Old-Fashioned Scalloped Pineapple Casserole is a delicious dish that tastes a bit like bread pudding studded with sweet, juicy pineapple. It's extremely easy to make and is a great side dish on your holiday table!
A Quick Look at the Recipe
👩🏻🍳 Recipe Name: Old Fashioned Scalloped Pineapple Casserole
⏱️ Ready In: 1 hour, 10 minutes
🧑🧑🧒 Serves: 8
🍴Calories: ~486 (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Canned Pineapple, Breadcrumbs, Milk, Egg, Sugar, Butter
🎯 Difficulty: Easy
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This is a nostalgic recipe for me. My Grandmother used to make this pineapple casserole every holiday, and the buttery, sweet and fruity bread pudding was gobbled up by our entire family every time. It tastes amazing alongside a holiday ham and is so good it could even be served as dessert, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. (In fact, we just got back from a trip to Disney World and this tastes strikingly similar to the pineapple bread pudding that's served for dessert at the amazing Ohana restaurant.) Every time I make this recipe, it brings back great memories!
In This Post
Why This Recipe Works
Old-fashioned scalloped pineapple, also known as pineapple casserole, has been a classic side dish for generations. Its old-school appeal makes it a favorite at holiday meals and family gatherings (along with Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts, Boursin Mashed Potatoes, Spicy Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce, Pomegranate and Couscous Salad, and Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole!). Here's why I love this recipe and why it deserves a spot in your family favorites:
- Delicious. This dish offers the warm, comforting flavors of buttery, sweet pineapple that's hard to resist.
- The perfect holiday dish. This delicious recipe is the perfect complement to ham, making it a classic around Christmas time. (Although it works well with turkey too, so don't hesitate to make it for Thanksgiving!)
- Easy. This is a super-easy recipe to make. With just a few simple steps and readily available ingredients, this recipe is a breeze to make.
- Versatile. Scalloped pineapple can be served as a side dish or a delightful dessert. And with different additions, you can truly make this dish your own.
- A crowd-pleaser. Everyone always loves this recipe - it's always one of the first dishes to disappear at family dinners!
Looking for more casserole ideas? Check out this roundup of my favorite easy casserole recipes!
Key Ingredients
One of the great things about this recipe is that the ingredients are so simple. Here's what you'll need:
- White bread, cubed. You'll want a soft, white bread here that will easily soak up the liquid. A French baguette works well (that's what I typically use), but you could even use white sandwich bread if that's easier for you or what you have on hand.
- Milk, eggs, butter, and sugar. This combo creates a custardy-like filling that the bread soaks up.
- Can of pineapple chunks. The sweet and tart pineapple pairs perfectly with the velvety custard combination. I recommend using canned here, not fresh.
Variations & Substitutions
While the classic recipe is a family favorite, you can get creative with some variations and substitutions to suit your taste or dietary preferences:
- Use brown sugar. Try using brown sugar for a richer, caramel-like taste. This substitution will add a unique twist to your scalloped pineapple.
- Switch up the bread. You'll want to use a soft bread here that will soak up the milk and custard easily, but feel free to experiment with different types. Any soft bread will do - even things like dinner rolls!
- Add butter crackers. Mix crumbled buttery Ritz crackers with melted butter to use as a crunchy, buttery topping.
- Make it healthier. This dish is a bit rich. To make this recipe a little lighter, consider using low-fat milk, reducing the sugar, or substituting some of the sugar with a sugar alternative.
- Add some cheese! There's a southern version of this casserole that uses flour instead of bread cubes and adds cheddar cheese for a bit of a tangy, sharp twist. I haven't tried this version, but it sounds delicious!
How To Make Old-Fashioned Scalloped Pineapple Casserole
This pineapple recipe is easy to make. Here's how to do it.
Step 1: Prep and Soak. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and grease a medium-sized baking dish.
Soak the bread. Soaking the bread in milk first helps to ensure that all the bread is moist. You'll want to leave it in the milk for about 5 minutes to let the bread fully soak up the milk.
Step 2: Make the custard. In another large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Then, add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Step 3: Combine. Stir in the canned pineapple chunks and the soaked bread. The pineapple chunks should be well-drained, so there's not too much pineapple juice in the mixture.
Step 4: Transfer to a baking dish. Pour the pineapple mixture into the prepared baking dish. Use a rubber spatula to spread the pineapple-bread mixture evenly throughout.
Step 5: Bake. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the dish is set in the middle (a knife or toothpick should come out mostly clean).
Frequently Asked Questions
You could, but I wouldn't recommend it. Normally, I would choose fresh pineapple over canned, but for this recipe, I actually prefer to use canned pineapple. This is because the fruit is generally softer, and the canned versions have more juice, which helps pull this casserole together.
Either! It's definitely sweet enough to be a dessert, and if you want to go that route, you can add all sorts of extras, like coconut flakes or pecans to add a dessert-like feel (although it's plenty sweet as it is!). However, we love this served as a side - the flavors really complement the saltiness of a holiday ham.
If you have leftovers, allow them to cool to room temperature, then store them in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Yes! You can prepare everything to the point of baking, then just cover it and place it in the fridge until you're ready to make it (I wouldn't leave it for more than a day, though). You can also make the entire dish ahead of time, then just reheat it, covered, in the oven at 325 for about 30-40 minutes before you're ready to serve it.
More Holiday Sides!
I hope this classic pineapple dish finds its way to your holiday table soon! If you do try this Old-Fashioned Scalloped Pineapple Casserole, let me know what you think in the comments below. And don't forget to tag me @frontrangefed on Instagram - I love to see your masterpiece!
Recipe
Old-Fashioned Scalloped Pineapple Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 cups white bread cubed (I used a French baguette)
- ½ cup milk
- 3 large eggs
- 2 sticks unsalted butter room temperature
- 20 oz canned pineapple
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a 7 ½ x 11 inch baking dish by greasing the sides and bottom, then set aside.
- Cut the bread up into cubes. Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and pour the milk over the top of them, giving them a stir to combine. Soak the bread cubes in the milk for about 5 minutes.
- In another large bowl, cream the butter and sugar well, either by hand or with a hand mixture, then add the eggs and beat until well combined.
- Add the canned pineapple and bread cubes to the butter mixture.
- Pour everything into your greased baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour..
- Serve hot.
Notes
- Serve as a side dish to a holiday ham or turkey, or serve as dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To make ahead of time, prepare everything to the point of baking, then cover and place in the refrigerator for up to a day before baking. Or, fully bake the dish and reheat it, covered, in the oven at 325 for about 30-40 minutes prior to serving.
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tammy J smith says
Do you dump juice with the pineapple
Sarah Jenkins says
You'll definitely want to drain the pineapple before using it in this recipe so that the casserole doesn't come out soggy.
Gladys Bender says
Very good. Definitely a keeper.
Helen says
How many cups of fresh pineapple do I substitute for canned? I have fresh, and I'm looking for a recipie to use it up.
Sarah Jenkins says
Hi Helen,
I have not used fresh pineapple in this dish. I'd assume a 1:1 substitute. However, keep in mind that canned pineapple is much softer and has more juice than fresh pineapple so it may not turn out quite the same. Let me know if you try it with fresh!
Elizabeth says
My grandma used to make this every year for the holidays and we loved it so much as a family. After 2 home moves, I seem to have lost the recipe. I tried a few other recipes but this one is spot on with hers. Cannot wait to make it next week for Thanksgiving.