20 Winter Casserole Recipes You Can Make in an Hour or Less

Creamy Cabbage Casserole
Credit: Photography / Greg DuPree, Styling / Ruth BlackBurn / Julia Bayless

A cozy, comforting casserole is a wonderful option to whip up during the cold winter months. These delicious casserole recipes, made with tasty winter veggies like kale, cauliflower, cabbage and winter squash, will be ready to devour in less than an hour. You’ll want to try options like our Creamy Cabbage Casserole and Cheesy Beef & Black Bean Skillet Casserole for a warm and hearty meal everyone will enjoy.

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01 of 20

Creamy Chicken & Cauliflower Rice Casserole

a recipe photo of the Creamy Chicken & Cauliflower Rice Casserole

Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell

This protein-rich, one-skillet dinner features tender chicken thighs baked on a bed of creamy cauliflower rice packed with meaty mushrooms. While chicken thighs are quick and convenient, you can substitute halved bone-in chicken breasts in their place.

02 of 20

Creamy Cabbage Casserole

Creamy Cabbage Casserole
Photography / Greg DuPree, Styling / Ruth BlackBurn / Julia Bayless

This creamy cabbage casserole is subtly spicy and has the perfect balance of sweet, tender cabbage to classic, creamy béchamel sauce. The cracker-and-cheese topping adds a nice bit of crunch in every bite. Serve alongside roasted chicken or pork.

03 of 20

Creamed Spinach & Chicken Casserole

Creamed Spinach & Chicken Casserole

Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

Creamed spinach and chicken combine in this crowd-pleasing, comforting casserole. Crushed red pepper packs some heat, so add less or leave it out completely if you want a milder version. You can cook long-grain brown rice ahead of time or look for packaged microwaveable brown rice to use instead.

04 of 20

Cheesy Beef & Black Bean Skillet Casserole

a recipe photo of the Cheesy Beef and Black Bean Skillet Casserole

Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Think of this creamy skillet casserole as a one-pan taco. The corn tortillas crisp up under the broiler, adding crunch to go with the creamy filling. If you enjoy a bit of spiciness, opt for hot salsa or chipotle salsa for some smoky undertones. Tomatillo salsa works well, too, adding tang and a fresh flavor to this easy skillet dinner.

05 of 20

Spinach, Feta & Rice Casserole

Spinach, Feta, Rice Casserole

This one-pan recipe is the casserole version of spanakopita! It’s hearty enough to enjoy as a vegetarian lunch or dinner, yet versatile enough to serve alongside just about any protein. To make it extra creamy, top each serving with a dollop of sour cream.

06 of 20

Creamy Lemon-Parmesan Chicken Casserole

overhead view of casserole in a dish with breadcrumb mixture sprinkled on half of the top and a bowl of breadcrumb mixture with a spoon in it

Brie Goldman

This creamy chicken casserole pops with lemon and savory Parmesan cheese. It’s also loaded with vitamin C-packed broccoli. Using whole-wheat orzo ups the fiber content in this healthful and comforting dinner.

07 of 20

Spinach & Artichoke Casserole with Chicken & Cauliflower Rice

Spinach & Artichoke Casserole with Chicken and Cauliflower
Photographer: Jen Causey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer

This high-protein chicken casserole clocks in right around 400 calories to help you end your day feeling satisfied—not starved or overly full.

08 of 20

Buffalo Chicken & Cauliflower Casserole

Buffalo Chicken & Cauliflower Casserole
Jennifer Causey

This creamy low-carb Buffalo chicken and cauliflower casserole is spicy and satisfying. Cauliflower and celery add a tender-crisp bite, while a sprinkle of blue cheese on top adds a savory finish.

09 of 20

Mini Loaded Cauliflower Casseroles

Mini Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
Jacob Fox

You'll love this low-carb mini casserole version of loaded baked potatoes! Tangy sour cream coats chopped cauliflower and bakes with Cheddar cheese, bacon and onion in ramekins for you to enjoy your own personal comfort-food casserole.

10 of 20

Spinach & Tortellini Casserole

a recipe photo of the Spinach & Tortellini Casserole

Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Lexi Juhl

This tortellini casserole is comfort food at its finest. This easy-to-make dinner takes only 20 minutes to prep and is finished in under an hour. We use refrigerated tortellini, but frozen tortellini would also shine in this dish. If you’ve got leftover cooked vegetables, stir those into the mix or add chopped sun-dried tomatoes or olives for a boost of flavor.

11 of 20

Quick King Ranch Chicken Casserole

Quick king ranch chicken casserole recipe in a cast iron pan, placed on a cloth napkin with a wooden spoon next to it on the right side

Christine Ma

Usually made by layering creamy chicken and tortillas (lasagna-style), this classic Tex-Mex-inspired chicken casserole gets speedier when we mix everything together in a skillet and then pop the whole pan under the broiler to make the cheese topping gooey.

12 of 20

Cabbage Roll Casserole

Cabbage Roll Casserole in a bowl

Photographer: Grant Webster; Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman; Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek,

This casserole has all the elements of cabbage rolls—ground beef, onion and rice cooked in tomato sauce—and skips the fuss of rolling. The cabbage is chopped instead and layered with the saucy filling, then topped with cheese for a satisfying and easy casserole.

13 of 20

Chicken Enchilada Skillet Casserole

Chicken Enchilada Skillet Casserole
Jacob Fox

This simplified take on cheesy chicken enchiladas only requires one pan for cooking and eliminates the need to stuff and roll corn tortillas. Charring the veggies in a cast-iron skillet adds depth of flavor. Don’t worry if you don’t have one, because you can use any oven-safe skillet instead.

14 of 20

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

a recipe photo of the Chicken Parmesan Casserole

We took the best parts of chicken Parmesan—ooey-gooey cheese, crispy breadcrumbs and plenty of tomato sauce—and spun them into an easy family-friendly casserole.

15 of 20

Cauliflower Gratin

Cauliflower Gratin (see serp, not skillet)
Antonis Achilleos

This easy cauliflower gratin uses one pot to steam the cauliflower and then make the cheesy sauce, cutting down on dishes. Just 20 minutes in the oven is all it takes to crisp up the breadcrumb crust. Serve this family-friendly gratin alongside roast chicken, pork or steak.

16 of 20

Skillet Green Chile-Chicken Enchilada Casserole

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This enchilada casserole is bursting with chicken, tomatoes, tomatillos, chile peppers and cheese, and because it’s a one-skillet casserole, cleanup is a breeze.

17 of 20

Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole

Cheesy ground beef & cauliflower casserole

Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco

Ground beef and cauliflower combine to create a hearty weeknight casserole that both kids and adults will love. Serve with tortilla chips and sour cream.

18 of 20

Broccoli-Cheddar Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Broccoli-Cheddar Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Tender strings of spaghetti squash replace pasta in this cheesy gluten-free casserole that’s studded with broccoli. Cheddar cheese melts into a bubbling topping. Serve with roasted chicken or pork or as part of a vegetarian dinner.

19 of 20

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pies

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These mini vegetarian shepherd’s pies feature lentils, carrot and corn, crowned with a velvety mashed potato topping. The recipe can also be made in a broiler-safe casserole dish. Serve with a spinach salad with oranges, walnuts and red-wine vinaigrette.

20 of 20

Smoked Turkey, Kale & Rice Bake

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This hearty one-skillet dinner is loaded with celery, kale, tomatoes and quick-cooking brown rice. It’s easy to make the recipe vegetarian by substituting smoked tofu for the turkey.

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