Baked Pineapple Casserole with Cheese

Baked Pineapple Casserole with cheese is a classic side dish you’ll find in every Southern church cookbook. Popular at potlucks and funerals, you can’t beat its simple and easy ingredient list. As crazy as it sounds, it’s surprisingly good! 

Have you ever eaten a pineapple casserole with cheese? If you’ve never had it, you might wrinkle your nose. After all, the unique combination of pineapple, cheese and crackers might not seem like something you’d want to serve for dinner. 

But in the South we have casseroles for every occasion and ingredient, like corn pudding or green bean casserole, even pineapple. And strangely enough, the end result is really good.

If you like pineapple on pizza, I think you’ll love this pineapple bake. It’s got that same salty-sweet combo from the buttery crackers, melted cheddar cheese and juicy fruit chunks. It might not be as healthy as sweet potatoes and pears but just as delicious.

Baked pineapple casserole is also super simple to make, as you only need six easy-to-find ingredients. While you can use fresh pineapple, canned is just as good and makes this recipe for pineapple cheese casserole come together even quicker.

Did you know there isn’t any butter in buttery Ritz Crackers, I’m not sure I want to know why they taste so good. You’ll make up for it in this recipe because melted butter gets poured over the casserole before baking. I’ll get my butter in one way or another!

What to serve with pineapple casserole

Whether you call it baked pineapple, scalloped pineapple or pineapple casserole, it goes with about anything. Try it with Thanksgiving turkey or grilled chicken, Christmas or holiday ham, bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin, steak marsala or slow cooker ribs. And since it takes almost no time to assemble, it’s the perfect quick add-on for any meal that needs more side dishes.

Looking for other pineapple recipes?

• You can make juicy Pineapple Burgers in a skillet when it’s too cold to grill.
• Spicy-sweet Pineapple Salsa Pork is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
• Honey Lime Fruit Salad is an effortless yet delicious dish for a potluck. 
• Easy Hawaiian Rolls are a great addition to any meal.

Why you’ll love it

• Crushed Ritz crackers add a buttery crunch
• It only uses six ingredients
• Easy instructions and irresistible flavors
• The perfect blend of sweet and savory
• A great side for any meal

What you’ll need 

Pineapple – you can use fresh or canned pineapple. I recommend chunks or pineapple tidbits instead of crushed pineapple. Crushed will be too juicy. You will need drained pineapple chunks. You can save the pineapple juice and make Hawaiian cinnamon rolls.

Cheese – sharp cheddar is my go-to for this recipe but you could use a milder cheddar or even white cheddar.

Butter – melt it in the microwave and drizzle over the top before baking.

Ritz crackers – for salty flavor and crunchy texture, you could substitute cheese crackers or even panko crumbs.

Pantry staples – white sugar and all purpose flour

How to make cheesy pineapple casserole

Step 1

If using fresh pineapple, chop it into 1-inch pieces. If using canned pineapple chunks, you’ll need two 8 ounce cans. Drain and reserve juice for another use, like Hawaiian dinner rolls.

Step 2

Place the drained pineapple in the bottom of an 8×8 greased casserole dish. You can use cooking spray for easier clean-up.

Step 3

Stir the sugar, flour and cheese together in a medium bowl. Sprinkle filling on top of the pineapple.

Step 4

For the cracker topping, crush the crackers and place the buttery cracker crumbs evenly over the top of the pineapple mixture. Melt the butter and drizzle it over the cracker crumbs.

Pro tip: Since Ritz crackers are flaky, they are easy to crush. Open the top of the sleeve and gently push straight down on the package. The more pressure you use, the smaller the pieces will get. 

Step 5

Bake the casserole until the crackers are golden brown and the cheese is melted, about 25 minutes.

Cover leftovers and store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days. To reheat, use the microwave or heat in the oven at 350° for 15-20 minutes. 

The easiest way to cut a pineapple

Begin by slicing off the top and bottom ends. Next, stand it on one of the flat ends and use a sharp knife to cut away the outer peel in sections. Slice down the middle to halve the pineapple, then halve again. Cut out the core at an angle.

Then chop the rest of the fruit into chunks. If there is a lot of liquid, you may want to put the pieces in a colander for 10 minutes to let the excess pineapple juice drain off.

FAQs and tips

What kind of cheese goes well with pineapple?

Aged cheddar is the perfect cheese for pairing with pineapple. Gruyere, Manchego or Parmesan would also be delicious on a cheese board but not in this recipe. Stick to cheddar.

Can you make pineapple casserole ahead of time?

Assemble the casserole through Step 4, then cover and refrigerate. When you’re ready to bake it, bring it to room temperature before adding the crushed crackers and melted butter.

What is the best way to freeze fresh pineapple?

If you have leftover pineapple chunks, place them on a baking sheet and pop them in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer the pieces to a Ziploc bag and freeze for up to six months. 

Craving casseroles? 

Gooey, cheesy Spaghetti Casserole is the ultimate comfort food and feeds a crowd. 

Tater Tot Casserole and this Buffalo Chicken version will satisfy your meat-and-potatoes cravings.

Taco Spaghetti is a great option for the nights you don’t have much time to cook.

You can’t go wrong with Green Bean Casserole for a classic holiday side dish. 

Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato casseroles are always show-stoppers. Or try this Lemon Pasta version.

Easy Chicken Tamale Pie can be on the dinner table in less than 30 minutes.

For more traditional Southern recipes

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