We're Celebrating All Things Casserole With an Ode to Everyone's Favorite Family Dinner (2024)

It's no secret that we love casseroles around here. And we do mean love. Whether it's the sweet potato casserole Mom used to make on Thanksgiving or the chicken noodle casserole that's perfect for family dinners, there's nothing a good casserole recipe can't do. After all, casseroles are the ideal comfort food: They save tons of time, they feed a crowd, and... they're just plain good. Take Ree Drummond's famous chicken spaghetti, for instance. It's a weeknight hero if we ever saw one.

So, to honor these crowd-pleasing favorites, we're taking a moment to celebrate all things casserole. Here, you'll discover some fun new facts, pick up some helpful tips, and find tons of great new recipes. We're talking breakfast casseroles, ground beef casseroles, and even some healthy casseroles! You might even find a new dish to add to your holiday menu. Don't worry, we're paying homage to some of Ree's most popular casseroles, too. Dig in to all of it right here, or skip ahead to the recipes and get cooking!

What is a casserole, anyway?

Purists could argue all day about what technically constitutes a casserole, but there really is no true definition. If you throw together ingredients in a baking dish and the end result makes everyone feel all warm and fuzzy inside, it's probably a casserole! Some casseroles go by other fun names: stratas, hot dishes, gratins. Call them whatever you want—if your pantry is stocked and you have an oven-safe baking dish, the casserole world is wide open.

So what's inside?

Let's talk anatomy: A standard dinner casserole usually includes a protein, a starch, a vegetable, a sauce (or other binding ingredient), and cheese. But making a casserole is not an exact science, and you can definitely break away from this formula. Check out some fun side-dish casseroles and desserts below!

Do I need a special dish?

You probably have plenty of options in your kitchen already! But keep an eye out for the size and shape specified in the recipe: This can affect the cooking time and the outcome. If, for example, an egg casserole is in a dish that's too small, you might end up with overdone sides and a raw middle—uh oh!

Here are three things to keep in mind:

If you don't have the size of dish specified in a recipe, use one with about the same volume. For example, a 9-by-13-inch dish and a 3 1/2-quart oval dish will hold roughly the same amount of food. Here’s a handy guide to the dimensions and volume of some commonly used pans:

The depth of the casserole dish is important. The sides of the vessel create a little micro-climate in the oven and promote even cooking and browning on top. Tip: Most recipes will list the length and width of the pan only, so buying dishes that are about 2" high are generally a safe bet.

The pan material matters! As a rule of thumb, if a recipe says to use a "baking dish," it most likely means glass or ceramic. "Baking pan" or "tin" usually means metal or aluminum. Metal pans are great for baking, because they conduct heat well.

Glass or ceramic baking dishes act as insulators—they take longer to heat up but they hold heat for longer. They're best suited for casseroles that don't have a crust, like a crumble or a crisp. These dishes will help keep casseroles warm on the way to the dinner table (or the potluck!) too.

5 Great Casserole Tips

1. Decode your dish size. If you're not sure of the size of a decorative baking dish, flip it over and look in the center of the bottom—you'll likely the quart volume there. Or, use a 4-cup measuring cup and fill the casserole with water. Remember that 4 cups = 1 quart, so you fill it twice and the water almost reaches the top, you are looking at a 2-quart dish.
2. Keep food from sticking. Give your casserole dish a quick spray with nonstick cooking spray, or rub it down with butter or oil before baking. You won’t affect the flavor of the dish and every serving will come out easily.
3. Stop those drips! Place your casserole dish on top of a larger sheet pan before baking so you can avoid spilling sauce on the bottom of your oven. You can line the sheet pan with foil too, for an extra-easy cleanup.
4. Take the temperature. A casserole's cook time depends on the temperature the food is when it goes into the oven. A pot pie, for example, starts on the stove so the filling is meant to go into the oven hot. If you're baking a make-ahead breakfast casserole, like the Everything Bagel Casserole below, the refrigerated dish should come to room temperature before it goes into the oven—don't skip that step!
5. Cook noodles with care. You should undercook noodles by 2-3 minutes when you're adding them to a casserole. The noodles will keeping cooking in the oven, so this will give them the perfect texture in the finished dish.

Let's get to the recipes!

Breakfast Casseroles

It's the most important meal of the day—and now it's the most delicious, too! Serve up some smiles in the morning with these creative breakfast casserole recipes.

Ground Beef Casseroles

For a weeknight dinner that's affordable, quick, and creative, look no further than these ground beef casseroles. There are plenty of twists on your childhood favorites!

Chicken Casseroles

Weeknights are hard enough. Make things easier with one of these inventive chicken casserole dinner ideas. They’ll have everyone coming back for seconds.

Side Dish Casseroles

Whether you're putting out a big party spread or just need a quick dish to round out a meal, casserole sides are easy (and oftentimes cheesy) crowd-pleasers. Sub in one of these for your usual Thanksgiving fare, or to accompany any main course.

Vegetarian Casseroles

These veggie casseroles will make everyone happy—vegetarian or not. They're packed with so much flavor, no one will ever miss the meat.

Dessert Casseroles

Boy, oh boy. These suckers are good. You'll want to dig into every one of these tasty casserole desserts. They come together quickly, so you can easily try them all!

More Casserole Fun

Can you ever have enough casseroles? Definitely not! Here are Ree's greatest casserole hits plus top casserole dishes to buy, a fun casserole quiz, and even more casserole ideas.