Easy Pineapple Casserole with Bread (Classic Southern Recipe)
Southern pineapple casserole is one of those classic dishes that always gets people talking. With its perfect balance of sweet pineapple, buttery topping, and a touch of savory flavor, it’s a unique side dish that pairs perfectly with holiday meals, potlucks, and summer cookouts. If you’ve never tried it before, this easy recipe is a must.
This delicious recipe for pineapple casserole pairs wonderfully with other easy Southern Thanksgiving side dishes. It’s incredibly versatile and guaranteed to disappear quickly at any gathering, especially with these easy fall off the bone ribs. While it’s traditionally served as a side dish, the sweetness of the pineapple makes it feel like a dessert — perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth.
I’ve been making this easy pineapple casserole for over 30 years, and it’s always a hit. The combination of sweet pineapple, buttery goodness, and savory flavors may seem unusual, but it works beautifully. I originally started making it to pair with ham for Easter dinner, and now my family insists it’s a must-have for every holiday. They love it so much that I recently made it on a weeknight with this oven baked chicken tenders recipe, and not a single complaint was heard!
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💗 Why You’ll Love This Pineapple Bake
- Quick and Easy Prep: This casserole comes together in no time with just a few simple ingredients. Everything is mixed by hand—no mixer is required! Combine everything in one bowl, pour it into a casserole dish, and bake. Easy! Just like my veg-all casserole recipe with canned vegetables. Simple!
- Perfect for Any Occasion: This dish is a crowd-pleaser at church socials, holiday gatherings, or even as a weeknight side. It’s guaranteed to impress your family and guests.
- Budget-Friendly and Delicious: This simple yet flavorful casserole tastes like pineapple bread pudding. The bread soaks up the rich buttery flavor and sweet pineapple juices, making it an excellent pairing with Easter ham or any festive meal. One bite, and you’ll be hooked! Another budget-friendly dish is my cabbage casserole with cheese. Delish!
🥘 Ingredients Needed
This pineapple casserole recipe is made with simple ingredients and comes together fast.
- Bread Cubes: I use white bread for this recipe and prefer to cube or tear it by hand. The pieces don’t need to be uniform—rustic chunks work perfectly. I also leave the crust on for added texture. Day-old or slightly stale bread works best, soaking up the buttery pineapple mixture without becoming mushy.
- Milk: I always use whole milk for this casserole. It’s usually what I have on hand, but 2% milk will also work. The whole milk enhances the creamy texture.
- Eggs: Eggs bind the ingredients together, creating a custard-like texture. I recommend using medium to large eggs for the best results.
- Sugar: White granulated sugar adds the perfect amount of sweetness to balance the tangy pineapple.
- Butter: I use one cup of salted butter for a rich, buttery flavor. The salted butter adds to the overall taste and balances the sweetness.
- Pineapple: I recommend using canned pineapple chunks or tidbits with the juice included. The juice adds moisture and sweetness, giving the casserole its flavor.
🔪 How to Make This Dish
This pineapple bread casserole is so simple; with just a few minutes of prep, you can have this in the oven, plus no mixer is required. For complete instructions, see the recipe card below.
Step 1: Cube the bread. No need to be precise — just tear it into bite-sized pieces. I like to leave the crust on for extra texture.
Step 2: Now grab a large mixing bowl. Pour in the milk and eggs, then add the sugar and softened butter. Give it a good stir until everything’s well combined.
Step 3: Time to add the pineapple! Pour in the pineapple chunks with the juice — that juice is key to flavor. Stir it all together so it’s nice and mixed.
Step 4: Toss in your cubed bread and stir again to ensure all those pieces get coated in that sweet, buttery mixture.
Step 5: Pour everything into your prepared baking dish and pop it in the oven. Bake for about 40-45 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Step 6: Once it’s out of the oven, let it rest for a few minutes — if you can wait that long! Serve it warm and enjoy every sweet, buttery bite.
💭 Pro Tips
- Use a Large Bowl: Since the bread takes up quite a bit of space, a large mixing bowl is needed to combine everything well.
- Soften Your Butter: Softened butter blends more easily with the other ingredients, creating a smoother mixture.
- Prepare the Bread Properly: Cube or tear the bread into bite-sized pieces or smaller. Leaving the crusts on adds extra texture to the casserole.
- Don’t Drain the Pineapple: Use canned pineapple with the juice included. The juice adds to the sweetness and moisture of the dish. I prefer pineapple tidbits, but crushed pineapple can work in a pinch.
- Bake to Perfection: Bake until the top is lightly golden brown.
- Let It Rest: After removing the casserole from the oven, allow it to rest for a few minutes to help the flavors settle and make the serving easier.
🧺 How to Store Leftover Casserole
Store all leftovers in the refrigerator. Allow the pineapple casserole to cool to room temperature, wrap leftovers tightly in plastic wrap, or place in a tightly covered bowl. Leftovers will usually last 4-5 days in the refrigerator. Although, they never last this long at my house.
Need a quick dessert for your holiday table? My Simple No Bake Pumpkin Pie is a winner every time! It’s light, fluffy, and comes together in minutes. Delish!
🥄 What Do I Serve With This Dish?
The options are endless, and honestly, it goes great with everything. This makes a unique and very tasty pineapple side dish.
- Best with Salty Ham: The sweet and savory combination of ham and this pineapple bake recipe is always a winning duo.
- Great with Grilled Foods: Perfect for summer cookouts alongside Onion Soup Mix Burgers and BBQ Grilled Chicken Drumsticks.
- Ideal for Holiday Meals: Serve it with this Thanksgiving Day Turkey Recipe, Sticky Chicken Thighs, or these Pork BBQ Ribs in the Oven.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether it’s a festive holiday gathering or a casual weeknight dinner, this dish is sure to impress.
If you are looking for side dishes to serve at holiday gatherings or during the week, be sure to try my Sweet Potato Casserole with Brown Sugar and Pecans and Southern Cornbread Salad with Bacon and Candied Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar and Butter. These always show up on my table for the holidays.
When to Serve Pineapple Casserole
- Easter and Holiday Meals
- Church Potlucks
- Summer BBQs and Cookouts
- Sunday Family Dinners
Serve this alongside my creamy chicken with potatoes, or my simple chicken and rice recipe, for a full family dinner. Add my pea salad with bacon for another easy holiday side dish, and end the meal with my banana pudding recipe.
❔ Recipe FAQ’s
I like to serve hot pineapple casserole as a side dish, but I have also eaten leftovers as a dessert. Basically, it depends on you! It is fantastic with a scoop of this no churn vanilla ice cream recipe.
Canned pineapple is usually sweeter and has more juice than fresh. However, I have not tested this recipe with fresh pineapple. Therefore, I can not recommend the outcome.
No. Do not drain the pineapple juice. You will need the juice in this recipe.
Yes, you can assemble the dish, cover it, and refrigerate until ready to bake, or bake it and reheat before serving.
For More Casserole Recipes:
If you tried this Pineapple Casserole recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please consider leaving a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📋 Recipe
The Best Pineapple Casserole
Ingredients
- 5 cups cubed bread
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3 Eggs beaten
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 20 ounce can pineapple tidbits with juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a bowl, mix milk, eggs, sugar, and butter.
- Add pineapple and juice. Mix well
- Add cubed bread. Stir until all of the bread is coated.
- Spray a 9″ x 13″ casserole dish with non stick spray. Pour the pineapple mixture into the dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
- Serve warm. Enjoy!
Notes
-
- Use a Large Bowl: Since the bread takes up quite a bit of space, a large mixing bowl is needed to combine everything well.
-
- Soften Your Butter: Softened butter blends more easily with the other ingredients, creating a smoother mixture.
-
- Prepare the Bread Properly: Cube or tear the bread into bite-sized pieces or smaller. Leaving the crusts on adds extra texture to the casserole.
-
- Don’t Drain the Pineapple: Use canned pineapple with the juice included. The juice adds to the sweetness and moisture of the dish. I prefer pineapple tidbits, but crushed pineapple can work in a pinch.
-
- Bake to Perfection: Bake until the top is lightly golden brown.
-
- Let It Rest: After removing the casserole from the oven, allow it to rest for a few minutes to help the flavors settle and make the serving easier.
- Store all leftover pineapple casserole recipe in the refrigerator. Allow the baked casserole to cool to room temperature, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, or place in a tightly covered bowl. Leftovers will usually last 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
Is this to eat as a “side” with the meal or is it more of a dessert dish?
Hi Martha! I serve this casserole mostly as a side dish. Some guests like to eat it as a dessert. Thanks for the question and enjoy!
This is fantastic!! Everyone loved it. One of those recipes I’m tucking away for later use because I’ve already been asked to make this again, TWICE.
Omg this is the best dessert ever! It’s sweet and satisfying, kind of like a dressed up bread pudding! Yum!
Oh wow! This looks and sounds absolutely fabulous! Love that it could be a side dish or a dessert.
oh ya this would be great with ribs! good idea
I’ve been making this for YEARS and everyone loves it and asks for the recipe. I always make it with baked ham, scalloped potatoes and baked beans. It’s a winner!
This cake is so delicious! Love how easy it is to make and it’s so good!
As a self-proclaimed pineapple addict, I thought I’d eaten pineapple in every way possible. This is a new one! It would definitely be a delicious dessert. I am so excited to try it!
This casserole is a hit! Perfect for the holidays or even during the summer with grilled chicken or beef.
This looks so yummy! I love that it can be a breakfast or dessert food. YUM!
This is a southern classic! Perfect and my kids and family love it!
Huge fan of pineapple so I gave this a try. SO good!!
What a fun idea to add pineapples to the casserole. It cuts the fat!
What a great dessert to have made with pineapples. This would go along with my honey baked ham!
Oh I love anything with pineapple and this looks incredible.