22 Homey, Hearty Casseroles

Braised brisket tater tot casserole
Photo: Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Casserole recipes make for easy, satisfying dinners. They're versatile, creative, and cost-efficient. A variety of savory cheeses like Gruyère, Swiss, and white cheddar, as well as vegetables such as potatoes and broccoli, bring earthy, nutty flavors to these hearty baked dishes. Luckily, we have a stellar collection of recipes you can try. From Braised Brisket Potato Tot Casserole to Cheesy Baked Pasta with Radicchio, these casseroles are perfect when you're seeking simple yet comforting weeknight dinner ideas.

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Mirliton and Gulf Shrimp Casserole

Mirliton and Gulf Shrimp Casserole
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Mirliton, or chayote squash, tastes like a blend of cucumber and crisp zucchini. Paired with warming Creole seasoning and savory andouille sausage, the tender squash and sweet shrimp bring balancing freshness to this hearty casserole.

02 of 22

Braised Brisket Potato Tot Casserole

Braised brisket tater tot casserole
Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

This homey dish from The Stray Dog in Minneapolis takes classic Minnesota hot dish to new levels. The tender brisket is braised in stout beer, while brown sugar helps caramelize the brussels sprouts. A creamy mushroom bechamel brings everything together, while the truffle-laced potato tots cap things off.

03 of 22

Butternut Squash Casserole with Leeks, Prosciutto, and Thyme

Butternut Squash Casserole with Leeks, Prosciutto and Thyme
© Alexandra Rowley

This luscious squash-studded bread pudding is the ideal accompaniment to roasted meat and poultry. Or, cut it into large squares and serve as a main course with a green salad on the side.

04 of 22

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Radicchio

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Radicchio Recipe
Greg DuPree

A splash of red wine vinegar balances the richness of this cheesy pasta and magnifies the pink color of the onions and radicchio. Omit the prosciutto to make this a vegetarian main dish.

05 of 22

Macaroni and Beef Casserole

Macaroni-and-Beef Casserole

© Alexandra Rowley

There's nothing quite like the nostalgia you get from eating a meal you loved growing up. This casserole from F&W culinary director at large Justin Chapple is a homemade version of the boxed pasta meals he enjoyed (and still enjoys) when he was a kid. Fresh vegetables, ground beef, crushed tomatoes, pasta, melted cheese, and more come together to form a satisfying, hearty dish that's ready in under an hour.  

06 of 22

Grilled Summer Squash Casserole

Grilled Summer Squash Casserole
Victor Protasio

Traditionally called malaiwala, "the one with cream," this casserole is a Punjabi twist on a ratatouille-style summer side. Garland chef-owner Cheetie Kumar suggests making this a main dish by adding firm, cubed paneer.

07 of 22

Oyster Casserole with Cracker Crumbs

Oyster Casserole with Cracker Crumbs
Photo by Noah Fecks / Food Styling by Drew Aichele / Prop Styling by Ethan Lunkenheimer

In this quick, simple recipe from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook by Marion Cunningham, tender, juicy oysters are drizzled with a bit of cream and hot sauce, then baked in a sumptuous, buttery crumb mixture for a bit of crunch. Serve as an appetizer for a dinner party or as a side dish with ham or turkey.

08 of 22

Kentucky Hot Brown Macaroni and Cheese

KY Hot Brown Mac and Cheese
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

The Kentucky Hot Brown is a classic open-faced sandwich beloved in that state. It was created by Fred Schmidt in 1926 at The Brown Hotel in Louisville and features thick Texas toast topped with slices of roast turkey, tomato, and bacon, all doused with Mornay sauce. Here, we took the essential components of a Hot Brown and combined them for an untraditional macaroni and cheese with the soul of the original.

09 of 22

Creamy Tuna Noodle Cazuela

Creamy Tuna Noodle Cazuela
© Johnny Miller

Jarred piquillo peppers and imported canned tuna from Spain add an Iberian twist to the classic American tuna casserole, making it more elegant but keeping it as simple and quick as the original.

10 of 22

Tater Tot Casserole

Tater Tot Casserole

© ABBY HOCKING

The secret to this casserole is the layer of creamed spinach in the middle. It adds elegance to the dish, as well as a nice contrast to the crispy, crunchy Tater Tot top. Pork sausage imparts extra savoriness.

11 of 22

Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Thyme

Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Thyme Recipe
Greg DuPree

This classic chicken pot pie comes together in just about an hour and uses only one skillet. Come for the patchwork of crispy, golden brown puff pastry, stay for the comforting, classic flavors of the filling. Leeks and thyme lend a cozy, traditional taste to this dish, while Dijon mustard adds a subtle, unexpected punch.

12 of 22

Cornbread Casserole

Corn Bread Casserole
© Abby Hocking

Cornbread casseroles are a too-busy cook's dream. A handful of pantry staples — frozen and canned corn, corn muffin mix, butter, sour cream, and an egg — are baked into something delicious and comforting. We jazz ours up with shredded cheddar and sliced scallions. You can keep it classic and skip the mix-ins or add whatever you have on hand.

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Mushroom Pot Pie

Mushroom Pot Pie
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

The deep woodsy flavor of fresh mushrooms is reinforced with dried porcini mushrooms in this gorgeous meatless pot pie worthy of a celebration. The recipe calls for purchased puff pastry, which is not only a relief to those who get nervous by the prospect of having to make their own pastry, but it also cuts out a lot of prep time. Use whatever fresh mushrooms you can find, keeping in mind that a nice mixture will add more flavor and texture to the pie.

14 of 22

Mashed Potato Casserole with Sage and Fontina

Mashed-Potato Casserole with Sage and Fontina
© John Kernick

To take mashed potatoes up a few notches, cookbook author Melissa Clark mashes them with a creamy, tangy mix of crème fraîche, butter, parsley, and sage, then tops them with cheesy breadcrumbs and bakes until crisp.

15 of 22

Picadillo Beef Casserole with Corn-Scallion Biscuit Topping

Cuban Beef Casserole with Corn-Scallion Biscuit Topping

© Alexandra Rowley

Inspired by a Cuban picadillo, this recipe perfectly balances savory and sweet with warm aromatic spices, sweet raisins, and tangy green olives.

16 of 22

Green Bean Casserole with Almost-Burnt Almonds

Green bean casserole with almost burnt almonds
David Malosh

This riff on the Thanksgiving classic features tender-crisp green beans in a silky vegetarian sauce. With incredible crunch and intense nutty flavor, almost-burnt almonds take this dish to the next level; carefully cut one almond in half after the initial bake to make sure it’s browned all the way through.

17 of 22

Broccoli and Wild Mushroom Casserole

Broccoli and Wild Mushroom Casserole
© Lucy Schaeffer

Photographer and Alabamian Robert Rausch grew up eating vegetable casseroles — he and his mother are both vegetarians. The broccoli casserole his family ate is a step up from the standard church cookbook recipe, which calls for adding canned mushroom soup: In place of that, he uses wild mushrooms. He still relies on Ritz crackers, though, for the crisp, buttery topping. 

18 of 22

Pasta ’Ncasciata (Sicilian Baked Pasta)

Pasta ’Ncasciata (Sicilian Baked Pasta)

Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

In Sicily, ’ncasciata has many variations. Chef Michael Gulotta’s version combines tender eggplant, buttery caciocavallo cheese, and crushed tomatoes with al dente rigatoni. Baking the eggplant rounds rather than frying them cuts down on the prep time. 

19 of 22

Creamy Swiss Chard Gratin with Crispy Gnocchi

Creamy Swiss Chard Gratin with Crispy Gnocchi
Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Prissy Lee

A riff on creamed spinach, this cheesy gratin is studded with buttery toasted gnocchi. Swiss chard adds an earthy bite, while a duo of nutty Gruyère and salty Parmigiano-Reggiano brings richness and depth to the bechamel. Store-bought gnocchi help this gratin come together in a flash; toasting it in butter instead of boiling adds a compelling crunch.

20 of 22

Lazy Chicken and Sausage Cassoulet

Lazy Cassoulet Recipe
Alison Miksch

Cookbook author Molly Stevens' quick take on cassoulet includes boneless, skinless chicken thighs, smoked sausage, and plenty of white beans. "Everything gets gently folded together, spread in a shallow dish (either a gratin or a heavy skillet), topped with breadcrumbs, and baked until bubbling hot on the inside and crunchy-golden on top," she says. 

21 of 22

Roasted Eggplant Moussaka with Lamb

Roasted Eggplant and Lamb Moussaka
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Roasting eggplant until it's creamy and custardy makes it the perfect base for layering with a rich, meaty sauce in this take on moussaka, which is topped with a luscious layer of ricotta and mozzarella cheese in place of bechamel sauce.  

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Chicken Tetrazzini

Chicken Tetrazzini
© Abby Hocking

If you don’t want to poach chicken breasts for this slightly dressed-up chicken tetrazzini, you can use three to four cups of meat from a rotisserie chicken instead.

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