Healthy Spring Casserole Recipes

Make this creamy carrot-and-parsnip casserole for your next holiday meal--everyone will beg you for the recipe! Our healthier version skips the heavy cream and butter found in most recipes--saving about 160 calories and 12 grams of saturated fat compared to a traditional version.

Layers of tortillas, chicken and vegetables with a creamy goat-cheese sauce create a lasagna-like Mexican casserole dish for an easy, healthy dinner the whole family will love.

This healthy casserole recipe contains tons of veggies alongside whole-wheat pasta for a satisfying dinner kids and adults will enjoy.

An aromatic mixture of garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander, allspice and cayenne flavors this vegetarian quinoa and squash casserole recipe. Frozen squash is a super-easy topping.

No gloppy canned soup in this healthy green bean casserole recipe. Simply give cilantro, parsley or chives (or a mix of all three) a whirl in the food processor to make the pesto-like sauce that ties the casserole together.

This healthy creamed spinach gratin calls for frozen spinach so it's a quick and easy side dish that's sure to become a dinnertime staple.

This yummy lasagna-inspired casserole has cheese, vegetables, eggs and marinara sauce but uses sturdy whole-grain bread instead of noodles, which makes it even easier to make. Its hearty look hides the fact that it's made with all low-fat, healthful ingredients. Of course, it makes a great brunch entree as well--don't let the name fool you.

This healthy update of a traditionally rich ham-and-cheese breakfast strata is made lighter primarily by losing a few egg yolks and using nonfat milk. Gruyère cheese has a delicious, nutty aroma and flavor, which means that with the relatively small amount in this recipe you still get a big impact. To finish the makeover use nutritious, fiber-rich, whole-grain bread instead of white. The results: plenty of flavor, half the calories and one-third the fat of the original.

The mashed potato-covered shepherd's pie was originally created to use up the leftovers from a festive roast. This version blends peas, leeks and carrots with diced turkey, all in a creamy herb sauce. The dish is a perfect way to create a second meal with the holiday turkey but if you like, use leftover roast chicken, duck or goose.

This breakfast strata recipe, loaded with onions, leeks and asparagus, is a great way to serve eggs to a crowd for brunch. This healthy breakfast casserole is lightened up by using less bread, low-fat milk and more vegetables. The egg mixture and vegetables can be made ahead, but plan to put the strata in the oven to bake about 1 hour before you want to serve it.

Whole-wheat noodles, low-fat cheeses and light pasta sauce make this beef and pasta casserole healthy but still deliciously satisfying.

These easy, cheesy potatoes cook in a foil packet perfect for throwing over the coals of a campfire for a delicious, healthy side dish while camping.

Bread pudding, an economical dish designed to use up stale bread, is most often associated with dessert. It's equally comforting turned savory, enriched with cheese and studded with vegetables.

These saucy curried chicken thighs makes a great dish for a big easy family supper. There's plenty of curry sauce, so serve with brown rice or whole-wheat egg noodles. We call for boneless, skinless chicken thighs here, but we've also tried it with bone-in thighs and it worked wonderfully.

Requiring 45 minutes from start to finish, this casserole classic is one of the longer recipes in this book; however, it takes only about 10 minutes to assemble. While it bakes, you can put together a salad, or simply enjoy a glass of wine. If you want to make it vegetarian, substitute soy “sausage” for the Italian sausage and vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

Chicken sausage comes in a variety of flavors these days. The flavor you pick will have a big impact, so make sure you pick one you like. We tried and liked sweet Italian, apple and Chardonnay sausage and sun-dried tomato and spinach sausage in this recipe.

This quick and easy seafood casserole gets bright flavor from fresh dill and feta cheese.

Homemade mushroom sauce kicks the can of soup out of the picture in this veggie-centric, healthy riff on a classic tuna-noodle casserole recipe. Serve with steamed green beans.

Cinnamon and a hint of cloves bring out the flavor of the lamb. Serve with crusty bread.

Two methods are included here for this subtly flavored risotto. For the conventional method, chicken broth is added a little at a time and the rice is stirred between additions. The microwave technique does not need constant stirring. It also uses less chicken stock because there is less evaporation during cooking.

Rich and cheesy, this pasta dish is sure to please the whole family.

Lentil soup is the base for this sausage and spinach casserole. Make it a meal: Serve with a simple green salad tossed with red-wine vinaigrette.

Looking for another way to use summer-fresh tomatoes? Layer them with high-fiber artichokes for a quick and satisfying side dish. Make it a meal: Serve alongside grilled chicken and steamed new potatoes.

Fresh artichokes and potatoes combine in this tasty gratin. Serve with Pan-Roasted Chicken & Gravy and Brussels Sprouts with Walnut-Lemon Vinaigrette.