Whatever happened to casseroles? There's something inherently comforting about them in all their creamy and cheesy glory, so we think it's due time for a casserole comeback. The old-school definition of a casserole may be different, but we're going to go ahead define it as any meal that all goes in one dish and is baked, whether it be in your standard Pyrex, individual ramekins, or a Dutch oven.
The best part about casserole is that you can make them ahead of time and freeze them until you're ready to eat, but before you get started, brush up on these three keys to make-ahead casserole success.
Casserole Tip #1: Pasta, rice, beans, any anything starchy should be cooked until al dente to prevent them from turning mushy.
Casserole Tip #2: When you are wrapping your casserole for the freezer, use freezer paper or heavy-duty aluminum foil, not plastic wrap.
Casserole Tip #3: Finally, it's best to let your casserole thaw in the fridge overnight the night before you want to bake it off.
Now that you've been schooled in the art of casserole, read on for delicious and freezable recipes your whole family will love.
Noodle-less Zucchini Casserole
Thinly sliced zucchini ribbons replace noodles in this lasagna, but don't worry. There's still plenty of cheese to qualify this as comfort food.
Arroz con pollo (chicken and rice) is a very popular Spanish comfort dish, and this Tex-Mex version is sure to be a hit with your family. Add a couple dashes of your favorite hot sauce or a teaspoon of cayenne pepper if you want a little more heat.
Sure you can freeze this insanely cheesy and spicy casserole, but it will only take you about 20 minutes to make from scratch. It's got all the components of Mexican food that you love, from the corn tortillas to the tomato salsa. Plus it's made with ground turkey so it's practically a health food!
Eggplant and Walnut Phyllo Pie
Pan-fried eggplant, crunchy walnuts, and tons of cheese make this Greek casserole the ultimate in comfort food. The flaky crust is made from frozen phyllo dough, a huge timesaver.
These enchiladas are the real deal and use two different kinds of dried chiles, arbol and ancho, and two kinds of Mexican cheeses. Queso fresco is a crumbly and salty cheese, but you can substitute feta if you can't find it. Queso chihuaha is a stringy, melting cheese and can be substituted with mozzarella. This is the perfect dish to use leftover Thanksgiving turkey, but you could also use leftover roast chicken.
Praline French Toast Bread Pudding
Freezeable breakfast casseroles are perfect for last-minute brunch entertaining. This one boasts fluffy challah bread and a brown-sugar praline crunch, so you know it's going to be everyone's favorite.
Give your pot pies some Cajun flair with some andouille sausage and shrimp. Concentrated seafood stock can be purchased on Amazon or at many fish markets, but you can substitute bottled clam juice. The dough is baked separately from the filling so it stays crisp, so you can freeze the ramekins and pastry individually and assemble them when it comes time to bake.
