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Pineapple boat full of pineapple fried quinoa.
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4.74 from 15 votes

Pineapple Fried Quinoa in a Pineapple Boat

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.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Lunch/Dinner
Cuisine: Thai
Keyword: pineapple fried quinoa
Servings: 4
Author: Brittany Mullins

Ingredients

  • 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.
    Pot with cooked quinoa.
  • 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.
    Two halves of pineapple on a cutting board. One half is scooped out.
  • 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.
    Pan with sautéed onion and bell pepper.
  • Combine: Add fresh pineapple, edamame, tamari, sambal oelek, lime juice and cooked quinoa to the pan. Stir to combine.
  • Cook: 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.
    Skillet with pineapple fried quinoa.
  • 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 recipe | Calories: 413kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 576mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 13g