Southern Pineapple Souffle
You’ll find some version of this baked pineapple souffle on just about every Southern holiday table! While it’s not technically a “souffle,” it’s more like a pineapple bread casserole or pineapple bread pudding. Sweet pineapple nestled in a mixture of bread cubes, cheddar cheese, eggs, and sugar, then baked to a light golden brown. This is an easy recipe that makes a great side dish with spiral ham, turkey, or savory barbecue! The sweetness of the pineapple contrasts with the saltiness of the meat, resulting in a flavor match made in heaven!
The first time I had this was at Thanksgiving dinner one year when my dear friend brought this –it was a perfect side dish to our turkey dinner and a big hit! It’s since become a family favorite for just about every holiday dinner.
She brought it slightly warm, and when I removed the foil from her serving dish, I was amazed at how beautiful and scrumptious it looked!
This Southern pineapple bake is the epitomy of Southern graciousness, after all, the pineapple does represent hospitality!
You’ll usually find Southern pineapple souffle served at Easter dinner or as a side dish to Thanksgiving because it pairs well with ham and turkey! You’ll usually find alongside Southern Cornbread Dressing, English Pea Salad and Homemade Mac n Cheese.
There are many variations of this recipe: some use buttery Ritz crackers, while others use saltine crackers; other pineapple bake recipes use Challah bread or French bread.
This recipe uses canned pineapple and white sliced bread. How simple is that?
Ingredients for Pineapple Souffle
The ingredients are simple: bread slices (I use plain old white bread), butter, eggs, shredded cheese (sharp cheddar cheese), canned crushed pineapple, and white sugar.
The bread does not need to be stale.
You can use crushed pineapple or pineapple chunks. Just make sure it is well drained.
How to make it
This holiday pineapple casserole takes no time to prepare and you don’t need an electric mixer or stand mixer! Just get a heavy spatula or wooden spoon to mix the ingredients together.
- Soften butter and lightly butter a 9 x 13 baking dish. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Tear or cut bread into ½” cubes; drain the pineapple
- In a large mixing bowl, cream sugar, butter and lightly beaten eggs.
- Add bread cubes, drained pineapple (crushed or diced), and shredded cheddar cheese to the butter mixture; Stir together well and scoop it into a prepared baking dish; cover with aluminum foil and bake it in a 350°F preheated oven on the middle rack.
Recipe Tips
A few tips for a successful and pretty baked pineapple casserole
- Drain the pineapple well; use crushed or diced pineapple chunks–your call
- Don’t forget to butter the baking dish
- Bread – the bread does not have to be stale; Use fresh sliced bread. Tear or cut bread into ½-inch cubes; include the crust
- This recipe works best when baked in a 9 x 13″ casserole dish because, a little goes a long way and…everybody wants a bite of the crunchy top. When you put it in a deeper dish, the crunchy topping doesn’t go as far.
- Bake covered for 40-45 minutes; if you want to brown the top, pop it under the broiler for a few minutes
- Let the pineapple bread casserole rest a few minutes before serving
- You can safely leave the casserole out at room temperature for up to 2 hours covered with plastic wrap; since it contains eggs, it is not advised to leave it out longer than this or in the heat, according to the USDA.
FAQ
This recipe works best in a 9 x 13″ glass dish, however, I’ve made it in two 9″inch pie plates and also in an 8 x 3½ round casserole dish.
The 9 x 13 x 2″ inch casserole dish works best for serving a large group-the batter fills the rectangular pan up about half-way, so that allows each person to get a scoop of the crunchy top and warm filling.
Lightly beaten eggs provide the fluffiness of this dish, much like in a traditional souffle. The inclusion of bread and pineapple make this “souffle” a little more dense, custard-like bread pudding.
Yes. According to the USDA, uncooked casseroles containing raw eggs should be baked within 24 hours.
Use canned or fresh crushed pineapple for pineapple souffle. Make sure its drained well to avoid excess moisture.
It can be either one – or both! The sweetness of the pineapple lends itself to being a great side dish for ham, barbecue or chicken or a great dessert, too!
Use any bread you prefer. Ideally, you want a plain fluffy bread that is either white, wheat or whole wheat and does not contain any ingredients like caraway seeds or herbs such as rosemary or thyme.
No. Fresh bread works well in this recipe because it absorbs the egg which results in a fluffy souffle.
Make ahead instructions
If you make and bake the casserole ahead of time, you can refrigerate it up to three days. An uncooked pineapple souffle should be baked within 24 hours due to the raw eggs. If reheating from the freezer, allow to come to room temperature before reheating.
If you want a crusty brown top, pop the casserole under the broiler for a few minutes after you’ve baked it.
Reheating and storage
Reheat at 350°F, covered, for 20-25 minutes (until center is warm.) Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Freezing is not recommended due to the eggs-the texture of the pineapple bread casserole changes if you freeze it and it isn’t as good as fresh.
Serve this baked pineapple bread casserole with your favorite BBQ, spiral ham or smoked turkey!
Related recipes
- Southern Potato Salad
- Pineapple BBQ Ham Glaze
- Maple Baked Beans
- Southern Sweet Tea
- Lemon Icebox Pie
- Classic Southern Cornbread Dressing
Baked Pineapple Bread Casserole
Ingredients
- 40 ounces Crushed Pineapple , drained
- 1 stick Butter , unsalted; room temperature
- 4 whole Eggs, lightly beaten , large
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese , shredded
- 2 cups Sugar , granulated
- 4 cups Bread ,torn into ½" pieces; See Recipe Notes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Lightly oil baking dish with a little butter and drain pineapple; set aside
- In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar and eggs and cream together until well blended1 stick Butter, 2 cups Sugar, 4 whole Eggs, lightly beaten
- Add torn bread, pineapple and cheese to butter mixture40 ounces Crushed Pineapple, 4 cups Bread, 2 cups Cheddar cheese
- Pour mixture into lightly greased baking dish
- Cover with foil and bake for 40-50 minutes @ 350ºF
- Remove and let rest for 15 minutes before serving (See Recipe Notes for Crunchy Topping)
Notes
- Use plain white bread; I include the crust, but you don’t have to (this is about 8 slices of normal white bread)
- The bread doesn’t have to be stale
- Press the bread gently into the measuring cup
Love it!!👏👏👏