25+ Healthy and Tasty Casserole Recipes

July 21, 2020
Photo: Melissa Springer
Eating a healthier diet and incorporating more nutrient-rich foods like veggies and whole grains doesn't have to mean sacrificing the ultimate comfort food meal: the casserole. Flavorful, satisfying, and lower in fat and calories, these delicious casserole recipes are just what the dietician ordered. From a reduced-sugar sweet potato casserole to twists on classic King Ranch chicken, you're sure to find a new casserole or two to add to your favorite recipe rotation.
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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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Enchilada Casserole

Photo: Johnny Autry and Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr
Enchilada Casserole Recipe
Make a hearty, healthy Mexican casserole in just 30 minutes that the whole family will enjoy. Feel free to substitute ground turkey and chicken broth instead of beef, if desired.

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Salmon and Potato Casserole

Photo: Randy Mayor; Stylist: Cindy Barr
Salmon and Potato Casserole Recipe

Salmon and Potato Casserole is a great for breakfast or dinner. This casserole is easy to make and great as leftovers, too! Smoked salmon is great for breakfast with eggs, bagels and toast - try these recipes to get your day started. 

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Cheesy Squash Casserole

Photo: Oxmoor House
Cheesy Squash Casserole Recipe
Enjoy all the flavor of savory squash casserole without the guilt! Reviewer Kim writes, "We used this in place of my mother's classic squash casserole for Christmas dinner and it was excellent! Tasted very similar to her much higher-fat recipe, and even she had to admit that it was very good."

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Sausage and Bean Casserole

Randy Mayor; Katie Stoddard
Sausage and Bean Casserole Recipe

Simple and satisfying, this hearty sausage and bean casserole is fast enough to prepare on a busy evening.

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Mexican Casserole

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro
Mexican Casserole Recipe
This light and healthy vegetarian Mexican casserole gets its great flavor from tons of fresh ingredients, like cilantro, plum tomatoes, lime juice, and jalapeño peppers. 
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Mom's Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Cindy Barr    
Mom's Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole Recipe

A traditional creamy chicken casserole can have more than 800 calories per serving! Try our lightened up version that offers great flavor without all the calories.

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Lower-Sugar Sweet Potato Casserole

Jennifer Causey
Lower-Sugar Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Our delicious casserole has 5 fewer teaspoons (20g) of added sugar per serving than traditional versions.

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Chicken and Rice Casserole

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Mindi Shapiro
Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe

 

Although the yellow and green squash give this chicken and rice casserole a colorful appearance, you can use one or the other, if you prefer.

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Cauliflower-Carrot Casserole

Photo: Alexandra Grablewski; Styling: Lynn Miller
Cauliflower-Carrot Casserole Recipe
This cauliflower-carrot casserole is a tasty recipe and a great alternative to a starchy side dish. Delicious enough to serve on the holidays, you will want to make this easy casserole again and again.

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Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Photo: Jen Causey; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Prissy Lee
Spaghetti Squash Casserole Recipe

Our Spaghetti Squash Casserole has all the goodness of a cheesy pasta bake, and the absence of pasta makes room for lots of nutrients. The beef, marinara sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan keep that classic casserole taste intact, while the squash “noodles” hold up nicely and don’t water out. The flavors keep this family-friendly, but it’s especially great for anyone trying to avoid gluten.

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Ground Beef and Pasta Casserole

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Ground Beef and Pasta Casserole Recipe

This casserole is perfect for a busy week when getting in and out of the kitchen needs to be a snap. The marrying of flavors in one pot from the ground sirloin, fresh vegetables, aromatic seasonings, and rigatoni make for a satisfying pasta dish with an easy cleanup.

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Light King Ranch Chicken Casserole

Light King Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe
For an easy, satisfying, and healthy chicken casserole dinner, check out this lightened up version of one of our most popular chicken dishes of all time.

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Noodle-and-Spinach Casserole

Noodle-and-Spinach Casserole Recipe
This cheesy pasta bake sneaks in fresh spinach for extra nutritional value. Want to cut calories further? Make sure to use lean ground beef and swap in reduced-fat cheese and sour cream. To make ahead, bake as directed, cover, and freeze. Let thaw overnight in refrigerator. Bake, covered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes.

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Black Bean and Chicken Casserole

Photo: Dominic Perri; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps 
Black Bean and Chicken Casserole Recipe
This simple Black Bean and Chicken Casserole uses a slow cooker, canned beans and rotisserie chicken to make a super-convenient family meal.
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Eggplant Lasagna

Photo: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Adam Hickman
Eggplant Lasagna Recipe
Our eggplant lasagna is a delicious, crowd-pleasing dinner that results from swapping traditional lasagna noodles for slabs of fresh eggplant. Besides being a great gluten-free and low-carb alternative to classic lasagna, this comforting casserole is the perfect way to put a load of summer eggplant to good use.

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Hearty Tex-Mex Squash-Chicken Casserole

Photo: Charles Walton; Styling: Cindy Manning Barr
Hearty Tex-Mex Squash-Chicken Casserole Recipe
The addition of yellow squash, bell pepper and frozen chopped spinach sets this Tex-Mex chicken casserole apart from the rest and is a great way to include more veggies at your dinner table.

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One-Pot Cheesy Pasta Bake

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas 
One-Pot Cheesy Pasta Bake Recipe

This easy skillet pasta bake is a surefire family hit. Pasta and meat sauce topped with mozzarella cheese will make everyone at the table happy, and the all-in-one-pot technique will have the cook smiling pretty. Cooking the pasta in the meat sauce not only lessens the amount of dishes you have to do and the time it takes to get dinner done, but the starches in the pasta thicken the sauce—without you having to do a single extra thing. 

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College Chicken Casserole

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cathy Muir
College Chicken Casserole Recipe
This ultra-satisfying casserole calls for low-sodium chicken broth, low-fat milk and light butter to cut calories and fat without sacrificing any comforting flavor.

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Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole

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Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole Recipe
This south-of-the-border-inspired chicken casserole features salsa verde, chopped green chiles, and nutrition-packed avocados. A squeeze of lime, fresh cilantro, and lightened cream of chicken soup and sour cream makes this casserole just as flavorful as it is easy on the waistline.

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Tomato 'n' Beef Casserole With Polenta Crust

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Caroline Murphey
Tomato 'n' Beef Casserole With Polenta Crust Recipe
If it's hard to get your kids to eat their vegetables, try this ooey-gooy beef casserole featuring sliced zucchini for an extra dose of nutrients.
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Mexican Chicken Casserole

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Mexican Chicken Casserole Recipe
Instead of the usual jarred salsa often called for in Mexican casserole, this recipe features a homemade salsa made with charred tomatoes that are mixed with cilantro and fresh lime juice. Charring the tomatoes gives a rich flavor to the salsa, which is a good match for this chicken-and-veggie-packed dish.

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Beefy Baked Ravioli with Spinach and Cheese

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Beefy Baked Ravioli with Spinach and Cheese Recipe

Everyone will be excited to dig into this comforting skillet supper. Look for ravioli in the refrigerated section—our Test Kitchen prefers Buitoni brand. Substitute ground turkey or chicken for the beef, or replace the spinach with Swiss chard leaves.

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Creamy Chicken-and-Rice Casserole

Photo: Oxmoor House
Creamy Chicken-and-Rice Casserole Recipe
Use on-hand ingredients to assemble this easy, make-ahead creamy chicken casserole that has less than 7 grams of fat per serving.
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Pasta Bake Florentine

Oxmoor House
Pasta Bake Florentine Recipe
Not only is this baked pasta delicious, but the variety of vegetables makes it colorful and appealing as well.

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King Ranch Chicken and Quinoa Casserole

Photo: Jennifer Causey Styling: Lindsey Lower
King Ranch Chicken and Quinoa Casserole Recipe

This ain't your mama's chicken casserole. The comfort food classic gets a modern, nutrient-dense makeover with the addition of quinoa. Beyond being warm, cheesy, and generally delightful, this flavor-packed casserole is loaded with protein and is sure to become a new family favorite. 

 

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Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Casserole

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Blakeslee Giles; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Casserole Recipe

Our Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Casserole is all the proof you need that cauliflower can be comforting. It’s definitely creamy, thanks to multiple types of cheese, but still has a good bite from the cauliflower rice’s texture. You can make your own cauliflower rice by pulsing the florets and stem in a food processor, or you can buy it fresh or frozen at most grocery stores. Dry your chicken skin and brown it before placing the dish in the oven and cook it skin-side up for the crispiest skin possible. Serve with green beans, asparagus, or another spring vegetable.

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Chicken Enchilada Casserole

HOWARD L. PUCKETT
Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe
Low-fat sour cream, egg whites, and low-fat milk help keep the fat and calories under control in this hearty and flavorful casserole.

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Aunt Liz's Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

Photo: Melissa Springer
Aunt Liz's Chicken Spaghetti Casserole Recipe

This chicken spaghetti casserole is low in calories and can easily be made ahead. The recipe makes two casseroles so enjoy one for dinner and freeze the other for later. To prepare the frozen casserole, cover and bake for 55 minutes at 350°; uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

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