Every Season (Even Summer!) Is Casserole Season & Here's The Proof
These making turning on your oven so worth it.
As soon as we can, we're all for shedding our winter coats, ditching the soups, and switching up our dinner routines as soon as the warm weather rolls around. But we gotta be honest: Some things are hard to give up, like the convenience, comfort, and simplicity of a casserole for dinner. Fear not—we’re here to tell you that you CAN enjoy a hot, bubbly casserole in the summer. Ditch winter standbys like green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole for summery flavor combinations, fresh produce, and outdoor eating-inspired casseroles. Check out our 35 summer casseroles for ideas—don’t put away that baking dish just yet!
One of the best things about a casserole is its ability to feed a hungry crowd, and that’s no different during the summer. So to “summer-fy” our favorite comfort dish, we looked to our favorite summer activities and flavors for inspiration. Love a weeknight dinner on the grill but feeling unmotivated (or is the weather not cooperating)? Try our cheeseburger casseroles (including a “skinny” version) or our chili cheese dog casserole. They’ve got everything you crave from a BBQ without having to stand over a hot grill. Feeling a Mexican food vibe but don’t want to assemble a million individual-sized options (tacos, quesadillas, etc.)? Try our Mexican chicken casserole or our enchilada casserole. They’re easy to throw together, meaning you’ll have more time to whip up some margaritas to go with. Watching the game and don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen when the big play happens? Try our sloppy Joe meatball bake, our Buffalo chicken & rice casserole, or our tater tot casserole. They’re just as good as your favorite apps, but a TON less work.
During the summer, we love filling our recipes with as much seasonal produce as possible. Casseroles are great ways to use up a bounty of zucchini, eggplant, sweet corn, and even pineapple. Check out our squash casserole, our summer bowtie pasta & chicken sausage skillet bake, our pineapple casserole (trust us), or our vegetarian moussaka (think shepherd’s pie but with eggplant!) for ideas.
Want more summertime inspiration? Check out our favorite summer salads, our best summer soups, and our top summer desserts too.
Hamburger Casserole
You may have heard the term “hamburger casserole” used to describe similarly cozy recipes using ground beef and elbow macaroni. But instead of the classic tomato-based goulash, this version is made with a sauce reminiscent of your favorite fast food secret sauce—pickles included. But our favorite part of this recipe is how quickly it comes together with ingredients you likely already have in your fridge.
Get the Hamburger Casserole recipe.
Enchilada Casserole
Instead of rolling all of the enchiladas individually, this casserole speeds up the process by layering everything together in the pan. Skip the store bought enchilada sauce and make your own homemade sauce. You can adjust the heat up or down according to your preference.
Get the Enchilada Casserole recipe.
Summer Stuffed Shells
Who said summer dinners can’t be cozy? These stuffed shells are bursting with seasonal flavor from sweet corn, zucchini, and basil, but they also hit the comfort food spot thanks to the cheesy, rich ricotta.
Get the Summer Stuffed Shells recipe.
Pierogi Casserole
Looking for a comforting yet innovative dish to impress your guests or family, without too much work on your part? This easy-to-make casserole takes frozen potato pierogi to the next level with layers of spinach, sausage, and cheese that will leave everyone craving more. The best part? You can easily customize it with your favorite ingredients to suit your taste.
Get the Pierogi Casserole recipe.
Mexican Chicken Casserole
While this is certainly not an authentic Mexican dish, it combines lots of flavors and ingredients that will remind you of tacos, enchiladas, and your favorite Mexican/Tex-Mex meals. It's perfect for celebrating Cinco de Mayo with a crowd, or for spicing up your weeknight dinner any time of year.
Get the Mexican Chicken Casserole recipe.
Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups
This recipe takes some time and patience, but it's just about the prettiest "pasta" dish you'll ever see. If you have mandoline, use it to make the zoodles; if you don't, practice your knife skills. 😉
Get the Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups recipe.
Chili Cheese Dog Casserole
Canned chili and crescent roll dough makes this recipe ridiculously easy. It can be served as a main course or as a fun addition to any game day party spread. If you've got a little more time on your hands, fancy it up by making your own homemade chili instead of the canned stuff. (Our ultimate beef chili is a good place to start.)
Get the Chili Cheese Dog Casserole recipe.
Sushi Bake
This casserole is exactly like your favorite spicy roll, but with all your favorite extra toppings. The sticky, seasoned sushi rice gets baked in an oiled dish, making the edges slightly crisp and chewy, and creating a mind-blowing texture contrast with the decadent topping. Serve it with small sheets of nori to get the full sushi vibe.
Get the Sushi Bake recipe.
Pineapple Casserole
Sure, on paper it doesn’t make sense: canned pineapple with cheddar and buttered Ritz crackers. Seriously? Seriously. The result is a sweet-and-savory dream and a textural paradise you can serve alongside dishes like pulled pork at your next outdoor celebration.
Get the Pineapple Casserole recipe.
Zucchini Lattice Lasagna
Yes, classic lasagna is delicious, but when we're craving something a tad less carb-heavy, we turn to this summery zucchini version. Pro tip: Zucchini releases a good amount of water, so we like to dab it with a paper towel when the lasagna is done cooking, then broil until the cheese is bubbly and crispy. 😍
Get the Zucchini Lattice Lasagna recipe.
Ratatouille Casserole
Ratatouille, a classic end of summer dish from the South of France that features our favorite late-season produce, takes on a new form in this beautiful spiraled casserole that's easier than it looks.
Get the Ratatouille Casserole recipe.
Sloppy Joe Meatball Bake
Meatballs don’t take the sloppy out of sloppy Joes, they just turn it into a whole new, super-versatile form. Sandwich these into a hoagie roll for a saucy meatball sub, enjoy them right out of the skillet as an easy appetizer (think game day snacks!), or serve this bake as a main with fresh veggie sides.
Get the Sloppy Joe Meatball Bake recipe.
Tater Tot Casserole
This casserole is a total guilty pleasure, but we promise, it's worth it. If you're trying to lighten it up, ground turkey or chicken would be a delicious swap out for the beef. If you're really being good (we're impressed!). top the casserole with zucchini tater tots in place of the potato variety.
Get the Tater Tot Casserole recipe.
Buffalo Chicken & Rice Casserole
If you can’t get enough of Buffalo chicken wings, then this easy casserole is for you. This spicy, creamy chicken and rice casserole turns everyone's fave app into a crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner.
Cornbread Casserole
Though we kind of hate to admit it, we LOVE Jiffy cornbread mix. It's easy to make, and it's damn good in dishes like this chili and cornbread casserole. If you want to go the homemade route, try halving our delicious homemade cornbread recipe for this recipe. It might turn out even better.
Get the Cornbread Casserole recipe.
Vegetable Casserole
For this recipe, we wanted to gussy up the idea of a casserole by combining two French dishes: ratatouille and potatoes au gratin. This combination makes for a luxurious and delicious way to get your daily dose of veggies this summer.
Get the Vegetable Casserole recipe.
Summer Bowtie Pasta & Chicken Sausage Skillet Bake
We believe that summer dinners should be both quick and easy, so this skillet pasta dinner requires just a handful of ingredients—bowtie pasta, marinara sauce, chicken sausage, zucchini, bell pepper, spinach... SO EASY.
Get the Summer Bowtie Pasta & Chicken Sausage Skillet Bake recipe.
Zucchini Casserole With Garlicky Bread Crumbs
This summery vegetarian side may be quick and easy, but the colorful shingled veggies make for an impressive presentation. Even the most reluctant vegetable-eaters won't be able to resist that cheesy herbed bread crumb topping. 😋
Get the Zucchini Casserole With Garlicky Bread Crumbs recipe.
Everything Bagel Casserole
This casserole is a GREAT option for when you need to feed your crowd before heading to the beach or an amusement park this summer, especially for those who can't handle cutting bagels (or are just indecisive!). If you can't find everything bagels (the horror!), just use extra everything bagel seasoning.
Get the Everything Bagel Casserole recipe.
