Cozy Season Is Casserole Season—These Are Our Food Editors’ Favorite Recipes

enchilada fillings in a casserole topped with avocado cubes
Our Food Editors' Favorite Casserole RecipesPHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

Cozy season is upon us, which means that warm, comforting, and easy is what I’m looking for every night of the week. Nothing checks off all those boxes for the Delish Test Kitchen team quite like a casserole. They require minimal cleanup, are often one-pan stars, and remind us of sitting around the dinner table after a busy autumn day. We’ve created countless casserole recipes over the years, but these 14 recipes hold a special place in our hearts. They’re the ones our food editors keep coming back to again and again, whether they are familiar family favorites or creative recipes that, once created, we couldn’t stop thinking about. Looking for your new comfort food staple? Keep reading on to discover just why these casseroles are a favorite among our kitchen (and readers) year after year.


Classic Lasagna

We took a couple shortcuts for this recipe by using store-bought marinara and boxed pasta sheets. Trust us, it saves a ton of time without sacrificing any flavor. Our Visual Director Rebecca Simpson Steele says that her family begs her to make this monthly—make it once, and you might be in the same boat.

Get the Classic Lasagna recipe.

classic lasagna in a white pan topped with fresh herbs
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON


Beef Noodle Casserole

What’s an easy weeknight dinner without beef, noodles, and gooey cheese? This version of beef noodle casserole combines a shelf-stable favorite—cream of mushroom soup—along with tomato sauce, lots of garlic, sweet onion, and sharp cheddar cheese. The only prep work requires cutting onions, chopping garlic, and grating the cheese.

Get the Beef Noodle Casserole recipe.

beef noodle casserole topped with cheese in a baking dish
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE


Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Instead of rolling all of the enchiladas, this casserole untraditionally speeds up the process by layering everything together in the pan. Skip the store-bought and make your own homemade enchilada sauce. You can adjust the heat up or down according to your preference, and the flavor is 10x better.

Get the Chicken Enchilada Casserole recipe.

enchilada fillings in a casserole topped with avocado cubes
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER


Tater Tot Chicken Pot Pie

Wondering what could possibly make a classic chicken pot pie even more delicious? Enter: tater tots! Picture a creamy and comforting casserole made with onions, peas, and tender chicken, all topped with a crown of crispy potato tots. Digital Food Producer Camille Lowder loves it because of the best-of-both-world's combo of crunchy, seasoned potatoes and pie filling in every bite.

Get the Tater Tot Chicken Pot Pie recipe.

chicken pot pie filling in a skillet topped with tater tots
PHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE


Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole

When the weather gets cold, your dinner making-mojo is low, or when comfort food is just what’s on the menu, you need a casserole. And if that casserole is easy, creamy, chicken-y, and cheesy, like this one is? With a crunchy topping? Your oven should already be preheating. 😉

Get the Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole recipe.

chicken casserole topped with ritz crackers in a red dish
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON


Chicken Fajita Casserole

If you turn your head every time a sizzling plate of fajitas passes, then this recipe is the low-lift one-pan version you need. Chipotle chile- and cumin-seasoned chicken breast is nestled into fire-roasted tomato rice before being topped with strips of jalapeño, bell pepper, and sweet red onion, then smothered with a three-cheese blend and baked to create this chicken fajita casserole.

Get the Chicken Fajita Casserole recipe.

chipotle chile and cumin seasoned chicken breast is nestled into fire roasted tomato rice topped with strips of jalapeno, bell pepper, and sweet red onion then smothered with a three cheese blend and baked
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON


Overnight French Toast Casserole

We've got three words for you that are going to change your breakfast and brunch game forever: Overnight. French. Toast. It's comically delicious, thanks to a long overnight soak in a heavy cream-infused custard, which transforms the sliced challah into a pudding-y delight.

Get the Overnight French Toast Casserole recipe.

overnight french toast casserole
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON


Chicken Tamale Pie

A lot of tamale pies come with the cornbread layer on top. But we strongly feel that it should be on the bottom, where it can get crispy and absorb all the flavors of the topping. Instead of making a batter from scratch, we upgraded a box of muffin mix with some sour cream and canned corn, and we highly recommend it.

Get the Chicken Tamale Pie recipe.

chicken tamale pie in a skillet with sour cream
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON


Funeral Potatoes

The story goes that these bubbling beauties were named so after becoming a traditional comfort food for post-funeral gatherings. They are basically comfort in a pan, but we prefer (and suggest we all) eat them on happier occasions, especially Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any time comfort food is an absolute necessity.

Get the Funeral Potatoes recipe.

creamy cheesy potatoes with a buttery cornflake topping
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER


Ravioli Lasagna

Italian night is better when your two favorite pastas—ravioli and lasagna—combine. Make them in a casserole dish, and you've got a comfort food combination that is as easy to create as it is to devour.

Get the Ravioli Lasagna recipe.

ravioli lasagna
Parker feierbach


Taco Lasagna

This hearty Tex-Mex taco lasagna hits so many of the classic casserole notes: Cheesy? ✔️ Perfect for a crowd? ✔️ Flavor for days? ✔️ Great (greatest?) way to stretch a pound of ground beef? ✔️ The list goes on and on.

Get the Taco Lasagna recipe.

taco lasagna
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON


Sloppy Joe Casserole

Being on Team Casserole doesn’t stop us from appreciating the iconic sloppy Joe sandwich as a pasta sauce or a cheesy meatball bake, it just gives us more ways to celebrate the combination of ground beef and tangy sauce. More than just delicious, this casserole is flexible, freezable, and ready to serve on a busy weeknight for dinner.

Get the Sloppy Joe Casserole recipe.

casserole dish with sloppy joe mixture topped with mini buns and melted cheese
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE


Hamburger Casserole

You may have heard the term “hamburger casserole” used to describe similarly cozy recipes using ground beef and elbow macaroni. But instead of the classic tomato-based goulash, this version is made with a sauce reminiscent of your favorite fast food secret sauce—pickles included.

Get the Hamburger Casserole recipe.

a casserole dish filled with elbow macaroni, ground beef, and a creamy sauce
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE


Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Comfort food at its finest, this casserole makes weeknight dinner an absolute breeze. Filled with chicken, broccoli, rice and plenty of cheese, this hearty bake is basically a leveled up, heartier version of our broccoli cheddar soup you can enjoy all year round.

Get the Chicken Broccoli Casserole recipe.

cheesy chicken broccoli casserole horizontal
Ethan Calabrese

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