5 Pineapple Recipes to Add Some Zing to Your Life

pineapple recipes
Photo by Artem Beliaikin from Pexels

What can’t you do with a pineapple? Pineapples are among the fruits that taste good cooked and raw. Pineapple recipes are a favorite for many people. You can slice it up and eat it as it is, or you could tweak it up a little to make a sumptuous dessert, vegetable salad, or as a pizza topping.

There’s so much you can do with it your pineapple; read on for these five pineapple recipes that are bound to turn you into a sought after chef. If you chopped up your pineapple and realized it’s a little bland, sprinkle it with some sugar or glucose to make it sweeter.

1. Pineapple Fried Rice

Wondering what to do with the left-over fried rice from yesterday’s dinner? How about spicing it up with pineapple slices for that sweet taste?  This pineapple recipes will leave you craving for more.

Time

Preparation – 10 minutes

Cooking – 10 minutes

Total Time – 20 minutes.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp. virgin coconut oil
  • One medium onion, chopped
  • ½ cup freeze-dried red bell pepper
  • 1 cup freeze-dried pineapple
  • Three cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup cashews, chopped
  • 3 cup cooked rice (preferably day old)
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 1 tbsp. lime juice
  • 2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tsp Sriracha
  • Two large eggs,
  • Two green onions, thinly sliced

Method

  1. Heat the coconut oil in a large pan on medium heat.
  2. Add the onion, bell peppers, and pineapple and cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and the pineapple is caramelized.
  3. Put in the garlic and cashews and stir. Cook for just over a minute or until fragrant
  4. Stir in the cooked rice and the peas
  5. Drizzle the lime juice, soy sauce, and Sriracha.
  6. Cook for about 3 minutes more.
  7. With a cooking spoon, push the rice to one side of the pan and pour in the eggs.
  8. Keep stirring until it’s almost fully cooked, then fold it into rice mixture.
  9. Garnish rice with green onions, coriander, or parsley and serve.

2. Pineapple Salsa

Salsa is a Mexican dip that is often eaten raw. Add some flavor and color to your salsa by adding pineapple slices in this pineapple recipe.

Time

Preparation time – 15 minutes

Ingredients

Method

  1. Toss the pineapple cubes into a large bowl and stir in the peppers, onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and lime juice.
  2. Season with salt, then transfer it back into the pineapple bowl. You can skip the salt if you so desire
  3. Serve with tortilla chips. It goes great on pork chops.

3. Grilled Pineapple Chicken

Recipes are not complete without trying chicken; this grilled pineapple recipe is the ultimate guide to finger-licking food.

Time

Preparation – 10 minutes

Total Time – 2 hours, 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • Five boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • Two cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp. freshly minced ginger
  • ½ cup of vegetable oil
  • 2 cups freeze-dried pineapple
  • Parsley to garnish

Method

  1. In a large bowl, whisk the pineapple juice, ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger until they are well mixed.
  2. Put the chicken in a large zip-lock bag pour in the marinade. Allow the chicken to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours. You can keep it in the fridge overnight if you wish.
  3. Heat the grill to high.
  4. Put the chicken on the grill and let it cook, occasionally turning it. Keep basting it with the marinade until it’s charred and cooked through. Each side should take about 8 minutes.
  5. Pour a little oil on the pineapple and toss it on the grill for 2 minutes or until it’s charred.
  6. Garnish the chicken and pineapple with parsley or green onion and serve it hot.

4. Hawaiian Chicken Skewers

Chicken skewers are excellent as tapas or a main meal, and what better way to make them enjoyable than to make them with pineapple?

Time

Preparation – 25 minutes

Cooking – 25 minutes

Total Time – 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • Two chicken breasts, chopped into large cubes
  • 2 cups freeze-dried pineapple
  • 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil
  • Two cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp. ginger, minced
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
  • Two green bell peppers, diced
  • One red onion, diced

Method

  1. Preheat the grill.
  2. Whisk the barbecue sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, oil, garlic, ginger, and honey in a large bowl until they are well combined.
  3. Season with salt and red pepper flakes.
  4. Make the skewers by alternating the chicken, pineapple, peppers, and red onion on a skewer.
  5. Place them on a baking sheet and generously drip the marinade on it.
  6. Place skewers on preheated grill.
  7. Brush with the reserved marinade as they cook
  8. Cook for five minutes and flip them, brushing the other side with marinade as well.
  9. Cook both sides for five minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
  10. Serve with white rice, mashed potato, and a sprinkle of cilantro.

5.      Fireball Pineapple

What do you do when you’re craving fireball whiskey and a slice of pineapples? You make a fireball whiskey. Follow this unique pineapple recipe and wow your guests.

Time

Preparation – 5 minutes

Making – 5 minutes

Total Time – 10 minutes

Ingredients

Method

  1. Pour the Fireball into a large bowl.
  2. Throw in the pineapple cubes and let them soak for one hour
  3. Drain the Fireball and reserving it for cocktails. 
  4. Toss the pineapple in cinnamon sugar and serve.

Conclusion

We may never agree whether pineapples belong to the pizza or not, but these five pineapple recipes will get you thinking more about the pineapples. Do not use very high heat or cook them too long to avoid destroying the pineapples’ vitamin C content.

References

  1. http://www.goodcook.com/skillet-cashew-chicken-meal-prep/
  2. https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipes/a53020/pineapple-salsa-in-pineapple-recipe/
  3. https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a47354/grilled-aloha-chicken-recipe/
  4. https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a25102459/easy-pineapple-fried-rice-recipe/
  5.  https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a19867546/fireball-pineapple-recipe/