Home » Caribbean-Style Fried Rice With Shrimp And Pineapple

Caribbean-Style Fried Rice With Shrimp And Pineapple

Name: Caribbean Fried Rice With Shrimp And Pineapple Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 1/4 cup coconut oil; 1/2 cup diced onion (approximately 1 small onion); 6 - 8 minced garlic cloves (approximately 3 tablespoons); 1 tablespoon fresh finely chopped ginger; 1 small red bell pepper (3/4 cup - diced); 1 small orange bell pepper (3/4 cup - diced); 1 small yellow bell pepper (3/4 cup - diced); 1 small green pepper (3/4cup - diced); 1 small hot pepper - seeded and finely minced (see Variations and Top Tip); 1/2 cup diced carrots (approximately 1 large carrot); 2 cups cooked day old rice; 2 tablespoons sesame oil; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1/2 cup diced celery; 1 pound boiled peeled shrimp (cut into pieces); 1/2 cup pineapple (chopped); 3 green onions - sliced; 2 tablespoons fresh parsley - chopped; A pinch of salt - to taste; 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper - to taste

Laura

August 21, 2025

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There is a white bowl with a combination of rice, shrimp, chopped up onion, garlic, red, yellow, orange, and green peppers. There is a larger white bowl in the background with the same ingredients in it. There is a light brown cloth napkin laying next to the bowl. Items are on a light gray surface.

Jump to Recipe

Caribbean-inspired fried rice with shrimp and pineapple offers a burst of tropical flavors your taste buds are going to love!

A delicious recipe featuring a medley of peppers, onions, shrimp, and sweet pineapple that is not only visually appealing but also very tasty!

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8
Prep Level: Beginner +

What You’ll Love

Quick weeknight dinner – Ready in about 40 minutes, it’s a one-pan dish that saves you time without skimping on taste.
Sweet and savory balance – The combination of pineapple, savory soy sauce, and tender shrimp have the perfect flavor contrast.
Versatile and customizable – Add extra veggies, swap the shrimp for pork or chicken, or make it vegetarian; this dish works beautifully either way.

Caribbean fried rice is a spin-off of Asian fry rice with Caribbean flavors. It is made from leftover or day old rice and aromatic spices.

There is a white bowl with a red, yellow, green, and orange pepper in it. There is a white bowl with cooked white rice, a white bowl with cooke shrimp in it, and a white bowl with chunks of pineapple in it. There is a whole yellow onion, 3 green scallions, a head of garlic, a piece of ginger root, 2 stalks of celery, a large carrot, a small red habanero pepper, a pepper mill, a light brown container with salt in it and a few sprigs of green parsley. There is also 3 small clear glass bowls. One has a scoop of coconut oil in it, one has light brown sesame oil in it and the last one has dark soy sauce in it. All items are on a light gray surface.

Ingredient Notes

Cooked shrimp: Fresh or frozen medium size peeled, deveined, and tails removed shrimp work well for this dish, either cook the shrimp or buy pre-cooked. Make sure to thoroughly thaw frozen shrimp and pat dry before using.
Cooked rice: There are a variety of rice grains that can be used: Jasmine rice, white rice, brown rice to name a few.
Coconut oil: The coconut palm was considered the “staff of life” for centuries in the Caribbean. Coconut oil is the cooking oil of choice – It has a high smoke point and great flavor. Olive oil or vegetable oil can be used. Olive oil is a healthier alternative but will also change the flavor of this dish.
Peppers:The medley of peppers are wonderful flavors in this dish. The red, yellow, and orange add a sweet mild taste while the green bell pepper adds a little bitter and grassy flavor.
Optional: For those who love spicy food, add a finely minced jalapeno pepper or if you want add a super hot pepper, use either a half of habanero or scotch bonnet. Scotch Bonnets are routinely ranked among the world’s hottest hot peppers. Use cautiously!
Onion: For this recipe I used a yellow onion. Red onion or white onion can be substituted.
Garlic: There is a lot of fresh garlic in this dish which I love! You can adjust the amount to your liking. Use fresh garlic for the best flavor. In a pinch garlic powder can be used.
Soy sauce: There is a difference between light and dark soy sauce. Dark base soy sauce which has a more intense flavor and is more saltier in taste is perfect for this recipe.
Sesame seed oil: This oil adds a savory flavor to rice when it is fried.
Vegetables: Chopped carrots and celery add texture and layers of flavor.
Pineapple: I love adding pineapple to this spicy rice dish. It balances the peppers so nicely. Fresh or frozen (that has been thawed).

Step-by-Step Instructions

Gather and prep ingredients – Chopped, diced, minced, and measured before starting.

A pan with chopped onions, minced garlic, and a wooden spoon.

A pan filled with vegetables and a wooden spoon.

Heat coconut oil. Add onion and cook until translucent.Stir in garlic and ginger.
Add peppers (red, yellow, orange, and green), carrots, hot pepper (if using), a little bit of salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring often.

A skillet filled with rice and vegetables.

A pan filled with rice, shrimp pineapple bits, and vegetables.

Add cooked rice, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Stir until throughly combined and cook.
Stir in shrimp and pineapple tidbits. Cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in chopped parsley, celery, and scallions.

There is a large gray skillet with a combination of rice, shrimp, chopped up onion, garlic, red, yellow, orange, and green peppers in it. There is a light brown cloth napkin laying next to of the skillet Items are on a light gray surface

Stir in chopped parsley, celery, and scallions. Give the pan one good final stir.
Serve and enjoy!

See the recipe card below for complete measurements and cooking times.

Tips & Tricks

Use day-old rice – Cold, leftover rice fries up with the best texture. Freshly cooked rice tends to clump and turn mushy.
Wear gloves when working with peppers and wash your hands with soap and water after. The capsaicin (what makes peppers hot) can still be on your skin and can easily be transferred to other places.

Variations For Caribbean-Style Fried Rice

It’s easy to make this vegetarian fried rice dish a complete meal by adding a combination of proteins like, black beans, chunks of shrimps, diced ham, scrambled eggs, or even bite size pieces of rotisserie chicken.
Often beef flavor bouillon or chicken broth are added. Bean sprouts and cabbage are also great vegetables to use.

There is a large white bowl with a combination of rice, shrimp, chopped up onion, garlic, red, yellow, orange, and green peppers in it. There is a light brown cloth napkin laying in front of the bowl. Items are on a light gray surface.

More Delicious Shrimp Dishes

Rubio’s Grilled Gourmet Shrimp Tacos – a favorite of readers!
Easy Cuban Shrimp Creole
Easy Shrimp Salad
Legal Sea Foods Baked Stuffed Shrimp
Easy Cold Marinated Shrimp Appetizer – Popular holiday dish!

Yield: 8 servings

Caribbean Fried Rice With Shrimp And Pineapple Recipe

This delicious recipe features a medley of peppers, onions, shrimp, and sweet pineapple that is not only visually appealing but also very satisfying.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup diced onion (approximately 1 small onion)
6 – 8 minced garlic cloves (approximately 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon fresh finely chopped ginger
1 small red bell pepper (3/4 cup – diced)
1 small orange bell pepper (3/4 cup – diced)
1 small yellow bell pepper (3/4 cup – diced)
1 small green pepper (3/4cup – diced)
1 small hot pepper – seeded and finely minced (see Variations and Top Tip)
1/2 cup diced carrots (approximately 1 large carrot)
2 cups cooked day old rice
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup diced celery
1 pound boiled peeled shrimp (cut into pieces)
1/2 cup pineapple (chopped)
3 green onions – sliced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley – chopped
A pinch of salt – to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper – to taste

Instructions

Prep all the ingredients – This is the most time consuming step of the recipe but you want to have all the ingredients chopped, diced, minced, and measured before starting. Allow about 45 minutes for this.
Heat coconut oil in large deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes or until translucent. Stir in garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 minute.
Add peppers (red, yellow, orange, and green), carrots, hot pepper (if using), a small amount of salt and black pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Stirring often.
Add 2 -3 cups of cooked rice, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Stir until throughly combined. Cook for 2 minutes, scraping up the bottom of the pan so that the rice does not stick.
Stir in shrimp and pineapple tidbits. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Stir in chopped parsley, celery, and scallions.
Taste and add more soy sauce or sesame oil if preferred.
Give the pan one good final stir. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Add your own personal twist on this recipe by trying different seasonings.

Popular spices to add are cayenne pepper (for heat), ground cumin, curry powder, green seasoning (see FAQ's), and paprika.

Often beef flavor bouillon or chicken broth are added. Bean sprouts and cabbage are also great vegetables to use.

Top Tip

You should wear gloves when working with peppers and wash your hands with soap and water after.