumps.
How to Cool and Store Rice Safely: After cooking, cool rice quickly by spreading it out on a tray or transferring it to a shallow container, aiming to reach room temperature within 1-2 hours to prevent bacterial growth. Store cooled rice promptly in the refrigerator in airtight containers, where it can remain safe for 3-4 days. For longer storage, freeze rice in portions, ensuring it's tightly sealed to prevent freezer burn; frozen rice keeps well for up to a month.
What to Serve With Pineapple Fried Rice
How to Store Leftovers
Allow any leftover pineapple fried rice to cool before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 3 - 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
If you try this vegan pineapple fried rice recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice
Servings: (makes about 8 cups)
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Ingredients
For the tofu:
- 1 block (350 g/ 12.3oz) extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into small cubes (no need to press it)
- 2 tablespoon(s) soy sauce, (gluten-free if preferred)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For the fried rice:
- 1 tablespoon light oil, (such as canola or vegetable)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
- 1 bunch (about 6) green onions, chopped, white and light green parts separated from dark green parts
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 4 clove(s) garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 cup(s) cooked and cooled rice, (leftover rice works great)
- 1 can 14 fl oz/ 398 ml pineapple tidbits, drained (save the juice) (or 1 cup freshly chopped)
- ½ cup fresh or frozen peas
- 2 tablespoon(s) soy sauce, (gluten-free if preferred)
- ½ tablespoon Sriracha, (optional for spice)
Instructions
For the Tofu:
- Add the tofu cubes to a medium bowl. Drizzle with soy sauce, ½ tablespoon sesame oil, and garlic powder, and toss to coat. Let the tofu marinate and absorb the flavors for about 10 minutes (I like to chop and prep the remaining ingredients while the tofu marinates).
- When ready to cook the tofu, heat the remaining ½ tablespoon sesame oil in a large skillet or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and any remaining marinade. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is browned all over, about 5 - 10 minutes. Transfer the tofu to a dish and set aside.
For the Fried Rice:
- Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat. Heat the light oil, then add the red pepper, carrot, white and light green parts of the green onions (reserve the dark green parts for later), cashews, and garlic. Sauté, stirring often, until the vegetables just begin to soften and brown, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with curry powder and cumin, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the cooked tofu, rice, pineapple, peas, soy sauce, and Sriracha (if using), heating through. If the rice seems dry, add a splash of reserved pineapple juice as needed. Serve hot, garnished with the dark green parts of the green onions.Allow any leftovers to cool before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 3 - 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Donna says
Made this evening. Was very tasty and pretty easy to put together. I used green bell pepper, carrots, mushrooms snow peas, peas and the green onion and pineapple. Than you for sharing.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Oooh sounds delish! So happy you enjoyed it Donna!
Pamela S Duplissis says
I made this meal for dinner last night. Instructions are clear, easy to follow recipe and my husband thought it was delicious and we will make it again. I felt it needed less cumin/curry and more flavor in another way such as sweet chili sauce..
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Pamela, so happy you enjoyed it! Yes, feel free to adjust the seasonings to your preferred taste. 🙂
Karen ML says
Nice mix of flavors! Thanks for another recipe definitely going on rotation!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Karen 😊 So happy to hear you enjoyed it, and love that it’s making it into the regular rotation!
Mariah says
I liked it, but my husband thought it was too bland. I didn't use the Sriracha; he probably would have liked it better if I had, but then I wouldn't have liked it. I used 5 cups of rice instead of 3, and that probably contributed towards making it blander than he preferred. Next time, I'm going to increase the amount of some of the other spices. He can add hot sauce later if he likes.
I saw that one person who reviewed this recipe said this was too sweet. I thought it was perfect! Not too sweet for me. Tastes are definitely subjective.
I felt doubtful seeing the pineapple combined with the peas - those just don't sound like they would go together - but I thought it turned out well and they went together just fine. Pleasantly surprised!
One substitute I made was using super-firm tofu instead of extra-firm, and that worked well.
It's a nice, healthful meal that I will definitely repeat, and I'll just play around with adjusting the spices to suit our preferences. Thank you.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Mariah 😊 Totally get that, skipping the Sriracha and adding extra rice would definitely mellow things out, but I love that you’re planning to tweak the spices to make it your own next time!
Debbie says
This is such a great way to use up leftover rice! I like to toast my cashews separately and add them to the end of the dish so they are more crispy. Otherwise, the recipe as-is is delicious!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed it Debbie 🙂
Betty says
After reading the ingredients, it looks like a great recipe. I made it exactly as instructed, and I wasn't impressed. The cumin overtook the taste, the recipe called for too many pineapples, and cooking the cashew at the beginning made it mushy.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Sorry you didn't enjoy it, Betty.
Gigi says
This fried rice is delicious, easy and especially pretty when made with red onions. Light Life hot dogs were a good substitute for the tofu.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
So happy you enjoyed!
Carol says
Great fried rice really liked the pineapple face a light sweet taste.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Thank you Carol!
BARBARA GARVEN says
IIHi Sam,
I love pineapple, tofu, and cashews. Who could ask for anything more? Don't remember having a tastier fried rice. this goes into my folder of BEST RECIPES. Thank You BARBARA
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Aww thanks Barbara! That makes me so happy 🙂
Darlene Ford says
This dish was awesome. I am not vegan, but have vegan friends. I like to make something for them. This was a great hit. Will be making it on my vacation while camping!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Sounds like a good plan!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
So happy you enjoyed it Darlene 🙂
Sue says
I thought this was too sweet. Since it made leftovers, I tried a few things (fresh ginger one day, cilantro one day) but still...sweet.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Sue, the sweetness comes from the pineapple. Next time you can omit or reduce the pineapple and it won't be sweet. I hope that helps!
Sandy says
I made this for dinner tonight, following the recipe exactly as written. It was delicious, a feast for the eyes, and simple to make. I especially liked the sweet, juicy pineapple that paired beautifully with the soy marinade. Thank you for this recipe. I’ll be making it again soon.
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! Thanks for your review!
Annemarie says
Hi I when I make seitan in my food processor it always ends up looking like ground gluten instead of coming together . Any suggestions? I put exactly the measurements you provide.
Thanks Anne
Johanna Zalneraitis says
This is a keeper! I also want to share with everybody that it comes out perfectly with fresh rice. I also doubled the marinade recipe, because I know how we are. I also saved the juice from the pineapple, and mixed a Iittle in at the end. I just did everything as you said, I just mixed the fresh rice in at the end.
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Great, thanks for sharing your experience!
Kelly says
I made this for dinner tonight, it was delicious and so easy! It was also nice that I had all of the ingredients on hand.
Thank you Sam 🙂
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! So thrilled you loved it Kelly, thank you for the review 🙂
Shannon says
Hi Sam!!! I just received this in my email and I can't wait to make it! it looks delicious! I was wondering if you think a bag of frozen stir fry vegetables would work ok in this??
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Shannon, yes those should work. Enjoy!