I received a great casserole cookbook for the holidays this year, but I have to admit I'm really not sure what makes a casserole dish.
Is the key that it can go in the oven? Can I use a pot then that is oven-safe? Or do I have to buy something special? Sorry this is such an amateur question, but I need help!
Thanks.
- Mary
Mary,
This is a very reasonable question! Casseroles are usually dishes that will go into the oven at some point so, yes, any dish you use for a casserole should be oven-safe. Past that, there is a lot of flexibility in what sort of pan to use, depending on the recipe. Most recipes, like this Tuna Noodle Casserole at Epicurious, tell you what volume pan to use - in this case, a 2-quart dish.
Some recipes, however, will specify the actual size. A very common pan size for casseroles is a 9x13 inch pan. This is the classic casserole dish, and glass or metal 9x13 pan will see you through almost any sort of casserole.
We like this Pyrex 9x13 Dish because it comes with a snap-on plastic lid - handy for storage and potlucks.
You can use other pans too, of course, but sometimes you will need to adjust recipes. If, for instance, you are making a layered casserole that calls for a 9x13 pan, but you put it into a round dish with less surface area, the casserole will be deeper and thicker and will probably need more cooking time. If you put it into a large jelly roll pan you'd need less baking time because it would be very spread out and thin.
Now - back to the readers. Any suggestions for Mary on good casserole dishes?
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Corningware!
Dependable and reasonably priced...and easy to find at Amazon, or any large store (target may have it too). I have a 9 x 13 of their newer basic white, but I also have 2 smaller "cornflower" classic dishes that have been kicking around for 25 years. They still look brand new.
view NyKittyNy's profile
I am a huge fan of making casseroles in my scanpan - http://www.scanpancookware.com/classic-open-stock-1/stew-sauce-pots-23/. You can sautee the veggies and make the sauce in it, throw in the other ingredients, and pop it in the oven. Plus it is just a great pan in general.
view LornMcG's profile
Owning a single deep round dish and a shallow rectangular dish will be enough for most recipes.
I personally prefer Pyrex glass to stoneware, porcelain, or cast iron dishes due to their relative lightness. Casseroles can get heavy.
Admittedly, I was a bit shocked at your question, but then again, I grew up in a casserole eatin' kind of family. I have a growing collection of vintage Pyrex dishes in all shapes and sizes.
view verily's profile
I bought a 13 inch terra cotta cazuela from the Seattle Spanish Table years ago (it was about $15, I see they've gone up a little http://tinyurl.com/8jgs9o), but I use this for everything baked, roasted, braised (in the oven). This little round dish has become my most favorite kitchen vessel, and the more I use it the more little scars and burns appear in the terra cotta, proving my love. :D
view TheGuth's profile