🍍 Hawaiian Paella Recipe
This Hawaiian Paella Recipe is a vibrant, tropical-inspired dish that balances the savory, rich depth of pork and pork stock with the bright, sweet acidity of pineapple and tomatoes. First, this dish leans on the same sweet-and-savory contrast you’ll find in our Hawaiian Pork Paella, another fusion take that pairs caramelized pineapple with slow-cooked pork. Then, it borrows its stock-building technique from heartier dishes like Pork Ribs and Chicken Paella. For more on balancing sweet and savory flavors, see this BBC Good Food paella guide.
Pineapple paella is not a traditional Valencian dish, but it fits comfortably within Spain’s broader tradition of regional arroces, where cooks adapt the base technique of sofrito, stock, and rice to whatever proteins and produce are locally abundant. If you’re still getting comfortable with the fundamentals of this Hawaiian paella recipe style — building a proper sofrito, judging stock reduction, or timing the socarrat — our Paella for Beginners guide covers each of those steps in more depth than a single recipe card can.
- Yield: 3 servings
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 30 minutes
🛒 Ingredients
- 300g Paella rice (Bomba or Senia)
- 400g Pork loin or pork shoulder, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 150g Fresh pineapple, diced into small chunks
- 3 tbsp Grated or finely chopped tomatoes
- 900ml Pork stock (kept hot)
- 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Sweet smoked paprika (pimentón dulce)
- A few strands of Saffron (optional, for that classic depth)
- Salt to taste
🍳 Cooking Instructions
1. Sear the Pork & Pineapple
- Place your paella pan over medium-high heat and add the extra virgin olive oil.
- Season the pork cubes generously with salt. Once the oil is hot, sear the pork until it develops a deep, golden-brown crust on all sides. Move the pork to the outer edges of the pan where the heat is lower.
- Add the diced pineapple chunks to the center of the pan. Let them caramelize slightly in the pork fat for 2–3 minutes until they get golden edges, then move them to the outer rim with the pork.
2. Build the Sofrito Base
- Turn the heat down to medium. In the empty center of the pan, add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant (don’t let it burn).
- Pour in the chopped tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes down for 4–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the water evaporates and the tomato darkens into a thick, jammy paste.
- Stir in the sweet smoked paprika (and saffron if using) for just 10 seconds to release the aromatics, then immediately mix everything from the outer edges (pork and pineapple) back into the center so the flavors combine.
3. Add the Stock
- Pour in the 900ml of hot pork stock. Turn the heat up to high and bring the liquid to a vigorous boil.
- Taste the broth—it should taste slightly over-salted, as the rice will absorb a massive amount of flavor. Adjust with salt if necessary. Let it boil for about 3–4 minutes so the pork infuses the liquid.
4. Add the Rice (At the End)
- Rain the 300g of paella rice evenly across the pan. Use a spoon to spread it out so it’s completely submerged in a uniform layer. Do not stir the rice again after this point to prevent releasing starch.
- Cook on high heat for 8 minutes. You want a strong boil so the rice grains dance and distribute evenly.
- Lower the heat to low-medium and simmer for another 10 minutes, or until the liquid is fully absorbed and the rice is al dente.
- (Optional) If you want to create a socarrat (the toasted rice crust), turn the heat up to high for the final 1–2 minutes. Listen for a crackling sound and look for a hint of smoke, then turn off the heat immediately.
5. Rest and Serve
- Remove the pan from the heat, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving to let the moisture stabilize and the flavors settle.
