Baked Pineapple Casserole with Ritz Crackers
Easy baked pineapple casserole with Ritz crackers and shredded cheddar cheese is a classic Southern side dish recipe.
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Sometimes you just want simple, basic food with no strange frou frou garnishments. Comfort food like grandma used to make. This is one of those recipes.
I first had this at Porches Restaurant in Wesson, Miss. The restaurant is a lovely converted old house that serves handmade crab cakes that are out of this world. Every time I go there I order this warm, sweet pineapple Ritz cracker casserole. It’s their signature dish.
Is pineapple casserole a dessert or a side dish?
Traditionally, it’s served as a side dish, kind of like sweet potato casserole or a jello salad. It pairs really well with a salty dish like a baked ham. However, it is sweet enough that you could get away with serving it as a dessert.
How to Make Baked Pineapple Casserole with Ritz Crackers
This delicious recipe could not be easier to make. It serves a crowd, but you can easily scale it down.
Step one. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Step two. This recipe starts with 6-7 cups of diced pineapple. You can use fresh pineapple. A three pound fresh pineapple will yield you about 4 1/2 cups of diced. Fresh pineapple is a lot of work, though. I opt to either use the pre-cut fresh from the produce section or canned pineapple. If using canned, drain the juice first.
Pour the diced pineapple into a large mixing bowl and add some granulated white sugar, all-purpose flour and sharp shredded cheddar cheese. Give it a good mix. Then pour it into a 8 x 8 x 2 inch casserole dish.
Step three. Crush your Ritz crackers. Easiest way I’ve found is to place the crackers in a large resealable plastic bag, seal the bag, then roll over the crackers with a rolling pin. If you need to relieve some stress, you could also give them a good whack! Sprinkle the crushed crackers over the top of the pineapple casserole.
Step four. Melt three tablespoons of unsalted butter. Pour the melted butter over the crackers.
Step five. Bake the pineapple cheese casserole for about 25 minutes. The crackers should be nice and toasty and the casserole warm and bubbly when you pull it out of the oven.
Can pineapple casserole be made ahead of time?
You can assemble the casserole up to right before you add the Ritz cracker topping a couple hours in advance. I don’t recommend putting it together much before then because the sugar will draw out some of the liquid in the pineapple as it sits. Wait to add the Ritz crackers right before baking so they stay nice a crisp.
Can pineapple casserole be frozen?
Unfortunately, this is not a dish that freezes well. The process of freezing and thawing the pineapple will change the texture, causing it to become mushy and watery. Any leftovers should be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator and eaten within four days.
Pair Pineapple Casserole With:
- Bourbon Glazed Baked Ham
- Lamb Chops with Mint Julep Sauce
- Wild Rice Stuffed Turkey Breast
- Oven Roasted Whole Chicken
Similar Side Dish Recipes:
Baked Pineapple Casserole with Ritz Crackers
Ingredients
- 6 cups pineapple chunks drained
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine pineapple, sugar, flour, and cheese.
- Pour mixture into a greased 8 x 8 x 2-inch casserole dish.
- Crush crackers and sprinkle over the top of the pineapple mixture.
- Pour melted butter evenly over cracker layer.
- Bake casserole for 25 minutes or until golden brown and slightly bubbly.
Nutrition
Hi Mary, this recipe is from the Porches cookbook.
**many** variations
Is this from their recipe book? I was doing a search and my variations popped up . Each claiming to be Porches recipe.
This looks so delicious! I’ve never seen this before but I want to try it!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.blogspot.com
My Mississippi family serves this (but without the cheese, which I will be adding from now on) after king ranch casserole. I have no idea why these two foods are associated with one another but we cannot have one without the other. I think this is going on our Easter menu this year, along with the hummingbird cake in the newest SL for dessert!