Not Your Grandma’s Casserole: 29 Modern Casserole Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are the main ingredients of this 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, ...

In general, covering a casserole dish will cook the food faster. This is because the lid traps the heat that rises off the food instead of letting it dissipate into the oven. Covering also has the effect of moistening the food inside, like steaming, because any moisture that rises off the food is trapped by the lid.

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

Make-ahead meals (especially baked casseroles) are terrific because you can completely assemble them in advance and bake them just before serving. They're the ultimate comfort food as they come bubbling hot and delicious straight from the oven to the table to the delight of family and friends.

Not every single casserole has all of them, but as a rule of thumb, here's what to look for: a starch, a binding agent or sauce, and a protein or vegetable. Many casseroles also have both vegetables and proteins, as well as a crunchy element to give some textural contrast, and cheese.

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!

Select food(s) from each category or use your own favorites. Combine in a 2- to 2 1/2- quart casserole dish that has been greased or coated with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 350°F for about 50 minutes to 1 hour or microwave using 50% power for about 15 to 30 minutes, rotating or stirring as necessary.

It protects your food from drying out or burning and helps keep in the heat and moisture, ensuring a perfectly cooked meal. Loosely covering your dish with foil can prevent uneven browning while baking. However, tightly sealing your bakeware with foil is the way to go for more steam.

Heats up quickly and cools quickly: A metal baking pan heats up quickly in a hot oven, as metal is an excellent conductor of heat. Bakes more slowly than glass: Interestingly enough, however, metal pans bake things more slowly than glass pans do.

Why is John Wayne casserole called that? ›

That's right, the iconic John Wayne Casserole is named after none other than the actor himself. Typically, you'll find that most recipes call for refrigerated biscuits or Bisquick, onions, red bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, sour cream, mayonnaise, ground beef, tomatoes, taco seasoning, and Cheddar cheese.

Casseroles were used as a means to stretch a leftover meal, which was especially important during the Great Depression and World War II. The term “hot dish” first appeared in a cookbook in 1930 by a Mankato, Minnesota church group called Grace Lutheran Ladies Aid.

Uncovering the foods promotes browning and crisping, and reduces the amount of liquid in the finished dish. If a casserole looks soupy when it's ready to bake, bake it uncovered unless the ingredients include pasta or rice, which absorb liquid.

Try different herbs for added flavour: sage or lemon thyme work wonderfully well. For a meatier casserole, add chopped sausage or pancetta when cooking the chicken. Stir wholegrain mustard through the casserole at the end of cooking (to taste); this is especially good if you have sausage in the casserole.

Cover dishes

Loosely placing or tenting a sheet of foil over a dish can prevent the top from browning while the rest of your dish continues to bake. If you're looking to create more steam in the baking process, sealing the dish tightly with a foil lid will do the trick.

The base: The starchy base is the foundation of the casserole. It isn't going to be the most flavorful part of the dish, but it is what will make the casserole filling and satisfying. The base itself can be any variety of starches - like rice, mashed potato, pasta, or bread.

Ceramic. Porcelain and stoneware casseroles both fall under this category. Ceramic casserole dishes are sturdy, often aesthetically-pleasing pieces that hold up well in the oven. Made from some type of clay, they heat up slowly but evenly and retain heat well, which can also help conserve energy in the long run.