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Meat doesn't have to be the centerpiece of every dish, especially when it comes to casseroles. They're already usually made with a glut of carbs, creamy sauces, and cheese, all of which are filling and decadent on their own. Whether you're experimenting with vegetarianism, observing Lent, or just want to try meatless Mondays, here are some filling, comforting, and hearty casseroles to whip up soon.
Broccoli cheese casserole is a classic for a reason. This version uses frozen broccoli for convenience, but you can substitute fresh. Heating the sauce and cheese up on the stove first adds an extra step, but it ensures that everything is smooth, creamy, and cheesy. French-fried onions add some crunch on top.
Recipe: Taste of Home
Instead of frying the eggplant slices, you bake them on sheet pans in this recipe. It creates much less mess, is healthier, and frees you up to assemble the other ingredients. Use a high-quality jarred marinara like Rao's or use your own homemade sauce if you prefer.
Recipe: Eating Well
This easy recipe tastes just like chicken pot pie but without the meat. Frozen mixed vegetables are a time-saver, but you can use any combination of fresh and frozen you like. Thyme and sage give the creamy filling flavor while the biscuits cooked on top are full of cheese and fresh chives.
Recipe: Budget Bytes
Related: Easy and Cheap Vegetarian Recipes Anyone Will Enjoy
Who says you can't have decadence for breakfast or brunch? A splash of bourbon adds an extra layer of complexity to this sweet, bread pudding-like casserole. The topping is like streusel, adding spices, sweetness, and a little crunch.
Recipe: The Chunky Chef
Related: 26 Easy Breakfast Casseroles to Start Your Morning Right
You'll never go back to the boxed stuff when you try a real scalloped potato recipe like this one. The rich, creamy sauce includes onions and garlic for extra flavor, plus plenty of sharp cheddar and Parmesan cheese. You can use a mandoline to make slicing the potatoes easier, but you don't need one.
Recipe: Gimme Some Oven
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Who needs meat when you've got a veggie medley packed with zucchini, black beans, corn, and chiles? The mixture and plenty of cheese is layered with corn tortillas and enchilada sauce. It may seem like making the sauce from scratch would be complicated, but it's a very quick all-in-one-pot recipe using pantry staples.
Recipe: Budget Bytes
There is no better way to dress up a boring head of cauliflower than by blanketing it in creamy sauce. This is a classic recipe that uses Gruyere, a sharp Swiss-like cheese, Parmesan, and nutmeg to add depth to the sauce. A topping of breadcrumbs and more cheese gets nice and brown and adds texture to the finished casserole.
Recipe: Food Network
For some, mashed potatoes are the ultimate comfort food. Bake them in a layer on top of a rich filling made with Worcestershire, red wine, and herbs, and it's heaven in a baking dish. You won't miss the meat, which is replaced with lots of crimini mushrooms, carrots, peas, and corn for a meatless but still hearty meal.
Recipe: Two Peas and Their Pod
Related: 19 Savory Pies From Around The World
This impossibly simple pasta casserole is great for weeknights and feeding a lot of people easily. The creamy sauce is made with sour cream, egg, and Monterey jack cheese. Chopped frozen spinach is a healthy and colorful addition, while canned fried onions give it a little crunch on top.
Recipe: Taste of Home
No decadent casserole list would be complete without baked macaroni and cheese. This recipe is especially over-the-top since it uses half and half to make the cheese sauce, along with a full six cups of cheese. The mixture of sharp cheddar and Gruyere is classic, and the layer of shredded cheese in the middle of the casserole is a winner.
Recipe: The Chunky Chef
Lasagna doesn't need meat to be outrageously good — and full of cheese. You can use any vegetables you like in the mix here, including eggplant, summer squash, carrots, or mushrooms, but spinach is always a must. A full pound of ricotta, pound of gooey mozzarella, and cup of Parmesan finish it all off.
Recipe: Smitten Kitchen
It's hard to get much more decadent for breakfast than with this chocolate banana peanut butter creation. Baked oatmeal has a texture that can either be scooped when warm or cut into squares right from the fridge. Try it warm with some cold milk poured over the top, which will soon turn to chocolate milk from all the cocoa in this recipe.
Recipe: Budget Bytes
Tater tot hotdish is an upper Midwest casserole that's usually made with ground beef. In this version, the meat is swapped for more vegetables, including carrots, peas, and corn. Though the recipe calls for a homemade version of cream of mushroom soup, you can just use a can of Campbell's if you prefer.
Recipe: Fork in the Kitchen
The stuffed mushrooms you get from your favorite restaurant are always swimming in garlic butter and stuffed with cheesy deliciousness. They're a pain to put together, unless you make them in casserole form. Chopped mushrooms are sauteed and then mixed with cream cheese and garlic. A mix of panko breadcrumbs and cheese on top gives it that characteristic crispy crust.
Recipe: Food Network
Who needs meat when you can have cheese-covered carbs? A simple baked pasta and red sauce casserole is a go-to for most families, but this one amps things up with heavy cream, making it a rich special occasion-worthy treat.
Recipe: Spend with Pennies
Canned biscuits are a quick comfort food, but instead of baking them like normal, try this casserole for your next weekend breakfast. Chopped biscuits are layered with sauteed mushrooms, onions, frozen broccoli, and cheese sauce. A savory egg mixture is poured over the top, turning it into a biscuit and egg heaven.
Recipe: Taste of Home
Campbell's green bean casserole might be the quintessential American casserole, but there's always room for variation. This recipe swaps out the cream of mushroom soup for a homemade mushroom cream sauce made with white wine and garlic. On top, homemade fried shallots are an upgrade from fried onions, too.
Recipe: Country Living
Going one step further with broccoli cheese casserole brings you to this recipe which is more substantial since it includes rice. A can of condensed cheddar cheese soup makes quick work of a creamy sauce and coats all the broccoli and rice evenly.
Recipe: Campbell's
A vegetarian chili full of peppers, beans, cumin, and chile powders is the base for this Tex-Mex casserole. Green olives give the chili a little tang and cut through the richness, while browning the butter in the jalapeno cornbread topping gives it nuttiness and complexity. If you're short on time, your favorite cornbread mix will do in a pinch.
Recipe: Serious Eats
There's no reason to relegate sweet potato casseroles to only the holidays, and with this flavor-packed recipe, you won't want to. The sweet potatoes are sliced instead of mashed, and they're flavored with maple syrup and orange zest. A simple topping of pecans, tart frozen cranberries, and brown sugar adds crunch and sweetness.
Recipe: Love Bakes Good Cakes
No matter what you call this recipe — it goes by a lot of names in different parts of the country — it's a dish that will go quickly. This version, with frozen, shredded hash browns, canned cream soup, and sour cream, is the standard that can easily be modified. Try frozen potatoes O'Brien, cream of mushroom soup, or with various toppings like crushed Ritz crackers or corn flakes.
Recipe: Taste of Home
You won't miss the chicken in this vegetarian marsala casserole. The intense Italian wine flavors the creamy sauce that's full of mushrooms, onions, and Parmesan. Cubed mozzarella tossed with the pasta before baking melts into little pockets of gooey cheese.
Recipe: Smitten Kitchen
Corn casserole is a spoonable, slightly sweet corn pudding that makes a great side dish. It's made with pantry staples like canned corn, cornbread mix, and eggs, so chances are you'll be able to make it anytime. Experiment with additions like jalapenos, cheese, or even a swirl of jam.
Recipe: The Chunky Chef
Squash casserole is a Southern classic for summer when zucchini and summer squash are overflowing the garden. This version includes mushrooms, a welcome addition, along with cream of mushroom soup, cheese, and a topping of crushed buttery crackers for good measure.
Recipe: Taste of Home
This recipe is a great way to use up a jar of Alfredo that's been languishing in your cabinet. Chopped spinach and pesto are layered like a lasagna with frozen cheese ravioli and Alfredo, creating a simple, decadent casserole that's not far off from a white lasagna but takes a fraction of the effort.
Recipe: Southern Living
Related: Tacos, Pizza, and More Meals Masquerading as Casseroles
