Sweet and Savory Ham and Pineapple Fried Rice
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If you’re looking for the perfect meal that’s filling, flavorful and makes tons of leftovers then ham and pineapple fried rice is your jam. With sweet pineapple, salty ham and fresh vegetables, this rice dish is a sweet and savory combo that’s simply perfect. Good thing it makes a big batch, you’ll want it!
I love fried rice, it’s easy to make on weeknights and a great side for protein. Instant Pot Fried Rice is a weeknight winner as well as Mango Fried Rice or Chicken Fried Rice.
After the holidays, whether it’s Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas I always find myself with tons of leftover ham and a family that wants something different. Using leftover ham in this dish not only uses up leftovers and saves wasted food but also creates a dish that’s far from the original holiday favorite.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Good use of leftover ham or takeout white rice.
- 20g of protein per serving.
- ​Sweet and savory combo.
Volume Rice
I used Minute rice and frozen cauliflower rice to make this a quick meal while adding volume. If you haven’t used this minute rice, you’re in for a treat. You simply add the rice and water to a microwave safe bowl, warm it up and you have the perfect fluffy rice.
By adding the frozen cauliflower rice to Jasmine rice it adds vegetables, beefs up your servings with low calorie volume. It’s also hard to detect the addition of the cauliflower which makes it a true winner with adults and kids.
If you don’t have instant rice, you can use fresh rice or leftovers. Day-old rice is best but at the very least, make sure you use cool rice that’s been in the fridge, uncovered, for at least an hour. This prevents the rice from getting soggy and gives that nice crisp you want.
Ingredients and Substitutes:
These are the main ingredients and substitutions. See recipe card below for full ingredients list and instructions for ham and pineapple fried rice.
Variations
- Use any combination of vegetables you have on hand.
- Use leftover ham from the holidays or a store-bought precooked ham.
- Soy sauce in place of coconut aminos.
Dietary Modifications
- This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free as written.
- Omit the egg if needed.
How to make ham and pineapple fried rice
Step 1: cook the rice
Microwave 2 cups of rice plus 2 cups of water for 8 minutes, according to the package instructions. Once cooked, transfer the bowl to the fridge to cool rice. Cook the cauliflower rice according to the package, strain any excess liquid and add to the bowl of the jasmine rice and combine (image 1).
Step 2: cook veggies and brown ham
In a large skillet or wok, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for a couple of minutes until fragrant (image 2).
Add the ham and red pepper to sear and soften the peppers (image 3). You want a nice browning on the ham chunks, this will take approximately 5 minutes.
Step 3: add peas and egg, mix
Add the thawed peas to the pan and stir to combine (image 4).
Push everything to the outer edges of the side of the pan and crack 2 eggs in the center (image 5).
Stir to scramble and cook until fully cooked through (image 6).
Stir to combine the eggs throughout the vegetables (image 7).
Step 4: combine
Add the chilled cooked rice and cauliflower blend, breaking apart any large clumps (image 8).
Stir together to combine everything evenly. Let it fry on the bottom for a minute at a time before stirring everything together. Pour the coconut aminos over the rice, and season with pepper (image 9).
Mix everything well. Add the pineapple chunks to the rice (image 10).
Stir in the pineapple chunks and cook for another 2 minutes (image 11).
Recipe FAQs
You bet! Rest assured though the cauliflower rice goes undetected in this dish and my cauliflower despising husband never knows it’s in there.
Cauliflower rice is a great way to add volume to your dishes with minimal change to taste and texture, especially when combined with rice and seasoned well.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can even use a little bit of the leftover pineapple juice when reheating to loosen up the rice.
Very important! Make sure you use cool rice that’s been in the fridge, uncovered, for at least an hour. This prevents the rice from getting soggy and gives that nice crisp you want.
Check-out other delicious rice recipes!
If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and/or comment! Tag me on Instagram @ohsnapmacros, I love hearing from you!
Ham and Pineapple Fried Rice
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Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked jasmine Minute Rice 192g
- 10 oz. frozen riced cauliflower cooked
- 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil split
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb. pre cooked diced ham chopped
- 1.5 cups pineapple chunks fresh preferred or canned, 250g,
- 1 cup red bell pepper diced
- 1/2 cup frozen peas thawed
- 2 whole eggs
- 1/3 cup coconut aminos 105g (or soy sauce)
- fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Microwave 2 cups of rice plus 2 cups of water for 8 minutes, according to the package instructions. Once cooked, transfer the bowl to the fridge to cool rice. Cook the cauliflower rice according to the package, strain any excess liquid and and it to the bowl of the jasmine rice and combine.
- In a large pan or wok, heat 1 Tbsp. sesame oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for a couple minutes until fragrant. Add the ham and red pepper to sear and soften the peppers. You want a nice browning on the ham chunks, this will take approximately 5 minutes.Â
- Add the thawed peas to the pan and stir to combine. Push everything to the outer edges of the pan and add the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil, crack 2 eggs in the center. Stir to scramble and cook until fully cooked through. Mix into the ham mixture to combine.Â
- Add the chilled cooked rice and cauliflower blend, breaking apart any large clumps, stirring together to combine everything evenly. Let it fry on the bottom for a minute at a time before stirring everything together. Pour the coconut aminos over the rice, and season with pepper. Mix everything well.
- Stir in the pineapple chunks and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Once everything is well combined and the rice is hot, serve and garnish with chopped green onions if desired.Â
Notes
- Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary with substitutions.
- The serving size is 1.5 cups which is approximately 285g.
- Use a pre-cooked store-bought boneless ham or leftover holiday ham. You can get a 2 lbs. cooked ham near the meat section at most grocery stores. This is great for sandwiches, mixed with eggs, in this recipe, etc.Â
I’m so excited to try this! Question: can I just use cooked rice instead of the minute rice?
Use any rice you want!
This was delicious! Great way to use up leftover ham! Easy to make!