Hawaiian SPAM Recipes: Pineapple & SPAM Casserole
I am sure many of you are about to run away already, just from reading the title of this post. The rest are probably thinking, “We ask for Hawaiian recipes and THIS is what you give us?!” When I made this, I got a kick out of my mom’s comment, “I raised you better than that.” Haha! All I can say is hear me out. My roommate recently was given an assignment to try an ethnic recipe that was out of her comfort zone. Since we are both from Colorado, we were both a little freaked out by SPAM. Honestly, I didn’t even really know what it was until we looked for recipes. Many of you may not consider SPAM an ethnic food, but in Hawaii it kind of is! Every year over 20,000 people make their way to Waikiki for the yearly SPAM Jam festival- that is some love for SPAM.
After browsing SPAM recipe ideas, we decided that a pineapple and SPAM combo would be best. SPAM Musubi is another popular Hawaiian recipe, which is grilled SPAM on top of rice wrapped with nori. The salty SPAM (which is canned spiced ham for those of you who had no idea, like me) complimented the sweet pineapple really well. This dish was easy to put together and was actually really good! If you are still freaked out by SPAM, you can substitute *ahem* real ham for the SPAM to make this dish at home, honestly is is much healthier to use real ham so I would recommend it. More Hawaiian recipes to come and a little sneak peak of the Morimoto price fixe Valentine’s Day menu as well, so stay tuned!
COVID-19 Update: SPAM is a great item to keep in your pantry! If you are looking for easy SPAM recipes during your time at home. This recipe is highly reccomended. You can also use canned pineapple!
Hawaiian SPAM & Pineapple Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 can can SPAM cubed
- 2 each 16 oz cans pineapple chunks reserve juice
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 red/orange/yellow bell pepper or mixture chopped
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup flour
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups cubed french bread
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300F.
- Mix together the pineapple, onion, peppers and SPAM and place in greased 9x13 pan.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar, flour, pineapple juice.
- Pour the juice mixture over the SPAM mixture and top with cheese.
- For the croutons, toss bread cubes with 2 tbsp olive oil, season with parsley, garlic salt and pepper.
- Toast at 300F until crunchy (about 10 minutes).
- Increase oven temperature to 375F, cover casserole with foil and bake until soft (about 30 minutes).
- Sprinkle croutons over top before serving.
I love spam and have a can from Xmas time, a friend gave me a sushi rice molder so I could make spam sushi! I used to put it on toast as a kid and broil it to make it kind crispy like bacon…
I love the pineapple combo. You can’t get more Hawaiian than that 🙂
I was just waiting for that Spam recipe from you! 🙂
Jenny, I grew up less than 30 miles from the Hormel plant in Minnesota. (Haven’t been to the Spam Museum there yet — maybe next time I’m home!) My Mom made Spam for breakfast frequently (fried like you’d fry a ham steak) and sometimes she’d sprinkle a little brown sugar over the top. (Sounds questionable, but it was actually pretty good!) Thanks for a post that was like a trip down Memory Lane for me. 🙂
I have a confession: I don’t mind SPAM at all! I even like it! 😀 So I was quite eager to check out your recipe. It sounds delicious!
Jennie, Years ago I used to make a Spam and sliced pineapple dinner that was really nice! I sliced the Spam up, and put a slice of pineapple in between each Spam slice, added some of the pineapple juice over the whole thing, and sprinkled some cinnamon and nutmeg and a small amount of brown sugar over top. This all went into a loaf pan, one you’d make a meatloaf in, a nd baked in a 350degree oven for about 40 minutes to an hour. Really a tasty meal.
We pan seared red, yellow, and orange mini peppers chopped with some fresh minced garlic. You can add an onion (shallots are nice.) Once they are translucent, cube the spam and add a bottle of homemade, canned tomato sauce with the spam, etc.! Add a can of petite diced tomatoes. We would then add a pasta (whatever was in the the pantry.) Cook until Pasta is al dente. Mix well and enjoy. Leave the pot on the stove, no heat. Believe me, there will be no left-overs if your your house is like mine! Maybe some bread and butter too!