25 Classic Recipes Made Casserole-Style  (2024)

What defines a casserole, exactly? It's a simple combination of ingredients baked in the oven to create a meal that's more than the sum of its parts. Aside from that, a casserole can be anything you want it to be. In fact, all your favorite recipes can be transformed into a casserole with a little creativity, including spaghetti, pizza, and even French toast. Here we've curated a collection of classic recipes transformed into one-dish wonders for easy, weeknight dinners.

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White Chicken Enchilada Slow-Cooker Casserole

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25 Classic Recipes Made Casserole-Style (1)

You'll want to add this easy, creamy enchilada casserole to your regular dinner rotation. "Slow cooking gently melds together the flavors of chicken thigh meat, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and green chiles," says recipe creator TRISTA5.

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Easy French Toast Casserole

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Making French toast for a crowd has never been easier: Assemble this casserole ahead of time and pop it in the oven just before serving.

  • 11 Baked French Toast Casseroles That Make Brunch Easy

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Mexican Quesadilla Casserole

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A seasoned ground beef mixture is layered with tortillas and cheese in this easy, one-dish take on quesadillas. Reviewer Michele Etling says, "Very good and fast and doesn't dirty up a ton of pans!"

  • 16 Mexican-Inspired Casseroles for Family-Pleasing Dinners

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Baked Spaghetti

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Part lasagna, part spaghetti, this easy casserole is the ultimate comfort food. Serve with a crusty, homemade garlic bread.

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Reuben Casserole

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In this casserole version of the classic deli sandwich, sauerkraut, corned beef, Swiss cheese, rye bread crumbs, and Russian-style salad dressing are layered and baked. Reviewer JANNASMOMMMY says, "This recipe is so easy and much less messy than traditional Reuben sandwiches."

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Pizza Casserole

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This recipe takes all the traditional pizza components — pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, bell pepper, etc. — and combines it with egg noodles to create an easy-to-serve casserole.

Biscuits and Gravy Casserole

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"I got this recipe at a church potluck," says recipe creator Angela. "All the flavors blend really well. I've made it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So far every time I've served it, I haven't had any leftovers."

  • 6 Southern Gravy Recipes Made for Biscuits

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Emily's Excellent Taco Casserole

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Shake up Taco Tuesday with this layered casserole. Tortilla chips, chili, Cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, and sour cream combine to mimic the flavor of this Mexican dish.

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Eggs Benedict Casserole

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This recipe combines the flavors and ingredients of classic eggs Benedict in casserole form. Plus, the whole thing is assembled the night before so all you have to do in the morning is bake.

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Beef Nacho Casserole

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Kids will love this easy casserole that's way less mess than traditional nachos. "Layers of seasoned ground beef, corn, tortilla chips, and cheese are baked under a layer of Colby cheese," says recipe creator LUNCH*LADY.

11of 26

Chili Dog Casserole II

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This casserole is the best way to serve chili dogs at potlucks or cookouts: "It is loved by young and old alike!" says recipe creator deleteduser.

12of 26

Burrito Pie

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In this Mexican-inspired casserole, classic burrito components are layered lasagna-style. "Make sure you like spicy foods before trying this one. It's hot!" warns recipe creator KATHIMC.

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Creamy Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

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This approachable version of the classic French dish is great for anyone looking for the flavors of chicken cordon bleu without the hassle.

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Quick and Easy Cinnamon Roll Casserole

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Packaged, refrigerated cinnamon roll dough makes this cinnamon roll casserole a cinch, especially when serving a crowd!

15of 26

Italian Meatball Sandwich Casserole

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All the classic meatball sub ingredients — Italian bread, meatballs, spaghetti sauce, and mozzarella cheese — are assembled in a new way. To cut down on prep time, reviewers suggest using frozen meatballs.

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Chicken Parmesan Casserole

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This five-ingredient casserole is hands down the easiest way to make and serve chicken Parmesan.

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Easy Chili Cornbread Bake

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Chili and cornbread were meant for each other, so why not bake them together? Here's to cooking smarter, not harder!

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Creamy Chicken Florentine Pasta

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Chicken Florentine is traditionally made by pan-frying chicken in a spinach and wine cream sauce. This recipe uses the same ingredients, but bakes them with a toasty bread crumb topping for a comforting, simplified version of the classic Italian dish.

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Easy Overnight Pancake Casserole with Streusel Topping

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"The pancakes absorb the custardy mixture, resulting in a bread pudding-like consistency," says recipe creator NicoleMcmom. "The crunchy streusel topping is a nice contrast. Serve with plenty of warm maple syrup and hot coffee or cold milk."

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Garlic Mashed Potato Casserole

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These baked mashed potatoes can be prepared ahead of time and baked shortly before serving.

21of 26

Huevos Rancheros Brunch Casserole with Ham and Cheese

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"This casserole layers corn tortillas, black beans, ham, cheese, and eggs for a delicious brunch inspired by huevos rancheros," says recipe creator NicoleMcmom.

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Zucchini Pizza Bake

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Seasoned ground beef, sauce, bell pepper, mushrooms, black olives, mozzarella, and Monterey Jack cheese are layered on a zucchini "crust" — it's a great way to use up that summer bumper crop!

  • 15 Easy and Delicious Zucchini Recipes

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Hot Dog Casserole

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Four simple ingredients — hot dogs, green beans, stewed tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese — make up this easy, kid-friendly casserole.

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Lasagna Toss

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While lasagna is technically a casserole in itself, this modified version is way faster to make: "This is a quick, and EASY, alternative to lasagna when you don't have much time, it's great for a weeknight meal! Serve with side salad and garlic bread and you have a quick and yummy meal!" says recipe creator jbabb.

  • Our 15 Best Lasagna Recipes of All Time Give You Layers and Layers to Love

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Maria's Chicken Tamale Casserole

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Here's a great way to repurpose leftover tamales: Chicken tamales are layered over a bed of spinach recipe with a creamy tomatillo sauce and topped with a blend of Mexican cheeses.

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More Casserole Recipes:

25 Classic Recipes Made Casserole-Style (26)

  • Pictured: Mamaw's Chicken and Rice Casserole
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  • 15 of Grandma's Best Casserole Recipes
  • Browse our entire collection of Casserole Recipes.
25 Classic Recipes Made Casserole-Style  (2024)

FAQs

What was the original casserole? ›

Apparently, casseroles originated as communal pots that people shared for meals. The oldest recipe for a casserole, around 1250, consisted of pasta sheets cooked in water, layered with grated cheese and spices. In 1787, returning from Italy, Thomas Jefferson brought home a pasta machine.

What are 5 components of a casserole? ›

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!

Why were casseroles popular in the 1950s? ›

In the 1950s the American homemaker designed casseroles to be easy, budget-friendly, and nutritious and often used leftovers. Food shortages existed during World War l and ll.

What is an American 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, ...

Why is it called a John Wayne casserole? ›

John Wayne first wrote the casserole recipe, but it looks a little different today. John Wayne Casserole was first popularized by the 1979 cookbook, "Cooking with Love from Cara and Her Friends," a collection of different celebrities' favorite dishes.

How do you make a casserole taste better? ›

Fresh herbs or citrus zest can also punch up flavors with a bit of welcome brightness for a long-cooked dish, as can adding some heat in the form of a dash of hot sauce, a generous pinch of minced or sliced fresh chili pepper, or a shake of red pepper flakes.

What is the most common size casserole dish? ›

My thoughts: The 9×13-inch rectangular casserole pan is by far the most called-for dish in casserole cookery, followed closely by the 8×8 (or 9×9) square dishes. (The 9×13 also holds about 3 quarts of volume, so in some recipes it can be used interchangeably with a 3 quart Dutch oven, like this one.)

What is a 9 by 13 casserole dish? ›

But the standard rectangular, 13-by-9-inch (or 3- to 5-quart) dish is the most basic and versatile, because the shape is so great for entrées like macaroni and cheese or enchiladas, and for baked goods like bar cookies and coffee cakes.

How do I choose a casserole dish? ›

While it's prized among chefs, cast-iron is heavy and not the right choice for every home cook. As far as other materials go, Maturana recommends glass or ceramic casserole dishes. A three- to five-quart dish is great for simple bakes like cobblers, stuffing, and scalloped potatoes.

What is technically a casserole? ›

A casserole is a one-dish meal that's baked and served from a sturdy baking dish that's itself known as a casserole. Casseroles can be main courses or side dishes like gratins or the famous Thanksgiving green bean casserole.

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.

What is the oldest casserole? ›

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

What was the typical daily menu in the 1950s? ›

There was no such thing as the keto diet in the 1950s—meat and potatoes reigned supreme. You'd find hearty main dishes like Salisbury steak, beef stroganoff and meat loaf on a '50s dinner menu, plus scrumptious sides. Casseroles were also popular, particularly those featuring seafood or ham.

What was the first Hotdish? ›

1930: The first recorded hot dish recipe appears in the Grace Lutheran Ladies Aid Cookbook from Mankato, Minnesota. The recipe calls for two pounds of "hamburger" (i.e., ground beef), Creamette brand elbow macaroni and canned peas. 1934: Campbell's debuts its condensed creamed soups.

Did Spokane invent the casserole? ›

"I'm just still so confused how people heard the phrase 'Spokane invented the casserole' and didn't think that this was a joke," he said. "No single person invented the casserole! The casserole isn't even a defined enough dish to have an inventor!

Where did King Ranch casserole come from? ›

King Ranch chicken is a Tex-Mex casserole. Its name comes from King Ranch, one of the largest ranches in the United States, although the actual history of the dish is unknown and there is no direct connection between the dish and the ranch.

What culture is casserole from? ›

The word casserole comes from a French word meaning 'saucepan.

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