Sure, some people don’t like casseroles, and you know what? It’s OK to be wrong in this case, because then there’s more for you. For those of us who love a hot, cheesy dinner out of the oven, one where you get a little bit of every food and flavor in each bite, these easy casserole recipes will speak to you. Casseroles are the perfect fall food; they just go with sweater weather and open windows and a little brisk breeze coming through the open windows. And whether you need a warm and comforting weeknight meal or a new recipe for a classic Thanksgiving side, we’ve got you covered.
Not all casseroles are meant to be weeknight meals — when something needs an entire hour in the oven, well, that’s kind of an instant disqualifier. But some casseroles don’t need nearly as long. On the other hand, Thanksgiving casseroles require that time. You’re bringing together all kinds of flavors and maybe cooking more from scratch than you do other times of year, so you actually don’t want to skimp on time there. It’s OK that they’re a little fussier to make because the end result is something you look forward to all year.
Whatever kind of casserole you’re looking to make, these recipes are sure to become ones you return to again and again.
01Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole
All The Healthy Things’ recipe is perfect for the mom who likes to snag a rotisserie chicken at the store and figure out what to do with it later. You’ll spend a few minutes chopping and softening up some veggies on the stovetop, but from start to finish, you’ll have a cheesy delicious casserole in 40 minutes.
02Chili Cornbread Casserole
Want a super comforting cozy chili recipe? This cornbread and chili casserole from Princess Pink Girl will make you feel all warm and happy. It’s not much more work than making your usual fave chili — just mix up some store-bought cornbread batter in a casserole dish and pour the chili into the center before baking.
0330-Minute Stovetop Chicken, Broccoli, & Rice Casserole
You have a tiny window of time between getting home and leaving for sports or theater rehearsals. This stovetop casserole from Averie Cooks is ready in half an hour. The delicious layers of chicken, broccoli, rice, and cheese are sure to be a hit with kids and keep them full through practice.
04Stuffed Pepper Casserole
This is another stovetop skillet casserole that’s great for school nights. When you get home, brown the beef and dice up the bell peppers in about 10 minutes, then add rice and let it all simmer for an hour while you finish up homework and play for a bit. Jessica In The Kitchen’s recipe uses vegan ground beef, but of course, you can sub in the real thing if that’s your preference.
05Crockpot Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole
You spent enough time cooking all that Thanksgiving food — this Crockpot leftover casserole from Fit Slow Cooker Queen will help you turn it into something new again. Just layer up some stuffing, turkey, gravy, greens, and mashed potatoes (and maybe some cranberry sauce on top if that’s your thing). Set it for a few hours and come back when you’re ready.
06Turkey & Stuffing Casserole
If you’re making Thanksgiving for two (or just a few), why make an entire turkey? Budget Bytes’ turkey casserole recipe includes whole turkey breasts and legs on top of a delicious stuffing. It takes a while to bake and some attention halfway through, but for Thanksgiving dinner to be ready in two hours, this qualifies as an easy casserole recipe.
07Old-Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole
It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without a sweet potato casserole on the table. This recipe from Simply LaKita takes a little over an hour from start to finish, but all the steps are super easy to pull off. In the end, you’ll have a traditional casserole your grandma would be proud of.
08Hashbrown Casserole
Take 10 minutes to mix and season all the ingredients in this recipe from Dude That Cookz, then bake for 50 minutes and enjoy a cheesy, melty hashbrown bake. You can combine everything a day or two in advance and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake too, which I love for a day-after-Thanksgiving pick-me-up before breaking back into the leftovers for lunch.
09Easy Hamburger Casserole
Spend about 15 minutes browning ground beef, softening up some onions in a skillet, and boiling pasta. Then just assemble and bake your flavorful hamburger casserole dinner, courtesy of Simply LaKita. This one will end up in your rotation of faves.
10Corn Casserole
If you’re from the South, you probably have corn casserole at every Thanksgiving and Christmas meal. It’s a deliciously buttery, crumby, sweet dish, and Jessica In The Kitchen’s recipe only requires about 10 minutes of prep before popping it into the oven and walking away.
11Broccoli & Potato Casserole
If you have some leftover mashed potatoes in the fridge, Damn Delicious’ recipe is an easy way to church them up into a nutrient-dense, super tasty meal. You’ll need to steam some broccoli for five minutes, then just layer up the ingredients and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until it’s heated through.
12Vegan Eggnog French Toast Casserole
Again, I get a little pang of sadness after all that delicious homemade food on Thanksgiving when it’s time to make a regular old breakfast the next morning. Having something like Make It Dairy-Free’s eggnog French toast casserole in the fridge, just waiting to go into the oven, would feel so festive and nice. It’s easy to assemble, then just let it sit overnight and bake it in the AM.
So, which casseroles will you be digging into this month? If you’ve never tried corn casserole, I beg you, start there.
This article was originally published on scarymommy.com.