Recipes Comfort Food Casseroles Make-Ahead Casseroles for Easy Weeknight Dinners By Food & Wine Editors Updated on February 6, 2017 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: © Ian Knauer Casseroles may be the most all-around satisfying dishes. Not only are they superhearty, they are extremely easy to pull off, which makes casseroles the most accomodating meal out there. The only thing that can make a casserole more convenient is making it ahead of time. These simple make-ahead dishes can be whipped up on a Sunday, stored in the freezer, and ready to bake throughout the week for an easy, satisfying dinner. 01 of 19 Mashed Potato Casserole with Pulled Chicken and Crispy Bacon © Kristen Stevens This recipe featuring mashed potatoes, pulled chicken and crispy bacon yields comfort food at its best. Get the Recipe 02 of 19 Tuscan Chicken Casserole © Ian Knauer The flavors of Italy are tied together neatly here with garlic and rosemary inflected stock, making this weeknight meal extra-special. Get the Recipe 03 of 19 Butternut Squash Casserole with Leeks, Prosciutto and Thyme © Alexandra Rowley This luscious squash-studded bread pudding is the ideal accompaniment to roasted meats and birds, or cut it into large squares and serve as a main course with a green salad on the side. Get the Recipe 04 of 19 Swiss Chard Casserole with Shiitake Mushrooms Delicious and easy to make and serve, this frittata-like casserole is just the kind of dish that F&W's Justin Chapple likes to serve as a first course at dinner parties. He slices the baked casserole into bite-size squares and tops them with a dollop of creme fraiche to serve with cocktails. Get the Recipe 05 of 19 Sweet Potato Casserole Sweet potatoes grow in abundance in Alabama, where sculptor Sandi Stevens' family eats them year-round. This casserole is a Stevens favorite: silky pureed sweet potatoes topped with a sweet and crunchy pecan-cornflake topping. If you don't have pecans or cornflakes on hand, Stevens says the topping can be made with whatever nut or cereal is in the cupboard. Get the Recipe 06 of 19 Turnip Casserole with Porcini Crumb Topping © ALEXANDRA ROWLEY We love the earthy porcini topping on this rich and creamy turnip gratin, but it would also be fantastic on mac and cheese or other root vegetable gratin. Get the Recipe 07 of 19 Cheesy Mixed Pasta Casserole with Mushrooms F&W's Melissa Rubel Jacobson created this recipe to use up extra dried mushrooms and odds and ends of pasta. While the different pasta shapes cook at different rates in the water, they all become tender once baked. Get the Recipe 08 of 19 Broccoli and Wild Mushroom Casserole 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 using canned mushroom soup: In place of that, he uses wild mushrooms. He still relies on Ritz crackers, though, for the crispy, buttery topping. Get the Recipe 09 of 19 Southwest Chicken Casserole © Ian Knauer The chicken filling can be made a day a head and reheated before continuing with the recipe. Get the Recipe 10 of 19 Winter Veggie Casserole with Tofu Crumble Tofu adds a subtle heft to this vegetarian casserole that is perfect for both weeknight meals and holiday tables. Get the Recipe 11 of 19 Chicken, Sweet Potato and Rice Casserole © Ian Knauer The rice in this casserole filling is cooked until it starts to fall apart, thickening the liquid. Get the Recipe 12 of 19 Chicken Chili Casserole © Ian Knauer The chili for this casserole can be made three days ahead of time. Get the Recipe 13 of 19 Green Bean Casserole with Goat Cheese, Almonds and Smoked Paprika © ALEXANDRA ROWLEY Inspired by classic green bean casseroles from his childhood, F&W's Justin Chapple put a Spanish spin on this timeless favorite by topping the creamy beans with smoky pimenton de la Vera and toasted almonds. Get the Recipe 14 of 19 Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole © Eliesa Johnson Chef Gavin Kaysen of Spoon and Stable in Minneapolis updates this classic Minnesota flavor combo with fresh herbs, tender Swiss chard and an aromatic mushroom gravy. The dish is perfect for potlucks since it can be baked a day ahead. Get the Recipe 15 of 19 Creamy Shrimp Casserole with Buttery Crumbs © Lucy Schaeffer Hot sauce and dashes of paprika make this delicious casserole a complex-flavored dish everyone at the table will love. Get the Recipe 16 of 19 Cuban Beef Casserole with Corn-Scallion Biscuit Topping Inspired by a Cuban picadillo, this recipe perfectly balances savory and sweet with warm aromatic spices, sweet raisins and tangy green olives. Get the Recipe 17 of 19 Broccoli and Cheddar Casserole with Leeks © Alexandra Rowley This classic is updated with deep-flavored cheddar and a crunchy topping of crumbled crackers and toasted almonds. Get the Recipe 18 of 19 Chicken Mole Casserole © Ian Knauer This faux mole is made from ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. Get the Recipe 19 of 19 Chicken and Broccoli Casserole © Ian Knauer Simmering the reserved chicken bones in the milk increases the chicken flavor of this casserole. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit