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25 Best Casseroles You Can Make with Pantry Staples

Jessica Fisher · April 14, 2020 · 3 Comments

What are the best casseroles? Well, that depends on your tastes. But, no matter what you like, casseroles are the best for using pantry staples and making dinner easy.

pan of sausage noodle casserole

I don’t know about you, but I consider a casserole to be ultimate comfort food, and more importantly, the BFF of the home cook who needs to make dinner in advance without a lot of fuss.

There aren’t too many dishes that can fit those requirements as perfectly as a casserole.

Unless we’re talking about a heaping bowl of mashed potatoes. And even then, you can include mashed potatoes in your casseroles!

The casserole is our friend and deserves our respect. Casseroles count as great pantry meals.

25 Best Casseroles You Can Make with Pantry Staples

This round-up is designed to do just that: show you the beauty of the casserole and how nicely it plays with pantry staples.

I’ve curated 25 favorite Good Cheap Eats casseroles that can be used with what you have on hand. As you scroll through them, you’ll noice that I’ve included in their descriptions what the recipe calls for as well as what you can substitute if you don’t have something particular on hand right now.

In this way, you can imagine all the different combinations you can create with your pantry staples. 

cut open black bean pot pie

But, first let’s get some basics out of the way: 

What is in a casserole?

A casserole follows a general formula of a starch, a protein, and some kind of sauce to hold it all together. Casseroles often include meat, vegetables, beans, rice, noodles, and anything else that suits your fancy. They are often topped with cheese and/or breadcrumbs for added flavor and texture.

What kinds of casseroles are there?

Casseroles run the gamut, including enchiladas, egg bakes, lasagnas, pasta bakes, pot pies, chicken divan, tortilla bakes, and macaroni and cheese. 

I submit that even pizza and nachos can be made into casseroles. There’s even a banana-chicken casserole called Flying Jacob. Say what?! (It honestly sounds kinda gross. No offense, Swedes.)

What substitutions can I make in a casserole?

Since each type of casserole has a type of formula in and of itself, it’s often pretty easy to swap out the meat or veg or cheese for whatever you have on hand. 

Below you’ll see that I’ve listed many different options for the casseroles included here.

Bacon and Cheese Egg Bake in casserole dish

Do you cover a casserole in the oven?

Covering a casserole is going to depend on how long it has to cook and what will happen to the top layer when exposed to the open heat.

If your casserole is partially frozen, I recommend covering it with foil until the bulk of the dish cooks, then uncovering for the last 15 minutes or so to melt the cheese topping or crisp the breadcrumbs.

Can you prepare a casserole ahead of time?

Casseroles are wonderful for preparing ahead of time. Assemble the casserole, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake, up to 24 hours in advance, for most dishes.

In the case of pot pies, I don’t recommend refrigerating them for too long as eventually the gravy will penetrate the pie dough. In those instances, consider storing the filling and the dough separately and assembling them right before cooking.

stack of frozen casseroles

How do you freeze a casserole?

Freezing a casserole is a great way to make it many days in advance. In fact, if you aren’t already making double or triple batches of your casseroles, now’s a good time to start doing that. You’ll have money in the bank!

  • Assemble the casserole as the recipe directs. If the ingredients are warm or hot, cool them prior to assembly.
  • Chill the casserole, if the components aren’t cold already.
  • Wrap, label, and freeze.

How do you reheat a frozen casserole?

Most casseroles, except pot pies, do best if thawed completely before baking. This helps you prevent the cold spots and long cooking times that occur when baking a frozen casserole.

Pot pies do best if baked from frozen, so as to prevent the pie dough from getting soggy.

If you need to reheat a frozen casserole and don’t have time to thaw it, cover it with foil and increase the baking time by half. 

chili stacks in pie plate with blue and white towel

What are the best casseroles?

Well, that depends on your tastes. I’ve rounded up the best casseroles on Good Cheap Eats for your review. Let me know which ones are your favorites!

Best Casseroles You Can Make with Pantry Staples

Overnight Casserole with Chicken or Turkey

The main ingredients in this dish include noodles, bread crumbs, and a homemade sauce including milk and sour cream.

Possible substitutions: While chicken and cheddar are named, you can include any cooked meat or veggies and your choice of cheese to make the most of what you have.

Sausage Noodle Casserole, like Mac & Cheese, but Better

This noodle casserole calls for a homamde sauce, noodles, sausage, peppers, onion, and mushrooms, combining into a hearty, cheesy casserole, akin to mac and cheese, but better.

Possible substitutions: you can swap in meats and veggies of your preference. Just a few tablespoons of pesto add amazing flavor, but you can include salsa or BBQ sauceto change the flavor profile.

The Mashed Potato Casserole My Kids Go Nuts For

This amazing dish is simply mashed potatoes enhanced with roasted garlic and cheddar.

Possible substitutions: If need be, swap the cheese for whatever variety you have on hand and use green onion or sauteed onions instead of garlic.

These Cheesy Potatoes are Ultimate Comfort Food

Who knew you could make your own cream of chicken soup? You can! And once you do, stir it together with sour cream, cheese, and shredded potatoes.

Possible substitutions: use greek yogurt for sour cream as well as whatever cheese you have on hand. If you don't have frozen, cook and shred fresh potatoes as a substitute.

Really Homemade Green Bean Casserole

While the traditional casserole calls for canned soups, beans, and fried onions, this homemade version plays with other pantry staples: like flour, milk, butter, and bread crumbs.

Possible substitutions: use plain yogurt instead of sour cream, whatever shredding cheese you have on hand for the asiago. You can make your own panko breadcrumbs. Use onion powder and dried parsley if you don't have fresh.

Homemade Curried Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Chicken and broccoli play well together when paired with a homemade sauce and topped with cheese and bread crumbs.

Possible substitutions: use frozen broccoli instead of fresh, canned chicken or other cooked meat, homemade breadcrumbs, and whatever cheese you have on hand.

Alfredo Mac and Cheese

No need for a boxed mac mix when you can make this one. Butter, flour, and milk form your homemade white sauce.

Possible substitutions: use whatever pasta or cheese you have on hand.

Easiest Mac and Cheese Recipe

If you've got noodles, sour cream, and cheese, you've got what you need to make this dish.

Possible substitutions: plain greek yogurt can stand in for the sour cream and any shredding cheese. Use whatever short pasta you have on hand if you don't have macaroni.

Chicken and Biscuit Pizza

You can make a pizza into a casserole? Yep. A biscuit crust gets topped with a homemade white sauce and an array of toppings. Use this base as a springboard for whatever toppings you might have on hand.

Possible substitutions: any cooked meat or veggies for the chicken, onions, and tomatoes; whatever shredded cheese you have on hand.

Spicy Sausage Lasagna with Mushrooms and Peppers

Spicy sausage teams up with peppers, onions, mushrooms, and crushed tomatoes, all to be layered with noodles, mozzarella, and a homemade beschamel.

Possible substitutions: use whatever ground meat you have on hand; use a jarred sauce if that's what you have; swap in ricotta, cottage cheese, or the cream cheese sauce from this recipe, if you don't have the stuff to make the white sauce.

Mexican Lasagna to Spice Up Your Night

Mexican Lasagna takes your standard pasta casserole to new heights with pepper jack cheese and salsa to jazz things up.

Possible substitutions: use whatever shredded cheese you have, any ground meat will work. If you don't have the chicken broth/cream cheese for the cheese layer, you can substitute ricotta, cottage cheese, or a homemade white sauce.

Creamy Chicken Stuffed Shells

The main ingredients in these yummy shells include: pasta, chicken, cream cheese, mozzarella, and red sauce. Pretty sweet and simple.

Possible substitutions: use whatever cooked meat you have. If using ground meat, you can omit the cream cheese. Try jack if you don't have mozzarella.

Sausage Egg Hash Brown Casserole

This recipe is a mainstay at our house with only four main ingredients: shredded potatoes, cooked sausage, shredded cheese, and eggs. So easy and so good!

Possible substitutions: use fresh cooked potatoes if you don't have frozen, swap in whatever cooked breakfast meat you have on hand (ham, sausage, bacon or swap in cooked veggies), use whatever cheese you like.

Six-Layer Nachos that You Can Make & Freeze

All the ingredients for Nachos pile into a pie plate, waiting for you to slide them in the oven. Once hot and melty, dig in with tortillas or chips -- or both!

Possible substitutions: Use mashed black beans or even chickpeas if you don't have pintos/refried. Layer on whatever shredding cheese you have and raid the fridge and pantry for fun toppings.

Lawnmower Taco 

What do you make with the crushed chips at the bottom of a bag? Lawnmower Taco! Ground meat simmers in a homemade sauce before you layer it between crushed chips and cheese.

Possible substitutions: swap in any meat or beans for the ground beef, use whatever cheese you have, swap in tortillas if you don't have chips.

Easiest Cheese Enchiladas

Cheese enchiladas take about 15 minutes to assemble from start to finish, making them a super simple dinner.

Possible substitutions: add in cooked veggies or meat along with the cheese; use whatever cheese you have on hand; make a homemade enchilada sauce if you like or use whatever salsa or Mexican sauce you got.

Creamy Turkey Enchiladas

Once when I didn't have enchilada sauce or the means to make one, I created a different kind of sauce. A seasoned, creamy gravy enrobes tortillas, pepper jack, and cooked turkey for an enchilada that is out of this world.

Possible substitutions: use nut milk and vegetable stock if you don't have milk/chicken stock for the sauce; use whatever shredded cheese you have on hand; chicken, beef, or pork can be substituted for the turkey.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe

No time to roll enchiladas? No problem. This casserole solves that problem by combining cooked chicken, sour cream, salsa verde, tortillas, and cheese. So easy and delicious!

Possible substitutions: swap greek yogurt for the sour cream; use whatever salsa you have on hand. Any shredded cheese will work as well as cooked turkey or sausage.

Crockpot Enchiladas

With just five ingredients, this Crockpot Enchilada Stack comes together in minutes!

Possible substitutions: make a homemade enchilada sauce if you don't have canned; swap in whatever meat and cheese you have.

Chili Stacks - A Quick & Easy Stacked Tortilla Casserole

Similar to an enchilada, Chili Stacks go in a different direction with a seasoned tomato-based meat sauce. It's ready to serve in less than half an hour.

Possible substitutions: use whatever ground meat or sausage you have on hand as well as whatever shredded cheese you prefer.

Shepherd's Pie with Cheddar Mash

Shepherd's Pie boils down to just a few elements: mashed potatoes spooned over cooked meats and veg in a savory gravy.

Possible substitutions: Use whatever meat and veg you have; omit the cheese if you prefer.

Turkey Pot Pie with Easy Biscuit Topping

Pot Pies can go in several directions, but all have the same basic components: a savory filling of meat, beans, veggies, and sauce, topped by a pie crust or biscuit. This one is the latter.

Possible substitutions: swap out any cooked meats and veg for the turkey and vegetables listed.

Double Crust Chicken Pot Pie

This double crust pot pie features chicken and vegetables in a homemade gravy. Such delicious comfort food!

Possible substitutions: swap out any cooked meats and veg for the chicken and vegetables listed.

Single Crust Pot Pie with Chicken or Turkey

This single crust pot pie requires less work than its double crust cousin while still featuring delicious chicken and vegetables in a homemade gravy.

Possible substitutions: swap out any cooked meats and veg for the chicken and vegetables listed.

Black Bean Pot Pie

Black beans and a salsa-like sauce upstage where chicken, beef, and turkey have played the starring role in the past.

Possible substitutions: use whatever cooked beans and cheese you have on hand.

a collage of best casseroles

Filed Under: Main Dishes Tagged With: casserole, pantry

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Candice says

    April 15, 2020 at

    Great ideas! Thanks

    Reply
  2. Michelle says

    April 17, 2020 at

    This is so helpful during this quarantine. Thank you for assembling this list.

    Reply
    • Jessica Fisher says

      April 17, 2020 at

      Thanks! Glad to hear it’s helpful!

      Reply

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