Cheesy Pineapple Casserole (Southern Classic)
Pineapple Casserole - The Ultimate Side Dish
Cheesy Pineapple Casserole is one of those wonderfully quirky Southern dishes that shouldn’t make sense… but absolutely does. It’s sweet, salty, buttery, cheesy, and crunchy all at once — the kind of comforting side dish that shows up at Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and every potluck worth attending.
This casserole has deep roots in Southern cooking, especially across Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas, where the tradition of pairing sweet fruit with savory ingredients runs strong. The combination of juicy canned pineapple, sharp cheddar cheese, and a buttery Ritz cracker topping have been beloved for generations. It’s easy, affordable, and uses pantry staples — which is exactly why it became a staple in mid‑century community cookbooks and holiday tables.
What makes this dish irresistible is the balance: the pineapple stays bright and tangy, the cheese melts into a creamy sauce, and the cracker topping bakes into a golden, buttery crust. It pairs beautifully with ham, pork tenderloin, baked chicken, or a full holiday spread. Some Southerners even serve it as dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream — and honestly, they’re not wrong.
This is one of my very favorite side dishes. You generally see it on the Holiday menu. However, my coworkers and I love it often. It's sweet & sour, and cheesy! This casserole goes great with Pork tenderloin, Pork Chops, or a good Sunday Ham. It also goes great just to eat it all by itself!
Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 350°F
xoxo - Pat
Cheesy Pineapple Casserole is one of those wonderfully quirky Southern dishes that shouldn’t make sense… but absolutely does. It’s sweet, salty, buttery, cheesy, and crunchy all at once — the kind of comforting side dish that shows up at Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and every potluck worth attending.
This casserole has deep roots in Southern cooking, especially across Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas, where the tradition of pairing sweet fruit with savory ingredients runs strong. The combination of juicy canned pineapple, sharp cheddar cheese, and a buttery Ritz cracker topping have been beloved for generations. It’s easy, affordable, and uses pantry staples — which is exactly why it became a staple in mid‑century community cookbooks and holiday tables.
What makes this dish irresistible is the balance: the pineapple stays bright and tangy, the cheese melts into a creamy sauce, and the cracker topping bakes into a golden, buttery crust. It pairs beautifully with ham, pork tenderloin, baked chicken, or a full holiday spread. Some Southerners even serve it as dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream — and honestly, they’re not wrong.
This is one of my very favorite side dishes. You generally see it on the Holiday menu. However, my coworkers and I love it often. It's sweet & sour, and cheesy! This casserole goes great with Pork tenderloin, Pork Chops, or a good Sunday Ham. It also goes great just to eat it all by itself!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups Kraft Shredded sharp cheddar
- 2 (20-ounce) cans drained (reserve ¼ cup of juice)
- 2 sleeves chopped Ritz Crackers
- 1 stick melted butter + additional to grease pan
Preheat oven to 350°F
- Grease 9 x 13 casserole dish with butter or cooking spray
- In large bowl, mix in flour and sugar
- Add drained pineapple chunks (make sure you have your reserve)
- Gradually stir in cheese until combined
- Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish
- Combine cracker crumbs, melted butter, and reserve pineapple juice
- Stir until evenly blended
- Spread crumb mixture on top of pineapple mixture evenly
- Bake 25-30 minutes, or until topping is golden brown
xoxo - Pat
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