Always have an answer for what’s for dinner tonight with this recipe for Easy Fried Rice with Ham and Pineapple. This post is sponsored by Ohio Pork. All opinions are mine alone.
Did you know to make fried rice you don’t need cold rice? Like you can make a pot of rice and then just quickly stir fry it to serve. You also don’t need to mix-in anything Asian-inspired if you don’t want to. It’s your kitchen and so you have complete control! Chopped ham, pineapple and some green onion happen to be my favorite mix-ins for fried rice (egg and soy sauce are completely optional) so that’s what I’m sharing with you today.
How to Cook Rice for Fried Rice:
Now let’s talk about a tour I recently got to take with my friends at Ohio Pork. Myself and some blogger friends road-tripped it up to Massillon, Ohio recently to see how Sugardale Bacon is made. You’re probably wondering what bacon has to do with ham? They do both come from a pig (yes, Homer Simpson, such a magical animal does exist). And Sugardale is in the business of producing and selling pretty much everything delicious that comes from a pig.
I did wonder as I put on my gear to go into the plant if seeing the whole process – from hanging pork bellies, to the smoke house, to the slicing and packaging – if I was going to somehow be turned off to bacon. But I’m happy to say the exact opposite happened. First of all the whole plant smells like bacon. So it was a delightful sensory experience from start to finish.
We left the plant with several of the delicious Sugardale products to try. I was most interested in this Simple Carve Boneless Smoked Ham. It’s a really economical choice to feed a family of four. One of these hams is enough to make two full recipes of this Easy Fried Rice with Ham and Pineapple. Its smoky flavoring made this rice dish particularly delicious.
Tips for Easy Fried Rice with Ham and Pineapple:
- There is no need to use leftover rice for this recipe. You can use freshly cooked rice.
- I don’t add eggs to my fried rice (personal preference). But feel free to add a couple of eggs if you’d like.
- The ham is so smoky and salty that only a little soy sauce is needed for flavor.
- This fried rice reheats well so make a double batch for lunch leftovers.
- I use a large, nonstick pan similar to this one to fry my rice.
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Easy Fried Rice with Ham and Pineapple
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil divided
- 1 cup rice
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups Sugardale Simple Carve Boneless Smoked Ham chopped
- 1 cup pineapple tidbits drained (use juice for cooking rice)
- 1/3 cup green onions chopped
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
Instructions
- Add one tablespoon of the oil to a saucepan over medium heat. Add the rice and cook to toast for a few minutes. Stir in the water, pineapple juice and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and cover the pan. Cook the rice until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is fluffy, about 15 minutes.
- In a large, non-stick sauté pan, add the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the ham and cook, stirring often, until starting to brown.
- Add the pineapple, green onion and soy sauce and cook for one minute.
- Add the rice and stir well, cooking for a couple of minutes to coat the rice with the oil and soy sauce. Serve immediately.
Cindy Gordon says
I am such a big fan of fried rice! Everything in this recipe is delicious!
foodtasticmom says
Thanks Cindy!
Farwin says
I love how you customised the fried rice to your liking! Awesome !
foodtasticmom says
Thank you Farwin!
Cliona Keane says
What a simple and delicious dish! You can’t beat a tasty fried rice like this for a midweek dinner!
foodtasticmom says
I agree! Thank you 🙂
Cathy says
Jill you make this fried rice look so delicious and inviting! And yes that ham looks perfect for this dish, so juicy. Thank you for sharing your experience about your tour too.
foodtasticmom says
Thanks so much for your kind words Cathy!
Traci says
I have been craving some ham and pineapple fried rice for a while, so your recipe is going on my “make that” list! Looks delicious and easy…my favs! 🙂
foodtasticmom says
So glad to hear this. Thank you Traci!
Sue Aubin says
Just a quick question, can you freeze the left overs? Making it so it will be ready for farm workers in 2 weeks…
foodtasticmom says
I have not tried freezing this, but rice apparently freezes pretty well, so I think it should be OK. Here’s a guide…
https://www.budgetbytes.com/how-to-freeze-rice/
Cathryn says
I like a little more vegetables in my fried rice, so I replaced 1 cup of ham with carrots and peas. Also added a little sesame seed oil, because I like the taste.
foodtasticmom says
Thank you for the positive review!
Judy says
Awesome taste! Quick and truly easy. This one is going into Regular Rotation.
foodtasticmom says
Love hearing this. Thank you for taking the time to write and review!
Stacy says
My entire family loved this dish!
foodtasticmom says
Yay, I’m glad!
Kelly says
Great recipe! I had some asparagus in the fridge so I added some of that cut into bite size pieces. Thanks for giving us permission to not use cold rice!
foodtasticmom says
Asparagus is a fabulous addition to this fried rice. And, you’re welcome! 🙂
Tam says
Just tried it with leftover Easter ham and was a HUFE hit with me and my son. Move it!!
foodtasticmom says
Awesome! Love getting great reviews like this, thank you!
Tina says
Made this for me and my husband it was easy to make and was just delicious loved it 😋
foodtasticmom says
So glad to hear this Tina. Thank you for taking the time to provide your positive feedback. I appreciate it!