Old-Fashioned Baked Pineapple Casserole Recipe

The South is famous for its casseroles. From green bean casserole to sweet potato casserole, you'll find there isn't an ingredient that the South hasn't turned into a casserole dish, and we love it! Nothing is better for get-togethers and holidays than a casserole. They're easy, fuss-free, bake in one dish, and are served out of that same dish! It's genius, really. This old-fashioned pineapple casserole is no different. It may not be well-known to all Americans, but it certainly has its place in the South, faithfully found at the Easter table every year.

The ingredients for this recipe may appear strange to most — pineapple, butter crackers, and cheddar cheese — but we assure you, it's a delightful combination of sweet and salty when it's all baked up. Chef Tara Rylie of RylieCakes walks you through how to piece together this casserole in just a few minutes. And with a bake time of only thirty minutes, you can have this on the table wowing your guests in under an hour! Go ahead and give it a whirl — we didn't regret recreating this recipe, and we know you won't either.

For this recipe, you'll need few ingredients, and there aren't any substitutes if you want to make this as traditional as possible. You'll need two cans of pineapple, sugar, flour, sharp cheddar cheese, butter, and butter crackers. That's it.

For the pineapple, you can use pineapple tidbits, pineapple chunks, crushed pineapple, or a combination of the three. We chose to use pineapple tidbits and crushed pineapple to add a depth of texture to our casserole dish. Fresh pineapple can also be used here if desired — simply cut it into bite-sized chunks and be sure to save the pineapple juices.

We recommend sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe because it adds a salty bite to the already sweet casserole. The sharper the cheese, the greater distinction you have between the sweet pineapple filling and the crunchy, cheesy topping, which is just what you want for this sweet and savory dish.

To begin this recipe, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then coat a 9-inch pie pan or small casserole dish with cooking spray and set it aside while you make your filling.

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and the reserved pineapple juice. Whisk until all ingredients are well combined. It will be a thick, sugary mixture. Add your drained pineapple tidbits and crushed pineapple to the sugar mixture. Fold together with a spatula until well combined, and then pour your filling into the prepared pan.

When you drain your canned pineapple tidbits and crushed pineapple, you'll get more than enough juice. You can use the leftover pineapple juice for smoothies, cocktails, or even just drink it as-is with a few ice cubes for a refreshing drink while you wait!

To finish off this casserole, you'll need to prepare the toppings. Shred your cheddar cheese and combine your melted butter in a small bowl with your crushed butter crackers. It's that simple!

As we mentioned before, sharp cheddar cheese is the best option for this recipe. Furthermore, we recommend buying a block and shredding it yourself. Block cheese tends to have more flavor than pre-shredded cheese. Because this recipe is so simple, it heavily relies on quality ingredients like high-end block cheddar.

First, sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the pineapple filling, and then sprinkle the crushed butter cracker mixture over the cheddar cheese. Toppings may go to the very top of the casserole dish or pie pan, and that's okay. This casserole won't rise by any means, so the toppings will stay in place no matter what.

Bake your casserole for 30 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the filling is a bit bubbly. We love this casserole because there's really no way you can screw it up! If it bakes a little short of 30 minutes or a little longer than 30 minutes, it's still going to turn out great. Let your casserole cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving up hot.

Pineapple casserole can be served cold. However, if you want that savory, melted cheese effect, we highly suggest serving it warm. Store pineapple casserole in a casserole dish or pie pan (whatever it was baked in), covered plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to seven days.