Life
11 Comfort Food Casseroles to Keep You Warm All Season Long
Casseroles are your favorite fall comfort food — even if you don’t know it yet. Hear me out. I don’t blame you for being a little gun-shy after one too many mystery dishes masquerading as a casserole. Maybe you’re thinking of the sad pile of green beans at Thanksgiving — or worse, of that godforsaken mash of sweet potatoes and marshmallows. (Seriously, guys. How is this a thing?) But casseroles can be so much more. Like crumbles and crisps, they’re a little hard to define, but we’ll bet you’ve eaten one before — and liked it. Ever had enchiladas? Probably a casserole. Lasagna? You got it! Have you ever been drunk and hungry and thrown the entire contents of your fridge into one baking dish? Definitely a casserole. That’s because — according to my unofficial, completely arbitrary definition — a casserole needs to be only three things:
1. Baked in some sort of oven-safe dish,
2. Cheesy,
3. And if not cheesy, then just plain good for the soul.
If you have a baking pan and a semi-stocked refrigerator, you already have everything you need to get your casserole on. To start you off, we rounded up a few of our favorite recipes, from buffalo chicken to zucchini — and now, we want you to go wild. Unleash your fall produce, your grains, heck, even your ramen. It’s casserole season, and we’re holding nothing back.
Image: Half Baked Harvest
Swiss Chard & Egg
Yes, you can start the day with a casserole, too. Packed with Swiss chard and eggs, this recipe from Love and Lemons crosses into frittata territory.
Image: Love and Lemons
Orange-Maple French Toast
Surprise! Casseroles can be sweet, too. Taste and Tell turns French toast into a bread pudding-like brunch masterpiece.
Image: Taste and Tell
Buffalo Chicken & Quinoa
If you don’t think you’re a casserole person, Half Baked Harvest is going to change your mind. This dish calls for a half cup of hot sauce and two kinds of cheese — what’s not to like?
Image: Half Baked Harvest
Sweet Potato Enchiladas
I know, I know. Enchiladas aren’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind when you think casserole. But it’s tortillas, corn, beans, and cheese, all baked into gooey comfort food — so it definitely counts. Thanks, Averie Cooks!
Image: Averie Cooks
Deep Dish Pizza
No pizza stone? No brick oven? No problem. Half Baked Harvest turns pizza into a casserole with the help of one deep baking dish.
Image: Half Baked Harvest
Pasta Sausage Bake
Pasta bakes are your new best friend. They’re perfect for cleaning out the fridge — and they make a mean Sunday dinner, to boot. I Am a Food Blog opts for sausage and broccoli.
Image: I Am a Food Blog
Cheeseburger
Put down the Hamburger Helper. Damn Delicious whips up a hearty casserole with ground beef, tomatoes, and rotini. The best part? You’re only one pot away from dinner.
Image: Damn Delicious
Parmesan Chicken Lasagna
When all else fails, turn to lasagna, the king of pasta bakes. Pinch of Yum shows us how it’s done.
Image: Pinch of Yum
Baked Lamb + Orzo
I know, I know. What’s a casserole if it’s not creamy and gooey? But between the braised lamb and tender orzo, I don’t think you’ll have much to complain about. Thanks, Adventures in Cooking!
Image: Adventures in Cooking
Pesto Baked Zucchini
It would be criminal to leave you without a casserole side dish — so allow us to present this pesto-smothered, panko-crusted goodness from Love and Lemons.
Image: Love and Lemons
Pecan Cake
We lied. This is definitely not a casserole, but it is inspired by the most infamous casserole of all: Sweet potato. Pancake Princess gives it new life as a decadent cake — you know, where marshmallows actually belong.
Image: Pancake Princess
