Ham and Pineapple Fried Rice

Ham and Pineapple Fried Rice is a quick and easy meal that uses leftover ham and rice. This meal cooks up quickly and is satisfying and delicious.

When I want a quick and easy meal that uses up some of the ingredients that are languishing in my fridge and/or freezer, I often turn to fried rice. It’s one of those meals that you can really put whatever you want into it, it will be easy to make, and satisfying and delicious. This time, the fried rice creation was Ham and Pineapple Fried Rice.

It’s important to know that when making fried rice of any kind, you must start with cold rice. It can be from yesterday (or a couple of days ago), or it can be made earlier in the day and chilled, but it cannot be fresh and hot. Hot rice is much too soft and sticky, and your fried rice will turn into a solid, sticky mass.

Which means that fried rice is the ultimate meal for planned leftovers, which is when you make more food than you need for one meal, with the intention to use what’s left over to turn into a different meal the next day. In this recipe, the ham can also be leftover (mine was from Christmas dinner), as can the pineapple (mine was left over from a DIY pizza night).

How to Make Ham and Pineapple Fried Rice

If you don’t already have leftover rice in the fridge, start by cooking your rice and spreading it over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill completely in the fridge or freezer for 15-30 minutes.

Once your rice is cooled (if needed), start your fried rice by melting the butter in a large non-stick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet. Add the minced onions, garlic, and tomato paste, and cook until the onions are softened. Stir in the rice and ham, and continue cooking until the rice is heated through.

Add the pineapple, peas, fish sauce, salt, and pepper, and stir until everything is well distributed. Continue cooking until the peas are heated through and the rice is beginning to brown and crisp in spots.

If you want to serve your rice with eggs and you haven’t started cooking them yet, go ahead and do it now while the rice keeps warm in the skillet (turn the heat off or to low heat to prevent it from burning). Cook your eggs as desired, and serve one egg on top of each portion of rice.

Garnish with sesame seeds, minced cilantro, and/or sliced green onions as desired.

Ham and Pineapple Fried Rice Ingredients

•  Butter – either salted or unsalted butter will work.
• Onion – you will need a small one, or half of a medium one.
• Garlic
• Tomato paste – pro-tip: freeze your leftover tomato paste in a silicone ice-cube tray (one Tablespoon portions are best). Tomato paste cubes can be added directly to most recipes without thawing.
• Cooked and chilled long-grain rice – Using leftover rice is fine, or cook it earlier in the day, spread it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and cool in the fridge or freezer. Do not use hot, fresh-cooked rice.
• Diced cooked ham – this can either be leftover bone-in ham, eg. from a holiday meal, or diced deli ham.
• Fresh or canned pineapple tidbits – if using canned pineapple, make sure it is well drained and patted dry before adding it to the rice.
• Frozen peas – there is no need to thaw the peas before adding them to the rice.
• Fish sauce – find fish sauce in the international aisle of well-stocked grocery stores or in Asian markets.
• Kosher salt or MSG-salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Fried or poached eggs – topping your fried rice with eggs is optional, but it’s a great way to turn it into a heartier and higher-protein meal.
• Sliced green onions, minced cilantro, or sesame seeds – these are all optional and used for garnishing the finished fried rice only. Feel free to use as many or as few garnishes as you like.

Ham and Pineapple Fried Rice Nutrition Notes