Pineapple Curry is a creamy and flavorful vegetarian curry that makes an incredible dinner paired with rice. This 25-minute curry is one of my favorite go-to curry recipes!
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Full of onions, garlic, pineapple, and a handful of warm spices, kids and adults alike will love this creamy pineapple curry recipe. Consider adding in other vegetables to make it even heartier.
This Pineapple Curry Is...
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-Free
- Simple Weeknight or Weekday Dinner
- 25-Minute Dinner
- Simple
And if curry is your jam, be sure to check out this massive list of the best vegetarian curry recipes!
How to Make Pineapple Curry
- Add oil into a skillet on the stove.
- Toss in onions, garlic, and pineapple. Cook until the onions are translucent.
- Add spices and continue to cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add pineapple juice and milk. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens. This takes around 10 minutes.
- Once creamy, serve the pineapple curry over a bed of rice, cauliflower rice, etc.
Expert Tips and Tricks
Best Pineapple To Use For Curry
I used crushed pineapple (like this brand) when I made this curry. I found it created the best texture. Keep in mind that you will also use the juice from the can.
If you use a larger-chunked pineapple, you might find the bigger pieces to be overpowering when you eat it.
Cooking Spices
Make sure to add your spices to the pan and allow them to cook for a minute or two before adding the milk and juice. You want to follow this step because it helps to bring out the intense flavors of each of the spices.
In fact, cooking your spices in just about any recipe, will make a big difference in the warmth and depth of flavor in the curry dish.
Adding Vegetables to the Curry
Consider adding diced peppers, carrots, or other vegetables to make your curry even heartier. You could even drain and toss in some chickpeas for added depth of flavor and a boost of healthy protein.
Dairy-Free Curry
If you don't want to use regular milk, you could swap it with coconut milk or even unsweetened almond milk for a dairy-free version. It should cook up just fine, and provide a similar flavor to cow milk in this curry recipe.
Variations
Try adding some tofu for an extra boost of protein. Simply press the tofu and pan fry it, then toss in the sauce and cook until warmed through.
Swapping the regular milk for coconut milk will add a creamier texture and make this recipe dairy free too.
Drizzle with some plain yogurt on top for a nice creamy topping. This also helps reduce the spice level if you find it too spicy.
Cashews or other chopped nuts add a fun crunch to this curry dish.
Serve with Naan bread, mango rice or classic white rice, or even simple soba noodles.
Pineapple Curry FAQs
What is Pineapple Curry?
Pineapple curry is a sweet and savory curry that makes a great dinner or side dish. The main ingredient in this curry is pineapple - and it is so tasty and simple to make.
Do you need coconut milk to make curry?
I wanted to create a curry that didn't require coconut milk. If you want, you can use coconut milk, but cow milk works great in this recipe.
Can I use fresh pineapple instead of canned in this curry?
If you want, you can chop up fresh pineapple into small bits as you would for a crushed pineapple from a can. This will work just as well, although you may need to add a bit more moisture as you won't have the benefit of the pineapple juices from the can. Just make sure to cut your pineapple up into bite sized bits!
Craving More Dinner Ideas?
If you love this pineapple curry recipe, be sure to check out these other delicious ideas:
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 20 oz Crushed Pineapple
- 1 Cup Milk
- ½ Cup Pineapple Juice, reserved from can above
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Curry Powder
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 Teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 Teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Paprika
- Salt, to taste
- cooked rice, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Sauté the onion, garlic, and pineapple until the onions are translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add flour and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add spices to the pan and continue to cook and stir for a minute or two.
- Slowly add the milk and juice while stirring. Let the mixture simmer until it starts to thicken, about 10 minutes. Salt to taste.
- Serve over rice and enjoy!
Adele says
So easy, and a really nice midweek dinner with minimum effort. I used up some fresh pineapple rather than tinned, and went for coconut milk.
Merrill Whitener says
I made this tonight. It was a little warmer (spicy) than I expected, but really good. I'm not that familiar with Indian food, so I'm enjoying exploring the many different flavors.
Kath says
Good! Would highly recommend making it with coconut milk if you have it as my version with milk came out a little grainy, tasted better with the coconut.