This Pineapple Casserole is the perfect side dish to serve along with ham on Easter or any other family gathering. It feels special, it uses only easy-to-find ingredients, and the result is amazing. This recipe includes a sweet and sour pineapple filling, loaded with cheese and a crispy, buttery cracker topping. Once you give it a bite, you’ll dig in for more.
If you’re looking for more recipes for your Easter table, then you should check these out: Peach Glazed Spiral Ham, Ham and Cheese Crescent Rolls, and Herb Crusted Leg of Lamb.
Southern pineapple casserole is a sweet-and-savoury baked side dish made with canned pineapple, sugar, flour, and cheddar cheese, finished with a buttery cracker topping. As it bakes, the filling turns warm, creamy, and a little tangy, while the topping gets crisp and golden. The mix of sweet pineapple, salty cheese, and crunchy crackers might sound a bit unusual at first, but once you try it, it just works.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Perfect for Easter
- Make it with ham, so good
- Easy to make
- I love pineapple
- Crunchy, saucy, sweet, salty
Helpful Items For This Recipe
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Ceramic Baking Dish, 9 x 9 Cake Baking Pan
2 Pcs Stainless Steel Cooking Spoons Set, Solid & Slotted Metal Serving Spoons
Plaid Cloth Napkins – Mitered Corners – Spring Easter Summer, Set of 12
Ingredients to make our Pineapple Casserole recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Pineapple chunks + juice – Any canned pineapple will work; if you get slices, simply chop them before using. Then, reserve some of the yummy juice. Frozen pineapple will also work, but it becomes a bit runnier, so you may want to up the flour by a tablespoon.
Granulated sugar – Extra sweetness on the filling, you can reduce it slightly if desired.
All-purpose flour – It helps to bind the filling.
Sharp cheddar cheese and regular cheddar – The sweet and sour filling shines with this blend of cheddar cheeses. If you are to use just one cheese, I would use sharp, also known as old or aged.
Kosher salt – Only a bit to enhance the rest of the ingredients.
Buttery crackers – They give this casserole the characteristic crunchy topping.
Butter – We used unsalted butter, but any will work.
How to make Pineapple Casserole
Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×9-inch or similar casserole dish.
In a large bowl, whisk sugar, flour, and salt. Stir in drained pineapple and reserved ½ cup juice. Fold in regular and sharp cheddar.
Pour mixture into prepared dish. Combine crushed crackers with melted butter and ½ cup of sharp shredded cheddar until evenly coated. Sprinkle over casserole.
Bake the casserole for 30 to 35 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges and the topping is golden.
Let it cool for 10 minutes before serving. This casserole thickens as it sits.
Recipe Pro Tips
Where did Pineapple Casserole originate?
Pineapple casserole is a classic Southern dish that became popular in the United States around the mid-1900s, when canned pineapple started showing up in a lot of home kitchens. It’s served mostly on Easter, alongside baked ham. Over the years, pineapple casserole has turned into a true Southern classic, loved for its mix of sweet pineapple, melty cheese, and that buttery cracker topping.
Can you make Pineapple Casserole ahead of time?
Yes, definitely. The best, in that case, is to make the pineapple mixture ahead of time, and the buttery crackers topping, but without putting them together yet, so the cracker crumbs remain crispy. Once you’re ready to bake, you proceed with the assembly of the casserole.
WANT MORE SIDES FOR EASTER?
The sides are just as important as the main for any holiday, and Easter isn’t any different. Here are some of our favorites.
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Pin it HERE!!
Pineapple Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
Pineapple Filling
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 20 oz cans of pineapple sliced or in chunks
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice reserved from cans
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Casserole Topping
- 1 sleeve (about 30) buttery crackers (Ritz) crushed
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×9-inch or similar size baking dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk sugar, flour, and salt. Stir in drained pineapple (chopped if you bought slices) and the reserved ½ cup juice. Fold in both cheddar cheeses.
- Pour the pineapple mixture into the prepared dish.
- Combine crushed crackers with melted butter and ½ cup of sharp shredded cheddar until evenly coated. Sprinkle over casserole.
- Bake the casserole for 30 to 35 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges and the topping is golden.
- Let it cool for 10 minutes before serving. This casserole thickens as it sits.
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