Do you ever make something out to be a big deal in your head, only to discover it was really nothing at all? I do this all the time from the usual things people dread to the smallest of tasks. So… my latest mountain out of a mole-hill was grating cauliflower. I’ve made cauliflower rice in the food processor but I heard grating it was the way to go. Right away my mind geared up into overdrive picturing little bits of cauliflower flinging about my kitchen creating an epic mess as I grated away. (I think you can probably see why my family thinks I have an active imagination!) Anyway, I’m here to put your mind at ease, grating cauliflower really is the way to go. It’s super easy, doesn’t make a huge mess as I thought, and it makes for the best evenly textured ‘rice’. But I’m also here to tell you, that frozen cauliflower rice works great too. And even better, it takes out most of the prep time making this recipe even easier.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Avocado oil – I love using this oil as a healthy fat in my stir fries because it has a high heat tolerance. But feel free to use any kind of stir-frying oil you prefer or even coconut oil. Chicken – This is optional, but a great way to pack in a bit more protein and flavor. My original version of this recipe was vegetarian. But many of you have written to say you love this with chicken, (or shrimp) and we do too. So you’ll find it listed below in the ingredients. Pineapple – Fresh pineapple sliced up into tidbit size is definitely the best here. Canned pineapple just can’t compete with the fresh flavor. I’ve used frozen, thawed, and drained pineapple before which is good. But it’s not quite as good as fresh. Red bell pepper & carrots – make up the veggies in this recipe that add flavor to the cauliflower rice. These 2 ingredients have also been a staple in every Thai pineapple fried rice I’ve ever ordered out to eat. Garlic – is definitely essential for the perfect fried rice flavor. Green onions – and the green onions are much like the garlic, they’re essential for the best-fried rice flavor. Cauliflower Rice – Why does everything have to be cauliflower these days? Just sort of kidding! But if you’re not the biggest fan, rest assured this is no ordinary cauliflower rice. Freshly grated cauliflower rice is so good here. But more often than not I opt for the convenience and time-saving aspect of frozen cauliflower rice. Also, frozen cauliflower rice is very budget-friendly where we live. One week fresh cauliflower is around $4 a head which is pretty reasonable. But next week it will be $4/pound making it super expensive! Eggs – are a traditional ingredient in any fried rice, but they’re extra important in this recipe. Cauliflower rice is much more granular in nature than actual rice. But as the eggs scramble around it, the texture softens and is much more similar to fried rice. Coconut Aminos – or tamari/soy sauce of choice is the perfect way to season this ‘fried rice’. Chili – My original recipe called for chili paste. But since that has been problematic for some, I retested this for red pepper flakes. The other problem I’ve found with chili paste is they often have undesirable ingredients as well. So we have a new solution with the red pepper flakes. But you could use a fresh red chili as well. Cashews – or any toasted nut you love for some added crunch!
Let’s make this Pineapple Cauliflower Fried Rice step by step
Step 1: We’ll kick things off by prepping all of the ingredients first. Once you start cooking, it comes together quickly. So it’s best to have everything ready to go! Steps 2 & 3: Next, sauté the chicken in a large skillet if you’re using it, and then set it aside. This is a simple trick that makes them look a little better, and the only thing you change is the angle of your knife. When you’re slicing them just make sure your knife is at a 45º angle to the green onions. That’s all it takes to create those beautiful oblong slices! Repeat this process with the pineapple. I like to sauté the pineapple separately like this because you end up with really tasty caramelized edges. This definitely makes it worth a couple more minutes! Step 4: Then we’ll stir fry the bell pepper, carrots, and garlic until the veggies are crisp-tender. Step 5: Next, we’ll add in the cauliflower rice and green onions. Cook just until the cauliflower is tender. Steps 6 & 7: Then we’ll add the whisked eggs to the pan, and cook until the eggs have scrambled around the cauliflower rice. Finally, it’s time to add the sauce, chicken, pineapple, and cashews to the pan. Cook just until the sauce absorbs, season to taste, and serve right away! I sure hope you enjoy this healthy remake of Pineapple Cauliflower Fried Rice! If you do make it, I hope you’ll leave me a comment/rating below. I always love hearing from you here! This Paleo Pineapple Fried Rice recipe was originally published in 2015. It’s been updated in 2021 to included more information, tips, and new photos.
