The Best Casserole Dinner Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes a good casserole dish? ›

Choose the right baking dish

Any ovenproof dish will do, including those made of ceramic, metal or glass. Just remember that ceramic heats up slower than metal or glass, which may affect the total cooking time. So if you're in a rush, go with metal or glass.

John Wayne first wrote the casserole recipe, but it looks a little different today. John Wayne Casserole was first popularized by the 1979 cookbook, "Cooking with Love from Cara and Her Friends," a collection of different celebrities' favorite dishes.

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

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!

"The standard size of a casserole dish is 9 by 13 inches. However, due to varying shapes, they are often measured by volume, with three quarts being average,” says Contrino. “It is important to note that if a recipe calls only for a casserole dish, it is most likely asking for a 9- by 13-inch rectangular size.

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.

A simple homemade side dish recipe with egg noodles, sauteed onions and a simple sour cream sauce very much like Beef Stroganoff or Noodles Romanoff. Sonya Tesch. Dinners.

The word casserole is derived from a French word that means 'saucepan'. Apparently, casseroles originated as communal pots that people shared for meals. The oldest recipe for a casserole, around 1250, consisted of pasta sheets cooked in water, layered with grated cheese and spices.

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.

' In the UK, the terms casserole and stew tend to be used interchangeably, although some distinguish them by saying stews are cooked on a stovetop while casseroles are cooked in an oven.

What is the oldest dish we still eat? ›

“Casserole” is French for a largish cooking pot, usually lidded. A casserole is that in English too, but it's also a generalised word for all dishes cooked in such a pot in the oven.

The binder, a liquid that holds the other ingredients together. – Fat-free milk, broth, fruit juice, soup, eggs, or a thickened Béchamel/White sauce.

The average 9x13 rectangular baking dish holds 3.5 to 4 quarts. However, the number of quarts varies based on how deep the dish is—some of our deeper recommendations hold up to 5 quarts. Recipes that cook in a 3-quart dish or Dutch oven can be cooked interchangeably in a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Carbohydrates/starch - add substance/body; used as an extender; add energy through carbohydrates. Undercook rice and pastas so they can continue to cook during the baking process. Vegetables - add contrast in color, texture and adds nutrition. The binder is the sauce, which holds ingredients together.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Casserole Dish

Look for a dish that has wide, looped handles, and that is made of stoneware or ceramic for heat retention. We also preferred dishes with softer, rounded interior corners since they were often easier to clean.

Casseroles can be main courses or side dishes like gratins or the famous Thanksgiving green bean casserole. They're often defined by the vessel they're baked and served in, which is called a casserole dish. The ingredients in a casserole can be layered or simply mixed together.

Glass pans are good for casseroles like lasagna because once glass heats up, it stays warm longer.

Cast iron is known for its ability to retain heat, which is great in theory, but it can also lead to hot spots in your cooking. Cast aluminium, however, distributes heat more evenly, which means your food will cook to perfection all over.