20 Hearty Casseroles That Come Together Before the Oven’s Even Hot

Crunchy Tex-Mex Casserole with Spicy Ranch Drizzle

This casserole just won an Allrecipes blue ribbon. We hosted a casserole competition to celebrate World Casserole Day on September 24. More than 100 recipes from home cooks around the world poured in—this was the winner. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen my family gobble up a casserole so quickly as the night I made this dish,” shared one Allrecipes reviewer. “This recipe has it all: cheesy, crunchy, savory, and a hint of sweetness from the cornbread base. This one will be on repeat in our house!”

Simple Sausage Casserole

Casseroles aren’t just for dinner They can make breakfast time a breeze, too, especially when it’s a thee-ingredient wonder like this Simple Sausage Casserole. Prep this the night before—it only takes five minutes—to free up some time in your busy morning. It’s kid friendly and sure to please! 

“Hooray for simplicity,” said one Allrecipes member. Another said that this recipe was “requested again before the dish was finished.” Many enjoyed the leftovers reheated in a toaster oven or air fryer.

Broccoli Rice Casserole

Comforting, cheesy, and super quick, this Broccoli Rice Casserole has only seven ingredients and is ready in less than an hour, start to finish. Add in some cooked chicken or a can of creamy white beans for added protein or fiber. 

“I’m so happy to find this recipe,” shared an Allrecipes member. “This is the closest to the original Campbell Soup Back-of-Label recipe that I’ve made for decades and want to share with my daughter-in-law. It’s amazing to see what folks have done to the basic recipe. Many thanks for saving it!”

Chicken Alfredo Casserole Recipe

If you’re a fan of American chicken Alfredo, you’re going to love this casserole version. All your favorite players—chicken breast, pasta, two types of cheeses, and Alfredo sauce—come together in a warm and cheesy dinner. 

“That in combination with the two cheeses made a really tasty meal,” shared one reviewer. “I sat down and ate half the casserole in one sitting, it was that good! It gets a 5-star rating and I will definitely make it again!”

Reuben Casserole Recipe

The combination of corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing, and rye bread is just too delicious to only enjoy in sandwich form. That’s where this casserole comes in. In just a few minutes you’ll dig into a warm, cheesy casserole that has all the flavors of this deli classic. 

“This recipe is so delicious,” said one Allrecipes member. “It was very good, the bread made it taste just like a Reuben sandwich. This recipe is full of wonderful flavor. I will be making this recipe again!”

Cheesy Ham Potato Bake Recipe

The only prep you have to do for this recipe is chopping an onion, the rest is mixing pre-made or canned ingredients together into something totally irresistible. Ten minutes of prep, an hour in the oven, and you have your new favorite weeknight meal.

“An easy ham, cheese, and potato casserole,” said Heather Gray, who shared this recipe. “I have been told by several people that this could possibly be the best thing they ever tasted. Cheese, ham, and hash browns make this a dish even your pickiest eater will like. A delicious recipe your kids will beg you to make!”

Mamaw’s Chicken and Rice Casserole

This dish is in our top 10 most popular casserole recipes—and for good reason. It’s a simple six-ingredient dinner that’s as nostalgic as it is tasty. More than 4,000 home cooks have made this recipe, and it has 1,300 five-star ratings. It just doesn’t get better than that! 

“This was fantastic,” said an Allrecipes user. “So easy, and easy on the wallet too! I have a picky 8-year-old grandson and an even more picky 13-year-old granddaughter and after a little coercing with the granddaughter she had seconds, and my little guy had thirds! I’ll be making this repeatedly in the future. Especially in the cold months. Love it!”

John Wayne Casserole Recipe

The John Wayne casserole is a hearty, biscuit-based dinner with delicious add-ins like ground beef, taco seasoning, red bell peppers, Cheddar cheese, and more. Despite the name, the John Wayne Casserole wasn’t popularized by the actor himself, but by a fundraiser cookbook “Cooking with Love from Cara and Her Friends” and the University of Mississippi Medical Center cafeteria.

“This was amazing,” shared Allrecipes member Dona Dee. “I made it just as called for and would not change a thing. I have even sent it to my granddaughter. Thanks, Allrecipes! Another great recipe.”

Pork and Wild Rice Casserole Recipe

This autumnal casserole has so many delicious components, but is prepped in only 15 minutes. Plus, it features a lot of ingredients you won’t find in your average American casserole, like wild rice, ground pork, pimentos, and slivered almonds. It’s easy to prepare ahead of time, and bake off an hour before you want to eat. 

“This recipe is so delicious,” raved one reviewer. “It has become my go to for holidays and work events. Everyone loves it and I NEVER have any leftovers. I wouldn’t change anything about the recipe.”

Chicken Pot Pie Casserole Recipe

If you love eating chicken pot pie, but dread making it, this recipe is for you. Instead of encapsulating the pot pie mixture in an upper and lower crust, this recipe uses crescent dough (rolled up for a pretty presentation) to top the casserole. This way you can enjoy a crispy crust and creamy filling without the extra work. 

“This is easy and delicious,” shared one Allrecipes member. “It is genius to use crescent roll swirls as the topper—attractive and fun to make. The leftovers were equally as tasty the next day.”

Best Taco Casserole

This casserole will make your next Taco Tuesday a breeze. It features convenient ingredients like jarred salsa, canned beans, and sour cream, alongside cooked ground beef, and fresh tomato and green onion. Serve it up with your family’s favorite taco toppings for a meal everyone is sure to love. 

“This is absolutely delicious,” raved one Allrecipes community member. “I made it once exactly as is and the kids wanted it again the next day, so I had to substitute corn instead of chili beans. That was also delicious.”

French Toast Casserole

Save this recipe for when you’re hosting, or serving a crowd. This recipe has over 1,000 five-star ratings and has become a beloved repeat recipe for many reviewers. Prep it the night before and bake it off in the morning for the easiest (and tastiest) large-scale breakfast ever. 

“I’ve made this at least a dozen times or more, as written,” shared a reviewer. “My family has always loved this for holiday breakfasts. Today I decided to use up leftover eggnog in place of the milk. Absolutely perfect! No leftovers, not even a crumb left in the pan and questions of why it seemed to taste even more incredible. It’s a winner!”

Pepperoni Casserole

What could be more beloved than a combination of pasta and pizza? This pepperoni casserole is the best of both worlds—and takes no more work than cooking noodles and combining ingredients. 

“I have made this recipe at least a dozen times and my family loves it every time,” raved an Allrecipes member, “It is one of my sons favorite recipes! I’ve been making it for him since I found this recipe and he’s 19 now and still asks for this meal by name. Thanks for a great recipe and a great way for my son to make me still feel needed.”

Grandma’s Hamburger Casserole

This vintage recipe brings together all the flavors of a delicious burger, but in a no-fuss casserole the whole family is sure to enjoy. 

“This was a wonderful recipe just the way it is,” said an Allrecipes member. “It had great flavors, my husband and I loved it. I will be making this often! It was quick and easy to make. Grandma knew what she was doing when she made this.”

Best Tuna Casserole

Tuna Casserole is an absolute classic, and this version has nearly 3,000 reviews, ranking as one of our most popular casseroles of all time. It’s easy to see why—it’s nostalgic, uses tons of pantry ingredients, and comes together in only 10 minutes. 

“Tuna Noodle Casseroles have been a long-time favorite of mine since I was a kid—this is the ONLY one I’ve ever found (and I’ve tried dozens) that hits the nail on the head,” said an Allrecipes member. “I added some French-fried Onions for an added zest and some extra soup for moisture and zip.”

Biscuits and Gravy Casserole

This classic church potluck recipe is great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If you like a kick of heat, add some red pepper flakes to the sausage mixture, or a few dashes of hot sauce into the egg mixture. “I first made this for church breakfast and it was a huge hit!” says one reviewer. “So I’ve been asked repeatedly to make it for breakfast on Sundays. It is a winner, 100%!”

Million Dollar Spaghetti

This dish is called Million Dollar Spaghetti because it tastes like a million bucks! The recipe is more complex than your average baked spaghetti, thanks to the layering, and add-ins like cottage cheese, cream cheese, and sour cream. But they payoff is worth the effort.

“It doesn’t get much easier than this,” shared an Allrecipes reviewer. “I think given that the meats and cheeses are not spiced according to this recipe, it’s probably important to use a very flavorful sauce. And the recipe will easily use the 20-24 ounce sauce jar.”

Chef John’s Macaroni and Cheese

Is baked macaroni and cheese a casserole? We think so! And this one is particularly popular, with more than 1,000 five-star ratings. But what else would you expect from Chef John? 

“I can always count on Chef John’s recipes to deliver,” said one Allrecipes reviewer. “The only changes I made were to cut the recipe in half and to use cheddar jack cheese. I loved the crunch of the panko on top. Delicious!”

Mexican Quesadilla Casserole

Instead of making your family individual quesadillas to enjoy, try this tasty Mexican Quesadilla Casserole. It combines lots of familiar ingredients like black beans, corn, green chiles, and ground beef—but you can totally make it your own. 

“Made this when the whole family was over and it disappeared,” shared one Allrecipes user. “I may try it with chicken next time. This recipe has so many potential substitutions and alterations that could be done to it depending on who you are cooking for.”

Grandma’s Green Bean Casserole

This top-rated recipe comes from Amy, who said that “this green bean casserole without mushroom soup is my grandmother’s recipe that she made every Thanksgiving.” Instead using traditional French-fried onions and condensed soup, the from-scratch casserole has a tangy, homemade sour cream-based sauce, lots of melty Cheddar, and a buttery cracker crumb topping.