Casserole Recipes & Ideas

Plenty of melty cheese and lots of warm tomato sauce ensure this is comfort food at its best.

There are some enchiladas that are pure over-the-top indulgences, oozing with cheese at every turn. These are not those enchiladas. You’ll certainly find gooey, melty cheese in every bite, but this version comes with a more wholesome twist and is all about the veggies. These family-friendly enchiladas are packed with sweet roasted butternut squash, tender corn, and smoky black beans, and then topped with a super-simple, ultra-fresh green salad.

As a child of the 1980s, one night a week was reserved for Hamburger Helper — a quick sauté of ground beef, some noodles, and sauce and you’ve got dinner. Today, I don’t need help from a box to get a quick skillet dinner on the table; I just need a basket of everyday ingredients and inspiration from an iconic sandwich. Philly cheesesteaks mean thinly sliced beef and sautéed onions and bell peppers tucked into a hoagie roll and smothered with melted cheese.

If you’re a fan of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches then boy oh boy, are you in for a treat. This snack cake starts with a tender, moist cake full of peanut flavor, but the crowning touch is in the hypnotic swirl of jelly over the top. A creamy peanut butter mixture and dollops of grape jelly mix and mingle throughout the cake batter and bake up so that every single bite of this cake tastes as though a PB&J and yellow cake collided.

With its puffed edges and eggy pancake-meets-popover texture, a Dutch baby pancake is guaranteed to delight a crowd every time you pull one from the oven. This version, baked in a trusty 9×13-inch baking dish, has even more than what meets the eye, with a crackly cinnamon-sugar layer on the bottom and swirled throughout the batter. Top it with some warm apple slices and a dollop of whipped cream and you’re good to go. Best of all, it is nearly effortless to pull off.

Bookmark these for the weeks ahead.

It's a comfort food lover's dream.

It's fast, fresh, and super delicious.

It's exactly what we want to eat right now.

Rotisserie chicken, refried beans, tortillas, enchilada sauce, and your favorite cheese. Dinner, done!

Guaranteed to be the most comforting dish on the table.

This is a total dinner game changer.

The flaky puff pastry crust is impossible to resist.

It's like a frittata, but better.

Earlier this week we rounded up some vegetarian and vegan comfort food recipes To give this pot pie a deep, savory flavor, I adapted my favorite umami-packed vegetarian gravy recipe from AllRecipes.com. It contains nutritional yeast, which has a nutty, somewhat cheesy flavor. The crust is adapted from Savvy Vegetarian and uses Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks for a surprisingly buttery flavor and texture.

This vegan weeknight meal combines everything you love about enchiladas — the savory filling, corn tortillas, and bright salsa — with the ease and comfort of a casserole. Instead of typical rolled enchiladas, we spread the warm kale-and-mushroom filling between layers of corn tortillas. Think of it like an enchilada lasagna. I held my breath as my meat-loving husband plunged his fork into the wide section of casserole layered on his plate.

Wait until you try the cashew cream!

It could even dupe your cheese-loving friends.

In my conversation with chef Jacques Pépin, it struck me how many times he mentioned cooking smarter and how things didn’t have to be unnecessarily complicated. This recipe is a great example of that. You can turn a little bit of leftover cooked fish into a comforting casserole that will feed the whole family! Jacques says, “This is a delicious and economical way of using leftovers from a whole fish or fillets of any fish, from salmon to catfish.

A Spanish tortilla is a deceptive thing. How can a mix of potatoes, onion, and eggs taste so perfect? Any yet, like anything rooted in simplicity, the answer is in the ingredients and the technique. In this casserole, inspired by the classic Spanish tortilla, all the signature flavors are present — from the garlicky, olive oil-slicked potatoes and onions to the tender egg filling. The technique, however, has changed.

I am definitely a cold weather cook. Even in the spring and summer I can’t seem to stop braising meats and baking casseroles. Comfort food is definitely a major theme in my kitchen. And while exploring Southern cuisine — which is the ultimate comfort food in my book — is my passion, I also enjoy exploring the comfort foods of other nations. Since it’s Pasta Week at The Kitchn, I thought I’d share one of my favorite carb-loaded recipes.

After your first bite, you might start wondering what this reminds you of — it's spanakopita, friends.

Every so often there comes a restaurant meal which really inspires us in our own kitchens. This is a dish influenced by my own recent visit to the Porthminster Café, a breezy restaurant nestled below an ocean cliff just steps away from the stunningly blue water in St. Ives, Cornwall. Headed by Australian chef and surfer Michael Smith, the Porthminster Café’s menu mixes Mediterranean and Asian influences, and it’s heavy on the local seafood.

The tomato tart is a classic summer dish. It stands alone as a great appetizer, makes a light brunch with an egg on top, or supports the lead as a charming side dish with grilled chicken or seafood. It has a surprise ingredient of cinnamon — borrowed from the dishes in the Mediterranean — that works to bring together the briny feta and rich tang of cream cheese into one glorious homage to tomatoes that you can pull together in just 15 minutes.

Part bread stuffing, part French Onion soup, 100% delicious.

If you’ve got leftover caramelized onions, or you are about to make a recipe that uses them, double up. And while you’re at it, grab that loaf of leftover bread because you are about to embark on a trip to France in one delicious vegetarian casserole based on the famous soupe à l’oignon gratinée.

I have a bit of a love affair with shepherd’s pie, and I always make extra mashed potatoes just in case the spirit strikes me. Leftover mashed potatoes, after all, are a great start to any shepherd’s pie; they’re able to soak up that yumminess from the bubbling stew below, and easy enough to doctor up with a few fresh herbs and some warm cream if need be.

How do you make tuna noodle casserole better? How about some artichokes and capers? A few easy upgrades turn this classic into a fast and fancy French-inspired supper.

If you’re looking for a comforting one-pot meal that will please the whole family, look no further than this creamy chicken and rice stovetop casserole. Tender chicken, onions, and sweet peas cook together with long-grain rice in a creamy cheddar and thyme-scented sauce for a fast and hearty weeknight dinner.

A summer vegetable dish worth turning the oven on for.

What would some of our favorite comfort food classics looks like if we asked a nutritionist to give them a makeover? In this series of recipes, you see how smart choices around vegetables, meats, and cheese make for a lighter, more nutritious take on everything from mac and cheese to meatloaf without ever compromising the flavor. This lasagna tastes just like the classic, but it’s packed with extra vegetables.

What would some of our favorite comfort food classics looks like if we asked a nutritionist to give them a makeover? In this series of recipes, you see how smart choices around vegetables, meats, and cheese make for a lighter, more nutritious take on everything from mac and cheese to meatloaf without ever compromising the flavor.

If I could urge you to make one meal in your slow cooker this month, these chicken enchiladas would be it! We don’t eat enough enchiladas in my house, mostly because my brain equates rolling enchiladas with too much work for a weeknight, but these slow cooker enchiladas are layered, not rolled, and each layer is stacked with delicious flavor.

When a midweek craving for cheeseburgers hits, and it is certain that no drive-thru burger will satisfy, we say forget the buns and pull a package of rotini pasta from the pantry because tonight’s dinner is a pasta night and burger night mashup. Savory morsels of ground beef wind between the curves of tender corkscrew pasta and a cheesy sauce spiked with a tangy hint of mustard.

It's made with sourdough bread and packed with lots of fresh herbs.

It's basically a love child of classic spaghetti dinner and cheesy lasagna.

For us, nothing else even comes close to this.

A panade is certainly not the prettiest of dishes. In fact, it’s just about as “rustic” as rustic cuisine can get. But a panade is something truly incredible. A panade is the perfect combination of crunchy edges, custard-soft spoonfuls, and chewy bits. It can take all your leftover vegetables, your stale bread, your pantry scraps, and transform them into something you will find yourself craving at odd hours of the night. Savory and so satisfying, you’ve got to make this.

When you’ve had your fill of turkey sandwiches and turkey soup, but there are still leftovers waiting to be eaten in the fridge, choose greatness. And by greatness we mean a towering lasagna filled with layers of roasted Brussel sprouts, creamy sweet potatoes, Thanksgiving stuffing, and of course, the turkey. One might even argue that this next-day meal is even better than the main event itself. How’s that for a proclamation? But hear us out.

If you thought chili mac was the most comforting thing you ate this winter, this recipe will be right up your alley. And it’s going to make you love that leftover chili hanging out in your fridge or freezer like never before. Chili takes a turn for serious comfort food when it’s topped with a layer of creamy potato mash, crispy potato skins, and toppings like cheddar, sour cream, and scallions that instantly make both chili and baked potatoes infinitely better.

I first came across “Aunt Cleo’s Chicken Pie” while digging through my fiancé’s tattered purple recipe folder, filled to the brim with handwritten index cards that his mother, Tina, had originally sent with him to college. We were only in the beginning phases of dating when I rummaged through the file, but I figured out pretty early that he was a sucker for his mom’s home cooking.

This is the kind of comfort mid-winter dinners beg for.

“Biscuit-topped” is one of my favorite word combinations. In cookbooks, it is the friend I’m always delighted to run into. Oh, hi there, are you a hearty stew plush with grounding root vegetables and maybe handfuls of tender slow-cooked chicken, all hanging out under a blanket of warm biscuits? Let’s be friends. Four years ago, I stumbled into an accidental tradition.

This is not your mama's chicken pot pie.

A creamy, thick, baked rice dish full of dark mushroom flavor and topped with sweet caramelized onions and a flurry of pepper.

The trusty Dutch oven makes it possible to cook chili and bake a layer of cornbread on top all in one pot.

Ooooh, it’s sure been sweet in the Kitchen lately and we can blame it all on pie month! Now, I’m not one to turn away sugar, but this week I’m in the mood to swing things around a little and take a look at the savory side of life. In my world, the queen of savory pies is Chicken Pot Pie.Like all pies, chicken pot pie is one of those things that has an odd, mistaken reputation for being easy. It’s not, especially if you start by cooking the chicken and making stock.

Having an individual pot pie in the freezer makes for a perfect week night dinner this time of year. Use a rainy Sunday to put together a few of these, and you’ll be set until spring!

How do you feel about spaghetti squash? Do you consider it a bad joke of a vegetable, promising carbs without remorse, but actually offering a bowl of slippery, slimy strings? Or do you love it for its teasing imitation of spaghetti, still holding its own with sweetness and a toothsome bite? Actually — never mind. I don’t really care how you feel about spaghetti squash.

The times I tend to crave chicken pot pie the most are at the end of long, crazy-busy days, which is exactly when I don't have the time to make it. This recipe is the answer.

Did you make a big batch of spaghetti for dinner this week and have a bunch left over that needs using up? If you bake it in a Bundt pan, it turns into a casserole that you can unmold and cut into neat slices. This version of spaghetti pie, which was originally created to use up leftover cooked spaghetti, gets a tasty addition of spinach and looks just as good as it tastes.

I’ve had “pasta bake” on my list of recipes to make since the very beginning of my culinary journey. So what has been stopping me after all these years? I’m not really sure! Perhaps I was still in search of the “ultimate” version or a super-chefy secret ingredient. But a few weeks ago I found myself strapped for time with a barren cupboard, and friends already on their way over for dinner. And this amazing five ingredient casserole was born.

You can quench a taco craving with fish tacos, chicken tacos, cauliflower tacos, or breakfast tacos, but a ground beef taco is the quintessential taco in my book. When weeknight cooking calls for serving a crowd, trade tortillas for tender noodles and serve it hot and bubbling straight from the Dutch oven. This weeknight pasta checks all the right boxes with family-friendly flavor, a streamlined ingredient list, and simple one-pot prep. Flour or corn? Hard or soft?

What do you get when you combine meatballs, fresh pasta and loads of cheese? The best comfort food/one-dish-meal/entertaining dish to come out of the oven.It’s comfort week in The Kitchn and we’re in love with the combination of meatballs, four cheeses, and fresh herbs to create a decadent lasagna complete with crispy edges and a gooey center.

Today’s winner in our Best Healthy Casseroles Why I chose Julia’s casserole When I was thinking about this contest, this is exactly the kind of recipe that I hoped to see! I love recipes that creatively feature vegetables and all their flavor — not just as a sort of obligatory “healthy” stand-in for cheese and dairy. This recipe is exactly that.

Lasagna is the quintessential easy–to–throw–together, comforting, affordable and satisfying dish to serve a crowd. Think of the bubbly cheesiness being cut through by bright tomato sauce and perfectly cooked noodles. It’s the perfect food! This recipe also includes my secret weapon ingredient, which lightens the richness up a smidge and no one will ever know. Can you guess what this mystery item is? Don’t knock it till you try it!

Layers upon layers of veggies, ricotta, and mozzarella make this a serious winner.

Chicken and mushroom lasagna has been a cold weather favorite in our house for a number of years. Its hearty layers of cheesy goodness always warm me up on cold, rainy Southern nights, and it’s one of the few leftovers that I actually look forward to more than the main event. This chicken and mushroom lasagna is a simple enough dish to wow your family on a weeknight, but it’s also special enough to impress at a dinner party for your foodiest friends.

Where would Casserole Week be without a good mac ‘n’ cheese recipe? Here is the third winner in this week’s Best Healthy Casseroles The secret ingredient? It’s straightforward: Tofu! Yes, tofu goes into this mac and cheese, but no one will ever guess. I served it to a big crowd of people and didn’t tell anyone that there was tofu involved until later. They all said that they never would have guessed something was different about this mac and cheese!

Watch the video to learn how to make lighter baked mac and cheese.

In the nineties, I went to college in Canada, a long way from my home in South Carolina. One snowy weekend, my mother came for a visit. Because I was in class when she arrived — and you can’t skip class the day your mother arrives — I left her a key.

What if I told you that you didn’t need to pick up a knife or turn on your oven to make a delicious lasagna? Yes, it’s true — this lasagna only has six ingredients and cooks all in one pan. Ready to learn more? I usually only make traditional lasagna once a year because it just involves too many ingredients and too much of my time.

This slow cooker mac and cheese is so easy that it feels like it can’t possibly be right. Dry pasta, milk, and cheese go in, and a few hours later you’re scooping warm macaroni and cheese onto your plate. Ready for a little magic in your dinner? Let’s take a look at how this macaroni and cheese can be yours. This recipe makes a casserole-style macaroni and cheese with a sturdy (but still creamy!) texture that can be sliced into squares.

It’s hard to beat homemade macaroni and cheese, but while the process is straightforward, it can feel fussy when you’re dirtying a handful of dishes just to make it. This recipe streamlines the process to lessen your load. Consider this your weeknight-approved mac and cheese — the kind you can make after a long, hectic day without resorting to the boxed stuff.

What if I told you that you could have a rich and creamy bowl of mac and cheese while also packing in over a pound of cauliflower? Sounds like a trick, right? No so fast! This recipe does just that, thanks to a base of cheesy cauliflower sauce. While I don’t believe in hiding vegetables, I do believe in adding them into dishes wherever I can to boost my intake. That is exactly why I love this macaroni and cheese.

On those nights you're craving lasagna, but don't quite have it in you to commit to a whole pan, reach for a muffin tin instead.

This luxurious lasagna makes a better main dish than a bird. Somewhere a turkey is sighing with relief.