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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    23 Hearty Casseroles for When You’d Rather Not Cook

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on September 17, 2025, updated September 4, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    Casseroles are the perfect solution for those days when you want a warm, filling meal without spending hours in the kitchen. These 23 hearty recipes are easy to prepare and can feed a crowd, making them ideal for family dinners or potlucks. With a variety of ingredients and flavors, there's something here for everyone to enjoy.

    Leftover Boiled Potato Casserole

    Leftover boiled potato casserole.
    Photo credit: alwaysusebutter.com.

    Leftover boiled potatoes can be transformed into a delicious casserole that everyone will enjoy. This dish combines the familiar flavors of baked potatoes with a creamy and cheesy texture. It's simple to prepare and perfect for a cozy family meal.

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    No Boil Stuffed Pepper Casserole

    No Boil Stuffed Pepper Casserole on a baking dish.
    Photo Credit: Piper Cooks.

    This casserole is easy to make and doesn't require any boiling. It combines bell peppers, navy beans, long-grain white rice, and a tasty tomato sauce with Italian spices. It's a comforting dish that the whole family will enjoy.

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    Creamy Baked Pumpkin Gnocchi with Italian Sausage

    Creamy Baked Pumpkin Gnocchi with Italian Sausage
    Photo Credit: The Wicked Noodle.

    Baked Pumpkin Gnocchi with Italian Sausage combines simple gnocchi with a rich and creamy pumpkin sauce. This dish is comforting and satisfying, perfect for a cozy family meal. It's easy to prepare and brings together the flavors of pumpkin and sausage in a delicious way.

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    Green Bean Tater Tot Casserole

    Beefy Green Bean Casserole with Tater Tots.
    Photo credit: The Feathered Nester.

    This hearty casserole features the comforting flavors of hamburger, green beans, and your choice of potatoes. It's a filling meal that the whole family will enjoy. Preparing it in advance can help save time during busy evenings.

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    Spicy Chicken and Cauliflower Casserole

    Spicy Chicken and Cauliflower Casserole.
    Photo Credit: A Taste of Madness.

    This spicy chicken and cauliflower casserole is easy to make with only five ingredients. It's perfect for a quick dinner during the week when time is tight. The combination of flavors makes it a dish that everyone will enjoy.

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    Chicken and Noodle Casserole

    Chicken and noodle casserole.
    Photo Credit: Cheerful Cook.

    Chicken and Noodle Casserole is a comforting meal that everyone enjoys. It's rich and cheesy, filled with chicken and veggies, and has a crunchy topping of buttery crackers that adds a nice touch. This dish is perfect for family dinners and is sure to please everyone at the table.

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    Walking Taco Casserole

    Walking taco casserole.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

    This casserole brings all the delicious flavors of tacos into one easy dish. It's packed with ground beef, salsa, and plenty of cheese, making it a hearty meal. Perfect for a potluck or a simple weeknight dinner, this is a dish the whole family will enjoy.

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    Dump-and-Bake Mac & Cheese

    Mac and cheese.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Baked Mac and Cheese is simple to prepare and perfect for a cozy family meal. In just 10 minutes, you can have everything ready to go into the oven, and after 45 minutes, you'll have a delicious dish that everyone will love. This recipe combines Cheddar and Gruyere cheese for a rich and cheesy flavor, all made in one pan without the need for boiling or complicated steps.

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    Cheesy Tortellini Casserole

    Cheesy Tortellini Casserole
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This dish is all about comfort and flavor, bringing together cheesy goodness that everyone loves. It's a simple meal that satisfies cravings and warms the heart. Perfect for family dinners, this casserole is sure to please both kids and adults alike.

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    Cheesy Potato Chicken Sausage Casserole

    Cheesy Potato Chicken Sausage Casserole.
    Photo Credit: The Almond Eater.

    This Chicken Sausage Casserole combines chicken sausage, potatoes, and cheese for a comforting meal. It's simple to prepare and everything cooks in just one skillet, making cleanup a breeze. Plus, it's gluten free, so everyone can enjoy it.

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    Ground Beef Cottage Pie

    Cottage Pie with Ground Beef.
    Photo Credit: Masala Herb.

    This ground meat pie is simple to prepare and packed with flavor. It's a great option for a quick meal, especially since it doesn't include any peas. Perfect for family dinners, this dish is sure to satisfy everyone at the table.

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    Bacon Egg And Cheese Breakfast Totchos

    Bacon Egg And Cheese Breakfast Totchos.
    Photo Credit: 4 Sons R' Us.

    Breakfast totchos are a fun twist on your morning routine. Packed with bacon, eggs, cheese, and tater tots, this dish is sure to please everyone in the family. It's a great way to start the day with something a little different and delicious.

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    Chicken Fajita Casserole

    Chicken Fajita Casserole.
    Photo Credit: Haute & Healthy Living.

    This chicken fajita casserole is easy to make and a healthy option that kids love, making it a great choice for a weeknight dinner. It's loaded with cream cheese, Greek yogurt, shredded chicken, fajita seasoning, and lots of cheese, so it's both delicious and flexible for different tastes.

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    Croque Madame Casserole

    Croque Madame Ham and Cheese Breakfast Bake
    Photo Credit: Inquiring Chef.

    This casserole takes a classic French dish, the Croque Madame, and turns it into an easy-to-make meal that everyone loves. With rich gruyere cheese and savory deli ham, it brings great flavor to the table. Using store-bought biscuits makes preparation quick and straightforward, perfect for busy nights.

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    Broccoli Casserole

    Broccli casserole.
    Photo credit: Masala Herb.

    This broccoli casserole is a great choice when you want a quick and healthy side dish. It's simple to prepare and packed with flavor, making it a perfect addition to any meal. Whether you're serving it for a family dinner or a casual gathering, this dish is sure to please everyone.

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    Chicken Broccoli Pasta Bake

    Chicken pasta bake.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This dish is packed with chicken and broccoli, making it a hearty meal that everyone will enjoy. It's perfect for busy nights when you want something satisfying without spending too much time in the kitchen. Plus, you'll likely have some leftovers to enjoy later.

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    Million Dollar Chicken Casserole

    Million dollar casserole.
    Photo credit: Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons.

    This casserole features shredded chicken combined with cream cheese and cream of chicken soup, all topped with a crunchy layer of buttery Ritz crackers. It's a comforting dish that's perfect for family dinners. Easy to prepare, this meal is sure to satisfy everyone at the table.

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    Easy Cowboy Casserole

    Cowboy casserole in a white oven dish.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    Cowboy casserole is a hearty dish that you can whip up in about an hour, with most of that time spent baking while you relax. It uses everyday ingredients that you likely already have on hand, making it easy to prepare. This is a great option for family dinners, offering comfort and satisfaction without requiring a lot of effort.

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    Eggplant Moussaka

    Eggplant Moussaka with Lamb.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Eggplant Moussaka is a hearty dinner packed with vegetables and ground beef or lamb, all covered in a generous layer of cheese. This recipe skips the potatoes and Bechamel sauce, using more eggplant instead, which keeps it true to its Mediterranean roots. It's a healthy and tasty option that's easy to prepare, perfect for family meals.

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    Cheesy Baked Spaghetti

    Cheesy Baked Spaghetti.
    Photo credit: Midwest Foodie.

    If your family loves spaghetti but they're sick of the same old pasta and sauce, they are going to LOVE this cheesy easy-baked spaghetti recipe! It's a cross between spaghetti and meatballs and cheesy lasagna so you've got a hearty layer of cheesy noodles topped with a tasty meat sauce and plenty of ooey gooey cheese.

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    Chicken Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Bake

    sun-dried tomato pasta bake.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This dish features cheesy chicken and pasta, packed with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. It's a hearty comfort food that's simple to prepare. Perfect for family dinners, this casserole is sure to satisfy everyone at the table.

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    No-Boil Ravioli Casserole

    This cheesy ravioli casserole is one of the simplest dishes you can make. With just four simple ingredients and store-bought shortcuts, you can prep this dish in 5 minutes, and eat in under 40!
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

    This dish is super easy to prepare. With just four basic ingredients and some ready-made options, you can have it ready in about 5 minutes and on the table in under 40. It's perfect for busy nights when you want something comforting and satisfying.

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    Tuscan Chicken Bake

    Tuscan chicken bake.
    Photo Credit: Heavenly Home Cooking.

    The Tuscan chicken bake is a creamy and cheesy dish that's full of flavor. It combines chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach with pasta in a rich sauce made from coconut milk and cheese. This is a good dinner option for busy nights or a comforting meal on the weekend.

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    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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    Hi, I'm Emmeline! I love tasty food, but I'm always in a hurry. And I have the quick and easy recipes to prove it!

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