Baked in one dish, served family-style, and able to be made ahead, casserole recipes are just the thing when you want something warm, cozy, and comforting. They feed many, freeze well, and are a great option if you want to bring a dish to a friend or family member. What’s not to love?
The casseroles in this collection range from throwback hits to surprising reinventions of the genre. Yes, there’s a lot of cheese and cream, but you’ll also find lighter and brighter casseroles that incorporate lean proteins and loads of vegetables. There are main courses and side dishes, recipes that draw from traditional American cuisines as well as from ones from around the world, and more. Dig in!
Tuna Casserole
Rachel Marek
This super adaptable recipe for the classic is one you’ll come back to again and again. It walks you through the most basic version and then offers suggestions on how you can tweak it based on your likes or whatever you have on hand. It’s a keeper!
Mushroom and Black Bean Tortilla Casserole
A delicious Tex-Mex-inspired casserole that’s a great option for entertaining. It’s vegetarian, and you can serve it with an array of condiments for guests to add as they wish, from diced avocado to sour cream.
Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole
Shredded rotisserie chicken, cooked rice, sliced mushrooms, and frozen peas come together in this easy take on the familiar classic. Top it with breadcrumbs and bake until they’re golden and crispy.
Ground Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
Jason Donnelly
To make this pie (which is much more like a casserole than a traditional pie), you top ground turkey in gravy with carrots, onions, and celery with mashed potatoes. The turkey makes for a lighter and healthier version of the classic that we think you’ll love.
Sausage and Kale Stuffed Shells
Justin Walker
This baked pasta casserole feels at once familiar and unexpected. The pork sausage gives it heft and comfort, while kale adds nutrition. Bonus: you can make it ahead and freeze it for up to three months.
Pimiento Mac and Cheese
The addition of eggs, sour cream, and some grated onion ensures this Southern-inspired mac and cheese holds together and isn’t at all dry. And the flavor? Thanks to roasted bell pepper, mustard powder, cayenne, and sharp cheddar, it’s off the charts.
Zucchini and Yellow Squash Gratin
If you’ve got a glut of zucchini or are just looking for new ways to serve this tasty vegetable, try this rich casserole. The panko on top gives it the perfect crunch.
Very Vegetable Lasagna
What makes this lasagna “very” veggie? A smart trick where zucchini isn’t just incorporated into the filling but also stands in for some of the lasagna noodles.
Mexican-Style Lasagna
This twist on lasagna uses corn tortillas instead of noodles, and the filling is a piquant mixture of spinach, pinto beans, salsa, scallions, and cilantro. Grated pepper Jack cheese is the perfect finishing touch.
Chicken and Kale Casserole
Here’s a comforting and healthy casserole you’ll want to put into your regular rotation. It includes large pasta shells, which do a great job scooping up chopped kale, shredded chicken, and a mixture of ricotta and Parmesan cheeses.
Chicken Tetrazzini
The familiar combination of chicken, mushrooms, and pasta is a great one, and with this recipe, you can enjoy it times two! You’ll end up with two 2-quart casseroles, so you can enjoy one now and freeze one for another day.
Cheddar, Beef, and Potato Casserole
This homey casserole has a fun finishing touch: crisped hash browns. Putting the dish under the broiler at the end of baking ensures perfect crunchy edges.
Corn Pudding With Chives
A crowd-pleasing creamy side dish, our take on corn pudding calls for frozen corn, so you can make it any time of year. It’s a great Thanksgiving side, but would be just as tasty alongside ham or pork chops.
Broccoli Cheese Casserole With Crackers
Martyna Szczesna
Broccoli and cheese are a winning combination in salads, soups, and, it turns out, casseroles. Shredded Gouda lends nice depth, and crushed Saltines are the ideal crispy topper.
Green Bean Casserole With Bacon
No cream of mushroom soup here! This from-scratch take on the classic is built from the ground up, ending with a topping of crispy fried shallots.
Scalloped Potatoes
Maxwell Cozzi
Yukon gold potatoes, sliced paper thin, are surrounded with a luscious combination of milk, heavy cream, and Gruyère cheese, for a warming side that’s outrageously good.
French Onion Mac-and-Cheese
Two throwbacks come together in this genius pairing. With caramelized onions, three cheeses, and shells, it’s a match made in heaven.
Classic Chicken Potpie
Grant Webster
This old-fashioned dinner never disappoints, with its savory filling of chicken and vegetables and buttery crust on top. You can use whatever type of chicken you like: roast, rotisserie, or even leftovers.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Cozy and comforting, but not overloaded with cheese, these chicken enchiladas rely on crumbled cotija for a bit of creaminess and tang.
Tuna-Noodle Casserole With Cauliflower
Cauliflower florets add nutrition to this well-known casserole, and a pleasing texture, too. You can use any wide noodle here, but pappardelle is especially nice.
Baked Ziti With Ground Beef
Looking for a crowd-pleaser? You can’t go wrong with baked ziti. This one may look a little different, as it’s made in a springform pan, but it still oozes with cheesy goodness.
Chicken-Sausage and Bean Casserole With Sage
Here’s a casserole you may not have tried before but that you’ll love, combining a familiar combination of sausage and beans. The addition of fresh sage plays up sausage’s herbal notes.
Meatball Casserole
What could make meatballs even better? Covering them in sauce and melting cheese on top, as this delicious casserole deftly demonstrates.
Taco Casserole
Think of this casserole as upside-down nachos and you’ll get the gist. It starts with browned ground beef and beans in a spicy sauce; then, you top it with chips and cheese and bake.
Chicken, Leek, and Mushroom Casserole
You can combine chicken, leeks, and mushrooms any which way and they’ll be tasty. Bake them into a casserole, though, along with country bread and cheese, and they’re next-level good.
Honeynut Squash, Leek, and Brie Gratin
Johnny Fogg
A fall-themed, vegetarian casserole is a great option for cool-weather entertaining. Lasagna noodles are mixed in with slices of honeynut or butternut squash, and chopped Brie makes it feel a bit more elevated than your typical bake.
