It’s that time of year again. The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting chilly, and rather than look to light, refreshing meals we are beginning to look to comfort foods to satisfy our hunger. It is the perfect time to break out that baking dish and make some casseroles. We love casseroles because they are just about one of the easiest dishes anybody can make. Throw a bunch of ingredients in a baking dish, add sauce, bake, and you are ready to dig in.
Most casseroles also tend to be made from affordable ingredients and they freeze beautifully, so they’re great for your wallet and cutting back on food waste. Meals in the casserole family include ragout, hot pots, shepherd’s pie, moussaka, lasagna, and tagines. We also happen to believe that this Chicago Deep Dish Pizza With Cashew Mozzarella can technically be considered a casserole because it has to be cooked in a vessel.
If you need ideas, then you’ve come to the right place because we are all about comfort food. So, get ready to get inspired by these 15 warm, bubbly casseroles that will transport you to comfort food heaven.
1. Kale Pesto Pasta Casserole
This Kale Pesto Pasta Casserole is filling, delicious, and so easy to make! It has an especially savory, umami twist thanks to the addition of sun-dried tomatoes and olives. Thin strips of sautéed eggplant in a bit of olive oil are also mixed together with the pesto. An absolutely lovely highlight is the crust, which is made of gluten-free bread crumbs mixed with olive oil and garlic. It’s crunchy, hearty, and perfect!
2. Vegetable Au Gratin Casserole With Oregano-Bean Purée
In this Vegetable Au Gratin Casserole, soft Russet potatoes and butternut squash are layered with a creamy, herbed bechamel sauce and topped with crusty whole grain bread before baking in the oven until hot and bubbly. After dinner, turn the leftovers into oregano and bean purée, perfect for spreading on toasted bread for sandwiches and wraps. This rich, comforting meal is perfect for warming you up in cold weather.
3. Moroccan Chickpea Bake
This Moroccan Chickpea Bake combines the flavors of Morocco in a whole new way. The three layers are inspired by three classics — tagine, hummus, and falafel. Together, they create something modern and unique. This comforting dish is a fantastic way to spice up your weeknight meal rotation.
4. How to Make Perfect Ratatouille
This recipe teaches you how to make the Perfect Ratatouille, a traditional dish hailing from the French countryside. The way that the vegetables are arranged gives this savory dish a colorful appearance, but it also ensures that you’ll find different flavors in every bite. It’s best served on its own, or with a side of bread to get every last bit of sauce.
5. Butternut Squash, Portobello, and Spinach Casserole With Sausage
This Butternut Squash, Portobello, and Spinach Casserole With Sausage is hearty, but not heavy. It’s worthy of being the spotlight food on any dinner table. The earthy, woodsy combination of vegan sausage, barley, mushrooms, sage, and rosemary perfectly complements with the mellow sweetness of butternut squash and fresh spinach. It radiates homey, rustic warmth, and it can be made a full day ahead of time —plus, the leftovers store beautifully.
6. Cheezy Chilaquiles
Chilaquiles are a traditional Mexican dish made of fried soft tortillas served with a myriad of delicious toppings. These Cheezy Chilaquiles are a one-skillet twist on the classic Mexican comfort food, and they’re extremely filling, savory, and full of flavor. Don’t be intimidated by the list of ingredients – this is really easy to make!
7. Scalloped Potatoes With Seitan Bacon
A beloved comfort food made vegan! These Scalloped Potatoes With Seitan Bacon are amazing. Soft, bubbling baked potatoes in a cheesy coconut cream sauce topped with crispy seitan bacon. The top gets that perfect crispiness as it bakes. What could be better?
8. Black Bean and Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Looking for something quick, easy, and filling? Look no further than this Black Bean and Spaghetti Squash Casserole. Spaghetti squash noodles are mixed with vegan feta, black beans, savory tomatoes, and spinach, then baked until warm and bubbly. Serve on its own or with bread on the side.
9. Root Veggie Au Gratin
This Root Veggie Au Gratin must grace your table at some point, preferably sooner rather than later. It’s my take on the classic potato au gratin, only using root vegetables like celeriac, rutabaga, and parsnip. They’re chopped and then coated in a creamy, cashew-based sauce. Try it – you won’t be sorry.
10. Spinach and Bean Chipotle Casserole
For a hearty meal that only takes a half hour to make, look no further than this Spinach and Bean Chipotle Casserole. It’s loaded with iron and protein and is drenched in delicious tomatoey goodness. Serve with fresh coriander sprinkled on top and with some crusty bread to soak up all the tasty juices!
11. Mashed Potato Casserole With Broccoli and a Cauliflower Gravy
This Mashed Potato Casserole With Broccoli and a Cauliflower Gravy is the stuff that dreams are made from. It has a layer of mashed potatoes, then a layer of cauliflower gravy, then a final layer of minced broccoli. The mashed potato layer has an undetectable can of white beans mixed in for protein. The gravy is made of puréed cauliflower as well as mushrooms. This ultimate comfort food of a casserole is creamy, dreamy, and a must-make for dinner.
12. Polenta Bake With Caramelized Onions and Portobello Bacon
This Polenta Bake With Caramelized Onions and Portobello Bacon is perfect for any occasion, from big gatherings to family dinners. IIt elevates polenta in a way you’ve never seen before with smoky Portobello bacon, cheesy nutritional yeast, and sweet caramelized onions. Go ahead and take seconds!
13. Mac and Cheese Casserole
This Mac and Cheese Casserole is a delicious and easy-to-make dinner. Pasta elbows and broccoli florets are tossed with a cheesy sauce, topped with buttery bread croutons, and then baked into possibly the most comforting casserole ever. Make a big batch for a week’s worth of yummy dinners.
14. Potatoes Oreganata: Greek Hasselback Potato Casserole
The traditional Greek dish Potatoes Oreganata is cooked with lots of olive oil, chicken stock, lemon, and oregano. This version substitutes chicken stock for vegetable broth, making it into a delicious and filling dish that can be shared with everyone. The potatoes and also slices thin with additional Mediterranean elements added, like olives and fresh herbs. This is an easy dish to make for potlucks or big gatherings.
15. Sweet Potato ‘Rice’ Casserole
The Sweet Potato “Rice” Casserole by itself is a filling and surprising meal. Surprising? Yes! You won’t believe it’s not real rice! The sweet potato rice cooks to a perfect consistency in 40 minutes in the oven and the savory flavors from the vegan mozzarella and pesto pair well with the sweetness that comes from the potato when roasting.The broccoli gives the casserole substance and the pesto adheres and soaks into the florets for a big “bang for your buck” bite.
Looking for more? Check out our vegan casserole recipe page for more ideas.
BONUS Recommendation: Download the Food Monster App
If you enjoy articles and recipes like these and want more, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App. For those that don’t have it, it’s a brilliant Food app available for both Android and iPhone. It’s a great resource for anyone looking to cut out or reduce allergens like meat, dairy, soy, gluten, eggs, grains, and more find awesome recipes, cooking tips, articles, product recommendations and how-tos. The app shows you how having diet/health/food preferences can be full of delicious abundance rather than restrictions.
The Food Monster app has over 8k recipes and 500 are free. To access the rest, you haveto pay a subscription fee but it’s totally worth it because not only do you get instant access to 8k+ recipes, you get 10 NEW recipes every day! You can also make meal plans, add bookmarks, read feature stories, and browse recipes across hundreds of categories like diet, cuisine, meal type, occasion, ingredient, popular, seasonal, and so much more!
Lead image source: How To Make Perfect Ratatouille
