Pineapple Stuffing | Rachel Cooks®

This pineapple stuffing is a sweet side dish for your holiday ham or Thanksgiving turkey, made with crushed pineapple and buttery bread cubes. You can even serve it like bread pudding for dessert!

 

Sweet and Buttery Pineapple Stuffing 

This pineapple stuffing is like a cross between a traditional stuffing you’d serve at the holidays and a bread pudding you’d have for dessert. And if you ask anyone in our household, it’s both! Pineapple stuffing is an easy side dish made with moist, fluffy bread chunks baked with a buttery filling and layers of crushed pineapple. The fruity sweetness goes just as perfectly with a savory holiday roast or slow cooker ham as it does with a cup of coffee after a meal!

Why You’ll Love This Pineapple Stuffing Recipe

• Double duty. Pineapple stuffing is a delicious sweet bread dressing to serve with holiday mains like baked ham or Thanksgiving turkey. Or, enjoy it as a dessert topped with whipped cream, bread pudding-style.
• Simple ingredients. Five of them, to be exact. This pineapple dressing comes together with pantry staples: bread, canned pineapple, sugar, eggs, and butter. 
• Adaptable. This stuffing recipe is easy to adapt depending on how you serve it and whether you’re after a dish that’s more sweet or savory. I’ve included some easy variations later in the post.

Recipe Ingredients

I’ll get you started with some notes on the ingredients you’ll need for this pineapple bread pudding. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable ingredients list and instructions.

• Bread – Firm, crusty bread is best, cut into cubes. I use just about all of a 16-ounce loaf of Italian bread from my local grocery bakery.
• Pineapple – One can of crushed pineapple and one can of pineapple chunks. You can leave the crushed pineapple undrained but remember to drain the pineapple chunks.
• Sugar – Granulated sugar or light brown sugar.
• Eggs – Six whole eggs give structure and richness to this bread pudding-style dish. 
• Butter – Unsalted butter, melted in the microwave beforehand so that it has some time to cool a little.

How to Make Pineapple Stuffing

Ready for a quick step-by-step? You’ll find printable instructions in the recipe card, but here’s a short overview to show you how to make this easy pineapple stuffing:

Prepare the baking dish. Coat a 9×13” baking dish generously with butter, then add the bread cubes. Spread the bread out in an even layer.

Add pineapple. Next, spoon the crushed pineapple and drained pineapple chunks over the bread layer. 

Pour over the rest of the ingredients. Whisk together sugar, eggs, and melted butter, and pour the mixture over the bread and pineapple.

Bake. Bake the pineapple stuffing at 350ºF for about 1 hour, until a knife or toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean. 

Tips for Success

With a one-pan recipe that’s this simple, it’s hard to go wrong. That being said, here are my last-minute tips for the best results:

• Don’t throw out your butter wrapper! Use the leftover butter wrapper to grease your baking dish. This is a handy kitchen hack that you can use for other casseroles and baking recipes, too.
• Layer the ingredients. Add the bread to the dish first and then pour the other ingredients over the top, instead of folding everything together at once. This avoids a soggy mess.
• Scoop or slice. A scoop is better for serving this stuffing as a side dish, like at Thanksgiving. I recommend cutting this bread pudding into squares if you’re serving it for dessert. 
• Looking for another stuffing recipe to try? Check out my easy, sweet-savory apple stuffing, too.

FAQs

Can I use another type of bread? 

Sure! Choose a bread that has a firm texture so that it soaks up the liquid. You can also use stale, day-old bread that would be softer otherwise.

Why is my casserole mushy? 

If your pineapple stuffing is mushy, this is a sign that it needs to be baked longer, or that the bread that you used was too soft. Try leaving it in the oven for a few extra minutes.

Can I make this recipe in advance? 

Absolutely. However, I recommend baking, cooling, and storing this pineapple casserole in the refrigerator if you’re preparing it ahead. See below for detailed storage and reheating instructions.

Make This Stuffing Recipe Your Own

I intentionally left off any savory toppings, like cheese, to make this pineapple stuffing recipe more versatile. But don’t let that stop you! There are plenty of ways to adapt this casserole to be sweeter or more savory to suit your preferences:

• Add nuts. For some crunch, toss roughly chopped toasted walnuts or toasted pecans over the bread cubes.
• Add cheese. If you’re serving this recipe as a bread dressing, try sprinkling the top of the casserole with grated cheddar cheese, parmesan, or pecorino before baking.
• Add herbs. For another savory option, whisk fresh thyme or rosemary leaves into the butter mixture.

Ways to Serve Pineapple Stuffing

This pineapple stuffing is guaranteed to become a new favorite at your table! Here are tasty ways to enjoy this casserole, no matter which way you slice (or scoop) it. 

Side Dish

Pineapple stuffing goes deliciously with salty baked ham (did someone say, aloha?). It’s a perfect easy side dish at Easter or Christmas! I love the sweet flavors of this stuffing paired with more festive sides like scalloped sweet potatoes with bacon and Gruyère, a green bean casserole, and smoky Brussels sprouts.

Of course, it wouldn’t be stuffing if it didn’t also pair well with a Thanksgiving dinner and a side of turkey gravy!

Dessert

For dessert, slice this pineapple casserole into squares and serve it topped with vanilla ice cream (like my grilled pineapple recipe) or a dollop of whipped cream. It’s also delicious as is, served with a cup of coffee or tea.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• To Store. Store this pineapple casserole airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this stuffing as it becomes way too mushy once thawed.
• Reheat. To reheat, warm the stuffing in the oven at 350ºF until heated through.