24 Tasty Ways to Use Freeze-Dried Pineapple

You may think that freeze-dried pineapple is perfect for a lightweight snack, but it’s also surprisingly versatile in the kitchen. Because the water has been removed through a low-temperature process, the fruit becomes crisp, intensely sweet, and shelf-stable for many years.

Unlike fresh pineapple that lasts only a few days in the refrigerator, freeze-dried fruit can last months or even years when stored properly, making it ideal for long-term pantry storage or emergency supplies.

If you already have a bag tucked away in your pantry, here are some surprisingly tasty ways to use dried pineapple.

When I first began my venture into building food storage, I was met with a dizzying array of choices, among them freeze-dried and dehydrated produce. I didn’t have a ton of money to spend and had to give some serious consideration as to what I should buy.

I decided to buy canned, dehydrated, and freeze-dried versions of fruits and vegetables that I used most often and/or were next to impossible to grow in the Phoenix climate. Pineapple met both those criteria, and I’ve stocked up on a few cans for snacks and cooking.

What are the nutrients and calories?

When you’re looking at freeze-dried pineapple to purchase online or in a grocery store, you should see only “pineapple” in the ingredients list, I know there’s no extra preservatives and no added sugar. That’s a huge plus for me!

Whatever brand you buy, check the label first to make sure you aren’t getting anything more than just pineapple.

How to Rehydrate Freeze-Dried Pineapple

Crunchy, sweet freeze-dried pineapple is a great snack, but for many uses, you’ll need to rehydrate it first. Follow the instructions on the package, but if there aren’t any or you want a general guide, here’s what you can do:

• cover the pineapple with warm water — just enough to cover the fruit is enough
• wait 5–10 minutes until the fruit is tender
• drain well and use like fresh pineapple

Freeze-dried fruit rehydrates quickly because the drying process leaves tiny pores in the fruit structure, so this doesn’t take much time.

Before I add this to a recipe with dry ingredients like oatmeal cookies, I drain the pineapple in a colander and then gently press out excess water with a few paper towels. In other recipes, the moist pineapple is fine.

What can I use dried pineapple for?

Rehydrate before using in these recipes

1. Add it to oatmeal cookies! Yummm! You can rehydrate it first or just add a half cup or so directly from the can.
2. Add it to Oatmeal Pecan Bars! Double yummm!
3. Rehydrate the freeze-dried pineapple, and use it in a sweet-and-sour sauce for chicken or pork.
4. Add some pineapple to a chicken veggie stir fry, and some cashews!
5. Add to your favorite bran muffin mix.
6. Mix in a half cup or so with zucchini bread batter!
7. Rehydrate a cup or two. Drain and add to butter and brown sugar for a tart-yet-sweet topping for Pineapple Upside Down Cake (or muffins).
8. Mix a bit of freeze-dried pineapple in with cream cheese for a bagel topping.
9. Mix up some pineapple cocktails for a luau!
10. Toss it into a salad, either rehydrated or not. The crunchy texture is a nice addition to a salad of greens.
11. Rehydrate half a cup or so and sprinkle it over vanilla ice cream.
12. Add it to yogurt. It tastes great with vanilla Greek yogurt.
13. Use it for a tropical-tasting smoothie.
14. Use it instead of fresh or canned pineapple in any recipe with “Hawaiian” or “tropical” in the title!
15. Sprinkle rehydrated freeze-dried pineapple over pizza, along with some chopped ham or bacon!
16. Add rehydrated and well-drained pineapple to chicken or tuna salad.
17. Add it to salsa for a little sweetness.
18. Stir into cottage cheese.

It’s okay to not rehydrate for recipes like these

1. Include it in a snack mix with other dried fruit, nuts, freeze-dried yogurt, and mini chocolate chips. Surprisingly, pineapple and chocolate go very well together, my friend!
2. Add a cup or two to a super simple party punch recipe: equal parts lemon-lime soda and citrus juice.
3. Add it to any granola recipe.
4. Toss some pineapple in a bowl of breakfast cereal.
5. In any recipe where you don’t mind a little fruity crunch!
6. Eat it straight out of the can for a healthy, no-sugar-added treat!

What does dried pineapple taste like?

My kids love a good, juicy pineapple any day of the week, but the freshest ones aren’t always available. Freeze-dried pineapple has a light, sweet taste and a nice crunch and is ready whenever you are! Even better, there’s no waste—no inedible core, no prickly outer skin, no spiky stem—just chunks of pineapple ready to eat or include in a recipe. Here are more ideas for using freeze-dried fruit in everyday cooking and food storage.

How Long Does Freeze-Dried Pineapple Last?

All freeze-dried fruit has a long shelf life, but there are certain things that can cause the fruit to deteriorate in nutrients, color, and flavor. When you store your pineapple, keep it in a cool location as heat is the Number One enemy of any food. This can extend the shelf life to many years, making it ideal for emergency food storage.

If the package has been opened, now it needs to be protected primarily from humidity, and you’ll need to store it in a canning jar (the lid is far more airtight than a jar with a regular lid). I’ve found this is the handiest way to keep the pineapple crispy without the need for anything complicated like mylar bags and oxygen absorbers. Store the jar in a dark cupboard, and the fruit will stay fresh for months.

For even longer storage in a canning jar, an inexpensive jar vacuum sealer uses suction to remove oxygen from the jar and avoid oxidation over time. I’ve also used a jar sealer attachment with my Food Saver, and either method works fine.

Recipe: Tropical Protein Bowl

It really is true that you begin to lose muscle mass once you get past 30 years old, and that loss only accelerates the older you get. When my doctor told me that I needed more protein in my daily diet, a lot more, I searched for ways to get it. After all, you can only eat so many eggs per day, and those are only 6 grams of protein each,

So, I began making high-protein bowls with cottage cheese and freeze-dried pineapple! I’ve experimented with different variations and have included them in my recipe.

• 1 cup cottage cheese* (Any variety. If you need low-fat, then use low-fat cottage cheese. I follow a Keto/carnivore diet, so I go with full fat. This is 25 grams of protein.)
• 1 scoop protein powder (With this flavor combination, I prefer vanilla and love this brand’s protein powder and collagen powder. Most protein powders are 25 grams per scoop.)
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup freeze-dried pineapple (No need to rehydrate first.)
• 1/3 cup freeze-dried mango (Optional, no need to rehydrate first.)

Add any of these mix-ins to suit your mood, your taste, your food plan:

• Lily’s sugar-free white chocolate chips
• Coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
• Coconut

Stir together the cottage cheese and protein powder. If it’s too sticky, add a small amount of half-and-half or almond milk. Mix in the pineapple and any other optional ingredients you like.

*Greek yogurt works well with this recipe, too.

This is enough for a filling meal and will be at least 50 grams of protein.

Tips for Using Freeze-dried Pineapple in Recipes

This is a versatile form of a favorite tropical fruit and in many recipes, you can just toss it in without rehydrating.

But if you’ll be using this in a baking recipe, chicken salad, or any other recipe where you don’t want any extra moisture, drain well with a colander and then use paper towels to gently squeeze out any excess water.

Depending on the brand you buy, your pineapple may be a little more on the crunchy side versus chewy. Either way, for something like a smoothie where want a creamy consistency, rehydrate the pineapple before using — just one more answer to your question, what to do with dried pineapple?

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Freeze-Dried Food Content

• 9 Tips for Placing Your First Freeze-dried Food Order
• The Food Storage Companies I Recommend and Why
• Freeze-Dried Chicken for Your Emergency Pantry & Everyday Meals
• Using Freeze-Dried Fruit in Everyday Cooking and Food Storage

Get Your FREE Freeze-Dried Food Primer!

Final Thoughts

Most of us can’t grow pineapple in our backyards, so having a supply of freeze-dried pineapple on hand is a great way to add a new dimension to your food storage pantry, but it’s so good, I think you’ll find many other ways to enjoy it! Learning how to use freeze-dried pineapple is simple; they’re a super versatile and tasty product that I recommend.