Cozy Holiday Casseroles

Squash and Green Chile Casserole Recipe

Filled with fresh zucchini and squash, this casserole doesn't require the oven.

Broccoli and Rice Casseroles Recipe

Whether it’s for a special occasion or weeknight meal, this broccoli and rice casserole—complete with chicken and lots of cheese—is destined to impress. These mini casseroles are perfectly portioned and come together in 20 minutes, plus they’re brimming with flavor. For a vegetarian-friendly version, simply omit the chicken or replace it with a plant-based version. You can also save the milk and use it in another recipe, like stovetop macaroni and cheese. 

Pumpkin-Poblano Casserole Recipe

Layers of flavor make this unexpected side dish a wow-worthy winner. A different spin on the classic gratin, sweet sugar pumpkin and spicy poblano peppers make for a creamy and hot casserole that will make you want a second helping. The secret ingredient is a can of evaporated low-fat milk, which is poured over the vegetables to seal in their flavor while adding a whole new level of decadence. Ever versatile, this dish would work as a side with Tex-Mex, but would also not be out of place on the Thanksgiving table.

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. 

Spinach and Mushroom Strata Recipe

This cheesy, meatless casserole is best served straight out of the oven, golden and bubbly.

Cheesy Potato Casserole Recipe

Rather than using sodium-loaded canned soup, we made our own creamy sauce to update this dish.

Smoky Sausage-and-Grits Casserole Recipe

You can assemble this up to four days ahead, and keep in the fridge; then let it stand at room temp for 30 minutes before baking.

Cheddar-Pecan Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Warm, bubbly casseroles are always a hit at holiday gatherings. If you're looking to take your classic green bean casserole to a new level, add cheddar cheese and pecans. Plus, we found that mixing Japanese breadcrumbs (panko) and French fried onions makes for a crisp, less greasy topping.

Zesty Broccoli Casserole Recipe

Take traditional broccoli casserole to new heights with sharp Cheddar cheese, water chestnuts, and a panko topping. "This recipe is incredible," raves reviewer Erindipity75. "My husband swore it overshadowed the roast chicken and potatoes I served it with." If your grocery store doesn't carry panko, check with a local seafood market, or substitute regular breadcrumbs.

Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole Recipe

Everything you love about a loaded baked potato—bacon bits, sour cream, and cheese—are right here in this hearty casserole. It serves 12 and is a great choice for holiday meals.

Corn Fritter Casserole Recipe

This moist, sweet-savory side dish is a cross between corn bread and corn pudding. You can use 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels in place of the canned corn, if you prefer.

Hash Brown Casserole Recipe

This simple hash brown casserole features a buttery cornflake crust and is a favorite side for both casual family gatherings and holiday celebrations.

Squash-Rice Casserole Recipe

Easy to prepare and rich in flavor, this casserole pairs well with roasted chicken, ham, or pork chops.

Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Go beyond the standard “recipe on the can” casserole by adding Alfredo sauce instead of cream of mushroom soup, water chestnusts, Parmesan cheese and toasted pecans.

Potluck Potato Casserole Recipe

The crunchy topping on this side-dish casserole gives way to a cheesy interior, resulting in a comfort food winner. A bonus with this dish is that you can make the casserole ahead--assemble and refrigerate it until time to bake.

Classic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

Ideal for entertaining, this creamy potato casserole features thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes baked in whipping cream and topped with Parmesan cheese.

Three-Cheese Pasta Bake Recipe

The combination of cheeses—white cheddar, parmesan, and Gruyère—give this dish its rich flavor. The pasta makes an ideal side dish during the holidays.

Wild Mushroom-and-Sweet Potato Gratin Recipe

Chanterelle mushrooms and fontina cheese contribute a delicate, nutty flavor that contrasts nicely with sweet potatoes in this dish. Serve with roasted pork loin or ham.

Creamy Grits Casserole Recipe

This buttery, two-cheese casserole featuring one of the South’s favorite foods is a must for holiday brunches or to serve at dinner with shrimp or ham.

Potato-Apple Gratin Recipe

Cook outside the casserole box with this inventive gratin. Granny Smith apples lend seasonal flavor, while plenty of Swiss and Parmesan cheeses make this dish a savory indulgence that all your guests are sure to love.

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."

Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Layer cooked macaroni with butter, milk, two kinds of cheese, and a little cayenne for a spicy kick. Assemble this casserole ahead of time and bake when ready to serve. User Alex suggests cooking it a little longer than suggested if you like the edges to get crispy and browned.

Potatoes Dauphinoise Recipe

This rich gratin uses a combination of milk and half-and-half instead of the traditional heavy cream to slash saturated fat. We find the texture of Kerrygold reduced-fat cheese more like full-fat cheese than other brands.

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Our modern twist on the classic sweet potato casserole is a fragrant vanilla bean streusel.

Au Gratin Potato Casserole Recipe

Creamy meets crunchy in this classic potato casserole. It's simple and can be prepared ahead of time and baked while you finish prepping the rest of the holiday meal. Reviewer Llsuraven recalls, "I tried this recipe at Thanksgiving and everyone in my family LOVED it. I am doing it again this Christmas...but I am adding water chestnuts to it!"

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Creamy sweet potatoes topped with gooey marshmallows and crunchy cornflakes make this casserole a sweet holiday favorite. Reviewer HBD2YHBD2Y recommends assembling the casserole the day before and adding the toppings just before cooking.

Brussels Sprouts-and-Rice Casserole Recipe

Baking vegetables into a casserole usually makes them more appealing to kids (and adults!), and this Brussels sprouts recipe is no exception: "Wow! Fantastic!" raves reviewer Bostonsmaman. "We're not normally Brussels sprouts fans, but this dish was GONE!" Like the other casseroles, this dish can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen, then baked the day of your gathering.

Easy Corn Casserole Recipe

The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity. All you'll need to do is combine the six ingredients in a bowl, pour the mixture into a baking dish, and bake it for 45 minutes. Reviewer Wanda raves, "Surely lives up to its name—couldn't be easier! Nothing to measure, just mix everything together and bake it! Will definitely make again...and it will probably become a Thanksgiving staple, too."

Mashed Potato Casserole Recipe

Upgrade your go-to mashed potato recipe without adding any fuss. Start with frozen mashed potatoes and add eggs, cream cheese, onion, and pimientos, then bake. Top the hot casserole with cheddar cheese and bake for about 10 more minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Home-style Green Bean Casserole Recipe

This essential holiday casserole gets a much-needed makeover from fresh veggies and a lightened, but super-rich homemade sauce.

Squash Casserole Recipe

Why limit French fried onions to green bean casserole?  We love them on this cheesy squash casserole, too.

Cheese Cracker-Topped Squash Casserole Recipe

"We have a hard time getting our grandson to eat a vegetable. He loves Goldfish crackers, so I came up with this recipe. You can sub any type of crackers," says SL reader Gerri Ellis, of Hazelhurst, MS, whose recipe inspired this dish. We crushed a few crackers and tossed the crumbs with paprika to help the whole fish outline on top stand out.

Cheesy Broccoli-and-Rice Casserole Recipe

"The old-school version of this recipe uses canned soup and often calls for frozen broccoli. My new twist is made with fresh, wholesome ingredients. It takes just a smidgen of more time, but the results are absolutely extraordinary." --Contributing editor Virginia Willis, author of the forthcoming Lighten Up, Y'all

Wild Rice-and-Greens Casserole Recipe

We prefer chopped kale in this casserole, but use your favorite green. For heartier greens like collards, cook them five minutes longer in Step 1. If you want to prepare the dish ahead, cover and chill up to three days before baking. Uncover and bake just before serving.

Two-Potato Gratin Recipe

"This luscious gratin strikes a happy middle chord for those hungry for potatoes and those vying for a sweet potato casserole." --Nancy Vienneau, author of Third Thursday Community Potluck Cookbook, from which this recipe was adapted.

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. 

Mini Cheese Grits Casseroles Recipe

This make-ahead recipe is ideal for a brunch or holiday breakfast. Prepare the grits the night prior to serving, and then bake the casseroles before everyone arrives. Ramekins in pastel hues help dress up this recipe for your Easter table. Plus, the single-serving portions feel more formal than a regular casserole dish. If you don’t have 8-ounce ramekins, our recipe can be made in a 2-quart baking dish (increase the baking time to about 50 to 55 minutes). The key to creamy, lump-free grits is to stir or whisk the grits while you are slowly pouring them into the water. Stir occasionally until the grits are tender. Make sure the pot of grits does not start popping or bubbling, and reduce heat to low

Homemade Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Leeks Recipe

You might have a go-to green bean casserole recipe, but you have to try this one. These thin, crispy fried leeks are an absolutely delicious casserole topper and look way more elegant than the canned fried onions. The leeks fry up very quickly; keep a close watch on them as they cook.

Lower-Sugar Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

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

Hoppin’ John Casserole Recipe

Get all your New Year’s good luck in one dish with this casserole full of bacon, peas, rice, and collards. The mixture of soft rice with tooth collards and peas, plus chopped bacon makes for a nice variety of textures. It’s great on its own, but it’s also a great side dish for fried chicken or pork chops. 

Easy Butternut Squash Casserole Recipe

This delightful twist on sweet potato casserole is sweet, warm, and comforting. If you're short on time, use Whole Foods' canned butternut squash purée instead of roasting your own. Marshmallows are optional, but recommended. 

Broccoli Cheese Casserole Recipe

We love a good broccoli casserole and this recipe is amazing to have on hand. This Broccoli-Cheese Casserole recipe is just plain decadent and delicious. You're sure to convert any broccoli hater with this creamy casserole. Fresh steam-in-bag broccoli florets make this comforting casserole come together even faster. We suggest using Club crackers for the topping because of their buttery quality. Your family will love this casserole recipe during the holidays, but we think it is a year-round winner.

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.

Pineapple Casserole Recipe

We altered this traditional casserole to balance out the sweetness, allowing the pineapple and cheese to really shine. The intense flavor makes it an ideal side dish for baked ham. 

Broccoli-Artichoke Casserole Recipe

Nothing says autumn like a hearty casserole—something you can make on a weekend afternoon, and have for leftovers over the next couple days. Here, rich Gruyere cheese marries with the bright acid of a dry white wine (try a Sauvignon Blanc) to bring a touch of elegance to this yummy comfort food.

Hasselback Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Are you ready for Thanksgiving? Not without a sweet potato casserole. Here’s a fun twist on the traditional sweet potato casserole. These thinly sliced potatoes bake in a creamy brown sugar sauce to until tender on the inside and crispy around the edges. For the most even results, choose fat, round sweet potatoes that weigh six to seven ounces each. You can prepare this casserole the day before Thanksgiving.

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.

Christmas Breakfast Casserole  Recipe

This warm and comforting casserole is everything you could want in a Christmas morning breakfast: rich and cheesy grits, rounded out with sausage, bacon, and poblano. 

Brussels Sprouts Casserole Recipe

This solid casserole is perfect for a winter gathering and would especially be welcome around the holidays. The strong flavors of sharply biting Brussels sprouts and salty bacon are rounded our with creamy, cheesy goodness while buttery breadcrumbs add a nice crunch. It’d make a perfect side for roasted chicken or pot roast, but it’s also a nice addition to a Thanksgiving or Christmas table. 

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.

Creamy Broccoli-Cheddar Casserole Recipe

This fresher take on the traditional casserole is loaded with vegetables and comes together with a homemade sauce instead of sodium-heavy canned soup.