Hawaiian Rice with Pineapple
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Hawaiian rice with pineapple and lime is a delicious and lightly sweet side dish that everyone will love. Perfectly paired with Hawaiian Chicken to make a full meal, this recipe is easy to make and done in 20 minutes or less. It just might be the perfect rice recipe for you tonight!
Looking for a fresh rice side dish to go with your meal tonight? This rice recipe is more like a Hawaiian rice recipe with its sweet flavors and crushed pineapple. If you are looking for a spicy Thai rice or an easy fried rice recipe, you have to go to my other recipes.
Hawaiian Rice
- 1 cup uncooked white rice (our rice says 15-20 minutes cooked)
- 1 can, 8 oz, crushed pineapple
- water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- juice of 1 lime
- zest of 1/2 a lime
- 2 tablespoons of sugar (this step is optional to make slightly sweeter, you can leave out)
- OTPIONAL: chopped cilantro
I love rice! Fried rice, crock pot rice, brown rice, just give me the rice! Its a perfect side dish in cases like this Hawaiian Pineapple rice but also makes a delicious filler on a chicken or beef recipe. And you don’t need to be cooking Asian cuisine to enjoy it.
Personally I would easily pair this Hawaiian rice with our Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken to make a full meal of sweet deliciousness.
Hawaiian Rice Recipe
Add 1 cup uncooked rice to a saucepan.
Drain crushed pineapple in a 2 cup measuring cup
.
Fill remaining cup with water until you have 2 cups of liquid and then add to your rice saucepan.
Add crushed pineapple and butter.
Heat mixture on medium high until boiling.
Once pineapple mixture is boiling, reduce heat to simmer and cover.
Cook for 15-20 minutes or until rice is cooked.
Remove the rice and pineapple from heat. Stir well.
Now add lime juice, zest and mix well.
If you are looking for a slightly sweeter rice (like Mom used to serve) this is where you can add up to 2 tablespoons of white sugar. It makes it delightful and sweet!
Optional: Serve topped with chopped fresh cilantro.
How to Make Easy Rice
I made this rice on the stovetop because I added crushed pineapple juice to the rice while it cooked.
The pineapple makes the rice extra sweet, so you don’t want to skip this step. You could try to make this in the Instant Pot or rice cooker, but I discovered the stovetop lets me stop it right when it is fully cooked. I have more control.
What kind of rice is best?
This recipe works with any kind of rice. My favorite is Basmati rice. It has a slightly sweeter taste. Just make sure to rinse it off first.
Other Things to Add to Pineapple Rice
This is a really fantastic base recipe. You can add protein and other ingredients to give it a different taste and texture. Try any one of these popular options:
- Coconut
- Spam
- Ham
- Chicken
More Hawaiian Recipes
Here are some more Hawaiian side dishes you should make next. Add them to the menu for a luau or other tropical-themed party.
Hawaiian Rice with Crushed Pineapple
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- 8 oz. crushed pineapple
- 2 tablespoons butter
- juice of 1 lime
- zest of 1/2 a lime
- water
- chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp white sugar optional
Instructions
- Add 1 cup rice to a saucepan.
- Drain crushed pineapple in a 2 cup measuring cup.
- Fill remaining cup with water until you have 2 cups. Add to saucepan.
- Add crushed pineapple and butter. Heat on medium high until boiling.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until rice is cooked.
- Remove from heat. Stir well. Add lime juice, zest and mix well. (optional sugar is added here as well)
- Serve topped with chopped cilantro.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.
Did You Make This Recipe?
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I don’t have a lime. Could I use orange juice? Can this be made with minute rice?
Cerwyn, I dont see why orange juice wouldn’t be delicious. As far as using minute rice, do you mean cooked or uncooked?
When you say to rinse the Basmati rice off first, do you mean to rinse it off before you cook it, or afterwards?
You rinse if off before – it helps it not stick together when you make it.
Can I make this a day in advance and heat up?
You can – but any time I make and eat rice the next day, I usually have to add a little moisture to the recipe to soften. Rice tends to lose some of the wetness in the fridge, so reserve some juice or add a little water when heating.
If I’m doubling the recipe i want to double the cooking time as well, is that correct?
I havent doubled this recipe but typically doubling rice from 1 cup to 2 cups would still be about the same timing as far as cooking – which should be about 18 minutes. You just need to monitor till rice is fully cooked.
I used Jasmine rice for this recipe. It was much too moist even though I followed directions exactly. Not only that , the bottom of the pot burned most likely because the sugar in the pineapple juice which was part of the cooking liquid , carmelized. Basmati rice might work because it tends to be drier. I just don’t understand how you could cook any rice with pineapple juice and water and not have it carmelize. Regardless, the flavor of the pineapple and lime zest an juice enhanced the flavor overall. It’s just that the rice was too wet, and burned at the bottom.
It def should not have burned. I think your pan might have been up a little high? Try lowering the temperature and cooking longer instead. As far as the the rice, you are right, different rice could change the outcome. Ill do some testing.
Omg this is the best recipe ever. I was scared to try it but I’m so glad I did! I’m definitely planning on bringing this to a family bbq. Thank you for sharing it!!!!!
I am so glad you enjoyed this rice! ~Trisha
I don’t have lime juice. Can lemon juice?
It will change the flavor but should be fine.
Very nice dish! Served it with coconut shrimp. I must admit I made a few changes: I used fresh pineapple and some small pieces of bacon which I added after the rice was cooked. Wanted to keep the brightness of the fresh pineapple.
Very nice website too!
Thank you and thank you for sharing your recipe changes; I always love trying new things suggested.
Trisha
I want to make this in oven . I usually bake rice on 350 covered for an hour with 1 cup rice 1 cups water . Would this recipe work for that?
I haven’t actually done it with this recipe but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work with your usual recipe.
Unfortunately this was a true swing and a miss. I made the recipe exactly as described and it was bitter from the lime zest (yuck) and otherwise lacked flavor. I used all premium, name brand ingredients and a fresh lime.
We threw it all away and ate the Hawaiian chicken without a side dish.
I am sorry you didnt enjoy this pineapple rice recipe. Everyone has different taste buds and this recipe has been rated highly quite a bit, but I understand that lime and pineapple may not be the best combination for some. Thank you for your feedback.
Trisha
Fantastic. I made a sirloin london broil that I marinated in pineapple juice, small pineapple chuncks and soy sauce. Grilled with Pineapple sticks from the fresh pineapple and had this FABULOUS rice dish with it – fabulous rice moist and tender. Used Basmati Rice