15+ Fancy Casseroles to Impress Family and Friends

July 21, 2020
Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Cindy Barr 
While mom's recipe box might be stuffed full of retro casserole recipes, a casserole doesn't have to be bland or old-fashioned. Next time you're entertaining, reach for one of these indulgent and show-stopping creations. From breakfast to dinner, we've got the perfect casserole recipe to wow family and guests alike.
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Pizza Casserole Deluxe

Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller 
Pizza Casserole Deluxe Recipe

Win over all of the kids and grown-ups in your house with this new instant classic that feeds more than two everything pizzas. Fresh and packaged mozzarella give it the best melty consistency.

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Chicken-and-Wild Rice Casserole

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Buffy Hargett 
Chicken-and-Wild Rice Casserole Recipe
Using a long-grain and wild rice mix and toasted almonds in chicken casserole makes it a little bit dressier and fit for company during the holidays.

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Streuseled Sweet Potato Casserole

Becky Luigart-Stayner; Jan Gautro
Streuseled Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Sprinkle a buttery, brown sugar and pecan mixture over the top of the creamy potatoes in this sweet potato casserole that's sweet enough to be dessert.

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Cheesy Potato Casserole

Linda Pugliese
Cheesy Potato Casserole Recipe

This rich and creamy casserole will be a new holiday (or weekday) favorite. Room temperature egg yolks and cream will blend into the mashed potatoes more easily; let them sit at room temperature 30 minutes before using. This cheesy casserole is the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving dinner or a Sunday supper.

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Easy French Toast Casserole

Randy Mayor; Cindy Barr
Easy French Toast Casserole Recipe
This easy french toast casserole is a rich and decadent addition to any breakfast or brunch table. If you don't want to use the orange liqueur, you can substitute 1 to 2 teaspoons of orange juice. 

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Green Bean Casserole

Caitlin Bensel
Green Bean Casserole Recipe

We’ve given the classic casserole an upgrade by swapping sodium-heavy canned soup for a rich and chunky homemade mushroom sauce. For bean blanching instructions, see the note on the recipe at left.

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Thanksgiving Leftovers Breakfast Casserole

Thanksgiving Leftovers Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Unsure what to do with all of those Thanksgiving leftovers? While most people will have heard of putting them to work in a casserole,  a breakfast casserole might be a new idea.

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Cauliflower-Goat Cheese Casserole

Antonis Achilles; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay Clark
Cauliflower-Goat Cheese Casserole Recipe

This simple but hearty casserole has a good balance of sweet-vegetal cauliflower, deeply sweet shallots, and tangy goat cheese, while pine nuts provide some tastiness and textural contrast. Parcooking the cauliflower keeps it from mushing out in the casserole, and using a shortcut like pre-floreted cauliflower helps get this done super fast. Go for a goat cheese log instead of crumbles—it melts much more easily. It’s easy enough for a weeknight, but is tasty and comforting enough for a special occasion. 

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Scrambled Egg and Crêpe Casserole

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Buffy Hargett
Scrambled Egg and Crêpe Casserole Recipe
This is a twist on classic Gentlemen's Casserole. Also wrap the crêpes around smoked salmon or veggies for summer rolls.
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Croissant Breakfast Casserole

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Croissant Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Our Test Kitchen has made dozens and dozens of breakfast casseroles over the years, but this one is our latest favorite. Made with day-old mini croissants, caramelized onions, and a rich and cheesy egg custard flavored with a touch of Dijon, this Croissant Breakfast Casserole is a real crowd-pleaser and can be made-ahead. Assemble the casserole and store it, unbaked, in the refrigerator overnight. Then, in the morning, all you have to do is pop it in the oven. Keep an eye on the casserole as it bakes. The buttery croissants exposed on top get dark quickly, so be sure to tent it with foil while it finishes cooking.

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Gourmet Beef-Noodle Casserole

Oxmoor House
Gourmet Beef-Noodle Casserole Recipe
Cream cheese and Cheddar cheese make this casserole extra rich and creamy.

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Savory Sweet Potato Casserole

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Savory Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

This holiday season, skip the usual marshmallow-topped casserole and serve this Savory Sweet Potato Casserole for a change of pace. Because sweet potatoes are so naturally sweet, they are nicely balanced by this savory Parmesan-herb streusel topping. The topping is made with day-old sourdough bread, but you can use another type of stale white bread such as country white, if you prefer. To cut down on sticky clean up, place the potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet before roasting them. We promise, no one will miss the marshmallows.

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Streusel-Topped French Toast Casserole

Photo: Johnny Miller; Styling: Heather Chontos
Streusel-Topped French Toast Casserole Recipe
This make-ahead breakfast casserole features slices of French toast arranged in a pie pan and and a layer of sweetened dried fruit. The casserole is topped with a sweet, buttery streusel topping before baking. For a special finishing touch, dollop with whipped topping.

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Zucchini-Potato Casserole

Zucchini-Potato Casserole Recipe
This elegant tian, a French dish of layered vegetables, is delicious warm or at room temp.

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Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Photo: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Adam Hickman
Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole Recipe

This creamy, crowd-pleasing casserole delivers generously on cheesy, savory flavor—but requires a fraction of the fuss of classic chicken cordon bleu. The key to this chicken cordon bleu casserole’s incredible, bubbly richness is the stovetop cheese sauce made with Swiss and Gruyère.  (If you have trouble finding Gruyère, simply substitute the same amount of Swiss.) Additionally, toasting the breadcrumb topping on the stovetop will keep them exceptionally crispy during baking; so while it may seem like an unnecessary extra step in the casserole’s assembly, it does make for a tastier final product. We call for shredded rotisserie chicken here, but rest assured—this is a great casserole recipe for using leftover cooked chicken. In fact, you can even cut the recipe in half and bake the chicken cordon bleu casserole in an 8-x8-inch square pan for a smaller crowd. One final pro-tip from our test kitchens: You can finely chop the chicken and ham and turn this recipe into an awesome dip for a party.

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Oyster Casserole

Photo: Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine
Oyster Casserole Recipe
Seafood fans will love this savory, cheesy, indulgent casserole featuring fresh oysters and fresh veggies, including mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, scallions, and garlic.

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Mushroom & Bacon Casserole

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Cindy Barr 
Mushroom & Bacon Casserole Recipe
Very few things embody comfort food like this hearty, warming Mushroom & Bacon Casserole.
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