Pineapple Quinoa in a Pineapple Boat

A healthy take on fried rice, this pineapple “fried” quinoa is delicious and super fun served in a pineapple boat. It’s also vegan and gluten-free.

One of my all-time popular recipes is my shrimp fried quinoa recipe. It’s a super simple weeknight meal and everyone seems to love it!

Today I have a fruity take on that recipe. It’s a spruced up version with fresh pineapple, lots of veggies and edamame. This version also skips the eggs so it’s perfect for all my vegan friends who want to get in on the fried quinoa action.

The flavor of this fried quinoa is very similar to that of pineapple fried rice. You still get all that grainy goodness and the sweet, fresh pineapple combined with the salty, spicy sauce is perfection.

Simple Weeknight Dinner

Added bonus: this dish shouldn’t take you more than 30 minutes or so to whip up. Once the quinoa is cooked and the pineapple boats are ready, everything is simply tossed in a large skillet and heated. Quick and easy enough to whip up on a weeknight!

Is Quinoa “Fried Rice” Healthy?

On the health front, this dish is loaded with fresh veggies and has a good source of protein from the quinoa and edamame. The sauce is homeamde and is just a simple mixture of low-sodium tamari, sambal oelek and lime juice – it’s quite light in comparison to most sauces you’ll find at restaurants.

Pineapple Quinoa Fried Rice Ingredients

• quinoa – you can prep this in advance for a super quick dinner!
• coconut oil – a slightly sweet, high heat oil that works perfectly for sautéing the vegetables in this recipe.
• yellow onion – gotta have onion in fried rice!
• red bell pepper – a pop of color, fiber and flavor.
• fresh garlic and ginger – the perfect flavor pair for this dish!
• pineapple – you’ll need one whole pineapple if you want to serve in a pineapple bowl! Scoop out the inner fruit and chop for the fried rice.
• edamame beans – add a boost of protein and flavor with edamame beans.
• low-sodium tamari – you can also use coconut aminos or soy sauce if you’d like.
• sambal oelek or homemade garlic chili sauce – I love adding a little kick of spice to this dish!
• lime juice – use fresh lime juice for the best flavor.
• green onion – slice the green parts of the onion for a zesty garnish.
• roasted cashews – add some crunch by sprinkling on roasted cashews!

How to Serve Pineapple Quinoa Fried Rice

Obviously serving the dish in a pineapple boat isn’t 100% necessary, but it does make the dining experience just a tiny bit more enjoyable. There’s really nothing better than eating food out of a fruit bowl. Am I right?

This whole idea was inspired by a local Thai restaurant, Sabai, that serves their pineapple fried rice in a pineapple bowl. It’s such a fun way to present this dish!

Cut a full pineapple in half, scoop out the fruit inside (to use in the fried rice!) and then set aside. After cooking the quinoa fried rice, you’ll fill each pineapple half and top with cashews and green onions.

More Quick Dinners to Try:

• Vegetarian Cauliflower Fried “Rice”
• Quinoa Fried “Rice” with Shrimp
• Easy Tofu Stir-Fry
• Asian Chicken Sheet Pan Meal
• Broccoli Noodle Stir-Fry
• Shrimp Stir-Fry Salad
• Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

If you make this pineapple quinoa fried rice be sure to leave a comment and star rating below letting us know how it turned out for you. Your feedback is so helpful for the EBF team and our readers!

Pineapple Fried Quinoa in a Pineapple Boat

Brittany Mullins

A healthy take on Thai fried rice, this pineapple fried quinoa is bursting with flavor and super fun served in a pineapple boat. It’s also vegan and gluten-free.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Servings 4

Calories 413 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup dry uncooked quinoa
• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/2 small yellow onion chopped
• 1 red bell pepper sliced thin
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• 1 whole pineapple for bowl
• 2 cups fresh pineapple chopped in bite-size chunks
• 1 cup cooked edamame beans
• 3 Tablespoons reduced sodium tamari or soy sauce
• 1-2 teaspoons sambal oelek or homemade garlic chili sauce
• juice from 1/2 lime
• green onion sliced thin, green part only
• 1/4 cup roasted cashews chopped

Instructions

 

• Make the quinoa: Prepare quinoa if you haven’t already: Bring 2 cups water and 1 cup uncooked quinoa to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until water has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Remove saucepan from heat and let cool for 5 minutes; fluff quinoa with a fork. Allow to cool. This step can be done the day before.
• Prep pineapple: While quinoa is cooking, prep pineapple by cutting it in half lengthwise. Scoop out pineapple flesh using a knife and a spoon so you’re left with two pineapple boats for serving. Chop the fruit and set aside.
• Sauté veggies: Heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add onion, red pepper, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes or until mixture is fragrant and onions are translucent.
• Combine and cook: Add fresh pineapple, edamame, tamari, sambal oelek, edamame, lime juice and cooked quinoa to the pan. Stir to combine.
• Cook mixture on medium-high for 5-7 minutes or until everything is heated through. I like turning the up the heat quite a bit so that all the sauce is soaked up or evaporated and the quinoa starts to crisp up a little in certain spots.
• Assemble and enjoy: Transfer cooked quinoa mixture into pineapple bowls, top with cashews and green onion and serve. Add extra sambal oelek or sriracha if you need more spice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of recipeCalories: 413kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 13gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 576mgFiber: 9gSugar: 13g

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