Julie Clark
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Pineapple Casserole
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This southern baked pineapple casserole with Ritz Crackers could be a side dish…or a dessert! This unique recipe with pineapple and cheese is always a hit.
Full honesty here. The first time my grandma made this Baked Pineapple Casserole recipe for a family picnic I thought she was crazy. Does cheese and pineapple together? Yes. In a beautifully weird way that you’ll experience in the first bite.
Whether you call it scalloped pineapple, pineapple casserole or baked pineapple, let’s just agree that this cheese and pineapple side dish (or dessert!) goes perfect with a turkey or ham dinner. Ideal for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. This recipe for pineapple casserole will easily become a family favorite!
About this Pineapple Casserole Recipe:
- Flavor: Pineapple made extra sweet with the addition of sugar. The saltiness of cheddar cheese cuts that sweet pineapple and gives it a little tanginess.
- Texture: This is loaded with pineapple, so it has that classic pineapple texture. The crackers on top add a soft savory crunch.
- Method:Use a deep dish 9″ pie plate to serve this casserole. You can use an 8×8 baking dish or a 1 ½ quart casserole dish.
What readers are saying:
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Deija says, “Fantastic recipe for baked pineapple. My Texan grandma has always made a variation of this dish for thanksgiving and, honestly, the taste had gone downhill throughout the years of memorization and oral recipe sharing. Finding an accurate recipe that’s nearly identical to what I remember eating 20 years ago as a child was not only validating, it was a huge success!”
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Sandra says, “Love this. I was trying to figure out what to fix with ham that wasn’t potato salad or pasta salad and this came to mind. Perfect! Just hope I don’t eat the whole thing.”
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reba says, “I have made this recipe numerous times and it is as good leftover if you have any for leftovers. It is a wonderful recipe. We love it any time of the year.”
This recipe is a common Southern recipe, made famous by Paula Deen.
Can you use fresh pineapple in pineapple casserole?
In so many cases, fresh is best, but for this pineapple cheese casserole, it is best if you use canned pineapple. You need that juice to make the syrupy filling that hols it all together.
What’s in pineapple casserole?
- Pineapple. This calls for two types of canned pineapple: crushed pineapple and pineapple tidbits. You could use drained pineapple chunks, but I prefer the smaller bites of pineapple.
- Flour. All-purpose flour thickens the filling.
- Sugar. This sweetens up the casserole. Lower the sugar if you’d like to adjust the sweetness.
- Cheddar cheese. For the best results, buy a block of sharp cheddar cheese and grate it at home. This will help the cheese melt more smoothly.
- Ritz crackers. The salty, buttery crackers cut back on the sweet of the pineapple in a perfect way.
- Butter. The butter ensures the crackers don’t dry out to much in the oven.
How to Make Pineapple Casserole
To prepare, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a deep dish 9″ pie plate or 1 ½ quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Drain the cans of pineapple but reserve ¼ cup juice. Set the juice aside.
- Mix. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cheese, reserved pineapple juice, tidbits, and crushed pineapple. Stir well.
- Make the topping. In another bowl, small bowl, mix the cracker crumbs and the melted butter.
- Assemble. Place the pineapple mixture in the prepared baking dish. Then sprinkle the cracker crumbs over the pineapple mixture.
- Bake. Bake for 35 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Make Pineapple Casserole Ahead of Time
If you’re prepping for the holidays and need to work ahead, you can prepare this casserole in advance. Mix up the filling and get it in the baking dish, but don’t add the crackers to the top.
Refrigerate up to 2 days before baking, then right before baking, add the crackers to the top and pop it in the oven. Easy!
How to Store Pineapple Casserole
Serve warm and store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm leftovers in the microwave.
More Holiday Side Dishes
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Italian Green Beans
- Green Bean Casserole
- Sweet Potato Puffs
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Pecan Pie
Other Pineapple Recipes
Pineapple Casserole
This sweet southern pineapple casserole could be a side dish…or a dessert! This unique recipe with pineapple, cheddar cheese and butter crackers is always a hit.
Servings 10
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 20 ounces pineapple tidbits (reserve ¼ cup juice) (drained)
- 20 ounces crushed pineapple (drained)
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 40 Ritz butter crackers
- 1/2 cup butter (melted)
Instructions
- Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a deep dish 9" pie plate or 1 ½ quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Drain the cans of pineapple but reserve ¼ cup juice. Set the juice aside. 20 ounces pineapple tidbits (reserve ¼ cup juice), 20 ounces crushed pineapple
- Mix. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cheese, reserved pineapple juice, tidbits, and crushed pineapple. Stir well. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Make the topping. In a small bowl, mix the cracker crumbs and the butter. Sprinkle the cracker crumbs over the pineapple mixture. 40 Ritz butter crackers, ½ cup butter
- Bake. Bake for 35 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Video
Notes
- Add finely chopped pecans to the top for a little extra crunch. Or add shredded coconut or coconut flakes to the topping for a tropical flair.
- Serve warm and store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm leftovers in the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 328mg | Potassium: 181mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 565IU | Vitamin C: 10.6mg | Calcium: 202mg | Iron: 1.2mg
This recipe is my favorite I have found so far. I love love love the mix of chunky and crushed pineapple. Highly recommend this recipe!
We had this for Christmas dinner with Lamb and it was fantastic. It cut through the richness of the lamb.
Can this be doubled and put in a 9-1/2 x 13 casserole dish?
There is a potluck at work that I want to make this for, but was thinking for transport I should do it in the crock pot. Ever done that? Any suggestions?
Just made this for the first time ever and it was a hit! My husband isn’t a fan of pineapple but he said he would like it if it had two cans of crushed pineapple instead of one crushed and one tidbit. It was amazing, though! I can’t wait to make it again.
Wow, is this good! Made it exactly as written. Can’t wait to make this again with Christmas ham!
I have made this recipe numerous times and it is as good leftover (smiley)if you have any for left overs ,it is a wonderful recipe.We love it any time of the year.
Can this be made a day in advance, stored in refrigerator and baked the next day?
Made this for a side dish for Easter and it was awesome. I was afraid it would be too sweet but it was perfect ! This recipe is a keeper.
I used to make a pineapple casserole years ago. My recipe was all tidbits. I thought the same thing about the strange combination. It really is a good casserole.
I made it today and something went wrong! It’s extremely bitter tasting. I followed the recipe, except I baked it in a pie crust. Any ideas as to what happened to make it bitter??
Well, I fixed it for Easter today and there isn’t a speck left over! Delicious!!
I’m fixing this for Easter this year. It just sounds so yummy!
Never made that kind of casserole. Keeping for Easter! Thank you !
This is one of our Easter go to’s. We love Pineapple Casserole!