This healthy and easy pineapple curry is a must-make dish especially if you are a curry or pineapple lover. Makes an amazing side or main dish. Budget-friendly and super easy not to mention how quick it is to put together this. It makes that perfect working-from-home lunch. It only takes a little preparation and ta-da!
Definitely, a delicious vegan curry option that everyone will enjoy. If you think it may taste too sweet or too fruity, it actually doesn't. It is just perfect.
A pineapple curry like this is best served with this nice and fluffy Instant Pot Coconut Rice or this Red Lentil Dhal With Coconut Milk And Quail Eggs or Red Split Lentil Curry (Dhal). I also love it with this wonderful Aubergine Curry.
It also pairs well with this Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry, Delicious Monkfish Curry, or any meat curry.
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Ingredients
There are only a few ingredients you will need for this curry side dish.
- pineapple - is always good to use a nice and ripe one. Or, ripe at home if the pineapple you have in hand isn't ripened to perfection;
- onion - I normally use shallots for the best flavour
- turmeric
- black pepper - I use long pepper as it has a wonderful flavour
- fresh curry leaves - a must-have and must-add for the best flavours
- garlic - oh yes, please do not forget the garlic for this dish
- coconut milk - find one that is lighter and not the creamiest
- seeds - caraway, mustard and fennel seeds are my favourite in this vegan curry side dish
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.
How To Make Pineapple Curry
This dish is very easy to put together. It requires very little preparation and is ready in just under 30 minutes.
Here are the main steps:
- Add oil into a skillet or a pan and place on medium fire
- Toss in onions, garlic, and spices. Cook until the onions are translucent.
- Add the cubed pineapple and continue to cook for a further couple of minutes.
- Add a dash or two of pineapple juice and light coconut milk. Cook for 10 minutes.
Hint:
I sometimes crush the pineapple slightly when I make this curry. This time, I did not, but I find this gives a great texture. Do not forget to hold on to some of the pineapple natural juices as you will need some when cooking.
Substitutions
- Coconut milk - instead of this, you can use almond, soya milk or regular dairy milk
- Long pepper - use regular freshly crushed black pepper
- Fresh Curry Leaves - we are lucky to get these fresh here in the UK. If you cannot find these, substitute them with fresh coriander/cilantro which you can add right at the end 3 minutes before turning the heat off. Keep 4-5 sprigs to use as a generous sprinkle to garnish before serving.
Variations
Other ingredients that you could add to this delicious pineapple curry.
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes while cooking to imbue heat into this wonderful pineapple curry dish.
- Extra vegetables - add carrot, cauliflower, peppers, spinach, squash or
- Bring some extra protein - add tofu, chickpeas, cashew nuts, prawns, pork
- Serve with Naan bread, paratha, or homemade flatbread.
Why does this pineapple curry work?
- It is healthy
- A nice vegan curry option
- Makes the perfect side to a curry night
- It is gluten-free
- It's low-carb
- Makes a superb and delicious addition to your lunch or dinner
- It is a curry dish that is perfect for those that cannot take spicy
How to store
Store any leftover curry in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, this can be frozen in an airtight container and thawed overnight in the refrigerator before reheating properly to piping hot and serve as desired.
Recipe FAQs
I use fresh pineapple for this curry dish but canned pineapple is also a great option. You may find the canned one a little sweeter than the fresh one. Just make sure the canned one has no sugar added or you will end up with a savoury dish that's not
Pineapple curry is the answer! Use some magnificent fruit desserts like this Pineapple, Berries And Coconut Cake or this Pineapple And Mixed Berries Cake to make a great summer drink. A salsa like this one is a great option too if you want to impress.
Follow this recipe entirely and when reaching step 2, add some red curry paste or a tablespoon of curry powder. Shrimp works well if making this red pineapple curry
- it is loaded with nutrients
- pineapple contains antioxidants - fights disease
- it is thought to help with digestion - due to its digestive enzymes
- boosts the immune system and suppresses inflammation
- helps with post-workout or surgery recovery due to high levels of bromelain
These are to enumerate a few benefits but overall, pineapple is such a great ingredient, versatile and delicious.
You might expect the pineapple to retain its flavors but it doesn't really.
When pineapple is cooked, in this low-carb savoury pineapple dish the pineapple loses its natural sweetness and acidity making it a great side dish option to accompany any meat or seafood mains, curries in particular.
Serving Suggestions
Serve over cauliflower couscous for a low-carb option or along with any of these wonderful options below.
Other vegetarian or vegan curries you may enjoy
Easy Pineapple Curry
Equipment
- pan
- wooden spoon
- knife
- chopping board
Ingredients
- 1 large pineapple nicely ripen or 2 cans
- 4 medium shallots or 1 medium onion
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper I use long pepper
- 15 curry leaves fresh
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 can coconut milk light
- ⅔ teaspoon mixed seeds *see notes
- 1 medium green chilli
- 1 tablespoon olive oil coconut oil or ghee
Instructions
- Make all the preparation ahead. Clean and chop the pineapple, chop the onion, peel, crush and chop the garlic. Add the green chilli now if you chose to use it.
- Place a pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil/ghee or coconut oil.
- Sweat the onion, garlic and the mixed the seeds for about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the cubed pineapple, turmeric and black pepper and half of the fresh curry leaves. Toss and cook for 2-3 min until flavours are well infused. You may cover if you wish.
- Pour in the coconut milk and cook uncovered for 12-13 min.
- Garnish with the leftover curry leaves, black pepper and serve as desired. See above for serving suggestions.
Notes
- Mixed Seeds - I have my own blend which I add to any non-meat curry and this consists of equal amounts of mustard seeds, caraway, cumin and fennel seeds.
- Pineapple - make sure you chose a ripe one and if it is a little too green when you buy it, keep it for a 2-3 days and ripe at home
a happy cyclist says
Wow! Interesting and very creative. I will give this a try. Thank you!
Ramona says
Thank you so very. You definitely need to try it. It makes a great addition to any curry. 😉😋
If you make it, I would really love to hear your feedback and how you like it. Great with a pork curry and some greens as well. 👍🏼👌🏻💞
Kim Beaulieu says
Such a great recipe!
Ramona says
thank you so much Kim, so glad you loved it!
Covita says
Never tried anything like this- so glad I did. Delicious and different. Easy too. Will make again
Liz says
SO yummy! It's a fabulous side dish!!!
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer says
Such a lovely and flavorful dish! I love that it comes together quickly and is so easy to make!
Kristina says
This was a super easy and fantastic tasting recipe. For the seed blend, I used cumin, caraway and sunflower seeds (not a big fan of fennel) and I loved how it came out. Highly recommend this for an easy weeknight dinner.
Erin says
This curry sounds so flavorful! I just love pineapple in savory dishes.
Sean says
I love how I could make this wonderful curry in just 25 min. It was so easy to make.
Jessica says
Excellent recipe. I've never used curry leaves directly and the flavor was great! (I usually use a pre-mix). The pepper flakes for a little spice was a great addition to the sweet pineapple 🙂
Amanda says
Such a good curry! I love how the sweet pineapple paired with those spices. It's really quick and easy too.
Heidy says
Wow, this Easy Pineapple Curry was so flavorful and unique! I had never had the pleasure of tasting Pineapple Curry. I have been missing out all these years. This curry is a game-changer recipe.
Ramona says
Hehe, indeed dear Heidy, but you are no longer missing out now and will be enjoying a pineapple curry every now and again.
Hayley Dhanecha says
I see myself enjoying this delicious pineapple curry with hot and fluffy parathas. Looks so amazing and easy to put it together.
Ramona says
oh yes, thanks a lot Hayley 😉
Debbie says
This Pineapple Curry is fantastic! I would have never put these flavors together. This is different but so good.
Enri Lemoine says
This pineapple curry is calling my name. I love pineapple, and I must incorporate more turmeric into my diet. Thank you so much for the recipe and inspiration.
Enri Lemoine says
Ramona, I made your pineapple curry, and turned out to be delish. I must thank you again!
Ramona says
Thanks so much dear Enri 😉
EA Stewart says
Love this recipe! I have all of the ingredients on hand, including a sweet, juicy fresh pineapple, and can't wait to make this pineapple curry. Your side serving suggestions look delicious too!
Anna says
This was sooo tasty! I didn't have any light coconut milk so I used the full fat and it was still lovely and creamy in texture and full of fantastic flavours. Can't wait to make it again!
Amy Liu Dong says
Wow! Such a unique curry recipe. Definitely looks so delicious and yummy. We can never go wrong with curry. The sauce itself is so enticing.
Jessica says
I never would have thought to combine pineapple and curry BUT it really works. The flavors in this dish were perfectly balanced and it was simple to throw together. This curry is perfect for summer.
Ramona says
Thanks Jessica!
Erin says
This looks super easy! I love how quickly it can be made. I've never had pineapple in savory food but it sounds great!
Jessica says
I'm so glad to find your recipe today because I just had pineapple this morning for the first time in a reeeeealy long time and wanted to have it more often but didn't know how to cook it in a savory way. I also prefer dairy-free recipes, so using coconut milk is perfect! Thank you!
Allyssa says
Indeed super easy to make and turned our really flavorful! Thanks a bunch for this fantastic recipe! Our new favorite! Loved it!
Tracy says
So fast, flavorful, and delicious! We all loved it - next time we're making more for leftovers!