Our Easy Casserole Recipes Are Just Right for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (2024)

Casseroles are the epitome of ease and simplicity, and will never go out of style. Whether a timeless favorite, like tuna noodle casserole, or an inspired take on a classic, any of our easy casserole recipes will hit the spot. Why are casseroles so popular? They're always comforting to eat and filling to boot—not to mention that most can be prepared ahead of time and baked when you need them. Better yet, you serve them right from the dish they're made in, making cleanup a snap when the meal is finished.

And casseroles aren't just for dinner. Sure, they're a welcome way to get supper on the table quickly, but we consider anything from a vegetable-packed egg bake for lunch or a sweet breakfast French toast to fit into the casserole category. Give one of these delicious recipes a try this week.

8 Mistakes to Avoid for Casserole Perfection

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Colcannon Shepherd's Pie

Our Easy Casserole Recipes Are Just Right for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (1)

A creamy combination of mashed potatoes and Savoy cabbage sits atop this classic meat-based casserole. The simple, hearty topping makes something special out of an otherwise simple dish.

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02of 28

Eggplant Meatball Casserole

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These meatballs are made with eggplant, so they're perfect for Meatless Monday and beyond. They're cooked in an easy homemade tomato sauce before they're topped with plenty of mozzarella cheese.

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03of 28

Pepperoni Pasta Bake

Our Easy Casserole Recipes Are Just Right for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (3)

Pepperoni pizza meets stuffed shells? Say no more! This easy casserole recipe has a generous amount of zucchini is hidden in each bite, but you'll be too busy enjoying all of the meaty pepperoni slices and gooey mozzarella and ricotta cheeses to notice.

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04of 28

Cheddar, Beef, and Potato Casserole

Our Easy Casserole Recipes Are Just Right for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (4)

This dish is the solution to the question, what's for dinner? Sautéed onions, ground beef, and mushrooms add bulk, along with frozen mixed vegetables and cheddar cheese. The topping, frozen hash browns, is crisped up under the broiler.

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05of 28

Baked Shells and Broccoli With Ham and Cheesy-Creamy Cauliflower Sauce

Our Easy Casserole Recipes Are Just Right for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (5)

Plenty of broccoli (and an entire head of cauliflower) add fiber and other nutrients to this comforting casserole. A topping of crunchy, golden brown breadcrumbs is the perfect complement to the creamy texture of the dish.

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06of 28

Chicken Divan

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A creamy, cheesy sauce brings together the chicken, broccoli, and mushrooms in this classic casserole. Using panko breadcrumbs on top adds just the right amount of crunch.

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07of 28

Cheesy Spinach-Potato Egg Casserole

This vegetarian casserole is savory and satisfying thanks to a combination of Yukon gold potatoes, curly-leaf spinach, and plenty of fontina cheese. It can be baked and served in the same dish, which makes entertaining so much easier.

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08of 28

Turkey-Pastrami Croque-Madame Casserole

Our Easy Casserole Recipes Are Just Right for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (8)

Feed your family this crowd-friendly casserole inspired by a French ham-and-cheese sandwich for breakfast or dinner. Swap the turkey pastrami for ham if you prefer but don't skip the fried egg on top of each portion—or the sprinkling of chives.

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09of 28

Broccoli-Cheddar Hash-Brown Casserole

Our Easy Casserole Recipes Are Just Right for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (9)

Sure to lure even laggards out of bed in the morning, this crowd-pleaser combines shredded cheddar cheese, Dijon mustard, and Greek yogurt with grated potatoes and broccoli for an irresistible meal, morning, noon, or night.

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10of 28

Baked Blueberry French Toast Casserole

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Making French toast casserole is so much easier than standing at the stove flipping each slice one by one. We used rich, buttery brioche for this dish. It will absorb the custard as it soaks overnight.

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11of 28

Salmon Noodle Casserole

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Serve this twist on an all-American classic for lunch or dinner. Chopped scallions and plenty of fresh dill add brightness and color to the creamy pasta.

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12of 28

Broccoli Casserole

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Move over, green bean casserole. The base for this popular side is made with Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, sour cream, and gouda cheese. Then, broccoli is folded into the mixture before it's topped with crackers and baked until golden brown.

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13of 28

Taco Casserole

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Nachos meet tacos in this 30-minute casserole. Sauté ground beef, bell peppers, and onions with aromatics like tomato paste, spices, tomatoes, and pinto beans, then top with tortilla chips and a combination of Monterey jack and cheddar cheese. Who could resist?

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14of 28

Three-Pepper Corn Casserole

Corn casserole is an all-American favorite. This recipe spices things up by adding minced chipotle in adobo and pepper jack cheese to the creamy corn mixture.

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15of 28

Meatball Casserole

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This easy-to-make and easy-to-love casserole uses a combination of ground pork and ground beef. Plenty of mozzarella cheese is scattered on top and melted to ooey, gooey perfection.

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16of 28

Tuna-Noodle Casserole With Cauliflower

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We've upgraded this nostalgic side dish with a better-for-you twist—cauliflower florets add texture and heft to the creamy casserole.

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17of 28

Cinnamon-Raisin French Toast Casserole

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Make quick work of breakfast with this French toast casserole you can assemble the night before and bake the morning of. A cinnamon-spiced custard and plenty of raisins give the dish the flavor of sweet cinnamon toast.

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18of 28

Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole

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Talk about easy! This casserole is on the table in 40 minutes. It uses favorite shortcut ingredients like pre-cooked rice, frozen peas, and store-bought rotisserie chicken to streamline prep.

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19of 28

Sweet Potato Casserole

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This qualifies as the ultimate Thanksgiving casserole, but we love it year-round. Sweet potatoes are boiled until fork-tender, then transferred to a baking dish and topped with mini marshmallows.

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20of 28

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Our Easy Casserole Recipes Are Just Right for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (20)

Cremini mushrooms and green lentils take the place of ground beef in this cold-weather casserole. It's super savory and it will feed a crowd.

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21of 28

Baked Mac and Cheese With Broiled Tomatoes

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Macaroni and cheese is delicious on its own, but cover it with breadcrumbs and bake it, and it's a whole new ball game. Kids and adults alike will enjoy the sliced tomato topping.

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22of 28

Lasagna With Meat Sauce

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Making lasagna is a process, but so worth it. Our go-to recipe keeps things simple by using no-boil noodles. We use a combination of lean ground beef and sweet Italian sausage for the filling, plus a trio of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan for a creamy layer of cheese.

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23of 28

Panettone French Toast Casserole

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Here's the delicious answer to Christmas leftovers. Slices of panettone—the Italian holiday fruit bread—are submerged in a classic French toast custard and baked until puffed and golden brown.

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Sweet Potato and Sage-Butter Casserole

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Whipped sweet potatoes are decadent and indulgent beneath a layer of breadcrumbs. Chopped fresh sage adds warm, earthy notes to this perfect side dish casserole.

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25of 28

Hash-Brown Casserole

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Start your morning off with this easy-to-put-together breakfast casserole. Potatoes, scallions, shredded cheddar cheese, Cubanelle peppers, and sweet Italian sausage are combined for a truly hearty dish that's sure to satisfy.

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Mushroom and Black Bean Tortilla Casserole

Our Easy Casserole Recipes Are Just Right for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (26)

A mixture of cremini mushrooms, black beans, and salsa is layered with halved tortillas and shredded Monterey jack cheese for a stellar vegetarian casserole.

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Susan's Manicotti

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This easy casserole recipe is one you'l want to make on repeat. Manicotti pasta shells are filled with mozzarella, ricotta, and Parmesan cheese and topped with marinara sauce—and a bit more cheese—for an indulgent dinner.

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Sweet-Potato Shepherd's Pie

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Swap the usual Yukon gold or russet potatoes topping of Shepherd's pie for sweet potatoes; it's a clever riff that tastes as good as it looks. The filling is made with ground beef, cremini mushrooms, Pilsner-style beer, and Dijon mustard

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Our Easy Casserole Recipes Are Just Right for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (2024)

FAQs

What is the key to making a good casserole? ›

  1. Choose the right baking dish. If you're all about the crunchy topping, use a shallow dish. ...
  2. Undercook your pasta. ...
  3. Drain your meat. ...
  4. Beware of mushy vegetables. ...
  5. Know your cheeses. ...
  6. Master the art of casserole assembly. ...
  7. Don't skip the topping. ...
  8. Make it now, but bake it later.
Nov 1, 2021

What are the 3 components of a casserole? ›

In the United States, a casserole or hot dish is typically a baked food with three main components: pieces of meat (such as chicken or ground meat) or fish (such as tuna) or other protein (such as beans or tofu), various chopped or canned vegetables (such as green beans or peas), and a starchy binder (such as flour, ...

Is it better to cook casserole the day before or? ›

Make-ahead meals (especially baked casseroles) are terrific because you can completely assemble them in advance and bake them just before serving. They're the ultimate comfort food as they come bubbling hot and delicious straight from the oven to the table to the delight of family and friends.

What is the main ingredient in a casserole? ›

Casseroles are made by combining a variety of starches, meats, vegetables, and other ingredients, sometimes raw and sometimes cooked, into the dish and baking them in a casserole dish. Casserole dishes are traditionally square or rectangular baking pans, usually made of Pyrex, aluminized steel, or earthenware.

How do you make a casserole not soggy? ›

To prevent a soggy top and a firm or crunchy bottom, it's important to use a shallow baking dish, to cook the casserole at the correct oven temperature and for the appropriate amount of time, and to be mindful of the amount of liquid used in the recipe.

What is the oldest known casserole? ›

Macaroni and cheese is the oldest written casserole recipe found in 1250.

Does a casserole have to have cheese? ›

A casserole is a loose collection of ingredients bound together in a dish and baked until they turrn into a cohesive whole. It is not quite a dip, and not quite a composed dish. Cheese is often involved, but not always. It's usually served hot, and you use a fork or spoon to eat it.

Is lasagna considered a casserole? ›

Lasagna, famed worldwide, has ancient origins and remains an Italian superstar dish. Basically, lasagna is a baked casserole made with wide flat pasta and layered with fillings such as ragú, bechamel, vegetables and various cheeses. Unsurprisingly, every Italian region has its own traditional recipe.

Do you bake casseroles covered or uncovered? ›

In general, you'll want to bake a casserole covered with aluminum foil for most of the cooking time. Covering the casserole helps lock in moisture and prevents it from drying out. If you don't cover the casserole or uncover it too soon, the casserole will dry out.

How long should a casserole be cooked for? ›

The time a casserole takes to cook will vary from 2-2½ hours for chuck, blade and thick flank, up to 4 hours for shin, leg and neck. Pork cuts for braising and casseroling normally take 1½ hours, and lamb much the same.

Do casseroles cook better covered or uncovered? ›

In general, covering a casserole dish will cook the food faster. This is because the lid traps the heat that rises off the food instead of letting it dissipate into the oven. Covering also has the effect of moistening the food inside, like steaming, because any moisture that rises off the food is trapped by the lid.

What is the most popular casserole dish size? ›

"The standard size of a casserole dish is 9 by 13 inches. However, due to varying shapes, they are often measured by volume, with three quarts being average,” says Contrino. “It is important to note that if a recipe calls only for a casserole dish, it is most likely asking for a 9- by 13-inch rectangular size.

Should you stir a casserole? ›

Preparing a casserole is easy – all you need to do is brown the meat on the stovetop, combine all the ingredients in the casserole dish then cover and pop it in the oven. There's no stirring required either, so you have more time to relax.

What is the best side dish in the world? ›

30 best side dishes
  • Cauliflower cheese.
  • Epic summer salad.
  • Quick kimchi.
  • Roasted carrots.
  • Easy pilau rice.
  • Ultimate roast potatoes.
  • Giant couscous & tomato salad with zhoug-style dressing.
  • Best ever macaroni cheese.

What are three guidelines to follow when preparing casseroles? ›

Top tips for casseroles
  1. Cut your ingredients, such as meat, potatoes and parsnips, into similar-sized pieces to ensure they cook evenly. ...
  2. To save time – and washing up – use a flameproof, ovenproof casserole dish. ...
  3. Avoid adding flour after cooking or the raw flour taste will remain.

What are five basic components of most casseroles? ›

According to food blog High Heeled Homemaker, your basic casserole requires five ingredients: a protein, starch, vegetable, sauce, and cheese. If you have those five ingredients in your casserole dish, congratulations; you just made a casserole, whether it's a beloved recipe or a concoction of your own creation.

What are the 4 parts of a casserole? ›

Not every single casserole has all of them, but as a rule of thumb, here's what to look for: a starch, a binding agent or sauce, and a protein or vegetable. Many casseroles also have both vegetables and proteins, as well as a crunchy element to give some textural contrast, and cheese.

How can I improve my casserole? ›

Many casseroles seem to improve in flavour if kept overnight (cool them quickly and keep them in a refrigerator, by the way, once they're cold). This means it's quite possible to make two casseroles while the oven is in full swing, and keep one for the next day.

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