50 Insanely Easy Casseroles for Busy Nights (2024)

Home Recipes Casseroles

Updated: Feb. 09, 2024

On busy nights, skip the drive-through and reach for one of these easy casserole recipes. Each dish can be prepped in 20 minutes (or less!).

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Quick Tater Tots Bake

This cheesy and beefy take on a Minnesota Hot Dish is made with condensed mushroom soup. For a slightly different but similar flavor profile, you can use any flavor of condensed soup.

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2/50

Nacho Chicken

This is nacho average casserole! Kids birthday party? Game night? Cookout? This is a dish that fits any potluck. With Velveeta cheese, it’s so rich with a kick from green chiles.

3/50

Ham and Swiss Casserole

You know a casserole is a classic when it starts with condensed soup. This ham and Swiss casserole is no exception. A spin on the sandwich, it’s a pasta bake that adds green pepper and sour cream for some bite.

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Pierogi Casserole

If you love pierogis, you’re going to want to try this dish. This pierogi casserole is built like a lasagna. Instead of ground beef and sauce layers, this recipe has cottage cheese and mashed potato layers.

5/50

Cheesy Summer Squash Casserole

Onion and cheddar cheese bring out the rich flavor of summer squash in this comforting casserole. The cornflake-crumb topping adds a satisfying crunch.

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Sauerkraut Casserole

This hearty and comforting casserole is for those who love the robust taste of sauerkraut. Apples add not only a crunch, but a bit of sweetness to cut through some of the tanginess.

7/50

Pizza Lover’s Casserole

Imagine a pizza but replace the crust with a bed of pasta. That’s exactly what this casserole is, with an Italian sausage and pepperoni topping. Have a different pizza order? Experiment with mushrooms, peppers or even different cheeses. This versatile dinner is even better the next day!

8/50

Cornbread Taco Bake

The cornbread and beef bake together making this a side dish and main course all wrapped in one. French-fried onions give the casserole a pleasant crunch to balance out the softer elements of the recipe.

9/50

Grandma’s Rice Dish

You probably have most of the ingredients on hand for this dump and bake dinner. With two kinds of meat and a hearty amount of seasoning, this cheesy tomato rice is easy to come back to.

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Cornbread Chicken Bake

Make the most of leftover cornbread with this hearty and moist casserole. The cream of chicken soup works overtime to make this a creamy stuffing-style meal.

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Blend of the Bayou

This seafood medley is a unique dinner option that’s as crave-able as it is creamy. With a cream cheese base, it’s a savory dish that packs a lot of nutrients from celery, mushrooms and green pepper.

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Tuna Noodle Casserole

A traditional tuna casserole is a comfort food staple. This version adds pimientos for something a little different.

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Pork Spanish Rice

This Spanish rice hits the mark. The tomato and green peppers really carry most of the flavor in this simple and light dish. We recommend the optional lime wedges because they add color and brightness to the meal.

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Inside-Out Stuffed Peppers

This recipe turns stuffed peppers on its head. Easier to prepare than the traditional version, this dish has the same flavors you know and love.

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Makeover Tater-Topped Casserole

This lighter take on a traditional tater tot casserole uses reduced-fat versions of most of the ingredients as well as lean ground beef. But this doesn’t take away from any of the taste. By using French-fried onions and being loaded with veggies, you still get the full experience of a cheesy and creamy dinner.

16/50

Southwestern Turkey Bake

This 20-minute-prep casserole will make great use of any leftover turkey you might have. It’s topped with nacho-flavored tortilla chips for another layer of cheesy goodness. What a fun way to sneak in some spinach for kids (or for stubborn adults)!

17/50

Easy Chiles Rellenos Casserole

Chiles rellenos translates to stuffed peppers. It’s usually a green chile pepper stuffed with meat and an egg batter. This layered dish combines those same elements with a cheesy, Monterey Jack surprise.

18/50

Chicken and Rice Casserole

You can’t beat a classic chicken and rice dinner, and this veggie packed recipe really raises the bar for future chicken and rice recipes. With a creamy lemon coating and crushed potato chips on top, it checks every box.

19/50

Chicken Casserole

This potluck casserole lets an unexpected ingredient shine: pimiento-stuffed olives! This recipe is versatile and easy to play around with so toss in your favorite veggies and enjoy an easy meal.

20/50

Creamy Hash Brown Casserole

This side dish is great with grilled meats. A creamy cheese sauce and crunchy topping make it popular at family dinners and potlucks.

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Sweet-and-Sour Supper

This ground beef and mushroom casserole is nothing without the homemade sweet and sour sauce. You can adjust the sweetness to your taste, but make sure you have enough sauce to go around!

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Asparagus and Ham Strata

For a quick and easy make-ahead breakfast, do the prep work the night before. Next morning, just pop it in the oven. This casserole version of quiche is so hearty and delicious. —Alla Gray, St. Thomas, Pennsylvania

23/50

Rhubarb Pork Chop Casserole

Want a new way to use rhubarb? This sweet and tart casserole is just the recipe for you. It’s light and crisp, and allows for endless side dish options.

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Pork and Green Chile Casserole

This zippy southwest chicken casserole is great for your next gathering. With quick-made rice, you can have dinner on the table in under an hour. Feel free to sub out the pork for rotisserie chicken.

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Onion Pie

This fluffy egg casserole is savory and mildly sweet from the softened onions. It’s creamy, cheesy and satisfying for an appetizer (or main course!)

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Cheesy Chile Casserole

This southwest egg bake is bold and rich with the green chiles offering a bit of spice. You can use tomatoes or salsa depending on how much more of a kick you want from this easy casserole.

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Penne and Smoked Sausage

Cheddar french-fried onions add a savory, cheesy crunch to this creamy and smoky pasta bake. There are endless ways to make it your own like adding bell peppers or even pepper jack cheese.

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Chicken and Swiss Stuffing Bake

Stuffing isn’t just for Thanksgiving. This casserole is both comforting and fast, which makes it the ideal recipe for a busy weeknight. Cream of mushroom soup is the perfect base for this cheesy broccoli dish.

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Cheeseburger French Fry Casserole

Do you know someone who puts French fries in their burgers? You’re about to see the appeal in that choice. This cheesy beef casserole can represent your ideal burger order if you just add your favorite toppings to the mix.

30/50

Creamy Skinny Pasta Casserole

With a light tomato sauce and dollops of mozzarella, you can hardly tell that this is a whole wheat pasta dish. It has reduced fat ingredients but still maintains a creaminess.

31/50

Special Creamed Corn

This dish is creamy, hearty and cheesy. The Parmesan blends well with the sweet corn, making it easy to grab seconds.

32/50

Baked Orange Roughy and Rice

Orange roughy is a mild fish that’s slightly sweet. It’s not overly fishy, which makes it the perfect star of this fire-roasted tomato and rice casserole.

33/50

Scalloped Pineapple Casserole

Scalloped potatoes already have our hearts, and scalloped pineapple is no different. This sweet and tangy casserole is a side dish and dessert in one.

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Frito Pie

With layers of seasoned ground beef, enchilada sauce and gooey cheese, this casserole is already a Tex-Mex lover’s dream. But what sets it apart are of course the crunchy Fritos that top the dish. Since they’re so crunchy, we wouldn’t recommend freezing this casserole. But it can be made ahead of time without the topping.

35/50

Warm Chicken Tortellini Au Gratin

This rich and savory pasta bake includes spinach tortellini and artichoke hearts. With a mayo and asiago cream sauce, it resembles a spinach and artichoke dip.

36/50

Vegetable Noodle Casserole

This filling side dish goes great with grilled meats. Use your favorite mix of veggies, but don’t forget to add the extra corn.

37/50

Baked Nectarine Chicken Salad

Nectarines are an unexpected but deliciously juicy fruit to add to a chicken salad. While the nectarines brighten the dish, crispy chow mein noodles give it the most satisfying crunch.

38/50

Bacon, tomatoes and lima beans combine to make a colorful side dish casserole that’ll mesh well with any dinner you put on the table. The simple flavors allow it to not overpower any meat or meatless main course.

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Broccoli Potato Supreme

Presenting greens in fun and tasty ways can be a difficult task. But this broccoli and potato casserole makes it seem easy. French-fried onions and cheddar cheese make this side dish go from good to amazing.

40/50

Unstuffed Peppers

This speedy version of classic stuffed peppers is a great way to use leftover or instant rice. Rather than being inside of the pepper, the rice and meat are mixed right in with chopped peppers.

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Buttery Sweet Potato Casserole

This sweet casserole has a crumbly brown sugar topping that is perfect for the holidays. If you’re growing weary of repetitive holiday side dishes but still want sweet potatoes on the table, this dish is a good choice.

42/50

Calling all broccoli lovers! Cream of broccoli soup with chopped broccoli gives this dish maximum broccoli flavor. But don’t worry, there’s so much more to this recipe than just the one vegetable. This beefy tater tot bake is cheesy as well.

43/50

My Mother’s Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese with tomatoes? It’s better than you think. They add a tang that’s necessary for this ooey gooey dish.

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Scalloped Corn

The corn in this casserole is tucked into a creamy custard. It’s a family favorite that gets served up often.

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Spinach-Parm Casserole

It’s easy to eat your spinach when it’s mixed with garlic butter and Parmesan cheese. Ready in under 30 minutes, it makes a great side dish.

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Tortellini Bake

This colorful and cheesy pasta bake is adorned with some of the best veggies. Zucchini, squash and red pepper pieces give it a necessary freshness that balances the cream sauce.

47/50

These cheesy potatoes are made with shredded hash browns. With a buttery cornflake topping, they end up crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

48/50

Winter Squash Casserole

This simple squash casserole is topped with brown sugar and almonds. The dish has the consistency of mashed potatoes and is a perfect accompaniment to your holiday dinner.

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Chicken and Chiles Casserole

This cheesy hash brown bake makes good use of leftover meat. If you want more heat, add another can of chilies or some hot sauce.

50/50

Deluxe Hash Brown Casserole

Sour cream onion dip and ranch salad dressing mix give life to this breakfast casserole. It even has bacon!

Originally Published: February 13, 2020