The Best Casserole Dishes for Baking Everything From Lasagna to Brownies

No kitchen is complete without a proper casserole dish. Not only are they the secret to making a perfect classic lasagna, a tender roast, or a sweet cobbler, but they can also seamlessly transition from the oven to the table for an attractive display.

When it comes to picking the best casserole dish, it often depends on your specific needs. For instance, if you're after a dish that you can take straight out of the oven and place in the freezer to store food for later, a ceramic casserole dish will avoid thermal shock. Alternatively, if you want a versatile piece of cookware that can function just as well on the stovetop as it does in the oven, a cast iron casserole dish with a lid should be at the top of your list.

Budget is also a factor to consider when picking the best casserole dish for you. While you can splurge on high-quality brands like Le Creuset and Staub if you're ready to make the investment, you can also find more affordable options from brands like Pyrex and CorningWare if you need a simple dish to get the job done.

No matter what recipes you're whipping up, these are 14 of the best casserole dishes for the task:

• Best Overall: Cuisinart Chef's Classic Enameled Cast Iron Pan
• Best Budget: Pyrex Easy Grab Glass Oblong Baking Dish with Red Plastic Lid
• Best for Parties: Fancy Panz Portable Casserole Carrier
• Best Ceramic: Emile Henry Modern Classics Rectangular Baker
• Best Covered: Le Creuset Heritage Rectangular Baker
• Best Skillet: AmazonBasics Enameled Cast Iron Covered Casserole Skillet
• Best Design: The Pioneer Woman 2-Piece Rectangular Ruffle Top Ceramic Bakeware Set
• Best Classic: CorningWare French White Oval Casserole with Glass Lid
• Most Versatile: Lodge Enamel Cast Iron Casserole Dish with Lid
• Best Set: CorningWare French White Round and Oval Bakeware Set
• Best Stoneware: Great Jones Hot Dish
• Best Basic: Staub Ceramic Rectangular Baking Dish
• Best Porcelain: Made In Rectangular Baking Dish
• Best Carbon Steel: Smithey Carbon Steel Oval Roaster

Best Overall: Cuisinart Chef's Classic Enameled Cast Iron Pan

It's no secret that Cuisinart is a go-to brand when it comes to cookware and other kitchen essentials, and this casserole dish lives up to the brand's stellar reputation. The roasting pan comes in a sharp red color and is made of porcelain enameled material with a cast iron construction to retain heat and withstand high temperatures. It's durable, dishwasher-safe, and stylish enough to place on the table to serve up a side or main dish. Plus, you can't beat the reasonable price. "Works like a charm," one Amazon reviewer wrote.

BUY IT: $58.42 (orig. $100); amazon.com

Best Budget: Pyrex Easy Grab Glass Oblong Baking Dish with Red Plastic Lid

This simple baking dish comes from Pyrex, a Southern-favorite kitchen brand known for its durable and affordable essentials. The glass dish can withstand the dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave, oven, and freezer, making it ideal for baking, serving, and storing food. It also features a BPA-free airtight lid to help leftovers stay fresh. According to Amazon shoppers, the 2-quart casserole dish is the perfect size and it's easy to clean.

BUY IT: $25.99; amazon.com

Best for Parties: Fancy Panz Portable Casserole Carrier

An affordable find that's perfect for parties, the Fancy Panz casserole dish doubles as a portable carrier. It comes with standard-sized foil pans for baking and a sleek casserole dish designed to protect the disposable pan for easy transport. Ideal for indoor or outdoor potlucks, the smart pan lets you bring a home-cooked side or main dish anywhere. Plus, you can easily toss the foil when the party's over or share leftovers with the host without fretting over when you'll see your casserole dish again. "My new favorite thing for parties," one Amazon reviewer wrote. "I have had loads of compliments and it is really a useful thing. No more spills and it is attractive on the table."

BUY IT: $19.15; amazon.com

Best Ceramic: Emile Henry Modern Classics Rectangular Baker

If you're looking for a ceramic casserole dish, this Emile Henry baker should be at the top of your list. One of the first major releases from the French brand in over 20 years, this dish delivers on functionality and design. The burgundy clay holds up in the broiler, microwave, and oven, withstanding temperatures of up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. It's even resistant to thermal shock, meaning you can swiftly transfer the baker from the oven to the freezer without waiting for it to cool down first. Overall, the dish is lightweight, easy to clean, and looks beautiful, according to reviewers.

BUY IT: $64.99 (orig. $70); amazon.com

Best Covered: Le Creuset Heritage Covered Baker

Although this covered casserole dish is on the expensive side, it's well worth the investment. From the well-known French brand Le Creuset, the rectangular stoneware dish features an enamel interior to protect against damage and odor absorption (so the smell of your ground beef casserole doesn't linger). It's available in a range of sophisticated colors like indigo blue, oyster gray, and cherry red. "I bought this dish for my mother as a gift and she absolutely loves it," one reviewer wrote. "Her dishes have cooked wonderfully and she loved it so much I decided to buy one for myself!"

BUY IT: $120; lecreuset.com

Best Skillet: AmazonBasics Enameled Cast Iron Covered Casserole Skillet

Suitable for the oven and the stovetop, this cast iron covered casserole skillet can do it all. The enamel finish protects the dish, while side handles allow you to move the skillet comfortably. With four bold colors to choose from, there's a look to fit in with any style. The only draw is that it's hand wash only; however, Amazon reviewers don't seem to mind. It currently has a perfect five-star rating from more than 1,500 shoppers.

BUY IT: $49.08 (orig. $51.99); amazon.com

Best Design: The Pioneer Woman 2-Piece Rectangular Ruffle Top Ceramic Bakeware Set

If a stylish casserole dish fit for a bold tablescape is what you're after, this bakeware set from The Pioneer Woman is for you. It comes with two nestable stoneware bakers in turquoise and floral patterns that cover both the exterior and interior of the dishes. An elegant ruffled rim adds to the design of the dishwasher- and oven-safe ceramic pieces. Not only do they look good, but a nonstick surface makes for a quick and easy cleanup after use. Reviewers noted that the dishes are perfect for going from the oven to the table.

BUY IT: $17.97 (orig. $23.55); walmart.com

Best Classic: CorningWare French White Oval Casserole with Glass Cover

Iconic cookware brand CorningWare continues to offer casserole dishes in its classic style, including this 2.5-quart oval piece. The ribbed white dish and glass top go with any tableware, and the design has proven to stand the test of time. You can trust the stoneware dish will hold up in the dishwasher, refrigerator, freezer, and microwave for simple cooking and cleaning. It's a high-quality, durable product that easily transitions from the kitchen to a well-set table, according to reviewers.

BUY IT: $39.74; amazon.com

Most Versatile: Lodge Enamel Cast Iron Casserole Dish with Lid

This casserole dish was built to fulfill all of your cooking needs. It seamlessly goes from the oven to the broiler to the stove depending on what recipe you decide to tackle, and the enameled iron is incredibly durable. It's also designed to retain heat and warm food evenly throughout the dish. While you can easily pop it in the dishwasher, hand washing the cookware will help maintain its original appearance. "This Lodge cast iron casserole dish goes from stove to oven like a champ, is very heavy duty, and cleans up great," one Amazon reviewer noted.

BUY IT: $79.90 (orig. $90); amazon.com

Best Set: CorningWare French White Round and Oval Bakeware Set

This set comes at a low price and offers a variety of high-quality cookware products from CorningWare, including multiple covered casserole dishes with both glass and plastic lids in different sizes and shapes. Like all CorningWare products, these dishes are made of damage-resistant stoneware and are safe to use in the oven, fridge, microwave, freezer, and dishwasher. "I love how I can just put the plastic lid on the same dish I cooked in to store leftovers, then take it out to heat it up using a glass lid," one shopper explained.

BUY IT: $45.99; amazon.com

Best Stoneware: Great Jones Hot Dish

Function and form combine in this eye-catching casserole dish from Great Jones. Not only does it come in three colorful designs, but it also gets the job done. Its stoneware material can withstand up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven, then sit on the table for easy serving. The 4 quart dish also conducts heat slowly for an even bake, whether you're making lasagna or caramel brownies. Plus, it comes with Great Jones' signature oversize handles, which are made to accommodate oven mitt-covered hands.

BUY IT: $75; greatjonesgoods.com

Best Basic: Staub Ceramic Rectangular Baking Dish

You can trust Staub to make a durable baker that looks as good as it works, so keep things simple with this rectangular casserole dish from the French brand. It has a glossy exterior that's safe to put in the microwave, freezer, broiler, and oven, and its interior diffuses heat evenly for a great bake. "I love this baking dish," one shopper wrote. "It's heavy-duty for all my big baking needs—especially my family's favorite mac-and-cheese recipe."

BUY IT: $79.95; amazon.com

Best Porcelain: Made In Rectangular Baking Dish

This porcelain baking dish can handle serious heat—up to 650 degrees Fahrenheit, to be exact. It's thermal shock-resistant, non-porous exterior has a classic white color, but you can select a trim in the shade of your choice. Despite being one of Made In's newer products, it has a 4.9-star overall rating from more than 200 reviewers. "I have had many baking dishes during my cooking career. I find this baking dish to be the best quality of all that I have used," a reviewer said. "It bakes evenly, is easy to clean, and looks amazing when used as a serving dish also."

BUY IT: $79; madeincookware.com

Best Carbon Steel: Smithey Carbon Steel Oval Roaster

If you're willing to invest in a piece of bakeware you'll have for decades, this is the roaster for you. It comes from Southern-based Smithey, a brand known for its carbon steel and cast iron cookware. This oval roaster is hand-forged and hammered, giving it a unique look and durable construction. It's also incredibly versatile, as it's safe to use in the oven, on an outdoor grill, and even over a campfire. Shoppers give it 4.9 out of five stars.

BUY IT: $275, smithey.com