Thai Pineapple Fried Rice, Khao Pad Sapparot, is a tangy curry-spiced fried rice from Thailand made with prawns, cashews, raisins, and chunks of pineapple. It is probably the only fried rice cooked with refreshing fruits and curry powder, and it is nothing like Chinese fried rice. No soy sauce dominates here. Instead, fish sauce and curry powder create something entirely its own.

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Want to know why I keep coming back to this recipe? Only a handful of ingredients, it clears out leftover rice from my fridge, and it comes together in minutes. My family asks for it when they want something that feels special without any real effort. And yes, you can absolutely make yourself a pineapple boat if you use fresh fruit. That always gets a reaction at the table!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Rescues leftover rice: Turns fridge-cold, slightly dried-out jasmine rice into something you actively want to eat. No waste, no planning ahead.
Bursts with unexpected flavors: Curry powder, fish sauce, pineapple, and raisins together create a sweet-savory-tangy profile unlike any standard fried rice.
Fast and flexible: From cold rice to finished dish in under 15 minutes. Swap proteins, use canned or fresh pineapple, adjust toppings to what you have.

The Culinary Secrets Behind This Dish

The secret to any good fried rice is surface dehydration, and that is exactly what overnight fridge-cold rice gives you. When jasmine rice sits chilled, its outer starch layer retrogrades and firms up. This means the grains stay separate during high-heat stir-frying instead of clumping into soggy masses. Warm fresh rice has too much surface moisture; the starches gelatinise and stick together on contact with the pan.

The curry powder here does double duty. It contains both fat-soluble and water-soluble flavor compounds, so blooming it in hot oil during the final high-heat stage releases the full aromatic spectrum. That quick char over high heat, what I call wok hei at home, also triggers Maillard browning on individual rice grains. The tiny bit of sugar accelerates this reaction, giving you those appealing caramelized edges without making the dish sweet.

What You’ll Need

Equipment

Frying pan or wok: Essential for creating high, even heat and distributing oil across the wide surface. A wok is best for wok hei, but any large frying pan works.
Serving bowl or plate: For piling the finished rice high and showing off your toppings.

Ingredients

Medium prawns, 8, shelled, deveined and cut into small pieces: Sweet, quick-cooking seafood that turns pink as your doneness cue.
Pineapple, ½ cup, cut into chunks: Tangy, refreshing fruit that makes this dish unlike any soy-heavy Chinese fried rice.
Yellow onion, ½, chopped: Aromatic base that softens and sweetens when sauteed.
Eggs, 2, beaten: Scrambled into half-cooked curds for protein and richness.
Rice, 1 ½ cups, fridge-cold leftover jasmine rice preferred: The backbone of the dish. Chilled rice has dehydrated surfaces that fry up separate and fluffy.
Roasted cashew nuts, 2 tbsps: Crunchy texture contrast and mild sweetness.
Raisins, 2 tbsps: Extra bursts of fruity sweetness throughout each bite.

Seasonings

Oil, 4 tbsps: Divided: 2 tbsps for prawns, 2 tbsps for eggs and rice. Fat carries the curry flavor and prevents sticking.
Fish sauce, 2 tbsps: Salty, fermented umami depth. This is not soy-laden Chinese fried rice; fish sauce defines the Thai profile.
Soy sauce, 1 tbsp: Small amount for color and background savoriness.
Sugar, 1 tsp: Balances the tang of pineapple and promotes Maillard browning on high heat.
Curry powder, 1 tsp: The defining spice blend that makes this fried rice distinctly Thai and not Chinese.
White pepper, ¼ tsp: Gentle heat without black pepper’s visual speckling.
Salt, ⅛ tsp: Fine-tunes seasoning after the fish sauce and soy sauce.

Toppings

Chopped spring onions: Fresh, sharp contrast on top.
Meat floss: Savory-sweet umami that melts into the rice.
Roasted cashew nuts: Extra crunch for those who want it.
Raisins: More fruity pops on top.

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

1: Fry the prawns

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in your frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the prawn pieces and stir fry until they turn pink and just curl, about 1-2 minutes. Remove immediately and set aside. Overcooking makes them rubbery, so do not leave them in.

2: Saute the onion

Add the chopped onion to the same pan. Saute until the edges turn slightly translucent and the raw sharpness mellows, about 2 minutes. Push the onions to one side of the pan to clear space.

3: Scramble the eggs

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the empty side. Pour in the beaten eggs and scramble until they are only half-cooked, still glossy and loose. They will finish cooking when the rice goes in.

4: Add the rice

Tip in the cold rice. Break it up with your spatula and stir fry until you see no obvious lumps, pressing and folding rather than mashing. The grains should start separating and dancing in the pan.

5: Season thoroughly

Drizzle in the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, curry powder, white pepper, and salt. Stir fry vigorously until every grain is coated and you can smell the curry blooming in the hot oil, about 1 minute.

6: Combine and char on high heat

Return the prawns to the pan. Add the pineapple chunks, cashews, and raisins. Now turn the heat to high. Stir fry quickly, letting some grains sit and char slightly against the hot metal. You want a whisper of smoke and a few caramelized edges. This is your wok hei moment!

7: Plate and garnish

Scoop into your serving bowl or plate while everything is still piping hot. Scatter your chosen toppings, spring onions, meat floss, extra cashews, extra raisins, whatever you have. Serve immediately.

Ingredient Substitutions & Variations

Cooking should be adaptable! If you’re missing a few items, here is how you can easily swap them out while keeping the same incredible flavor profile:

Ingredient	Substitute	Taste & Texture Impact
Prawns	Diced chicken thigh, pork, or firm tofu for vegetarian	Mild change in flavor; chicken is savory rather than sweet-briny.
Soy sauce	Tamari or gluten-free soy sauce	Noticeably different; tamari is slightly richer and less sharp than standard soy sauce.
Cashew nuts	Roasted sunflower seeds for nut-free	Small change; sunflower seeds lack the buttery sweetness of cashews.
Jasmine rice	Any white or brown rice, though jasmine is traditional and preferred	Minimal change; brown rice is chewier and less fragrant than jasmine.
Fresh pineapple	Canned pineapple chunks, drained well	No change in cooking; canned is softer and more consistently sweet.

Recipe twists:

Variation	Description & Culinary Details
Vegetarian	Omit prawns and eggs, increase cashews and add cubed firm tofu. Use mushroom sauce in place of fish sauce for a fully plant-based dish.
With lap cheong	Fold in half a cup of diced lap cheong (Chinese sausage) when you return the prawns to the pan. The smoky, sweet fat permeates the curry-spiced rice beautifully.

Allergen Friendly Adjustments

Gluten-Free: Not gluten-free as written because soy sauce contains wheat. Swap to tamari or a certified gluten-free soy sauce and the dish becomes fully gluten-free. All other ingredients are naturally free of gluten.
Dairy-Free: Already dairy-free. No butter, cream, or other dairy is used in this recipe.
Nut-Free: Contains cashew nuts. For a nut-free version, substitute roasted sunflower seeds or omit entirely. The texture will be less varied but the flavor profile remains intact.
Shellfish-Free: Contains prawns. See substitutions for chicken, pork, or tofu options.
Egg-Free: Contains eggs. Omit and increase oil slightly, or scramble firm tofu as a replacement. The dish loses some richness.

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

Thai iced tea: Sweet, creamy, and cold, it balances the curry heat and tangy pineapple perfectly.
Tom yum soup: A hot, sour starter that primes your palate for the fruity richness of the rice.
Cucumber slices with sweet chili vinegar: Simple, cooling crunch that refreshes between bites of warm, spiced rice.

Storage, Reheating, and Freezing Guide

Refrigeration: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The pineapple will continue to release moisture, so the texture softens over time.
Reheating: Best revived in a hot pan with a teaspoon of oil, stir frying quickly over high heat to drive off excess moisture. Microwave works in a pinch but makes the rice gummy.
Freezing: Not recommended. The pineapple and raisins become watery and limp upon thawing, and the prawns turn rubbery. This is a dish to make fresh and eat promptly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

▶ Do I really need to use leftover rice?

Leftover rice that has been refrigerated overnight is ideal because the surface dries out. Freshly cooked warm rice will give you sticky, clumpy results.

▶ Why does the recipe say to turn the heat to high at the end?

High heat for the last few minutes is what creates slight charring and that wok hei flavor. Do not skip this step, and do not overcrowd the pan or the rice will steam instead of fry.

▶ Is fresh or canned pineapple better?

It does not matter. Canned is convenient and consistent. Fresh pineapple is wonderful if it is ripe, and you get the bonus of making a pineapple boat for serving.

▶ What is meat floss, and is it necessary?

Meat floss adds a savory, slightly sweet umami layer that dissolves on the tongue. It is very common in Southeast Asian fried rice. If you have it, use it. If not, extra cashews and a pinch more salt work fine.

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