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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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (4)

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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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (8)

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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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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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (16)

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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23 Dump-and-Bake Easy Casserole Recipes for Weeknight Dinners (18)

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 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 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.

Do you cook vegetables before putting in casserole? ›

Soft vegetables like broccoli can be quickly par-cooked (aka blanched). If you are using hard vegetables like potatoes or carrots or other hardy root vegetables, you'll want to par-cook for longer. Often a quick 2-5 minutes in the microwave will just give them that great head-start.

Can you prepare a casserole the night before? ›

Of course you can - and it's so easy! Just throw everything together the day before, refrigerate overnight, take out an hour before baking, and into the oven it goes.

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, ...

What are the 5 components of a casserole? ›

So what's inside? Let's talk anatomy: A standard dinner casserole usually includes a protein, a starch, a vegetable, a sauce (or other binding ingredient), and cheese.

How long should a casserole be in the oven? ›

The time a casserole takes to cook will vary from 2-2½ hours for chuck, blade and thick flank, up to 4 hours for shin, leg and neck. Pork cuts for braising and casseroling normally take 1½ hours, and lamb much the same.

What is the purpose of using a water bath when baking? ›

The hot water helps keep the temperature surrounding the food more consistent. This is particularly useful for recipes containing eggs, which can be quite temperamental in unmoderated temperatures. Delicate bakes using a custard or something similar (like cheesecake) will benefit greatly from the use of a water bath.

Is it better to bake a casserole in glass or metal? ›

What Should I Bake In a Metal Baking Pan? We hate to say it – we've got nothing against glass, we promise! – but metal does an overall better job than glass of baking almost everything except for acidic desserts. It bakes evenly because it heats up so quickly.

Should you cook onions before putting in casserole? ›

recipes ask that you sauté onions before adding other ingredients when making soups, stews, or other dishes that contain lots of liquid (as opposed to something like a stir fry).

Should I cook frozen vegetables before putting in a casserole? ›

Skip the Thawing!

These tiny vegetables cook so quickly that any simmering soup or stew will heat them through in just a few minutes. The same goes if you want to stir them into pasta or casseroles – chuck them in straight into the pot from the freezer!

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 party food can you cook the night before? ›

Entertaining doesn't get any easier with these nibbles and bites that can be prepared hours, days and even months in advance.
  • 1Turkey, cranberry and brie sausage roll bags. ...
  • 2Crispy blue cheese and thyme polenta fingers. ...
  • 3Olive and sun-dried tomato salami log. ...
  • 4Ginger chicken meatballs.

Should a casserole be covered in liquid? ›

A tight-fitting lid on your casserole dish ensures the dish doesn't lose moisture during the long cooking process. Size matters. If your dish is too small, the liquid can overflow.

Do you have to brown meat before casserole? ›

"The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish." If you are making a slow-cooked recipe that calls for ground beef, like chili, beef stew, or meat sauce, browning the meat beforehand makes a huge difference.

What are three guidelines to follow when preparing casseroles? ›

Top tips for casseroles
  1. Cut your ingredients, such as meat, potatoes and parsnips, into similar-sized pieces to ensure they cook evenly. ...
  2. To save time – and washing up – use a flameproof, ovenproof casserole dish. ...
  3. Avoid adding flour after cooking or the raw flour taste will remain.

What are 3 possible advantages to preparing your own casseroles? ›

Why You Should Be Cooking More Casseroles
  1. They're versatile. For every set of tastebuds, there's a casserole to match. ...
  2. They can be nutritious. ...
  3. They're easy, from prep through cleanup. ...
  4. They feed a crowd. ...
  5. They're transportable and gift-able.

How to improve a casserole? ›

Many casseroles seem to improve in flavour if kept overnight (cool them quickly and keep them in a refrigerator, by the way, once they're cold). This means it's quite possible to make two casseroles while the oven is in full swing, and keep one for the next day.

What are 3 advantages of making a casserole? ›

A quick casserole can be a great time saver on a busy night. Most casseroles contain a combination of protein, grains and vegetables. Reduce your time spent cooking multiple dishes by serving a one-dish meal. The cleanup is also easier!

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