23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (2024)

Pressed for time on a busy weeknight? No problem! Our dump-and-bake easy casserole recipes provide a hearty meal with almost no prep time. Simply combine your ingredients, add them to a casserole dish, and your oven does the rest. Keep these dump-and-bake recipes handy for when you need a low-fuss homemade meal.

9 Freezer Casseroles That Make Weeknight Dinners So Much Easier

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Chicken Alfredo and Rice Casserole

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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (1)

Chicken and rice are a classic (not to mention kid-pleasing) combo. Add creamy Alfredo pasta sauce, and you have a super-simple-to-make, scrumptious dinner ready with no fuss. We added peas and roasted red bell peppers to this chicken dump casserole for a more flavorful and nutritious meal.

17 Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes for Easy, Nutritious Dinners

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Swiss Vegetable Medley Casserole

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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (2)

Need a veggie-packed casserole ready in a hurry? This oh-so-easy casserole recipe is full of frozen vegetables and cream of mushroom soup. French-fried onions on top add a satisfying crunch. Any vegetarians in the crowd will love this healthy meal. You could easily toss in some leftover shredded chicken for a family of meat lovers.

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Hot Chicken Salad Casserole

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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (3)

Dress up cold chicken salad with this super-simple, extra cheesy version. Cream of chicken soup and yogurt provide chicken salad's classic creaminess; crushed cornflakes and sliced almonds bring delicious crunch. It's got everything we love about lunchtime chicken salad turned into a satisfying oven casserole you can toss together on a weeknight.

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Twice Baked Potato Dump Casserole

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This dump-and-bake easy casserole recipe has all of your future potato side dish needs covered. Need potatoes for a holiday meal? Check. Scrambling for a last-minute potluck dish? Done. Thanks to the gooey cheese on top and bacon throughout, there won't be any leftovers to bring home.

16 Upscale Potato Recipes for a Crowd Worthy of Your Next Party

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Smoky Cheesy Chicken-Potato Casserole

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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (5)

Cheesy potatoes capture our hearts at almost every holiday meal, so getting them in a weeknight dinner is a treat. Smoked or roasted chicken with hash brown potatoes and smoked cheddar cheese make this easy casserole recipe hearty enough for your hungriest guests. The recipe says croutons on top are optional, but we say they're a must.

Hot and Cheesy Chicken Casserole

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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (6)

This easy casserole oozes with three different kinds of melted cheese. It's great for a weeknight dinner because this recipe requires almost no prep. The trick to pulling this easy chicken dump-and-bake casserole together so quickly is to mix frozen veggies and leftover chicken (even a rotisserie chicken could work) with cream of chicken and nacho cheese soups.

Easy 30-Minute Pork Recipes Perfect for Weeknight Dinners

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Shawarma Casserole

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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (7)

A hearty mix of ground turkey, rice, and spices is the start of this dump-and-bake easy casserole for dinner. Finish the dish with crunchy pita chips, Greek yogurt, lemon wedges, and plenty of fresh herbs. As on BHG home cook raved, "This recipe is such a fun twist on a casserole, and the smells were amazing."

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Denver Potato Casserole

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You need only five ingredients to make this yummy potato casserole. Smoky ham, green bell pepper, and yellow onion give this easy casserole recipe a rustic flavor. Naturally, we added a handful of cheese. Because it's so speedy, you could toss it together for breakfast, brunch, or your next breakfast-for-dinner night.

Our 23 Best-Ever Egg Casseroles to Perk Up Your Mornings

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Easy Huevos Rancheros Casserole

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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (9)

Eggs are great for breakfast and brunch. We think they're delicious at dinnertime, too. The zesty kick from chunky salsa will have you craving this spicy egg and potato dish. Adding lots of Mexican cheese on top of this dump-and-bake casserole will make it a popular request at your table.

23 Must-Try Mexican Recipes to Spice up Your Weekly Menu

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Hash Brown Casserole

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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (10)

This hearty ham and potato casserole can be a star at any meal. Serve it alongside a salad and fruit for a quick weeknight meal or whip up this dump-and-go casserole as a last-minute holiday side dish. Plus, you can swap the cornflake topping for a different kind of crunch, like French-fried onions or crushed potato chips.

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Meat Lover's Pizza Tot Casserole

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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (11)

When you're craving pizza but don't want to resort to takeout, opt for this dump dish. The process does require a browning step for the meat and veggies, but it all happens in one pot. That means once it's done on the stove, you dump in the rest of the ingredients and pop it in the oven.

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Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (12)

You know from the name that this dump-and-go casserole features bacon, chicken, and ranch, but that's only the start of the deliciousness. Pasta bulks up each bite, so it's hearty enough for dinner. Broccoli, mushrooms, and tomato make a healthier casserole recipe. And, of course, we have to mention all the cheese—cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan form a delightfully gooey layer on top.

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One-Step Ham Casserole

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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (13)

Preheat your oven, stir together the ingredients, and cook. That's all it takes to make this dump-and-bake casserole recipe. You don't even have to chop anything. Start with leftover (or store-bought) diced ham, then make this casserole gooey, creamy, and delicious by adding shredded cheese, macaroni, and cream of celery soup.

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making

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Turkey-Vegetable Casserole

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This dump-and-bake dish is pure comfort food. Leftover turkey, home-style gravy, and frozen veggies in individual casserole dishes feel like a surprise serving of Thanksgiving dinner. A pinch of nutmeg gives this cozy meal an extra dose of the fall flavors we crave.

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Farmer's Casserole

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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (15)

Hash browns, melted cheese, smoky ham, and eggs—this meal combines everything we love about breakfast and brunch. However, we can't think of a single time of day when we wouldn't be happy with cheesy hash browns and eggs.

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Alfredo-Bacon Tot Casserole

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Everything you need for a successful weeknight dinner is in this dump-and-bake recipe. This chicken Alfredo casserole comes together fast, like all of our dump dinner recipes. But the best part is all the yummy ingredients: potato tots, bacon, Alfredo sauce, and chicken. Dress it up with juicy cherry tomatoes on top.

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King Ranch Crunch Chicken Casserole

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King ranch chicken is a nostalgic comfort food dating back to the '50s. Here, we've turned it into an easy casserole recipe that you dump and "bake" in the slow cooker. Melty cheese and chicken are layered between tortilla chips for an irresistible savory dinner that takes just 15 minutes to toss together.

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Red Bean, Cheese, and Triple-Chile Casserole

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One of the great things about using red beans as the protein in this dump-and-go casserole is that they don't require any cooking. Unlike ground beef, which you usually have to brown first, beans go right in with the cheese and diced chile peppers. Top the baked dish with chopped tomatoes and crushed tortilla chips for freshness and crunch.

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Spicy White Bean Casserole with Calabrian Chiles

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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (19)

The easy casserole recipe starts with inexpensive ingredients like cream cheese, canned beans, and broccoli. A crunchy chili-panko topping adds texture and color to the cheesy casserole. Looking for a vegetarian dump-and-go casserole recipe? Omit the pancetta and swap in vegetable broth.

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Quick Chicken Tortilla Bake

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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (20)

This easy chicken casserole has all the flavor of your favorite chicken tacos, minus the hassle. Instead of setting up a taco assembly line for everyone to make their own, combine the tomatoes, tortillas, chicken, and cheese into one delicious dish. This zesty dump-and-bake taco casserole can be on your table in an hour.

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Chicken, Wild Rice, and Vegetable Casserole

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This delicious chicken and rice dish can be made and frozen for up to two months before baking. When you're ready for dinner, pop this chicken dump-and-go casserole in the oven and set the table (or work on a quick side salad). Topping it with cheddar cheese makes it completely irresistible.

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Creamy Meatball Casserole

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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (22)

This hearty main dish combines succulent meatballs and cream of mushroom soup with red potatoes. Speed up this dump-and-bake meatball casserole by using frozen veggies and meatballs. It's a meat-and-potatoes dinner all in one pan.

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Roast Beef Tamale Casserole

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There's lots to love in this roast beef dump dinner. Tender beef and pinto beans pack in plenty of protein; poblano peppers add a hint of heat. We included zucchini and grape tomatoes to make this dump-and-bake casserole a little healthier.

23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (2024)

FAQs

What is in casserole dish? ›

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, ...

Are casseroles hard to make? ›

The real beauty of casseroles is how easy they are to make. All you need to do is combine the prepared ingredients in a casserole dish, then cover and place in the oven to cook. The indirect heat of the oven warms the ingredients slowly, preventing the food from sticking together and burning onto the base of the dish.

What makes a meal a casserole? ›

Casseroles Are Largely Defined by Their Baking Dish

agrees, telling us that "a casserole is baked in a casserole dish—a deep baking dish. The word casserole comes from a French word meaning 'saucepan. '"

How full can you fill a casserole dish? ›

Casserole dishes should be filled no more than three-quarters of the height of the dish to prevent overflow when cooking. And it is always a good idea to place the casserole dish on a sheet pan to catch spatters, or to place a sheet pan on the rack just below.

What is the oldest known casserole? ›

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

What are 5 components of a casserole? ›

Let's talk anatomy: A standard dinner casserole usually includes a protein, a starch, a vegetable, a sauce (or other binding ingredient), and cheese. But making a casserole is not an exact science, and you can definitely break away from this formula. Check out some fun side-dish casseroles and desserts below!

What is the key to making a good casserole? ›

  1. Choose the right baking dish. If you're all about the crunchy topping, use a shallow dish. ...
  2. Undercook your pasta. ...
  3. Drain your meat. ...
  4. Beware of mushy vegetables. ...
  5. Know your cheeses. ...
  6. Master the art of casserole assembly. ...
  7. Don't skip the topping. ...
  8. Make it now, but bake it later.
Nov 1, 2021

Is it better to cook casserole the day before or? ›

Make-ahead meals (especially baked casseroles) are terrific because you can completely assemble them in advance and bake them just before serving. They're the ultimate comfort food as they come bubbling hot and delicious straight from the oven to the table to the delight of family and friends.

What kind of casseroles are there? ›

Casseroles
  • Rice Casserole.
  • Noodle Casserole.
  • Vegetable Casserole.
  • Healthy Casseroles.
  • Seafood Casserole.
  • Beef Casserole.
  • Chicken Casserole.
  • Pork Casserole.

What was the original casserole? ›

Casserole history

Apparently, casseroles originated as communal pots that people shared for meals. The oldest recipe for a casserole, around 1250, consisted of pasta sheets cooked in water, layered with grated cheese and spices.

Should casseroles be covered when baking? ›

The primary reason for covering a casserole as it bakes is to trap moisture inside the dish. This will not only keep the casserole itself moist, but it will also help get the casserole up to cooking temperature.

What is the most popular casserole dish size? ›

"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.

How many people will a 9x13 casserole feed? ›

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.

Should you cook meat before putting in casserole? ›

With this in mind, be sure to choose a dish that is the correct size for your ingredients.
  1. Par Cook Pasta and Vegetables. A common issue with casseroles is soggy overcooked pasta or vegetable components. ...
  2. Always Cook Meat Before Adding. Don't add raw meat to a casserole. ...
  3. Let It Rest.
Mar 2, 2023

What are the 4 parts of a casserole? ›

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 is a 9x13 casserole dish for? ›

The 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish is a workhorse in any kitchen, available in glass, ceramic, or metal. Use this versatile vessel for everything from cheesy potatoes au gratin to comforting casseroles, roasted meats, and vegetables to cakes, crisps, crumbles, and cobblers.

Is a Pyrex dish a casserole dish? ›

Let us introduce you to our round Pyrex® glass casserole dish, both aesthetic and versatile. Ideal for family meals and special occasions.

What is the difference between a casserole dish and a baking pan? ›

Baking Dishes—those made of porcelain, glass, or ceramic—are slow to heat and don't provide a lot of browning. Baking pans, on the other hand, are made of metal or tin and conduct heat quicker than baking dishes. Baking Dishes can withstand extreme oven temperatures, while baking pans may warp under high heat.

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