Chunks of pineapple are married with shredded cheddar and a crunchy buttery cracker topping in Gluten Free Pineapple Au Gratin. Sounds weird, but you’ll love it once you taste it!
If you’re from the South, you already know what Pineapple au Gratin is, and chances are you’ve made it on Easter in the past. Chances are that you also haven’t had it in years, mainly because you can’t find gluten free Ritz crackers. Well, that all changes today because I’ve already shown you how to make gluten free Ritz crackers, so now all you have to do is get the pineapple and cheddar and you’re more than halfway there!!
This is my sister’s recipe, but we all made it at least once in our lifetime, either as an Easter side dish or as a party appetizer. Any time it was served, people would rave about it, not even realizing what was in it and how unusual it was. That’s because it all goes together so well, you won’t care. I can promise if you just give it a try, you’ll love it, too.
What you need
- Pineapple chunks — no need for the fresh stuff here. This is an easy peasy recipe and canned pineapple is all you need. Plus, you’ll need to save the juice for part of the recipe.
- Sharp cheddar cheese — the best is when you grate it yourself, but if you just don’t have the time, pre shredded will work in a pinch.
- Sugar
- Kim’s all purpose gluten free flour blend — a store bought blend may be substituted, but hasn’t been tested.
- Gluten free Ritz style crackers — you can make them homemade and they won’t take any time (plus, they’re amazingly good). However, if you still are just too darn lazy, then buy yourself a box of those Lance Gluten Free Original Crackers that look like Ritz. It won’t matter if they’re all broken (as they usually are) because you’ll need to crush them up anyway.
- Melted butter
how to make pineapple au gratin
- Drain pineapple, but save juice. Dump pineapple into casserole dish.
- Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over pineapple and stir to combine.
- Whisk together reserved pineapple juice, sugar, and flour. Pour over pineapple and cheese.
- Crush gf Ritz crackers and sprinkle evenly over top.
- Pour melted butter on top of crackers and bake casserole at 350 F for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly and the crackers are golden brown. Serve warm.
Pineapple au Gratin FAQs
The traditional recipe always uses sharp cheddar cheese, so I would suggest not deviating from that as the sharpness of the cheese balances so well with the sweetness of the pineapple.
It’s been a staple at Southern weddings, funerals, and anywhere else a casserole may be common.
Yes, cover it with foil and reheat it in a 325-degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 5 minutes, just to re-crisp the topping. You can also reheat it in the microwave in 30-second increments until hot, but the topping most likely won’t stay crisp.
If you’re an old pineapple au gratin (aka pineapple casserole) fan, I already know you’ll be making this. If you’re intrigued by a new recipe, just try it cuz I know you’ll love it! All the south can’t be wrong, y’all!
Gluten Free Pineapple au Gratin
Ingredients
- 1 20-oz (567 g) can chunk pineapple
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp (26 g) Kim's all purpose gluten free flour blend (a store bought blend may be substituted, but hasn't been tested)
- 1 cup (113 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese (freshly shredded is best, but pre-shredded will work)
- 32 gluten free Ritz style crackers (store bought will also work)
- 4 tbsp (57 g) butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Drain pineapple chunks and reserve juice. Mix pineapple and cheese together in a casserole dish (I used a 9 by 9-inch square).
- Mix reserved pineapple juice, sugar, and flour and pour over pineapple and cheese.
- Crush crackers into crumbs in a large ziptop bag with a rolling pin (or something similar) and sprinkle over top. Pour melted butter over crumbs.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until crumbs are light golden brown. Serve warm as a side dish or appetizer. Recipe can be doubled easily and placed in a 9 by 13-inch rectangular baking dish.