That classic pizza combo turned into fried rice. Pineapple works especially well in fried rice! Ready in 30 minutes.
Nicky’s Notes
This is a simple, family-friendly dinner that’s perfect for using leftover cooked ham or gammon. The flavours of ham and pineapple shine in this fried rice — it’s quick, satisfying and popular with both kids and adults.
Quick tip: Use cooked, cooled rice. I often freeze extra cooked rice so it’s ready to thaw and use. If making rice the same day, spread it on a tray to cool quickly, then cover and chill until needed.
I like a drizzle of sriracha on top, or serve with sweet chilli sauce or an easy sweet-and-sour sauce made from the leftover pineapple juice (see notes).
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Notes
- 📋 Ingredients for Ham Fried Rice
- Abbreviated Recipe
- Recipe Tips
- 🍽️ What to serve it with
- Make ahead and Leftovers Guide
- Ham and Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe
- 🍲 More Fried Rice recipes
📋 Ingredients for Ham Fried Rice
Full recipe with quantities is in the recipe card below.
- Use cooked, cooled long-grain white rice for best texture.
- Choose pineapple in juice (not syrup); fresh pineapple also works.
- Leftover ham or gammon cut into chunks is ideal; shredded ham or supermarket ham chunks will also work.
Abbreviated Recipe
Full step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.
Stir-fry the vegetables, ham and pineapple in a mix of neutral and sesame oil. Add the cooked rice, soy sauce and garlic powder, then move the rice aside and scramble the eggs in the empty space. Toss everything together with lemon juice and serve topped with spring onions and a drizzle of hot sauce.
Recipe Tips
- Use cooled rice to prevent clumping and to help it absorb flavour. Ready-cooked rice works well if short on time.
- To make a quick sweet-and-sour sauce using the pineapple juice: mix about 120ml (1/2 cup) pineapple juice with 1 tbsp malt vinegar, 4 tbsp dark brown sugar and 90ml (1/3 cup) tomato ketchup. Heat and simmer for a couple of minutes until bubbling.
🍽️ What to serve it with
The fried rice makes a complete meal, but you can add sides such as sweet chilli sauce, sesame prawn toast or spring rolls to make it more substantial.
Make ahead and Leftovers Guide
Make Ahead
Cook rice and spread it out to cool quickly. Refrigerate promptly and use within 24 hours. Do not leave cooked rice at room temperature as bacteria can grow quickly.
- Refrigerate as soon as rice has cooled.
- Store in the fridge for no more than 24 hours.
- Reheat thoroughly before serving.
Reheat in a wok over medium-high heat until piping hot, adding a splash of oil if needed. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and chopped spring onions.
Freezing
Spread cooked rice to cool, then freeze promptly. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat thoroughly. Do not leave cooked rice at room temperature before freezing.
📺 Watch how to make it
Ham and Pineapple Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 onion, peeled and finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and diced
- 10 button mushrooms, halved
- 115 g (2/3 cup) frozen peas
- 150 g (1 cup) cooked ham chunks (or shredded ham)
- 400 g (14 oz) can pineapple chunks in juice, drained
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 600 g (4 cups) cooked white long-grain rice, cooled
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 eggs
- juice of 1/2 lemon
To serve
- 2 spring onions (scallions), chopped
- Sriracha or sweet chilli sauce
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Heat the neutral oil and sesame oil in a wok over medium–high heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened.
- Add the red pepper, mushrooms, peas, ham and pineapple. Season with salt and pepper and cook for a further 3 minutes, stirring.
- Add the cooked, cooled rice and turn the heat to high. Toss to combine.
- Stir in the dark soy sauce and garlic powder. Keep the rice moving so it doesn’t stick and cook until the rice is hot (about 5–6 minutes).
- Push the rice to one side of the pan and crack the eggs into the empty space. Let them sit over the heat and slowly scramble, then mix the cooked eggs through the rice.
- Stir in the lemon juice and taste. Adjust with more soy sauce or lemon if needed. Serve in bowls topped with chopped spring onions, a drizzle of sriracha or sweet chilli sauce, and lemon wedges.
Notes
Cooled rice is key
Use cooled rice to stop it clumping and to help it absorb flavour. Ready-cooked rice is a great time-saver.
Use the pineapple juice
Make a quick sweet-and-sour sauce with the pineapple juice: mix about 120ml (1/2 cup) juice with 1 tbsp malt vinegar, 4 tbsp dark brown sugar and 90ml (1/3 cup) tomato ketchup. Heat until bubbling, then drizzle over the rice.
Make it vegetarian
Swap the ham for a vegetarian alternative such as seitan or extra vegetables.
Nutritional information is approximate and based on four servings.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 431 kcal | Carbs: 65 g | Protein: 19 g | Fat: 11 g | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 16 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.
🍲 More Fried Rice recipes
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Chicken Fried Rice
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Onion Fried Rice
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Minced Beef Fried Rice
Asian
Special Fried Rice Masterclass
Asian
Egg Fried Rice
Asian
Cauliflower Fried Rice
Some links in this post may be affiliate links that earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Nutritional information is approximate.