Few dishes earn their keep like a good casserole. It goes from oven to table in the dish it baked in, feeds a crowd without fuss, and travels well to potlucks, church suppers, and new neighbors. On busy weeknights, a one-dish meal gets you in and out of the kitchen fast, and cleanup is easy.
These five recipes use simple ingredients and need little prep. Assemble them, slide them into the oven, and let the heat do the rest. Most can be made ahead, and all of them reheat well, so tomorrow’s lunch is already taken care of.
Pizza casserole
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked spiral noodles
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 jar (14 ounces) pizza sauce
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Sliced pepperoni
Directions
- Heat oven to 350 F. Cook the noodles according to package directions and drain. Brown the ground beef, drain the fat, and stir in the pizza sauce. Spread the noodles in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with the beef mixture, then the cheese, then the pepperoni. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Add your favorite pizza toppings if you like, and serve with crusty bread.
Tips: Ground turkey or Italian sausage works in place of the beef. For a supreme version, add sliced mushrooms, green peppers, and black olives over the beef before the cheese. To make ahead, assemble, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours, then add about 10 minutes to the baking time. Baked leftovers freeze well. Serve with a green salad and garlic bread.
Scalloped potatoes and ham
Ingredients
- 3 cups thinly sliced potatoes
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
- 2 cups diced cooked ham
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup
- 2/3 soup can milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
- Heat oven to 375 F. Layer the potatoes, onion, and ham in a greased 2-quart baking dish. Leftover ham works well, or dice packaged sliced ham. In a bowl, mix the soup, milk, salt, and pepper, and pour it over the potato mixture. Cover and bake 1 hour. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese, and bake 15 minutes more.
For plain scalloped potatoes, skip the ham and add extra potatoes.
Tips: Yukon Gold potatoes hold their shape and turn creamy; russets bake up softer. Slice them evenly, about 1/8 inch thick, so they cook at the same rate. Cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup can stand in for the celery. This dish keeps well in the refrigerator, but it’s best not frozen, since the potatoes and sauce can turn grainy. It’s a natural with green beans or a crisp coleslaw.
Chicken and rice casserole
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- 1 carrot chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon mild chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 3 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 1 cup green beans cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 2/3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Topping: 2/3 cup breadcrumbs 2/3 cup grated Parmesan or shredded cheddar, and 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- Chopped parsley and lemon wedges for garnish
Directions
- Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onion, celery, and carrot until soft but not browned. Stir in the garlic, seasoned salt, pepper, chili powder, and cayenne, and cook until fragrant. Add the flour, stir well, and cook until it just begins to color.
- Whisk in the stock and milk. Raise the heat to medium-high and keep whisking until the sauce simmers. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in the rice, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid.
- Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 F. Stir the chicken and green beans into the rice and cook about 4 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside. Stir in the cheddar. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or two 8-by-8-inch dishes.
- Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle evenly over the casserole. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the topping is browned and the casserole bubbles. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.
Tips: Broccoli florets or frozen peas can replace the green beans. Boneless thighs stay juicier than breasts and cost less. Leave out the cayenne for young eaters. The two-dish option is handy: bake one now and freeze the other, without the topping. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, add the topping, and bake until hot in the center. The rice keeps soaking up sauce as it sits, so stir a splash of stock into leftovers before reheating.
Butternut squash, spinach, and chicken pasta bake
Butternut squash, spinach, and chicken pasta bake
Ingredients
- 1 pound ziti or penne
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups butternut squash puree (homemade or frozen and thawed)
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes plus more for serving
- 5 ounces fresh baby spinach
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Heat oven to 375 F. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the package directions, since it finishes in the oven, and drain.
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion about 5 minutes, until soft, then stir in the garlic for 1 minute. Whisk in the squash, broth, cream, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes, and simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the spinach a handful at a time until it wilts.
- Add the pasta, chicken, and 1 cup of the mozzarella to the pot and stir to coat. Spread in a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and top with the remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until bubbly and lightly browned. Pass extra red pepper flakes at the table.
Tips: A rotisserie chicken gives you plenty of meat and saves time. To make your own puree, roast a peeled, cubed 2-pound squash at 400 F for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender, then mash. Kale works in place of spinach. For a meatless version, skip the chicken and add a can of drained white beans. This bake freezes well, so it’s a good one to double.
Tater tot casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables thawed
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 bag (32 ounces) frozen tater tots
Directions
- Heat oven to 400 F. Brown the ground beef with the onion, drain the fat, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the vegetables, soup, and milk. Spread the mixture in a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish and sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese. Arrange the frozen tater tots in a single layer on top. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the tots are golden and crisp. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake 5 minutes more, until melted.
Tips: Known as hotdish in the Upper Midwest, this one is a reliable hit with kids. Swap in cream of chicken soup, or stir a can of drained corn into the filling. Reheat leftovers in the oven or an air fryer rather than the microwave to keep the tots crisp.
Casserole basics
- Mind the dish size. A 9-by-13-inch pan holds about 3 quarts and serves 8 to 12. Two 8-by-8-inch pans hold the same amount, giving you one to eat and one to freeze or share.
- Be gentle with glass and ceramic. These dishes can crack with sudden temperature changes. Let a chilled dish sit on the counter a bit before it goes into a hot oven, and follow the maker’s directions.
- Keep toppings crisp. Add breadcrumb or cracker toppings just before baking, not before refrigerating or freezing. If a topping browns too fast, tent the dish loosely with foil.
- Let it rest. Ten minutes out of the oven lets the sauce settle, so servings hold together instead of running across the plate.
- Handle leftovers safely. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, use them within 3 to 4 days, and reheat them to 165 F, checked with a food thermometer. Cover the dish with foil in the oven so it doesn’t dry out.
- Label the freezer. USDA says frozen leftovers keep their best quality for 3 to 4 months. Wrap dishes tightly, and mark each with the name, date, and baking directions so anyone in the house can put dinner in the oven.
Frequently asked questions
Can I assemble a casserole the night before?
Yes. Most casseroles can be assembled, covered, and refrigerated up to 24 hours. Add about 10 minutes to the baking time, and hold any crunchy topping until just before baking.
How long do casserole leftovers last?
USDA says leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking.
Which casseroles freeze best?
Pasta, rice, and meat casseroles freeze well. Potato dishes with creamy sauces can turn grainy, so they’re best eaten fresh. USDA says frozen leftovers keep their best quality for 3 to 4 months.
How do I reheat a casserole without drying it out?
Cover it with foil and warm it in the oven until the center reaches 165 F, as USDA recommends. For rice dishes, stir in a splash of broth first.
Can I swap ingredients in these recipes?
Yes. Ground turkey can replace beef, any cream soup works in place of another, broccoli or peas can stand in for green beans, and kale can replace spinach.
What size dish do I need?
All but the scalloped potatoes fit a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. The scalloped potatoes use a 2-quart dish, and the chicken and rice casserole can be split between two 8-by-8-inch dishes.