The holidays are just around the corner, and everyone has their favorite dishes. One dish that I dream about throughout the year is my mom’s pineapple stuffing. While pineapple might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to stuffing, I promise it’s worth a try.
Typically, we think of stuffing as a savory dish made with chicken stock and seasoned with sage and thyme. But my mom completely changed my perspective when she started making this easy dish years ago. With just a few ingredients, you’ll have a rich and flavorful stuffing that tastes like dessert, yet can still be served alongside the rest of your holiday entrees.
How To Make My Mom’s Pineapple Stuffing
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My mom’s pineapple stuffing is extremely easy to throw together since it has just five ingredients, similar to this recipe. A custardy base of sugar, butter, eggs, and crushed pineapple is combined with cubed bread for a simple but tasty side.
The secret to my mom’s pineapple stuffing lies in her choice of bread. She initially made the dish using a loaf of white bread, but over the years, she switched to using King’s Hawaiian rolls. The rolls add a slightly sweeter flavor and lovely golden color to the dish.
First, my mom chops the rolls into cubes a day or two ahead of time, which allows the rolls to dry out a bit. Then she prepares the base of her stuffing, combining white sugar and butter until it’s smooth before adding in the eggs one at a time. Next, my mom drains the can of crushed pineapple and mixes the fruit into the base. Finally, she gently folds in the cubed Hawaiian rolls, making sure they’re fully coated in the pineapple mixture.
From there, the prepared stuffing mix gets poured into a greased casserole dish and baked at 350 degrees F for about 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Let it cool a bit to ensure the stuffing is set before digging in.
Tips, Tricks, and Ideas for Serving Leftovers
The beauty of this dish is that it isn’t limited to just being a side dish. While I love pineapple stuffing during our annual holiday dinners, my mom always makes an extra batch for me to enjoy in the days following. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve eaten a serving or two for breakfast. And the sweet flavors and warm texture also mean it could work well as a dessert, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
It’s an easy side dish and will make a tasty addition to any holiday spread. With just a few simple ingredients, there’s no excuse not to give it a try.
Get the recipe: Simple Pineapple Stuffing