15 of Grandma's Best Casserole Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the key to making a good casserole? ›

John Wayne Casserole is a crustless, vegetarian, cheese and egg casserole recipe. Its origins are traced back as far as John Wayne, the American actor (26 May 1907 – 11 June 1979.) Wayne directly contributed the recipe to a 1979 cookbook titled, “Cooking with Love from Cara and Her Friends”, compiled by a Cara Connery.

"The standard size of a casserole dish is 9 by 13 inches. However, due to varying shapes, they are often measured by volume, with three quarts being average,” says Contrino. “It is important to note that if a recipe calls only for a 'casserole dish,' it is most likely asking for a 9- by 13-inch rectangular size.

So what's inside? Let's talk anatomy: A standard dinner casserole usually includes a protein, a starch, a vegetable, a sauce (or other binding ingredient), and cheese.

Stir wholegrain mustard through the casserole at the end of cooking (to taste); this is especially good if you have sausage in the casserole. Add a sprinkle of paprika, garlic and some slices of chorizo to get that flamenco feeling into your dish.

Generally, casseroles with grains, rice or pasta that will cook during the baking process are usually covered, for at least part of the time. Casseroles made of cooked ingredients are usually baked uncovered. If you like a crisper, browner top, be sure the casserole is uncovered for at least part of the bake time.

Jackie Kennedy's Casserole (Instant Pot Version)–a simple noodle casserole (officially known as Mrs. John F, Kennedy's Casserole Marie Blanche) that was supposedly served by the first lady during her stay in the White House.

Macaroni and cheese is the oldest written casserole recipe found in 1250.

Grilling was one of John Wayne's favorite hobbies—he even owned a huge indoor grill. He dabbled in chicken, pork and seafood, but steak was his favorite.

Starchy side dishes and casseroles: a 9 X 13 pan makes about 12 one cup servings. A 2 quart casserole will make 6 to 8 cups. A typical serving size for potatoes, stuffing, and yams is 1 cup.

Which casserole is best for cooking? ›

“If you were to only own one, I would say go for a large cast iron casserole dish with an enamel coating, to be used for anything from a slow cooked bolognese or chilli to a whole roast chicken,” recommends Kowbel.

For example, pans made by different manufacturers may vary slightly by depth—two inches versus 2¼ inches. But whether the pan's labeling says 13- by 9-inch or 9- by 13-inch, it should have a volume of about 14 cups (or 3.3 liters) and be the right size for most sheet cake or bar cookie recipes.

In the United States, a casserole or hot dish is typically a baked food with three main components: pieces of meat (such as chicken or ground meat) or fish (such as tuna) or other protein (such as beans or tofu), various chopped or canned vegetables (such as green beans or peas), and a starchy binder (such as flour, ...

Casserole dishes come in a variety of shapes to suit different cooking needs: rectangular, square, oval, and round. Rectangular and square casserole dishes are great for layering and maximizing oven space. Oval-shaped dishes can accommodate large ingredients. Round dishes are great for baking and serving.

A casserole is a loose collection of ingredients bound together in a dish and baked until they turrn into a cohesive whole. It is not quite a dip, and not quite a composed dish. Cheese is often involved, but not always.

There are 3 main parts that make up a casserole: the starchy base, the filling, and the sauce. The base: The starchy base is the foundation of the casserole. It isn't going to be the most flavorful part of the dish, but it is what will make the casserole filling and satisfying.

Regardless of where the word came from or what specifically you put into your casserole, the theory that a casserole intrinsically must contain those five ingredients — a protein, starch, vegetable, sauce, and cheese, per High Heeled Homemaker — holds up when you look at the most popular casseroles in the United States ...