Comforting Casserole Main Dishes for Easy Family Dinners (2024)

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Don’t know what to make for dinner? Try one of these cozy and comforting casserole main dishes.

Claudia Cash

Claudia has been a contributor for Simply Recipes 2017, writing numerous articles focused on cooking on a budget, quick and easy meals, and kid-friendly foods.

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Updated January 20, 2023

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Comforting Casserole Main Dishes for Easy Family Dinners (3)

A hearty and warming casserole is like a tale as old as time. I most certainly grew up with them, loved them, and will continue to make them over and over again, and I hope you will too!

In its very simplest terms, a casserole is a dish that is baked slowly in an oven. This can include a full meal (breakfast or dinner), a side dish, or I’d even dare say a dessert (I’m looking at you Bread Pudding!) For this round-up, though, I wanted to stick to the type of casseroles that make a full meal. That means all of these casseroles have a meat and a vegetable included in it. If you’re looking for a fantastic selection of vegetarian casseroles, don’t fret. We’ve got you covered right here.

What really makes casseroles my personal go-to time and time again is just how easy they are to throw together. Prep a few things, toss them into a dish, and bake. It’s just that easy. While they’re baking, it leaves me time to clean up the kitchen so that when dinner is done, I not only have a delicious meal, but I also have the cleanest kitchen in town. What’s not to love about that?

Oh, and did I mention that they usually feed a crowd, so you know there’s going to be plenty to go around? If you’re not convinced that you need all the casseroles in your life, read through this round-up and there will most certainly be one that strikes your fancy!

How to Freeze Lasagna and Other CasserolesREAD MORE:

I personally gravitate towards casseroles like Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole (no need to thaw meat!), or budget-friendly options like our Sausage, Pepper, and Potato Bake. We love breakfast for dinner (aka brinner!) so this Easy Breakfast Casserole is a regular on my menu rotation, and while writing this round-up Moussaka caught my eye. I’ve had it before, and loved it, and can’t wait to make it for my family!

Let’s dive into these casseroles and see which ones pique your interest.

Baking Dish and Casserole Conversion GuideREAD MORE:

Baked Spaghetti
If you’re a fan of lasagna, then adding this to your menu is a must. You can make this dish up to a day ahead, which can be a real time saver on those days when you need a reprieve from cooking dinner. Pro tip: If you’re wanting to add more veggies, finely shred some carrots and cook them with the sausage.
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Beef Noodle Casserole
Looking for a budget-friendly casserole that’ll feed a crowd? This is it! It has simple ingredients that you already have on hand. If you’d like to pack in a little more vegetable power, try adding in some zucchini or chopped spinach!
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Chicken and Rice Casserole
This classic combo is jam-packed with all the right fixings. Juicy chicken thighs ensure the casserole won’t be dry, the rice is cooked in rich chicken stock, and the creaminess comes from real sour cream, not any canned stuff. It’s a real winner of a dinner.
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Chicken Noodle Casserole
While this casserole is completely made from scratch, you can save time by using a rotisserie chicken. We also added a jar of pimentos for and added pinch of gusto!
See Also
Easy Eggless Tiramisu Recipe with Revised Ingredients Lemongrass Mango Panna Cotta Chocolate Chip Keto Low carb Muffins with Almond Flour | Food Faith Fitness Homemade Gluten Free Tomato Soup Recipe | Rich and Dairy Free Too
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Continue to 5 of 27 below.
Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole
While variations of this casserole have been in existence for over a century, our version is enriched with earthy mushroom flavor. Sprinkle the top with potato chips for maximum crunch power!
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Tuna and Tomato Pasta Casserole
Tuna and ricotta seem like an unlikely combo, but they work magic in this casserole. If you’re not a tuna lover, you can easily substitute it for Italian sausage instead!
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Mexican Lasagna
This casserole is guaranteed to have your family running to the dinner table. Tailor the toppings such as guacamole, shredded lettuce, and sour cream to your liking, but the more the merrier.
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Lasagna
No casserole collection is complete unless traditional lasagna is involved! Bell peppers are one of our favorite additions to this recipe, and you could even squeeze in a few mushrooms as well. While you’re making one pan, you might as well make an extra one to freeze for later!
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Continue to 9 of 27 below.
Easy Shepherd’s Pie
The very best type of stick-to-you-ribs kind of comfort food is the kind that involves meat, veggies, and potatoes. Add to all that a little dash of Worcestershire sauce for a little zing, and life is good!
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Sausage, Pepper, and Potato Bake
Budget-friendly is the name of this casserole’s game, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s bland or boring. It most definitely is not thanks to a balsamic sauce that packs plenty of pizazz.
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Tamale Pie
Love tamales? Here’s a rustic casserole that still gives you all the tamale flavor baked right into a skillet. If you have leftovers, you can freeze in smaller portions and reheat in the microwave for easy lunches too.
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Healthy Shepherd’s Pie
There are a few swaps we made to make this dish as healthy as possible. One of those includes making the topping a blend of potatoes and cauliflower! It doesn’t sacrifice flavor at all, and your family is sure to love it just as much as the original.
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Continue to 13 of 27 below.
See Also
Quick and Easy Puff Pastry Apple Tart
Turkey Black Bean Quinoa Bake
You may just want to double this recipe because everyone will want seconds. If you don’t have any shredded turkey on hand, you can certainly use chicken or even ground turkey will do just fine!
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Ham and Asparagus Strata
Talk about a showstopper! Rustic bread, melty cheese, ham, and asparagus all baked to golden perfection. If asparagus isn’t in season, try using peas or even broccoli!
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Pastelon
Think of this as the Puerto Rican version of lasagna. Instead of noodles, you’ll fry up some sweet plantains and layer them in between a beef mixture flavored with sazón, veggies, and cheese. Each cheesy bite will definitely win your taste buds over!
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Cajun Turkey Pot Pie
Time to spice things up with some Cajun seasoning and some dark beer! This isn’t your average run-of-the-mill pot pie, so give it a whirl. Pro tip: If you’re strapped for time, use store bought pie crusts.
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Continue to 17 of 27 below.
Easy Breakfast Casserole with Prosciutto
Casseroles like this are so versatile because they can be used for breakfast or dinner. If you’re making this for breakfast, we suggest serving it with some fruit or roasted potatoes. If you’re serving it for dinner, try it with a side of tender greens!
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Zucchini Breakfast Casserole
While this uses the best of garden fresh vegetables, the ingredients can be found anytime of the year at your local supermarket. The prep time is quick and easy, and then it just bakes until golden brown. It doesn’t get any easier than this!
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Turkey Tetrazzini
This comfort-rich tetrazzini makes use of leftover turkey but using chicken will be just as tasty. Throw in some peas and mushrooms and bake with noodles in a creamy cheese sauce (that’s right—cheese sauce!) and this will have everyone licking their plates clean!
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Easy Chicken Pot Pie
This dish is actually quite simple to make from scratch, and it is the very definition of comfort food. You can save time by using frozen vegetables and you’ll get maximum flakiness from the crust when you use a puff pastry!
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Continue to 21 of 27 below.
Sweet Potato, Mushroom, Leftover Turkey Casserole
While this makes use of all those Thanksgiving leftovers, you’ll find it’s so tasty you’ll want to make it all year! This casserole is loaded to the max with all sorts of dreamy flavors and then topped with crushed Saltines and butter. It simply doesn’t get better than this.
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Zucchini Lasagna with Ground Turkey
Roasted zucchini never looked better as it does layered between a hearty meat sauce and two kinds of cheese. Some recipes use raw zucchini, but we cooked it first so it would release its moisture. We’re going for hearty, not soupy!
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Easy Breakfast Casserole
Needing to clear out your fridge? This is the casserole to do it with! You can add it almost anything to the base. Have half a cup of corn? Add it in! Don’t know what to do with that leftover side of broccoli? Add it in! It’s really just that easy!
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Potato, Spinach, and Sausage Casserole
If you’ve never been a fan of spinach, then you haven’t tried it in this casserole! It blends in perfectly with the potatoes and sausage, so you won’t even know it’s there.
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Continue to 25 of 27 below.
Moussaka
If you’ve never had the delightful pleasure of eating Moussaka, now is your chance. It’s a rich casserole that would be perfect for a Sunday dinner. Don’t be intimidated by how many steps there are. We break it down for you and make it as efficient as possible.
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Cheesy Apple and Sausage Pie
Apples take a walk on the wild side in this pie! They pair wonderfully with the cheddar cheese and savory sausage. We suggest using tart green apples to really let all the flavors shine!
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Sausage, Spinach, Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells
This might just become your new favorite pasta dish. There’s just something about creamy ricotta in shells that is totally swoon-worthy. Pro-tip: Save time stuffing the shells by placing the filling in a Ziploc baggie, snipping off a corner, and piping the filling into the shells. Easy peasy!
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