5-Ingredient Casseroles That Instantly Make Busy Weeknights So Much Easier

By Kaitlyn Yarborough
Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

On busy weeknights when we don’t want to order take-out, but aren’t willing to launch a full-scale cooking operation, we look to our favorite quick and easy casseroles to get the job done. There’s just something too satisfying about turning out simple 5-ingredient meals that are high on flavor, low on effort, and with none the wiser. Simply take your pantry staples—items like dried herbs, seasonings, oil, flour, and sugar—and throw in a few extra standout ingredients, anything from smoked sausage to tender baby kale. A busy family on the go doesn’t mean dinnertime has to suffer. Get supper on the table lightning-quick and generously cut your grocery list (and bill) with these delicious 5-ingredient casseroles.

 

 

 

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5-Ingredient Casseroles That Instantly Make Busy Weeknights So Much Easier

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Ham-and-Vegetable Cobbler

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Ham-and-Vegetable Cobbler

Put this cobbler on your list of weeknight warriors. The savory latticed casserole is made with frozen vegetables, diced cooked ham, and store-bought piecrusts, making it—oh, we don't know—the simplest prep ever. 

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Eggplant Rollups

Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele

Recipe: Eggplant Rollups

Switch out the carb-heavy pasta for fresh and hearty eggplant. Filled with herbed ricotta and topped with marinara, these delicious little bundles come together in no time. 

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Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Enter: our most popular macaroni and cheese recipe ever. It also happens to be one of our easiest. Go figure! 

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Zucchini-Potato Casserole

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Zucchini-Potato Casserole

Showing up with this beautifully layered casserole makes you look like a true chef, but don't worry, you won't be weighed down by a hefty ingredient list. Let the colorful veggies do most of the work. 

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Creamy Kale and Pasta Bake

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Creamy Kale and Pasta Bake

This creamy bake is packed with loads of gooey cheese and tender kale and comes together in half an hour. You can make it even easier by purchasing pre-chopped, pre-washed bagged kale and pre-shredded cheese to save on prep time.

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Extra-Easy Lasagna

Photo: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro, Laura Martin

Recipe: Extra-Easy Lasagna

When we say easy, we mean it. Seriously, you don’t even have to pre-cook the noodles for this classic dinner recipe that focuses on the basics without being boring. 

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Spring Vegetable Frittata

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Spring Vegetable Frittata

A frittata is a quick and delicious dish that can be customized with your favorite in-season veggies. Serve it for breakfast, brunch, and lunch—or even dinner—with a lightly dressed salad. 

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Savannah Red Rice

Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Savannah Red Rice 

Whenever we hear a recipe is rice-based, we're already expecting it to be high on flavor, a little lower on the effort. This regional delicacy includes smoky bacon and tangy tomatoes.

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Tee's Corn Pudding

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Tee’s Corn Pudding

With only eight ingredients (most of which are in your pantry, such as sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt) and very little hands-on time, this corn pudding recipe is a classic that always fits in at suppertime. Want to switch things up? Try our updates: Savory Corn Pudding, Three-Cheese Corn Pudding, or Green Chile-Corn Pudding.

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Zucchini Rice Gratin

Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Zucchini Rice Gratin

This mayo-free casserole is speckled with zucchini straight from your garden and seasoned with pantry staples like thyme and cayenne. It feels lighter and fresher than your usual creamy vegetable casseroles. 

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Spinach Ravioli Lasagna

Photo: Van Chaplin

Recipe: Spinach Ravioli Lasagna

For when you're low on time and energy, this easy and cheesy lasagna bake helps you cheat the system by using convenience items, like store-bought pesto sauce, jarred Alfredo sauce, and frozen cheese-filled ravioli.

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Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese

There's nothing like a comforting casserole dish of macaroni and cheese, especially when it's super easy but totally delicious. While there are fancier versions out there, this basic recipe that you can cook and transport in a slow-cooker never disappoints. 

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Chicken-and-Green Chile Enchiladas

Southern Living

Recipe: Chicken-and-Green Chile Enchiladas

When you pack this much Tex-Mex flavor into a casserole dish, you'd expect it to be time-intensive and ingredient-heavy. Think again—because you'll have it on the table in less than an hour and after only using a handful of hard-working ingredients.

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Corn Bread Casserole

© Abby Hocking

Recipe: Corn Bread Casserole

Just a few pantry staples—frozen and canned corn, corn muffin mix, butter, sour cream, and an egg—are used to make this dreamy recipe fit for the busy cook. Ten minutes of prep time bakes into something delicious and comforting.

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French Onion Soup Casserole

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: French Onion Soup Casserole

Transform your comforting bowl of onion soup into its most delicious casserole form. The recipe is filled with aromatic herbs and seasonings from your pantry and staple ingredients characteristic of the rich soup, coming out of the oven a real crowd-pleaser. 

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Mini Cheese Grits Casseroles

Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Recipe: Mini Cheese Grits Casseroles

Keep these mini casseroles tiny or fit them all into a single two-quart dish—in any case, just make sure to serve them at your next brunch! You can make these grits ahead of time to make things even less stressful day-of.

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Smoky Sausage-and-Grits Casserole

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Smoky Sausage-and-Grits Casserole

Breakfast for dinner, anyone? This casserole is like wrapping all of your favorite Southern breakfast foods into one package: smoky sausage, creamy grits, and plenty of cheese. Prepare to impress when making this super simple recipe for your next tailgate, brunch, or potluck.

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Tater Tot Bake

Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Tater Tot Breakfast Bake

When the star ingredients in a recipe are thick-cut bacon, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses, and some hearty Tater Tots, need we really say more? It wins at every occasion, but doesn't give you any stress or break the bank beforehand. 

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One-Dish Blackberry French Toast

Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: One-Dish Blackberry French Toast

Wow at your weekend brunch with this simple berry-speckled French toast. This casserole version makes it a great choice when you have to feed a crowd.

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Pecan-Peach Cobbler

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Pecan-Peach Cobbler

When you have standout ingredients like fresh peaches and warm toasted pecans, you don't need much else to make a simple cobbler a real showstopper. The latticed-crust dessert casserole is ready to be whipped out in a pinch. 

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