40 Easy Main Dish Casserole Recipes To Simplify Dinnertime

Meatloaf Casserole

This will be your new favorite meatloaf and mashed potato dinner. This fun Southern take on classic Shepherd's Pie includes a creamy mashed potato topping for a complete cozy meal in one dish.

Put a Satisfying Dinner on the Table, All in One Dish!

Zucchini Lasagna

Meatless Monday doesn't have to lack comfort. This summery lasagna recipe is filling and fresh. The woven zucchini makes this pretty enough to share with company.

Ham and Noodle Casserole

This is the perfect easy casserole to throw together with whatever you have on hand during busy weeks. Chive-and-onion cream cheese is the secret to the creamy sauce. This makes two 8-inch casseroles, so you can cook one now and freeze the other for later.

Pizza Casserole

Pizza night just got a dose of Southern comfort with this kid-friendly casserole. Add your favorite pizza toppings to this pasta bake for a fun meal that is sure to put a smile on everyone’s face.

Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry

This one-dish casserole has everything you crave about classic chicken pot pie in less time thanks to puff pastry. You can save even more time with a little advance prep work. Chop the carrots and leek and shred the chicken the day before and refrigerate.

Smothered Enchiladas

With just 10 minutes of hands-on time, these creamy enchiladas are the quickest and easiest way to feed a hungry crowd. You’ll have just enough time to mix up a simple salsa to serve on top.

Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole

This super-cozy ground beef casserole can be made up to one month in advance and kept in the freezer for your busiest nights. When you’re ready to use, thaw overnight in the fridge. Garlic bread and a side salad make this a hearty meal.

Chicken Casserole D'Iberville

This Mississippi original can be made from scratch or with your favorite grocery store rotisserie chicken for a time-saving spin. Top this creamy rice-and-chicken dish with a combination of crackers and French-fried onions.

Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole

Kentucky's favorite sandwich gets big-batch treatment with this casserole that uses tender, slow-cooked turkey. Creamy and irresistible, your family will request this comforting meal again.

Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake

This casserole recipe has everything we love about pasta salad in a cozy, warm dish. Even nicer, the refrigerated tortellini can be baked without the extra step of pre-cooking. Broccoli, chicken, peppers, and pecans make this a truly satisfying meal.

French Onion Soup Casserole

Sweet Georgia Vidalia onions shine in this oh-so-comfy take on one of our favorite soup recipes of all time. Save time by caramelizing the onions the day before.

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

King Ranch Chicken truly reigns supreme when it comes to crowd-pleasing Southern casseroles. This makes a great weeknight meal, but don’t overlook it for potlucks, parties, and holidays. It’s easy to double and even triple.

Shrimp and Grits Casserole

This big-batch version of traditional shrimp and grits can be enjoyed from brunch to dinner. Comforting and classic, this casserole makes it easy to share with a crowd.

Gnocchi Gratin with Ham and Peas

This simple gratin is a nice diversion from noodle- and rice-based casseroles. Plan ahead and prepare the unbaked dish up to two days in advance, and store it in the refrigerator for a stress-free night later in the week.

Turkey-Noodle-Poppy Seed Casserole

Every Southern cook has an old-school poppy seed casserole recipe in his or her repertoire, and this one is one of our all-time best. This casserole can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until baking, or freeze the unbaked dish for later. Thaw in the fridge overnight and bake as directed.

Spaghetti Casserole

You don't even have to pre-cook the noodles for this simple slow-cooker casserole recipe that makes pasta night easier than ever. With just eight ingredients, this recipe isn’t complicated, and you can enjoy leftovers throughout the week.

New Tuna Casserole with Potato Chips

Our updated version of Mama's classic tuna-noodle casserole is lightened up on calories but not flavor. You can make this in advance, freeze it, or eat the leftovers all week. Either way, this casserole is a winner.

Chicken-Mushroom-Sage Casserole

There's nothing we love more than a chicken casserole, but they get a weeknight-meal reputation. This pretty recipe is company-worthy for your easiest dinner party ever.

Sloppy Joe Casserole

Sloppy Joes are a guaranteed hit with the kids, but they're, well, sloppy. This one-dish dinner solves the messiness issue without slacking in the kid-friendly department.

Skillet Enchiladas Suizas

No filling or rolling required! Our easiest enchilada recipe ever is a fun way to switch up your dinner routine.

Healthy Turkey Lasagna

The kids will be excited that it's lasagna night, and they'll have no idea this version is lightened up from traditional recipes. With swaps like ground turkey and cottage cheese, this tasty dish is still perfectly cheesy and rich.

Cheesy Chili Hash Brown Bake

Hectic week? You can still get a homemade dinner on the table with this five-ingredient recipe. Bake in ramekins for individual servings, or cook in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Tomato 'n' Beef Casserole With Polenta Crust

Ground beef is a foolproof staple for weeknight dinners, especially when baked into a cheesy casserole. Your family will like the familiar tomatoes and ground beef combination. The polenta base takes the dish to another level.

Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole

During the week, there’s no time for slow-cooked homemade sauces and roasted chicken. That doesn’t mean skimping on flavor. Store-bought sauce and rotisserie chicken speed up this incredibly comforting casserole recipe.

Reunion Pea Casserole

Tell the family to bring their appetites: This Mama-approved casserole is filled to the brim. Sausage, cheese, and black-eyed peas will comfort the whole crowd.

Italian Casserole

This recipe from our November 1990 issue has been saving us at dinnertime for decades. You can make this in two smaller dishes to bake one for now and freeze one for later.

Cajun Shrimp Casserole

This hearty seafood casserole is perfect for a cozy summer night in. Use frozen onions and peppers so you can make this meal anytime you need an impressive dish for guests.

Chicken-and-Wild Rice Casserole

If you don't have a recipe for this Southern staple, go ahead and save this one. Fast-cooking boxed long-grain and wild rice, pre-sliced almonds, and cream of mushroom soup help get this on the table in a hurry.

Barbecue Mac and Cheese

This super-Southern recipe combines two comfort food favorites—mac and cheese and barbecue. You won’t believe how fast it is to make. Toppings like cornbread, barbecue sauce, and green onion really send this mac and cheese over the top.

Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables

Need to use up your fresh farmers' market haul but way more in the mood for a big plate of pasta? We've got your back. This lightened pasta is heavy on fresh taste thanks to tomatoes and squash that are in season.

Easy Huevos Rancheros Bake

Hosting weekend brunch or craving breakfast for dinner? This skillet bake will be a definite hit. Cook the eggs separately and slide them over the casserole just before serving and garnishing.

Creamy Kale and Pasta Bake

You might not believe kale could be considered comfort food, but if you try this recipe, you'll be convinced. Buy bagged kale that’s pre-washed and pre-chopped to cut time. Leftovers, if you have any, make a great side dish.

Chicken-and-Biscuit Cobbler

"Cobbler" doesn't always mean fruity and sweet—this savory, biscuit-topped casserole is one of our favorite uses of the word. This cozy dish is made all the better with homemade biscuits with chopped bacon in them.

Beefy Baked Ravioli with Spinach and Cheese

This skillet supper is a new favorite in our weeknight roundup. You can lighten this dish by substituting ground chicken or turkey for the ground beef.

Eggplant Rollups

You won’t miss the pasta in this delightfully fresh lighter take on lasagna rolls. An herbed ricotta mixture fills thinly sliced eggplant and bakes in marinara. It only takes five ingredients plus pantry basics to put this meal together.

Ravioli Lasagna

Indulge a lasagna craving on a weeknight without all the work. Layer cheese ravioli, Italian sausage, marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese for a skillet casserole that is ready in 30 minutes. Add a salad and bread to complete the meal.

Cheeseburger Casserole

No need to fuss with forming burger patties. This casserole puts your burger, its toppings, and your favorite side into the tastiest dish. Finish with chopped bacon and a drizzle of ketchup.

Mushroom and Thyme Chicken-Broccoli Casserole

Consider this a chicken-and-rice casserole elevated for weeknights. Mushrooms, broccoli, Fontina cheese, and thyme add a bit of elegance to ordinary chicken. Pre-cooked microwavable brown rice helps this one-skillet meal get on the table in a flash.

Sloppy Joe Casserole with Dinner Rolls

Sloppy joes get revamped into a tasty, straight-from-the-oven meal. This one-dish version is cheesy, sweet, and topped with buttery rolls. Yellow mustard and pickle relish add some zip to the filling.

Pimiento Cheese Chicken-Broccoli Casserole

Can dinnertime get any better than a chicken and pasta casserole? With buttery crackers and pimiento cheese, your chicken casserole will never be the same. Whole-grain pasta and broccoli keep this dish balanced for healthy weeknights.