Anything can be a casserole as long as you follow some simple guidelines.
By Margaret Eby Updated August 26, 2019
A casserole is one of those dishes that doesn't have a clear definition. You know it when you see it. They are usually baked in a large, deep dish made of glass, ceramic, or enameled cast iron. 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. It's usually served hot, and you use a fork or spoon to eat it.
But aside from those basic principles, a casserole can be whatever you want. Any ingredient that can be baked can be part of a tasty casserole. That means that ice cream is out, but Doritos are totally in. Flavor profiles of casseroles can include everything from broccoli to garlic bread to ramen noodles. The only thing stopping you is what you have on hand and your imagination.
What you need to remember is that every casserole is made of a few crucial elements. Not every single casserole has all of them, but as a rule of thumb, here's what to look for: a starch, a binding agent or sauce, and a protein or vegetable. Many casseroles also have both vegetables and proteins, as well as a crunchy element to give some textural contrast, and cheese. Seasoning elements can be a part of the starch or the sauce, as well as the crunchy part. But that's pretty much all you need.
Remember that when you put a casserole in the oven to bake, all the vegetables and meat should already be more or less cooked through. You can do this by roasting or sauteeing, or whatever method you prefer. The time in the oven has less to do with cooking the vegetables or meat and more to do with marrying the flavors together, crisping up the top, and setting the binder.
Let's take, for example, this Hoppin' John Casserole. Here, the starch is rice, so you cook the rice before adding it. The bacon, onion, and collards—your protein and vegetables—are cooked down before. The binding element and sauce is the egg and chicken stock you add tot he rice and bacon mixture. This casserole doesn't have cheese or a crunchy topping, but if you felt like adding something crunchy on top for a textural contrast—say a little crisped up and crumbled bacon after the casseorle is out of the oven—it would work perfectly. This Meditterranean Lamb Casserole works similarly. Rice is the main starch, and lamb and vegetables get cooked down and seasoned before combining that with tomatoes that are cooked down into a sauce. Here the binder is the tomato sauce and the yogurt added to the mixtue before it goes into the oven. The textural element is pita chips and feta, added toward the end of cooking and baked for about five minutes.
mr-Shrimp and Grits Casserole image
Credit: Antonis Achilles; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay Clark
Antonis Achilles; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay Clark
Once you have the basics down, you can get more creative with your ingredients. Can grits be your starch? Heck yes. That's what's happening in this Shrimp and Grits Casserole. Would garlic bread work? Yeah it would—like in this Pepperoni Pizza Casserole. You could use tater tots, or French fries, or noodles, or hash browns. It's really up to you.
Binding agents are a little less intuitive, but a couple beaten eggs works a treat in almost anything. You can always go with the classic can of mushroom soup approach for the sauce, or make a classic cheese sauce, or a bechamel, like in this Cauliflower-Goat Cheese Casserole. You're looking for something that'll impart some flavor and tie all the flavors together, so broth and tomato sauce are great options too.
When it comes to the crunchy topping, crumbled up chips work great. So do crispy onions orr crumbled bacon or breadcrumbs spread on top of the casserole about 5 minutes before it's done and then crisped up. Don't be shy, play around a little with your food. The best thing about casseroles is that they're pretty forgiving. If you mess it up, there's your old friend cheese, waiting in the wings to cover for you.
FAQs
Not every single casserole has all of them, but as a rule of thumb, here's what to look for: a starch, a binding agent or sauce, and a protein or vegetable. Many casseroles also have both vegetables and proteins, as well as a crunchy element to give some textural contrast, and cheese.
What the heck is a casserole? ›
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, ...
Is it better to bake a casserole covered or uncovered? ›
In general, you'll want to bake a casserole covered with aluminum foil for most of the cooking time. Covering the casserole helps lock in moisture and prevents it from drying out. If you don't cover the casserole or uncover it too soon, the casserole will dry out.
Is casserole a southern thing? ›
Few dishes have a closer link to Southern home-cooking traditions than the casserole. Recipes, ingredients, and methods vary from kitchen to kitchen, but the idea of mixing different food items, baking in a deep and sturdy dish, and serving to friends and family is near and dear to many Southerners' hearts.
What is the base for a casserole? ›
Basic Casserole Recipe
A perfect casserole needs one or more binders: cheese, eggs, condensed soup, Greek yogurt or noodles, for example. Next up are good seasonings; you need herbs and spices to make it all sing.
How can I improve my casserole flavor? ›
Casseroles can really shine when they achieve a harmonious balance of flavors. Sweet, salty, spicy, and acidic elements should blend well and complement each other. Add ingredients like caramelized onions, olives, or lemon zest to give your casserole a depth of flavor.
Is it better to bake a casserole in glass or metal? ›
Baking in metal means you can bake a dessert until the center is done, remove it from the oven, and not have to worry about the pan continuing to bake the edges. Glass, however, will retain the heat, and continue to bake what's inside, resulting in either an underbaked center or an overbaked edge—or often both.
What temperature do you bake a casserole? ›
Again, any recipe will give you the oven temperature and baking time, but if you are making up your own casserole, don't cook it lower than 300 or higher than 400 degrees F. Casseroles generally do best at a moderately hot heat, especially if the ingredients are already cooked.
What do Midwesterners call casseroles? ›
The term hot dish is typically utilized in the upper parts of Minnesota and North Dakota because people up there like to coin their own verbiage, much like “uff da” or “you betcha.” You probably called it a casserole, like this one, and, not to sound like a hot dish snob, but the parameters of hot dish are a bit more ...
What do Americans call a casserole? ›
casserole in American English
1. an earthenware or glass baking dish, usually with a cover, in which food can be cooked and then served. 2. the food baked and served in such a dish, typically rice, potatoes, or macaroni together with meat or fish and vegetables.
In the post-World War II era, with the rise of convenience foods and streamlined kitchen appliances, casseroles became a symbol of modernity. Canned soups, frozen vegetables, and pre-packaged ingredients made it easier than ever for home cooks to assemble a hearty, flavorful meal in one dish.
What are the basics of a casserole? ›
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.
What qualifies something to be a casserole? ›
A casserole is a one-dish meal that's baked and served from a sturdy baking dish that's itself known as a casserole. Casseroles can be main courses or side dishes like gratins or the famous Thanksgiving green bean casserole.
What are the characteristics of a casserole? ›
A casserole can have layers, as in the case of an Italian lasagna or a deep-dish pizza, or composed of some evenly distributed combination of veggies, a protein, and a starchy binder. A casserole is often a one-pot meal that involves combining the ingredients in an oven-safe dish and baking them.
