50 Best Casserole Recipes for Cozy Comfort Food

Break out your best casserole dish because there’s nothing better than homemade comfort food, and we’ve got it, coming in the form of 50 casserole recipes from Food Network Kitchen and Food Network stars like Ree Drummond and Trisha Yearwood.

This is your home for all the nostalgic comfort, and with it comes ease. We’ve got classics that lean heavily on make-ahead, from a paella casserole that can be refrigerated overnight to Molly Yeh’s Chicken Spinach and Artichoke Dip that’s covered with pop-can biscuits, that she bakes straight from the freezer. And if you want something other than nostalgia, hit on some of our modern twists, like broken-enchilada style taco casserole, black bean lasagna or a Polish-inspired pierogi casserole with homemade pasta dough.

And it’s not just dinner mains we’re talking about. From breakfast casseroles that you can refrigerate overnight, then pop in the oven the next morning to feed a crowd (see: bagel bake, or slow-cooker sausage casserole that cooks overnight), to side dishes fit for a holiday, like green bean and sweet potato casseroles.

You can't go wrong with any of the recipes in this roundup, but we love a good mashup like this one. With hash browns, ground beef, canned tomatoes and green chiles, taco seasoning and gooey cheese, it can't be beat. It's the ultimate hands-off meal. And since everything's tossed together right in the baking dish, there's very little cleanup. Simply garnish with your favorite taco toppings and dinner is served. If you're lucky enough to have leftovers, try wrapping them in a tortilla for a quick burrito.

Low maintenance and packed with flavor, this creamy casserole transforms dorm-friendly ramen noodles into a satisfying casserole for a crowd. What's not to love about that?!

This cheesy, layered beauty that tastes like nachos, but better! It’s made a bit easier thanks to rotisserie chicken and features crunchy tortilla chips along with all the seasonings you’d expect in a plate of nachos. The trick that really takes this casserole over the top, though, is the creamy salsa verde sauce that coats the chicken. It’s irresistibly delicious and so full of flavor.

If your first thought when you hear the word “casserole” is heavy or indulgent, Valerie’s healthy dish will change all that. Her take on the chicken casserole is hearty and satisfying — but full also of good-for-you kale.

Try a new take on the casserole — a standby one-dish dinner. This one combines hearty ground beef with cheddar and egg noodles.

Trisha smothers shredded chicken, Cheddar cheese and tortillas in her special, homemade gravy. It makes for a warm and comforting dish that fans call, “absolutely delicious”.

This creamy tuna-noodle dump dinner is made entirely in one baking dish, egg noodles included. It tastes just like the casserole you grew up eating but requires less equipment (and cleanup). Instead of using the classic cream of mushroom soup, we opted for a combination of cheese, broth, heavy cream and sour cream, which provides the same velvety texture.

With just a little day-before prep work, this creamy casserole comes together quickly. It's packed with mushrooms, poached chicken and cauliflower — for a filling and wholesome meal.

This dish has everything you love about a traditional bagel breakfast sandwich, but it's all baked into a casserole that can be made the night before. It's a great way to get ahead when you want to take the morning off.

Tuna, peas, fresh mushrooms and lots of cheese make Sunny's revamped noodle casserole a crowd-pleaser. You'll want to bookmark this recipe and make it part of your regular rotation.

Pulsing potato tots in a food processor keeps their crispy texture and turns them into a crunchy topping. It's a genius way to re-think a classic, family-friendly dish.

Giada's colorful veggie casserole, full of potatoes, yams, bell pepper and zucchini, would be excellent alongside grilled steak. Thanks to the crusty Parmesan-breadcrumb topping, it's filling enough to serve as a vegetarian main course, too.

Eat spaghetti and meatballs by the slice instead of the bowl. Each slab of this kid-friendly casserole has tiny meatballs and pockets of gooey cheese. Add slices of leftover cooked Italian sausage if you have it.

Cauliflower just got loaded — like a baked potato, that is. All the familiar flavors of your favorite stuffed spud are in this cheesy casserole that is low in carbs and high in flavor.

We put all your favorite Tex-Mex flavors into a comforting casserole that's fast and easy to throw together. It will become a go-to when you need a crowd-pleasing meal on a busy weeknight.

Creamy, cozy and oh-so-delicious, Molly’s casserole is the ultimate make-ahead meal. She stores her casserole in the freezer and pops it in the oven for just 30 minutes when she needs a heat-and-eat dinner.

Just dump a box of pasta, bag of shrimp and a few other pantry staples into a dish and bake. Right before serving, stir in the heavy cream and top with grated cheese and fresh parsley for a rich and creamy weeknight dinner in a flash.

This copycat hash brown casserole is an incredibly comforting side dish you'll want to make for both breakfast spreads and dinner parties alike. We opted to ditch the canned creamed soup and make a homemade cheese sauce instead. The result is a homey rendition of the classic Cracker Barrel dish.

A classic made modern and fresh, Alton ditches the traditional cream of mushroom soup and canned green beans. Instead, he uses real mushrooms, half-and-half and fresh veggies.

We love creamy Havarti cheese for this comforting casserole. The mild Danish cheese is widely available in different flavors — try dill or caraway for extra punch.

This meal is a veggie lover's dream. Loaded with red peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms and peas, you'll get tons of flavor in every bite.

Instead of filling each individual potato skin, Ree reinvents cheesy, bacon-laced twice baked potatoes as a comforting casserole. It's a great way to dig into a classic — for far less work.

Tackle Giada's traditional lasagna by making each of the separate components before layering. Once it comes out of the oven, you'll be glad you took the time to make it.

For this cozy feast, the chicken will do double duty: once with the meat in the filling and once with the bones to enrich some store-bought broth. And that cheddar crust? Totally worth making from scratch.

This paella is perfect if you're short on time: Just assemble, cover and refrigerate the night before for quick cooking the day-of. It's an easy way to mix things up on a weeknight, when it can be so easy to rely on the same, old proteins.

Giada's chicken and pasta bake is table-ready in under an hour, making it an excellent choice when you need to feed the family fast. It's cozy, flavorful and sure to please.

Ree's chicken and spaghetti casserole is pure comfort food. She makes it easy to eat and serve by breaking the spaghetti into pieces.

Trisha's veggie lasagna is anything but boring. Black beans, tofu ricotta and fire-roasted tomatoes make for a comforting, flavorful meal that's vegetarian and dairy-free.

Skip cooking a big pot of rice and throw the ingredients into a casserole dish instead for an easy dump-dinner meal. The basmati rice and chickpeas absorb all the delicious flavors of ginger, garlic, curry powder and coconut milk. Finish with a quick drizzle of yogurt along with fresh cilantro leaves and lime wedges for a simple and complete meal.

We nicknamed this the "broken enchilada" casserole because the soft layer of cooked tortilla chips on the bottom reminded us of enchiladas. The best part? This dish is so much easier to make!

“A bag of frozen tots lays the foundation for this hearty, cheesy winner of a breakfast casserole,” says Ree. And, who are we to argue with that?!

Make this crowd-pleasing favorite the classic way: with buttery mashed sweet potatoes and a crunchy pecan topping. It's a must for Thanksgiving — but just as good any night of the week when the weather is a little chilly.

“This dish is perfect for a crowd, and it’s just as good with ground turkey or chicken,” says Trisha. Who doesn't love having options when you've got to get a family dinner on the table?

Trisha’s make-ahead sausage casserole is just as good for dinner as it is for breakfast. Use sage sausage for fragrant, herby results.

Rachael's enchilada sauce with poblano peppers, tomatillos and cumin has just the right amount of heat. Better yet, her casserole has all the cheesy goodness you crave.

This colorful, extra-cheesy breakfast casserole can be made ahead and baked the next day. It's perfect for brunch with a large crowd.

If tomato soup and grilled cheese is your go-to comfort food, then we have the casserole for you. Using the broiler instead of the stovetop makes the work of grilling the bread and cheese easier-try it method when you're cooking sandwiches for a crowd.

Assemble this lasagna a day ahead and refrigerate. When you're ready to serve it, bring it to room temperature (30 minutes before baking) and finish in the oven.

Get all your favorite breakfast foods in one bite! And change up the cheese if you want — try Pepper Jack for a little spice.

Have bananas with your flapjacks. Oh, and chocolate, too. Add a few sliced strawberries or a handful of raspberries for an extra pop of flavor and color!

Trisha mixes pork, beans and barbecue sauce in this simple casserole that easily serves a crowd. Bring it to backyard barbecues, make it for cozy weeknight dinners — or try it when you need a potluck dish to pass.

Nestle cooked spaghetti into an egg mixture in a skillet, then top it with a layer of mozzarella and Parmesan. The result? A comforting, cheesy casserole that will get gobbled right up.

As Molly says, this dish is “like sweater weather in food form.” She whips up a homemade biscuit dough to bake on top of her bacon, apple and butternut squash casserole.

Skip the store-bought pierogi and make Michael’s five-star casserole instead. He layers a homemade pasta dough with mashed potatoes, caramelized onions, bacon and cheese for the ultimate comfort dish.

If you love an all-American breakfast with hash browns, eggs, sausage and peppers, then this is the recipe for you! Besides being downright delicious, the cheesy casserole can cook overnight. Assemble all the ingredients in your slow cooker, set it on low and wake up to a hearty meal that's ready first thing in the morning for hungry houseguests.