Casseroles are the ultimate comfort food. They’re hearty, satisfying, and easy to make, making them perfect for a weeknight meal or a special occasion. This roundup features 33 of our favorite crowd-pleasing casserole recipes, from classic chicken pot pie to modern twists on lasagna and mac and cheese.
Why You’ll Want To Try These Easy Casserole Recipes
Casseroles are also a popular choice for certain times of year. They’re perfect for cold winter nights when you’re looking for something warm and comforting to eat. They’re also a great option for potlucks and gatherings, as they can easily feed a large group of people.
Here are just a few of the reasons why casseroles are such great recipes:
- They’re easy to make. Most casseroles can be made with simple ingredients and can be cooked in a single dish.
- Versatile. You can customize casseroles to your liking by adding different ingredients or proteins.
- Affordable. Casseroles are a great way to use up leftover ingredients or to feed a crowd on a budget.
- They’re freezer-friendly. Casseroles can be made ahead of time and frozen for later, making them a great option for busy weeknights.
Family Style Casseroles
Jumbo cheese stuffed pasta shells are stuffed with three cheeses! Ricotta , cream cheese and mozzarella and topped with parmesan cheese. Adding to the ‘easy’ we nestled the stuffed shells in a layer of jarred marinara sauce and baked them to a delicious creaminess. Yum!
Baked Turkey Burrito Casserole, made with left over turkey, vegetables and a creamy pepper jack cheese sauce.
A delicious chicken tortilla casserole made with tortilla chips and a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.
This chicken and broccoli lasagna is comfort food at its best. It's creamy, cheesy, and oh-so-delicious! This dish features layers of pasta, ricotta, chicken, broccoli, and gooey cheese, all smothered in a creamy white sauce.
You can make the bechamel sauce up to 5 days in advance or take a shortcut and purchase a couple of jars of Alfredo sauce. It's even easier if you use a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken from last night's dinner.
Our recipe for Chipotle Pulled Pork Tamale Pie has a cornbread crust and a filling of spicy chipotle pulled pork, fresh roasted poblano peppers, chipotle salsa, black beans and shredded pepper jack cheese.
Our colorful sweet potato-apple casserole is a great side dish for the holiday dinner table and a nice change-up from the traditional dessert-type recipe. This is a sweet-savory casserole with no added sugar, just natural sweetness from the potatoes and apples.
This Deconstructed Stuffed Pepper Casserole is a quick and easy dinner option that offers all the classic flavors of traditional stuffed peppers without the hassle. The savory beef filling gets cooked with peppers in a skillet, making it a healthy and delicious one-pan meal. Serve this unstuffed pepper casserole with a side of crusty bread or a green salad for a complete dinner! This dish is perfect for busy weeknights as it only takes 30 minutes to prepare.
This healthy green bean casserole is light on calories and fat but big on flavor.
This Lamb Shepherd's pie is comfort food at its best. Tender chunks of lamb, carrots, and potatoes are cooked in a savory, brothy stew before being added to a casserole dish. The casserole is topped with rich, creamy mashed potatoes and baked until golden brown.
Egg yolks are added to the mashed potatoes to give them a rich, silky flavor and a firmer texture, so they hold up well on top of the stew.
You can use chunks of raw lamb or leftover lamb roast. If you start with raw lamb, you will want to simmer the stew a little longer to give it time to tenderize.
Traditional elbow macaroni is used in our recipe for Seafood Mac and Cheese. It is loaded with succulent shrimp, Dungeness crab meat and chunks of wild salmon. and baked in a three-cheese creamy sauce. This is the ultimate mac ' cheese!
This hamburger potato casserole recipe is a delicious and comforting meal. It's the perfect combo of hearty, creamy, and cheesy that's gonna satisfy everyone at your dinner table. The best part? It's quick, simple, and uses ingredients you likely already have on hand.
The old-fashioned tuna noodle casserole takes on an update as Tuna Pasta Casserole from Scratch, using shaped pasta instead of noodles. A homemade condensed cream of mushroom soup replaces the standard canned soup.
This beef casserole with garlic-chive einkorn dumplings is loaded with beef chunks, parsnips, carrots and mushrooms in a flavorful sauce. The dumplings, made with einkorn all-purpose flour, studded with garlic and chives are crisp and toasty on top and light and soft inside. This beef casserole with dumplings is a great one-meal dinner choice.
Baked goat cheese pasta is an easy, flavor packed main course that can be on the table in 30 minutes. The juicy tomatoes and warm soft goat cheese blend together creating a creamy sauce for the wilted spinach and basil. This is the perfect meal for a quick Meatless Monday or any day of the week.
This creamy entrée of leeks, rosemary and cheese pasta bake is made with the ancient grain, einkorn whole wheat pasta. The sauce is made with white cheddar, parmesan and mascarpone and balances perfectly with the chopped leeks and fresh rosemary.
A creamy mac and cheese casserole that just oozes with warm cheese sauce. Topped with crunchy bread crumbs that are toasted to a golden brown.
Our Poblano Chorizo Strata layers day-old bread with roasted poblanos, spicy chorizo, pepper-jack cheese, red bell peppers and a rich egg custard.
White chicken enchiladas that are spiced up with chipotle and green peppers then smothered in a creamy, rich white sauce.
Note: If you use canned chipotle peppers, do not use the whole can. You will only need about 2 to 3 whole peppers from the can. You can freeze the rest of the peppers.
Casseroles were created for weeknights and busy parents and this one will please the whole family. It is a one dish meal. Just add a side salad and you are set. We updated our old-time family favorite of Chicken Tortilla Casserole with a creamy sauce and corn tortillas. This is homestyle cooking, made from scratch at its best.
A chicken pot pie chock-full of chicken, wild rice instead of potatoes, fresh vegetables, herbs, a sauce made of chicken broth and wine. Topped with a flakey golden pastry crust.
Overnight French Toast Bake is a simple dish with a lot of WOW! Bite-size apple cubes lightly glazed in brown sugar are layered over Brioche bread cubes. A mixture of eggs, cream cheese, milk and cream soaks into the bread cubes creating a creamy custard-like texture.
These chicken mole enchiladas are packed with seasoned chicken, black beans, and cheese. A rich, decadent mole sauce smothers them and gives the enchiladas a fantastic flavor.
This seafood lasagna has a delicious mix of shrimp, scallops, salmon, and cod in a creamy white sauce. The rich and savory flavors of this dish make it an amazing entrée for a special dinner.
You can make the bechamel white sauce in advance or make the whole lasagna in advance and store it in the fridge until you are ready to bake it.
This Eggplant Lasagna with Spicy Italian Sausage Meat Sauce is not your average pasta-based lasagna. Slices of eggplant are used in lieu of pasta noodles. Spicy Italian sausage, béchamel sauce, fresh herbs and mozzarella cheese are added in the layering of the casserole.
Our savory Asparagus-Ham and Gouda Breakfast Strata is rich, creamy and super delicious. This is a perfect entrée if you are hosting a brunch party. Just assemble the dish the day or night before, refrigerate it then bake it the next morning.
This savory French Onion Soup Casserole has all the goodness and flavors of your favorite French onion soup. Sweet caramelized onions, Gruyère cheese, fresh thyme leaves and sourdough French bread. All layered together in a casserole, then soaked with a rich flavor broth.
Easy chicken enchilada casserole with a polenta base and using rotisserie chicken. All the flavors you love in chicken enchiladas are layered together with spicy Pepper Jack cheese and baked to a golden brown. And, it's gluten-free!
This Instant Pot chicken broccoli rice casserole is cheesy, creamy, comfort food. It comes together in a flash and it is made completely from scratch.
These crab enchiladas are a delicious twist on the traditional Mexican dish. Large chunks of crab meat get mixed with corn, red bell pepper, and onion to add texture and flavor.
A dash of brandy enhances the sweet flavor of the crabmeat while adding a depth of flavor. See the notes if you want to substitute the brandy.
Our recipe for cassoulet will not take three days to prepare as with the classic French cassoulet. This duck cassoulet is made with duck confit, sausage, pork, and white beans. The ingredients are slowly simmered to bring out their rich flavors, This hearty dish is great for entertaining or for casual family meals.
This Mexican chicken casserole is a cross between a tamale pie and a chicken enchilada. It uses pre-cooked shredded chicken for convenience, and the cornbread topping gives it a delicious crust. This dish is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
This recipe for baked spaghetti and meatballs is a one-pot dish packed with flavor and perfect for busy nights when you need to save time on cleanup.
The meatballs bake on top of the pasta, adding flavor and richness to the dish. Stretchy, oozy cheese melts over the top, adding even more flavor. Serve it with garlic bread and a salad for an easy dinner.
This breakfast Ham and Cheese Strata (Croque Monsieur) is prepared in advance, refrigerated overnight to allow the liquid to absorb into the bread then baked the following day. It is perfect for a holiday brunch or lazy day breakfast.
Serving Ideas For Casseroles
The recipes in this round up are all easy to make and require minimal prep time. They are also versatile, so you can customize them to your liking. Whether you are looking for a hearty main dish or a light and refreshing side, you are sure to find a recipe here that you will love.
Casseroles are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by friends and family. With so many different recipes to choose from, there’s sure to be a casserole that everyone will love.
Here are a few serving options for casserole recipes:
- Serve as a main course with a side salad or vegetable.
- Serve as a side dish with grilled chicken or fish.
- Pack in a lunchbox for a hearty and satisfying meal.
- Serve them as a brunch dish.
How Do I Store And Reheat A Casserole?
- To store a casserole, let it cool completely and then cover it tightly with plastic wrap or foil. You can store the casserole in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat a casserole, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and then bake it in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through.
Tips for Success
With these tips in mind, you’re sure to make a crowd-pleasing casserole that everyone will love. So get cooking and enjoy!
- Use pre-cooked ingredients to save time. You can find pre cooked chicken, pre cut vegetables, and many more time saving ingredients to use.
- Freeze them for later. Casseroles can also be frozen for later. This is a great way to have a quick and easy meal on hand when you don’t have time to cook.
- Top the casserole with cheese or bread crumbs for a crispy crust.
- Let the casserole cool slightly before serving to prevent the sauce from running.
Side Dish Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
You can test many casseroles by shaking gently. If the casserole is set and doesn’t jiggle, it is done. For biscuit or corn bread topped casseroles, use a toothpick method, insert and if it comes out clean the top portion has baked and the lower part is likely done also.
