Oh man, I can’t get enough of this Hawaiian Fried Rice with Easy Sweet and Sour Sauce.
Hiya, Nicky here from Kitchen Sanctuary with a Friday night dinner recipe that the whole family will love!
It’s tangy, brimming with chunks of ham and pineapple, and is loaded with hidden veggies for the ultimate mid-week meal that even kids can’t argue with.
In short, it’s a dream of a recipe!
I usually make this dish with a bunch of bell peppers and mushrooms, but if you have fussy eaters in the house, peas, sweetcorn, tomatoes, and broccoli work equally well. If you’re feeling frisky, throw them all in the pot!
Look, I completely understand that the last thing you’ll want to do after a tough day at the office is slave over the stove trying to make the perfect sweet and sour sauce. So, I’ve crafted the ultimate microwave version that’s ready in a flash and tastes surprisingly authentic.
It won’t have that signature Chinese takeaway look (hello bright orange sauce!), but it’ll taste just as good – you have my word!
Whenever I cook this, I usually throw everything in a huge wok with rice. This lets me serve the entire family while having tons of leftovers to chow down on throughout the week.
But if I’m being honest, the leftovers rarely survive as everyone is heading back for seconds. Yep – it’s just that good.
Whether you’re a complete master chef or are still trying to find your way around the kitchen, this quick and easy recipe is bound to become one of your go-to dishes when you’re fancying a Friday night “fakeaway”.
Why You’ll Love This Hawaiian Fried Rice with Easy Sweet and Sour Sauce
- It’s made in one pot for minimal clean-up
- It makes enough for leftovers
- You can load it with hidden veggies to trick little ones into trying new things
- It’s a well-balanced meal with carbs, protein, and just a hint of fat
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil
- Onion
- Red bell pepper
- Green bell pepper
- Chestnut mushrooms (white button mushrooms)
- Cooked ham chunks (or shredded ham)
- Can of pineapple chunks in juice
- Cooked white long grain rice
- Dark soy sauce
- Garlic salt
- Eggs
- Juice of ½ a lemon
Easy Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Tomato ketchup
- Malt vinegar (it must be malt vinegar!)
- Dark brown muscovado sugar (dark brown sugar)
- Pineapple juice (from the canned pineapple above)
To Serve
- A small bunch of scallions
- Lemon wedges
How to Make Hawaiian Fried Rice with Easy Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Step One: Start with the sauce. Mix the sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a small bowl and place in the microwave.
- Step Two: Cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce bubbles. Stir again then put to one side (you can bring to a boil in a small pan if you prefer).
- Step Three: Heat the oil in a large wok.
- Step Four: Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly on medium heat for 5 minutes until the onion softens.
- Step Five: Add in the red and green bell peppers, and the sliced mushrooms. Cook for a further 3 minutes.
- Step Six: Add the ham chunks and pineapple pieces and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
- Step Seven: Add in the cooked rice and turn up the heat to high, Toss everything together using a spatula.
- Step Eight: Add the soy sauce and garlic salt and continue to cook, moving everything around the pan regularly so it doesn’t stick, until the rice is hot (takes about 5-6 minutes).
- Step Nine: Once the rice is hot, push the rice over to the side of the pan and crack the eggs into the space. Move the pan so that the bit with the eggs in is right over the heat. Move the eggs around slowly until they start to scramble. As they scramble mix the eggs into the rice.
- Step Ten: Add the lemon juice, stir, and taste. Add more soy sauce if needed.
- Step Eleven: Divide between four bowls and top with chopped scallions and lemon wedges.
Equipment Needed
You just need a few key pieces of equipment to make this dish a success.
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What to Serve with Hawaiian Fried Rice
Tips and Tricks
- Rinse your rice before cooking to remove the excess starch.
- Keep things hot while you’re cooking! This allows you to get that signature fried rice flavor while keeping cooking times down.
- To cool your rice as quickly as possible after cooking, spread it out evenly on a baking tray. This will help avoid bacteria buildup and keep your rice safe to eat.
- Cook your rice in advance for the best results. f you don’t plan on storing your rice for leftovers, you’ll get way better results using pre-cooked rice as it won’t be as sticky.
Variations and Substitutions
- Feel free to replace the ham with any other protein you like. Beef, chicken, pork – you name it, it’ll work!
- If you can’t use soy sauce, coconut aminos work well too.
- Feel free to throw in any other vegetables to bulk things out. Carrots and peas are always great choices!
Storage Instructions
Once your rice has cooled, you can put it in an airtight container and place it in the fridge.
You shouldn’t keep the rice for longer than a day before reheating it and eating it.
You also cannot reheat the rice more than once!
Can I Freeze?
This dish freezes extremely well.
Simply place the leftovers in airtight containers and pop them in the fridge for up to 3 months. If you want to save space, you can use freezer bags!
When you’re ready to eat it, just leave it in the fridge to defrost overnight.
Rice Recipes
- Chicken Fried Rice – this simple recipe is the perfect option for a mid-week meal.
- Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Bowl – this dish is packed with Mediterranean flavors and contains delicious ingredients like kalamata olives, crumbled feta, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Cabbage Roll Rice – this is a healthy and veggie-packed alternative to this Hawaiian Fried Rice.
- One-Pot Chicken Fajita Rice – this Mexican favorite is super simple to make and is brimming with flavor.
- Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole – I adore this recipe for summer nights when I need a foolproof meal that akes tons of leftovers!
- One-Pot Chicken and Broccoli Rice – an old standby recipe I’ve been making for years.
You’ll also like this Crockpot Pineapple Ham Balls, Yum Yum Sauce, Curried Lentil Rice and Waikiki Meatballs.
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Hawaiian Fried Rice with Easy Sweet and Sour Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion peeled and diced
- 1 red bell pepper deseeded and chopped
- 1 green bell pepper deseeded and chopped
- 4 chestnut mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup cooked ham chunks or shredded ham
- 1 can pineapple chunks in juice 400ml can, drained (reserve the juice)
- 6 cups cooked white long grain rice cooled
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- 2 large eggs
- juice of ½ a lemon
Easy Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 9 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 3 tbsp malt vinegar it must be malt vinegar!
- 5 tbsp dark brown muscovado sugar
- 3 tbsp pineapple juice from the canned pineapple above
To Serve
- small bunch scallions chopped
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Start with the sauce. Mix the sweet and sour sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and place in the microwave. Cook for 1-2 minute until the sauce bubbles. Stir again then put to one side (you can bring to the boil in a small pan if you prefer).
- Heat the oil in a large wok. Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly on a medium heat for 5 minutes until the onion softens. Add in the red and green bell peppers, and the sliced mushrooms. Cook for a further 3 minutes.
- Add the ham chunks and pineapple pieces and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Add in the cooked rice and turn up the heat to high, Toss everything together using a spatula. Add the soy sauce and garlic salt and continue to cook, moving everything around the pan regularly so it doesn’t stick, until the rice is hot (takes about 5-6 minutes). Once the rice is hot, push the rice over to the side of the pan and crack the eggs into the space. Move the pan so that the bit with the eggs in is right over the heat. Move the eggs round slowly until they start to scramble. As they scramble mix the eggs into the rice.
- Add the lemon juice, stir and taste. Add more soy sauce if needed. Divide between four bowls and top with chopped scallions and lemon wedges. Reheat the sauce for another 30 seconds, and serve it with the rice.
Equipment
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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