Thai Pineapple Fried Rice with Shrimp

Thai pineapple fried rice is a delicious recipe with savory, stir-fried rice paired with sweet pineapple, making a delicious meal. It can also be served in the pineapple itself, making it an especially fun dish.

While its definitely delicious, is Thai pineapple fried rice healthy?

Thai pineapple fried rice can be a very healthy dish given that it predominantly consists of protein from the shrimp and egg, nutrients from the veggies, and carbs from the rice, making it a well-balanced, nutritious meal.

A serving of the dish is 379 calories with 31 grams of protein, 6 grams of fat, and 49 grams of carbs. The key to making this dish low calorie is to select the right ingredients and portion correctly.

✅ Why This Recipe Works

Easy to make – No hours of prep needed. This dish will easily come together in under 30 minutes.

Flavorful and well-balanced – By utilizing expert recipe techniques to create the Thai pineapple fried rice, you can make a delicious meal at the comfort of home

Low in calories and macro-optimized – This healthy fried rice recipe was specially developed by yours truly to be low-calorie and macro-friendly, so you can satisfy your cravings while still staying in shape. Pair it with an authentic Thai red curry recipe for a delicious and healthy Thai meal.

🍎 Calories and Nutrition – Is It Healthy?

Thai pineapple fried rice can easily be made a high calorie dish if the protein and sauce are not chosen and/or portioned mindfully, making it less than ideal for dieting purposes. But with a couple tweaks, you can make a this recipe easy to fit into your everyday diet.

This Thai pineapple fried rice uses a more protein-heavy ratio, resulting in a total of 379 calories with 31 grams of protein, 6 grams of fat, and 49 grams of carbs.

Here's what I did to achieve this:

• Used 4oz shrimp for a lean protein source
• Bulked up the dish with vegetables including carrots, garlic,  and onions to make it more nutritious and satisfying 
• Used a simple authentic Thai sauce consisting of 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and 1 teaspoon of sugar at only 31 calories 

For a detailed breakdown of each ingredients, their portioning, and how they make up the nutrition profile of this Thai pineapple fried rice recipe, you may refer to the table below:

📋 Ingredient Notes

• Jasmine Rice – Preferably cooked ahead of time and left in the fridge overnight. You can also use brown rice - the difference in calories is insignificant so it's a matter of personal preference.
• Pineapple – Fresh pineapple works best here but you can also use canned pineapple. Smell the bottom of the pineapples for an aroma to determine freshness.
• Shrimp – A great lean protein source that complements the flavors of this dish well. Any size would work here. Use this shrimp sizing guide as a reference for how many shrimps to use.
• Fish sauce – A delicious savory southeast Asian condiment that gives a umami flavor. Three crabs brand is a favorite among Thai cooks.
• Vegetables – Carrot and scallions are some favorites.
• Egg – Creates a delicious creamy texture in the fried rice

See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.

📖 Substitutions and Variations

Switch up the rice – Brown rice or cauliflower rice are also some good options

Use alternative protein sources – You can also opt to use skinless chicken thigh, breast, or other seafoods as a lean meat source.

Add different vegetables – Peas, corn, or any other vegetable would also be delicious in this recipe.

🔪 Step by Step Instructions 

Make the rice – Begin by gathering all the ingredients. Make the rice ahead of time if possible, but this recipe still works without doing so. 

Prepare the ingredients – Prepare the ingredients by cutting or mincing the vegetables, peeling the shrimp, and hollowing out the pineapple, cutting it into small bite sized pieces. Season the shrimp with the salt.

Cook the shrimp – Spray a saucepan with cooking spray and cook the shrimp, laying them in a single layer. Cook each side for about 1-2 minutes. Once the shrimp is done, remove them from the pan and set aside. Given how quickly shrimp cooks, it's best to cook them first and mix them in at the end of the recipe to prevent overcooking. [Photo 1]

Cook the veggies – Add the vegetables into the pan and sauté for about 3-4 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Add in the fried rice and stir fry sauce and mix thoroughly. [Photo 2]

Add the rice – Mix in the rice and mix with the vegetables thoroughly, seasoning with the fish sauce and sugar. [Photo 3]

Add the egg – Crack the egg into the pan and let it cook for about a minute before mixing it in with the fried rice. [Photo 4]

Add the pineapple – Add in the pineapple pieces and mix thoroughly.

Garnish and serve – Remove the fried from the saucepan and top with scallions, and lime, and enjoy your delicious healthy and authentic pineapple fried rice!

💡Expert Tips

Make the rice in advance – To optimize for the texture of the fried rice, make the rice the night before and store it in the fridge. Using freshly made rice will often lead to mushy rice.

Making a pineapple bowl – To carve a pineapple into a bowl, cut the pineapple in half lengthwise. Then cut cubes on the face of the pineapple, similar to how you would cube a mango or avocado, and scoop out. For more details on this technique, check out this article on how to carve a pineapple.

💭 Recipe FAQs

🍽 What To Eat It With