20 Southern Casserole Recipes We Learned from Grandma (2024)

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20 Southern Casserole Recipes We Learned from Grandma (1)Lisa KaminskiUpdated: Feb. 14, 2024

    Southern grandmas seem to know the best comforting dishes to make and these Southern casserole recipes are definitely some of their best!

    Chicken Potpie Casserole

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    I always have leftover chicken broth on hand and use it for many things, including this comforting family favorite. You can bake your own biscuits as I do or buy them at the store. I like to bake extra biscuits to eat with butter and jam. —Liliane Jahnke, Cypress, Texas

    Vegetable Beef Casserole

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    This easy one-dish recipe has been a family favorite ever since my husband's aunt handed it down to me decades ago. Try using whatever vegetables you have on hand. A simple salad goes nicely with this entree. —Evangeline Rew, Manassas, Virginia

    Easy Cheesy Loaded Grits

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    Taste of Home

    A tasty bowl of grits inspired me to develop my own recipe with sausage, green chiles and cheeses. It just might be better than the original. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas

    Coconut-Bourbon Sweet Potatoes

    What is it about sweet potatoes that unnerve some people? For those who firmly state they hate a yam because of the color or texture, the rich addition of coconut, bourbon and spices might just win them over. —Rebecca Anderson, Driftwood, Texas

    Hot Brown Turkey Casserole

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    Taste of Home

    If you've ever tried the Hot Brown Sandwich at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, you'll love this version. It can be assembled ahead and refrigerated; just adjust baking time accordingly if cold. —Diane Halferty, Corpus Christi, Texas

    Chicken and Rice Casserole

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    Taste of Home

    Everyone loves this dish—I consider it the best chicken and rice casserole recipe because it's a tasty combination of hearty and crunchy ingredients mixed in a creamy sauce. It's a time-tested classic. —Myrtle Matthews, Marietta, Georgia

    Loaded Red Potato Casserole

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    This potato casserole has the same flavor of the potato skins you can order as a restaurant appetizer. It's an ideal dish for tailgating and potlucks. —Charlane Gathy, Lexington, Kentucky

    Cranberry-Apple French Toast

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    My husband's breakfast club at work raves about this make-ahead French toast. Pop it in the oven in the morning to get your day off to a sweet, bubbly start. —Mara Faulkner, Martinsburg, West Virginia

    Loaded Twice-Baked Potato Casserole

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    My husband is a meat and potatoes guy, so I try new combinations for variety. In this dish, twice-baked potatoes and potato skins make a scrumptious casserole. —Cyndy Gerken, Naples, Florida

    Blend of the Bayou

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    My sister-in-law shared this recipe with me when I first moved here. It's been handed down in my husband's family for generations. It's quick to prepare, nutritious and flavorful. I've passed it on to my children too.—Ruby Williams, Bogalusa, Louisiana

    Breakfast Burrito Casserole

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    Taste of Home

    A friend gave me this burrito casserole recipe and I modified it to fit our family. It's perfect for a brunch, because you can prep it the night before and bake it the next morning. —Krista Yoder, Due West, South Carolina

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    Taste of Home

    In the South, everyone loves three things: bacon, cheese and grits! After playing around with this recipe, I took it to my first family party as a newlywed, and it was a huge hit. This recipe has become a family tradition that I'm sure will be passed down for generations. —Melissa Rogers, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

    New Orleans-Style Scalloped Corn

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    This colorful casserole is very popular among family gatherings in many New Orleans homes. I started making it years ago, and now my sons include it in their menus.—Mrs. Priscilla Gilbert, Indian Harbour Beach, Florida

    Cornbread Chicken Bake

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    To make the most of leftover cornbread, try this hearty main dish casserole. It's moist, delicious and good on any occasion. —Madge Britton, Afton, Tennessee

    Calico Squash Casserole

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    I love to try out different recipes for the squash I grow in my garden. It's fun to bring this beautiful casserole to potlucks because I know it'll go fast. Even the little ones like it. —Lucille Terry, Frankfort, Kentucky

    Chili Beef Cornbread Casserole

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    Taste of Home

    This recipe is my potluck standby. And when I hear that someone may need a comforting home-cooked meal, I bring them this casserole. —Lorraine Espenhain, Corpus Christi, Texas

    Chiles Rellenos Breakfast Bake

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    Taste of Home

    My family loves anything with a Southwestern flavor, so I turned classic chiles rellenos into a breakfast casserole. They became fans in an instant. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas

    Pepper Jack Hash Brown Casserole

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    Taste of Home

    I found myself in need of an impromptu potato dish, but I had no potatoes. Frozen hash browns and the plethora of cheeses I had in the freezer offered me the solution to my side-dish dilemma. —Cynthia Gerken, Naples, Florida

    Originally Published: March 05, 2020

    20 Southern Casserole Recipes We Learned from Grandma (20)

    Lisa Kaminski

    Lisa is a formerTaste of Home editor and passionate baker. During her tenure, she poured her love of all things sweet (and sometimes savory) into Bakeable, Taste of Home's baking club. Lisa also dedicated her career here to finding and testing the best ingredients, kitchen gear and home products for our Test Kitchen-Preferred program. At home, you'll find her working on embroidery and other crafts.

    20 Southern Casserole Recipes We Learned from Grandma (2024)

    FAQs

    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 is the oldest dish we still eat? ›

    The World's 10 Oldest Dishes And Where They Are Today
    • Indian curry, circa 2200-2500 B.C. ...
    • Pancakes, circa 11650 B.C. ...
    • Linzer Torte, circa 1653. ...
    • Tamales, circa 5000 B.C. ...
    • Burgers, circa 100 century A.D. ...
    • Mesopotamian Stew, circa 2140 B.C., and bone broth, circa 400 B.C. ...
    • Rice dishes, circa 4530 B.C. ...
    • Beer, circa 3500 B.C.
    Sep 2, 2023

    What is the oldest food still around? ›

    First found in a tomb in Ancient Egypt, honey is about 5,500 years old. Revered in ancient Egypt, honey remains edible over long periods. In 2015, while excavating tombs in Egypt, the archaeologists found about 3000-year-old honey that was fully edible.

    Are casseroles 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 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.

    What is a 9 by 13 casserole dish? ›

    The average 9x13 rectangular baking dish holds 3.5 to 4 quarts. However, the number of quarts varies based on how deep the dish is—some of our deeper recommendations hold up to 5 quarts. Recipes that cook in a 3-quart dish or Dutch oven can be cooked interchangeably in a 9x13-inch baking dish.

    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

    Is it better to bake a casserole covered or uncovered? ›

    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.

    What is the main ingredient in 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, ...

    Why put foil on casserole dish? ›

    It protects your food from drying out or burning and helps keep in the heat and moisture, ensuring a perfectly cooked meal. Loosely covering your dish with foil can prevent uneven browning while baking. However, tightly sealing your bakeware with foil is the way to go for more steam.

    Should I put foil over my casserole? ›

    Cover dishes

    Loosely placing or tenting a sheet of foil over a dish can prevent the top from browning while the rest of your dish continues to bake. If you're looking to create more steam in the baking process, sealing the dish tightly with a foil lid will do the trick.

    Do you have to brown meat before casserole? ›

    If the meat will brown during baking, then, no, browning first is not important. If, by baking, you mean in a covered pot in the oven, then browning first would add flavor. Now if you are my wife, you never brown meat before baking, not even a a pot roast, and she doesn't need to.

    Who made the first casserole? ›

    And a piece by Langdon Reid in a Staunton, Virginia, newspaper says: “History tells us that a French Canadian immigrant Elmire Jolicour is credited with inventing the casserole, this wonderful dish of culinary breakthrough, in Berlin, New Hampshire, in 1866.”

    When did people start making casseroles? ›

    Baked dishes have existed for thousands of years. Early casserole recipes consisted of rice that was pounded, pressed, and filled with a savoury mixture of meats such as chicken or sweetbread. Sometime around the 1870s the casserole seems to have taken on its current definition.

    Why is it called a John Wayne casserole? ›

    John Wayne first wrote the casserole recipe, but it looks a little different today. John Wayne Casserole was first popularized by the 1979 cookbook, "Cooking with Love from Cara and Her Friends," a collection of different celebrities' favorite dishes.

    References

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