Vegan Pineapple Casserole

Pineapple Casserole is a classic old fashion southern casserole. Good news is that it can very easily be veganized. It is a sweet casserole but it isn’t served as desert. It’s a side dish that you will often see at family gatherings and on holiday tables in the south. Pineapple Casserole is one of those recipes that everyone’s mamas just knows. The ingredients are simple and don’t vary much from recipe to recipe. For our Vegan Pineapple Casserole recipe I substituted ingredients to make it vegan and cut back the amount of sugar traditional recipes use to make it slightly healthier.

What is Southern Pineapple Casserole?

If you didn’t grow up in the South, the combination of pineapple and cheddar might sound unusual. However, this pairing is a staple for a reason! The saltiness of the vegan cheddar shreds provides a perfect contrast to the acidic sweetness of the fruit. When topped with a buttery cracker crust, it creates a texture that is part-custard, part-crumble, and entirely delicious.

Best Vegan Substitutions for Pineapple Casserole

Making a dairy-free version of this Southern classic is simple, but choosing the right ingredients ensures you don’t lose that signature texture.

• The Vegan Cheese: We recommend using vegan cheddar shreds (like Daiya or Violife) that have a sharp flavor profile. Since the pineapple provides a lot of sweetness, the sharpness of the cheese is vital for that salty-sweet balance.
• The Buttery Topping: Traditional recipes call for a lot of dairy butter. Using a high-quality vegan butter sticks (rather than tub margarine) will give your cracker crust a richer, more authentic flavor and a better golden-brown crunch.
• The Crackers: Most classic buttery round crackers are surprisingly accidentally vegan, but always double-check the labels for whey or honey.
• Reducing the Sugar: Traditional Southern recipes can be incredibly sweet. In this version, we’ve used vegan-certified organic sugar and reduced the amount to let the natural brightness of the pineapple shine through.

I hope you enjoy our Vegan Pineapple Casserole! If this is a dish that you know and love let me know what you think of our vegan version. What other traditional southern casseroles need a vegan facelift? I wanted to veganize this one before Easter because I know it will be on a lot of southern family tables for holiday meals. I think it would be great with a seitan ham!

Looking For More Southern Sides?

• The Ultimate Southern Side Dish Collection: 20+ more meatless recipes to round out your menu.
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• Cornbread Dressing Muffins