15 of Grandma's Best Casserole Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the key to making a good casserole? ›

John Wayne Casserole is a crustless, vegetarian, cheese and egg casserole recipe. Its origins are traced back as far as John Wayne, the American actor (26 May 1907 – 11 June 1979.) Wayne directly contributed the recipe to a 1979 cookbook titled, “Cooking with Love from Cara and Her Friends”, compiled by a Cara Connery.

"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.

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. In 1787, returning from Italy, Thomas Jefferson brought home a pasta machine.

Fresh herbs or citrus zest can also punch up flavors with a bit of welcome brightness for a long-cooked dish, as can adding some heat in the form of a dash of hot sauce, a generous pinch of minced or sliced fresh chili pepper, or a shake of red pepper flakes.

In general, you'll want to bake a casserole covered with aluminum foil for most of the cooking time. Covering the casserole helps lock in moisture and prevents it from drying out. If you don't cover the casserole or uncover it too soon, the casserole will dry out.

It is reported that Jackie O served this side dish of sour cream egg noodles and chives while she stayed in the White House. On one occasion she served the dish at a private dinner to the Prince and Princess Radziwill (her sister and brother-in-law).

The term hot dish is typically utilized in the upper parts of Minnesota and North Dakota because people up there like to coin their own verbiage, much like “uff da” or “you betcha.” You probably called it a casserole, like this one, and, not to sound like a hot dish snob, but the parameters of hot dish are a bit more ...

The man was unquestionably a fan of meat and potatoes, and one of his go-to side dishes was scalloped potatoes. With milk, cream, butter and cheese, John's version wasn't for the faint of heart.

Starchy side dishes and casseroles: a 9 X 13 pan makes about 12 one cup servings. A 2 quart casserole will make 6 to 8 cups. A typical serving size for potatoes, stuffing, and yams is 1 cup.

What can I use instead of a 9x13 casserole dish? ›

A recipe written for a 9” x 13” pan can also be made in two 9” round pans; one 9” round and one 8” round, or two 8” round pans. Baking times may vary due to slightly different depths of batter in the various pan combinations.

But the standard rectangular, 13-by-9-inch (or 3- to 5-quart) dish is the most basic and versatile, because the shape is so great for entrées like macaroni and cheese or enchiladas, and for baked goods like bar cookies and coffee cakes.

In the United States, a casserole or hot dish is typically a baked food with three main components: pieces of meat (such as chicken or ground meat) or fish (such as tuna) or other protein (such as beans or tofu), various chopped or canned vegetables (such as green beans or peas), and a starchy binder (such as flour, ...

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.

Not every single casserole has all of them, but as a rule of thumb, here's what to look for: a starch, a binding agent or sauce, and a protein or vegetable. Many casseroles also have both vegetables and proteins, as well as a crunchy element to give some textural contrast, and cheese.

In the United States, a casserole or hot dish is typically a baked food with three main components: pieces of meat (such as chicken or ground meat) or fish (such as tuna) or other protein (such as beans or tofu), various chopped or canned vegetables (such as green beans or peas), and a starchy binder (such as flour, ...

A casserole can have layers, as in the case of an Italian lasagna or a deep-dish pizza, or composed of some evenly distributed combination of veggies, a protein, and a starchy binder. A casserole is often a one-pot meal that involves combining the ingredients in an oven-safe dish and baking them.

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. And although oven-baked pasta dishes like lasagna and baked ziti are technically casseroles they're not known as such; those are called baked pastas.

Pro Tip: Avoid Dry Casserole.

The best way to prevent it from drying out is to add a little bit of water, around ¼ cup, to the top of it. Allow the water to seep between the food and the sides of the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil to seal in the moisture.