21 Comforting, Creamy Dinner Casseroles with Three Steps or Less

a recipe photo of the Salmon Noodle Casserole
Photo: Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Charlie Worthington

These comforting, creamy casserole dishes are perfect for a main course. From cheesy chicken casseroles to baked vegetarian dishes, these cozy meals will help you keep warm on chilly nights. Recipes like our Green Chile Rotisserie Chicken Casserole and Broccoli & Quinoa Casserole are delicious dinners for any day of the week.

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Green Chile Rotisserie Chicken Casserole

recipe photo of Green Chile Rotisserie Chicken Casserole
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray

This green chile rotisserie chicken casserole features tender rotisserie chicken with lots of tender vegetables. The corn adds a nice pop of sweetness, while the rice helps absorb some of the flavors. A crunchy topping of crushed tortilla chips finishes off this comforting, Southwestern-inspired casserole.

02 of 21

Broccoli & Quinoa Casserole

Broccoli & Quinoa Casserole
Photography / Antonis Achilleos, Styling / Christine Keely, Ali Ramee

This broccoli-quinoa casserole makes a hearty vegetarian main dish. As the quinoa absorbs water and cooks, it creates the perfect amount of steam for cooking the broccoli. The broccoli is crisp-tender and adds texture to contrast with the creamy, cheesy quinoa. Swap in tricolor quinoa, if you prefer.

03 of 21

Philly Chicken Cheesesteak Casserole

Philly Chicken Cheesesteak Casserole
Diana Chistruga

This Philly chicken cheesesteak casserole tastes just like the classic sandwich version but in casserole form. We swapped out the beef for ground chicken and added pasta to bring this quick one-skillet dinner together.

04 of 21

Cheesy Meatball Casserole

cheesy meatball casserole
Jen Causey

This cheesy meatball casserole is a family favorite, with basil adding flavor to the meatballs and grated onion adding moisture. Melted mozzarella cheese tames the spice, but feel free to cut back or eliminate the crushed red pepper if you prefer a milder dish.

05 of 21

Salmon Noodle Casserole

a recipe photo of the Salmon Noodle Casserole
Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Charlie Worthington

This salmon noodle casserole is filled with creamy pasta, chunks of salmon and plenty of vegetables for a well-rounded meal. Dijon mustard flavors the dish, complementing the salmon and asparagus.

06 of 21

Chicken & Zucchini Casserole

Chicken & Zucchini Casserole
Photographer /Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke, Food Stylist / Emily Nabors Hall

This baked chicken and zucchini casserole is creamy, hearty and low-carb! The whole family will love this easy casserole, plus it's a great way to get the kids to eat their veggies (concealed in a delicious cheese sauce!).

07 of 21

Spinach, Feta & Rice Casserole

spinach, feta & rice casserole

This one-pan recipe is the casserole version of spanakopita! It's hearty enough to enjoy as a vegetarian lunch or dinner, yet versatile enough to serve alongside just about any protein. To make it extra creamy, top each serving with a dollop of sour cream.

08 of 21

Creamy Rotisserie-Chicken Noodle Casserole

Creamy Rotisserie-Chicken Noodle Casserole
Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Holly Raibikis

This creamy chicken noodle casserole recipe is inspired by our popular Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Rotisserie Chicken by Karen Rankin. We use store-bought rotisserie chicken to cut down on cooking time. This casserole is cozy and delicious.

09 of 21

Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole

Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole
Jason Donnelly

Ground beef and cauliflower combine to create a hearty weeknight casserole that both kids and adults will love. Serve with tortilla chips and sour cream.

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Chicken Enchilada Skillet Casserole

Chicken Enchilada Skillet Casserole
Jacob Fox

This simplified take on cheesy chicken enchiladas only requires one pan for cooking and eliminates the need to stuff and roll corn tortillas. Charring the veggies in a cast-iron skillet adds depth of flavor. Don't worry if you don't have one, because you can use any oven-safe skillet instead.

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Creamy Mushroom, Chicken & Asparagus Bake

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This comforting weeknight casserole recipe features plenty of mushrooms and asparagus combined with chicken and brown rice and a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce. Whip this up anytime you have leftover chicken or cooked brown rice to spare.

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Turkey-Vegetable Bake

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Need to use up leftover turkey from the holidays? Make this low fat casserole. It's made with brown rice and lots of vegetables.

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Vegetarian Spring Egg Casserole

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This easy egg casserole is filled with spring green vegetables and rustic whole-grain bread. It's perfect for a healthy vegetarian dinner or a springtime brunch. You can assemble it the night before and bake it in the morning when you're ready.

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Skillet Tuna Noodle Casserole

Skillet Tuna Noodle Casserole
Photography / Fred Hardy, Styling / Ruth Blackburn / Audrey Davis

Known as Tuna-Pea Wiggle to some, this family-friendly tuna noodle casserole tends to be made with canned soup and whole milk, which means high fat and sodium. We remedy this by making our own creamy mushroom sauce with nonfat milk thickened with a bit of flour. Look for whole-wheat egg noodles--they have more fiber than regular egg noodles (but this dish will work well and taste great with either).

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Skillet Caprese Chicken Casserole

Skillet Caprese Chicken Casserole
Brie Passano

This one-skillet dinner features the flavors of a summer caprese salad. Fresh tomatoes and basil are combined with chicken and pasta and cooked in a creamy sauce before being topped with a layer of melted mozzarella. A good-quality balsamic vinegar and a sprinkling of fresh basil completes the dish.

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Spinach & Mushroom Tortellini Bake

Spinach & Mushroom Tortellini Bake

This cheesy tortellini bake is a dish the whole family will love--it's filled with sweet-tasting marinara, mushrooms and spinach and topped with melted cheese. Complete the meal, plus get in another vegetable serving, by adding a side of broccoli or a small green salad.

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Cheesy Sweet Potato & Black Bean Casserole

Cheesy Sweet Potato & Black Bean Casserole
Ali Redmond

A cozy, cheesy casserole is classic comfort food. We amped up the nutrition by including plenty of nourishing veggies. Black beans provide powerful plant-based protein while the sweet potatoes offer up a healthy dose of vitamin A, an antioxidant important for vision and immunity.

18 of 21

Smoked Turkey, Kale & Rice Bake

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This hearty one-skillet dinner is loaded with celery, kale, tomatoes and quick-cooking brown rice. It's easy to make the recipe vegetarian by substituting smoked tofu for the turkey.

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Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

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All the delicious flavors of your favorite chicken Cordon Bleu--salty ham, melty cheese, tangy mustard--with no tricky assembly required. This healthy comfort food recipe would be perfect for a potluck.

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Nacho Cauliflower Casserole

a recipe photo of the Nacho Cauliflower Casserole served in a dish
Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

This cauliflower casserole is inspired by nachos and stuffed with tender roasted cauliflower, sweet red pepper and brown rice. Salsa helps bind the ingredients together, along with melted cheese. Crushed tortilla chips on top add crunch. Serve with the suggested garnishes, or add your own favorite toppings to complete the dish.

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Sloppy Joe Casserole

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Like sloppy Joes? Then you'll love this sloppy Joe casserole recipe. This kid-friendly dinner has the classic sloppy Joe flavors kids love, while parents will like all the veggies that are packed in to make it a healthy meal.

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